Feb 18, 2022

Let's Talk About Onions

photograph credit

Right off the bat, Catie is telling me to try to calm down this post is going to be too exciting for most to take in! She also said this may have to be a two or three-parter! Doug said, "You may have to because you know onions have many layers" 😀 We may have to call in security for all of the paparazzi!

Onions, onions, onions how I love them!  I really do!  My sister used to sit and watch me eat a steak with raw onion.  It amazed her that I would peel cut pick up and eat the raw onion along with a delicious steak!

Although I may not pick them up and eat them like that as much as when I was younger I do cook with them almost daily.  It isn't a good thing for me to run out of them in this house for sure!  

It seems one either loves or hates them. Are you ready for this? It's time for onion talk!

Recently I ordered two bundles of them from Dixondale Farms.  I chose a variety that grows well in our area in South Carolina called Texas Super Sweet.   We grow short-day onions Dixondale short-day onion plants.  You need to find the varieties that will do well in your state and area.
  • Check with the plant growers to find a variety that will do well in your state and city.

I'm not a very experienced onion grower.  I've grown them but I'll admit not very well. I decided to order the plants. Crazy me ordered them too early for my area. I had to find a cool place to keep them from dying for a month!
  • Be sure to order for the plants to arrive in your area at the correct planting time

I planted these on February 12th.  We had two nights after that with freezing temps uh oh!  I covered them lightly with pine straw. Thankfully they seem to have come through the frost freezes and appear to be growing. 
  • Be sure to check the temperature lows in your area. The hard freezes may harm the tender plants.
The temperatures this week are pretty warm I probably need to remove the pine straw. I'm so glad strawberry plants are a good companion plant for onions. I'll just toss the pine straw over those!



I am using drip irrigation by using a soaker hose

  • Think of how you'll be watering the onions. I added an inexpensive soaker hose and it is already making an easy job of watering. Onions don't need to have overhead watering.
  • They will need at least an inch of water per week. If lucky a good rain may do that for you. 
  • Watering Onions a video shows how Dixondale uses furrow irrigation. 
  • Check for wetness by sticking your pointer finger into the ground down to the first knuckle of that finger. If it is wet or damp you can forgo watering if it is dry you need to water. We used this method in the strawberry fields and I still do in my strawberry patch. 

How I love the Amish cultivator!  That thing may work you a little harder but oh my gosh how great it works!  I had the plow row maker on and went up one way back down the other!  That made for much easier planting of the onions.
  • Prepare and amend the soil before planting

I  planted mine 1 1/2 inches deep and approximately 3 inches apart.

My goodness, the little green garden seat with wheels was a great help.  I sat on it rolled and planted as I went down the row.

Of course, Oskar had to stand right in the furrow in the way for a head petting for each onion!  You know 150 onions make for a lot of head petting! 🐕

Trash Mouth the cat sprawled out where?  Right in front of my rolling cart!  😸  Those two are a mess for sure and they absolutely love for me to go out and garden.


Oskar ran off so Trash Mouth sees a chance to get attention!


You may want to turn down your volume for your sake! 😀




In the ground!  Yay! I only had to wait a month to put them in because I messed up my ordering time.

😂

Now I have to get my tomato seeds started indoors they will probably be a little late but here goes!  You know I like my MiracleGro AeroGarden!  It starts seeds in record time as well as growing great lettuce and herbs.

I'd like to thank Paul Nelson for introducing me to the Dixondale Farms and this onion variety. 


Until next time,


The girls call me Ron Swanson
We do have a lot in common!




* My Notes*

Pre-order for the onions to arrive for safe planting time. Dixondale Farms has a dropdown to choose dates from.

Sandy soils need more fertilizer:  Apply 9 pounds of 10-10-10 per 1,000 square feet before planting. Then, 1-2 weeks after bulb enlargement begins, side dress with 12 pounds of 5-10-10 per 1,000 square feet and 0.50 pounds of sulfur per 1,000 square feet. About 30 days later, side dress with 12 pounds of calcium nitrate (15.5-0-0) per 1,000 square feet.

Onion Growing Guide


11 planting companions for onions


Clemson Planting Onion Leek and Shallot


Three Things You Must Know About Growing Onions HOSS




All About Home Link Party #132

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