Onions

[nandmsmom]

I have a few questions about planting onions. I know Martin is a bit of an expert, but would love anyone's input. I'm a fairly new gardener and I'm trying to expand my garden each year. I'd like to have a permanent garlic/ onion bed eventually.

My questions are

1. I'm in zone 6 in southeastern MA. Is there a specific type of onion that would do best here?

2. I keep seeing threads on walking onions. What are these? They sound like a kind of perennial onion. Would they work here?

3. I planted onion seeds one year and got nothing. Would sets be better? If I do sets should I get fall planted sets, or spring?

As you can see, I'm quite confused about the whole onion issue. I would love to be able to grow quite a few, we eat a lot.

Thanks so much. I have learned so much from this forum.

Thanks

Heather

[Jenn]

WAlking onion = Egyptian onion develops small bulbs on top which will root after falling over onto ground thus slowly walking aclong garden bed Grew well for my grandma in SD and well for me in Southern England (zone 8 cold zone 3 or so heat, maybe like Boston but less snow/frost?) Rest of your questions I'm not qual to answer- beware day length and buy local or locally proven.

[jnap31]

I would get some old fashioned yellow potatoe onions if I was you.I will have some for sale next fall at good prices.

[Paquebot]

Originally Posted by jnap31

I would get some old fashioned yellow potatoe onions if I was you.I will have some for sale next fall at good prices.

Potato onions do not do well in zones 3-6. Even with heavy mulching, there is a lot of winter-kill. In severe winters, losses may be 100% from fall planting. They are strictly an onion for the South. In fact, they are the ONLY good storage onion which may be grown in the short-day areas.

Martin

[IowaLez]

You would be very disappointed in the bulb from the walking onions. They are a fun novelty, but the bulbs in the ground don't get very big. I think you are far enough north that you should plant the long-day types of onions. Don't try to direct seed with onions. You need to start the seeds in seed trays indoors or in a greenhouse, then plant them out once they have grown into larger seedlings. Either buy sets, or buy onion plants from an onion farm in Texas, like Dixondale Farms. www.dixondalefarms.com They have a chart on their home page you can check.

[jnap31]

Originally Posted by Paquebot

Potato onions do not do well in zones 3-6. Even with heavy mulching, there is a lot of winter-kill. In severe winters, losses may be 100% from fall planting. They are strictly an onion for the South. In fact, they are the ONLY good storage onion which may be grown in the short-day areas.

Martin

Thanks I had no idea, DW planted ours last mar and they are still in the garden, I guess I will mulch them when i get back or else dig them and plant again in the spring.

[jnap31]

You could still grow potato onions if you dig them up in the fall and bring them in then plant the smaller ones the next spring, they are suppose to keep a year and are one of the best storage onions.

[Steve L.]

Originally Posted by Paquebot

Potato onions do not do well in zones 3-6. Even with heavy mulching, there is a lot of winter-kill. In severe winters, losses may be 100% from fall planting. They are strictly an onion for the South. In fact, they are the ONLY good storage onion which may be grown in the short-day areas.

Martin

I'm in zone 5, and have been growing potato onions for about ten years. I've had winter temps down to -19°F, with virtually no winter kill. I always put them under 3" to 4" of mulch (leaves, leaf mold, or sawdust). I treat my garlic the same way.

[nandmsmom]

OK, so basically a long day onion set planted in the spring? Thanks so much for all your help.

Heather

[DenverGirlie]

we start from seed inside. Fill a large tray with "soil" mixture and scatter seeds on top. When they get to be about 10 inches high we transplant in the garden, one by one. Let them get established a few days and cut off the tops to about 3 inches.

Water and feed thru summer harvest in early fall. We started 1,000 seeds, got about 800 onions in the basement hung in bunches.

[randy in central missouri]

In the spring go down to the local hardware or farm and home and see what they are selling. you cant go wrong with onion sets for about $1 a pound. If you want to grow some sweet onions. look for the green bunches for sell. most places try to grow what works well in their area.
randy