This should by no means be taken as a tutorial since I am planting onions this year for the very first time. I wasn't even going to post about it until I saw that little paper bag sitting next to the freshly planted row and thought what a cute picture that would make.
We don't eat many onions, just a few in casseroles and such, so I probably didn't need to plant any. Our good friend Rob shared some of his last year and is growing plenty again this year. These ones just caught my eye in line at the feed store so I picked up a couple bags. I figure it can't hurt to learn a new skill.
The paper that came with the onion sets had decent directions: plant 2-3" apart just deep enough to cover the tops in rows 12" apart. Thin later to 4" apart, then harvest in July or August when tops dry and fall over. I pretty much followed the directions except went about 4" apart right from the start. I've never been one to "thin" plants out, I just can't bring myself to pull up the little buggers just when they get going.
While out in the garden I also cut away the old asparagus stalks from last year and trimmed back some of the old strawberries too. My favorite part of last summer was spending a few hours in the garden each morning before work. It has been so nice to be out there again the last few days.
I was thrilled that today was nice enough to plant without getting hypothermia. I put in one row of lettuce and one row of sugar peas on Monday and thought my fingers were going to fall off. Only in Michigan do you have to hoe through the snow to get your seeds in at a decent time.
Have you ever grown onions? Did you start with sets or seeds? I tried seeds indoors last year but none of the seeds I started then did any good. What are you planting? Are you getting back in to a routine that includes garden "chores"?
5 comments:
Ed's brother plants onions from seedlings, I guess. They almost look like scallions.
I've been out in the garden a lot lately, just taking pictures and looking around. I did see a rabid raccoon outside today, so I guess I should be more aware of everything else, instead of just my plants... Hopefully Ed will see it and shoot it soon.
Yikes, be careful! That's certainly nothing to overlook.
I'm growing onions again after not doing it for about a decade. I've always grown them from seed. BTW you could "thin" your onions by not thinking of it as thinning but think of it as eating green onions.
I need to get out and plant some onions. It would feel so good to get my hands dirty in the garden! :) We've always grown ours from sets. Last year, however, we planted seeds, then saved the baby onions through the winter, and will plant them as sets very soon. Although we haven't gotten them outside yet, we do have some tiny onions sprouts inside, that will be our sets for next year.
Daphne - I like that idea of using them as green onions, very positive thinking! :)
Abutton - Bravo to you guys for making the extra effort. I'd like to get to that point eventually. Are you going to save seed from your own this year or do you buy that?
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