I can't grow onions

[3forfree]

I get onions from the local nursery, plant them in my garden and never get an onion bigger than a tennis ball. I have removed the dirt from around the onion as it's growing, leaving just the roots in the ground. Loosened up the soil around the onion, and have left them completely buried. Last year I bought seed and started them indoors they grew like weeds, got to be about 6in they all fell over and died. This year the seed won't even germinate. I bought transplants last year and gave half to my sister and her onions were as big as softballs, she told me to do what I discribed above. HELP.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Try the dry bulbs. These work well and speed up the process. Be sure the onion you are planting is correct for your growing zone.

Onions require very, very fertile soil. Since this is a chicken forum, I'll recommend you amend the soil where the onions are going to go with a rich application of chicken manure. Keep them fairly well watered and you'll have great onions.

 

[Polly215]

Yes, I agree with "Fred's Hens", get a variety of dry bulbs from the co-op and plant in fertile soil and water. This year I planted mine about 12 days ago, and they are already coming up with nice looking green stalks.... I planted the Yellow, Purple and white onions. Of course I live in the south and it has been fairly warm here, except for the last 2 or 3 days, dropping down to about 35 at night.... Good Luck!

 

[FlySammyJ]

Onions are very sensitive to day length, but if you're buying from a nursery I'm assuming they'll carry the right long/short day varieties. Starting from seed, it sounds like yours got "leggy," which is what happens when the plants don't have enough light, so they keep reaching for a better position until they get so spindly they can't support themselves. "Damping off" happens a lot when you're starting onions from seed, which is what happens when they stay too wet and mold sets into the roots, killing the seedlings.

How big of an onion do you want to get? Personally I choose smaller varieties so I can plant close together, plus they're already perfectly portioned for a meal for two. Check the max size of the onions you're planting. Finally, root veggies thrive in friable soil. That means they need a loose, aerated place to expand. Peat moss is a common way to fluff up the soil, but it adds acidity which can be good or bad depending on your garden's pH. I have lots of clay in my soil, making it heavy and thick, which is another reason I go for small onions and stubby carrots, which produce well in compact soil.

 

[Polly215]

Very good advise "FlySammyJ" I'm going to try some green onions this weekend and see how well they do in the south. I think green onions do better in cooler weather, maybe all onions???

 

[Philosofarmer]

Check your soil pH. Onions like slightly acidic soil, about 5.5-6.5. I second what was said above re friability. To achieve this, incorporate some organic matter. As it breaks down, it will produce fulvic acid and humic acid thereby adjusting your pH and killing two birds with one stone! (Perhaps I shouldn't use that phrase on here.)

At any rate, it will also spoon feed nitrogen throughout the growing season as well along with all the other benefits.