Choosing the Best Onion Varieties for Ohio
Ohio ’s climate is well - suited for originate recollective - day onion varieties . Long - day onions require 14 - 16 hours of daylight to form bulbs , making them a dandy match for Ohio ’s long summer daylight hours .
Some top long - day onion varieties to try include :
Copra – Reliable variety that stash away well . Produces magnanimous , jaundiced onion .
confect – Super sweet onions perfect for cutting eating .
Super Star – Hybrid with excellent disease resistance . White skin and soft flavor .
Walla Walla – Sweet Spanish type good for short - term storage .
Ailsa Craig – turgid , mild onion plant good for slice raw .
Red Wing – violet - red skin and mild perceptiveness . stock 3 - 6 month .
Consult seed catalogue or local nurseries to find even more farsighted - day varieties adapt to Ohio ’s grow conditions .
When to Plant Onions in Ohio
you’re able to go onion in Ohio from seed indoors or works onion sets directly in the garden :
Seeds : Start seeds indoors 10 - 12 weeks before the last bounce rime . Transplant seedling outside 4 weeks before the last frost .
Sets : industrial plant onion sets outdoors 4 - 6 week before the average last frost date .
The best time to implant Allium cepa alfresco in Ohio is mid - March through mid - April . onion plant germ and exercise set should go in the ground as soon as it can be make in other spring .
Growing Onions from Seeds
Starting onions from seeds takes more time and maintenance , but turn over you more mixture options . Here ’s how :
Sow seed 1⁄4 inch mystifying indoors in trays 10 - 12 weeks before transplanting . apply a source starting commixture .
Keep filth moist and develop seedling near a sunny window or under grow light .
Transplant Allium cepa seedlings into the garden 4 weeks before the last give frost .
blank transplanting 4 - 6 in aside in rows 12 - 18 inches asunder . Set them at the same depth as in trays .
Water transplants well and protect from hoarfrost with cover charge if necessitate .
Planting Onion Sets
Choose little , firm onion plant sets without foretoken of sprout or mold .
Plant sets 1 - 2 inches deep and 2 - 3 inch aside in rows 12 inch apart .
Push sets gently into subdued garden soil in early spring 4 - 6 weeks before the last frost .
Water good after planting sets . Cover with mulch to retain moisture .
Growing Onions from Seeds vs. Sets
Both seed and set onion have pros and cons :
Seeds allow more variety options but take long ( 4 months start to harvest home ) .
Sets lease you bound off set off indoors and give early harvests ( 1 - 2 calendar month ) .
Seeds are inexpensive , while sets are more convenient .
Sets sometimes bolt untimely if subject to cold atmospheric condition .
select the method that best match your needs and schedule !
Caring for Onions as They Grow
Give your growing onions thoughtful care for healthy , robust electric-light bulb :
Water 1 - 2 inches per week . forfend both overwatering and drought .
Weed meticulously to preclude contention for nutrients and piss .
Side - apparel with nitrogen plant food monthly during main growth .
pitcher’s mound grease up against bulbs as they enlarge to deal and stabilize bases .
ascendency pests like onion maggots , cutworms , and thrips organically .
Harvest fleeceable onion for salads once tops are 6 inches improbable .
Consistent lachrymation and quick weeding are life-sustaining to mature full - sized , picture show - stark onions .
How to Tell When Onions Are Ready to Harvest
Onions take 3 - 5 calendar month to mature depending on kind . Watch for these sign bulb are quick for harvest :
Stop irrigate once 50 % of tops devolve over so necks cure well .
Harvesting and Storing Onions
Gather a bountiful harvest of fresh onions for months of enjoyment :
cautiously lift medulla with a garden fork , avoiding cutting or bruising .
permit onion to dry for 1 - 2 weeks laid out in a warm , well - ventilated spot .
Brush off loose dirt but do n’t wash yet . Clean outer scale will help storage .
garnish off foliage , leaving 1 - 2 inches of stem . Take care not to contract into the bulb .
Cure onions in a dark , juiceless region with quite a little of tune circulation for 2 - 3 weeks .
Store fully cured lightbulb in mesh bags or crates in a nerveless ( 40 - 50 ° F ) , very juiceless smirch .
Enjoying the Onion Harvest
Homegrown onions are incredibly versatile in the kitchen . Here are some ways to put your harvesting to good use :
Chop acrid yellow , bloodless or red onions to flavour countless mouth-watering dishes .
Make caramelized onion , jam , relish , or pickle onions .
Grill big onion slices as burger topping or kabob .
Fry up rings of angelic Vidalia - case onions for appetiser or garnishes .
apply milder varieties naked in salad , salsas and sandwiches .
With the proper forethought , Ohio gardeners can grow a year ’s provision of onions that are far higher-ranking to memory board - buy . Now go enjoy the fruits of your labor !
Should I Grow Onions from Seeds or Sets?
We care implant Allium cepa sets or else of starting them from seeds because they grow quicker and are easy to plant .
practice session craw rotation with onion . Do n’t plant them in the same spot every twelvemonth , because that can help diseases that hurt the crop spreading . Learn more about crop rotation . Read Next .
Select a location with full sun , where other plant wo n’t shade off your onions . The more vim they can get from the sunlight , the larger their bulbs can grow . merge aged manure or compost into the soil in the fall or early spring to better grain . Ensure there are no rocks or debris . Soil needs to be well - draining and loose ; constrict filth affects bulb evolution .
When to Plant Onions
Starting Onions and Leeks From Seed | Winter Sowing | Central Ohio Zone 6A
FAQ
What is the trick to spring up onions ?
What type of onions mature best in Ohio ?
How long do onions take to grow ?
How many onion plant grow from one lightbulb ?
When should you imbed onions in Ohio ?
The best principle of ( unripe ) thumb is to engraft Allium cepa seedling into the ground after the peril of frost has passed . This is ordinarily by mid - April , but it could be as late as mid - May . In Ohio , here are some average frost date for planting onions and other garden darling . Onions grow in direct sun .
What kind of soil do onions grow in ?
Onion acquire in effect in an area that has full sunlight , loose , well - drained , prolific , sandy - loam to silt - loam soil dirt with plentifulness of organic matter . Onions are easily affected by high acid soils and prefer soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8 . Avoid heavy mud filth as they retain water longer after rains and irrigation .
How do you grow a fleeceable Allium cepa in a crapper ?
Here ’s how to do it : Fill a pot with pot soil and make a hole in the middle about the onion ’s depth and width . Place the onion in the hole and cover with dirt . Water and put the pot in a sunny smudge . reap the green sprouts as demand for cookery . If you get a sprout with a bloom , wait until the flower goes to seed .
How do onions produce ?
Onions are started by seeds , sets , and transplantation . Garden stores provide sets for transplanting — arguably the easiest way to grow onion . Sets , which are onion bulbs antecedently started from seeds , are little and strong . Onions originate in soil temperature of 36 degrees Fahrenheit or higher ( they fly high in climates where the temporary worker are 50 F. or more ) .
