Gardeners Guide · Grow your own
Onions might not be the most glamorous crop in the vegetable garden, but they’re incredibly useful.
And for beginners, growing onions from sets is wonderfully straightforward.
Seeds or Sets?
Onions can be grown from seed or small immature bulbs called sets.
Growing from seed gives you a huge choice of varieties, but sets are generally the simplest option for new gardeners.
Push them into prepared ground, look after them and let them grow.
When Should You Plant Onion Sets?
Many onion sets are planted during spring, although autumn-planting varieties are also available.
Always check the instructions for your particular variety.
Where Should You Grow Onions?
Choose a sunny position with well-drained soil.
Remove weeds before planting because onions don’t compete particularly well with vigorous weed growth.
How to Plant Onion Sets
Plant sets with their pointed tips facing upwards.
The tip should sit around soil level or just above it rather than being buried deeply.
Leave enough space between bulbs for them to expand.
Keep Them Weed-Free
Weeding is one of the most important onion-growing jobs.
Because onions have relatively upright foliage, weeds can quickly surround them.
Hand weed carefully or gently hoe between rows without damaging bulbs.
Watering Onions
Water during prolonged dry periods, particularly while plants are actively developing.
As bulbs approach maturity, their water requirements decrease.
When Are Onions Ready?
As onions mature, their foliage eventually begins yellowing and falling over naturally.
Once they’re ready, carefully lift the bulbs.
Drying and Storing Onions
Onions intended for storage need to be properly dried or cured.
Allow the outer skins to become dry and papery before storing them somewhere cool, dry and well ventilated.
Don’t store damaged onions alongside healthy ones.
Are Onions Worth Growing?
Absolutely.
They’re easy, useful and don’t demand constant attention.
For your first crop, buy a bag of spring-planted onion sets and give them a sunny patch of ground.
It really can be that simple.
Gardeners Guide — Grow Better. Garden Smarter.
