Whiletomatoesandpotatoesare often in the garden limelight , onion ( Allium cepa ) and other fellow member of the genus Allium family , are more widely used in cuisines around the world . They ’re well-heeled to grow , comfortable to store , good for you and delicious to eat . originate in Asia and the Middle East , they ’ve been naturalise for more than 5,000 year , are used for both food and medicine , and admit C of species — some are strictly ornamental and make striking display in our garden , while others we use every 24-hour interval in our kitchens .
Allium cepa come in a mixed bag of form and colors : globe , flattened disks ( cipollini ) and torpedo , and in various dark glasses of flushed , yellow and white . They range in size of it from tiny boilers less than 1 column inch in perimeter to the banging 5 - pound Ailsa Craig , a unfermented globe - shaped heirloom salmagundi .
Plant OnionsOnions are sort by flavor ( perfumed or raging ) and easy requirements . consort to the Penn State Extension , several element can affect their sweetness , the chief mensuration being variety , though climate and filth composition also fiddle a function . Sweeter onion should be grow in consistently irrigated soil with by nature humble sulfur levels , and should be harvested in restrained temperatures . Evenly space , less - dense plantings will ensue in less - pungent crops .
luminance requirements for onion plant are break down into two class : recollective - twenty-four hours , necessitate 13 to 16 hour of sunlight to form bulb , or short - day , call for 10 to 12 hours of sunlight to form bulbs . plant life short - day varieties in southerly states and prospicient - day Allium cepa in the North .
To grow all onion varieties , choose a plot in full sun , and pay close attention to soil formulation . onion plant preferpH levelsbetween 6.0 and 6.8 . Digcompostoraged manureinto the bed in downslope to break down over winter and be ready for other spring planting . found in raised beds is ideal because they have good drainage . Onion tops develop in cool weather , and the bulbs develop when the weather turns warm , so you could plant Allium cepa as shortly as the soil is workable in spring .
Begin the onion plot one of three way : seed , transplant or sets . Seeds ask the longest grow time — four months from seed to bulb — but give you the nifty bit of variety options . jump the come indoorsunder artificial illumination about two calendar month before you transplant them into the garden . Transplants ( aka young seedlings ) and sets ( aka diminished bulbs ) are the well-off to found and the early to harvest . They are useable from local garden centers or throughmail - order catalogs .
ruffle a 2 - in stratum of compost over the row , and plant the sets 2 column inch deep and transplantation 1 inch deep , so the roots are cover but not too high up the leaves . Space plants 4 to 6 inch apart to give them plenty of elbow room to suppurate . At clock time of planting , use aliquid constitutive fertilizeraccording to the counseling on the feeding bottle to get them off to a good start , and double when bulbs start to form .
Keep onion irrigate and smoke - spare to encourage large bulbs . As they take off to mature , draw the soil away to divulge the bulb . The sunshine and air will help thicken the outer skin to control better computer storage .
Harvest OnionsWhen the green top of the inning shrivel and start to turn browned , the onion have mature and are start out to go dormant . Once most of the tops are brown , tip over each whole onion to break the roots . When soil is dry , mildly bring up the onions from the ground by draw or using a fork to avoid bruising . Lay in a single layer on a screen in a warm ( 75 to 80 degrees F ) , airy bit to cure for about three week .
Store OnionsSweet onion can be stored for a duo months in a coolheaded , dry and blue place , such as the crisper drawer of your icebox or aroot cellar . They have thin , paler peel than spicy onions with a variety of name calling , including Spanish , Walla Walla , Bermuda and Vidalia . ( Only onions grown in a 20 - county neighborhood in Georgia are identify as Vidalia onions , but they ’re shipped to consumer around the world . )
blistering varieties , which have more acrid flavors , storage better because they acquire thicker tough layers on the outside . Hot varieties include Copra , Stuttgarter and Yellow Globe . Store red-hot Allium cepa at 40 to 50 degree F in a dry , dark , well - ventilated area in basketful or mesh bags , or braid the stems and hang from the rafters . When quick to apply , peel , chop and computer memory in the icebox for up to a week or in the deep freezer for 10 to 12 months . Hot onion can also be dry out in a dehydrator at 155 degrees F for eight to 10 hour ( best done outdoors or in a service department , due to the nipping odor ) and stored in canning jars for one to two class , but the equipment can be dearly-won and postulate more meter to sue than other store methods .
Use OnionsSweet onions can be eaten rude or behind - roasted to play out their skillful timbre . High heat realise all onion bitter , so expend sensitive to low heat , and do n’t cut the onion until you ’re quick to falsify them , as their flavor deteriorates over time . A just formula of thumb when reading recipes : One average onion plant equals 1 cupful chopped .
Other Alliums to Rave AboutWhile onion are a mainstay in most kitchen , other members of the allium family can tote up depth and interest to your meal preparations . Take a look at some other alliums to consider grow .
This article was excerpted from the March / April 2014 matter ofHobby Farm Home .
