Floral Pattern
Floral Pattern

Tips on Growing Onions from Seeds

Early planting

Onion seeds need to be planted in early winter for this method to be successful.

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Starting the Onion Seeds

This winter-sowing method is a kind of "set it and forget it" method of growing onions from seed.

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1. Poke holes in the bottom of the container for water drainage. 2. Poke a few holes in the top of the container to allow for a bit of airflow. 3. Fill the container with potting soil and add water so it is moist but not soggy.  4. Sprinkle the onion seeds evenly over the top of the soil. 5. Press the seeds into the soil so they are just ⅛" under. 6. Close the lid.  7. Label the container – this is especially important if you're planting more than one type.

1. Set the container outside in a protected area where it will get sun, but hopefully not get bothered by high winds or critters. 2. Ignore the containers until spring! That's right; leave them alone. Don't worry about watering or anything. The seeds are fine hanging out.

Types of Onions

There are short day onions, long day onions, and day neutral onions. What do those terms mean, find out more on our blog.

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Harvesting Onions

It is normal for onions to push up from the soil as the bulbs grow. Let them.

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Onion seeds do not have a long shelf life

Onion seeds has one of the shortest seed storage shelf lives. Start from fresh onion seed every year and don't hold any extra over.

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Know the differences

Onion sets are one option for growing your own onions, but they do have their disadvantages, too.

Control the weeds

Onions don't compete well against weeds; keep the onion patch well weeded. Beware, onion roots are shallow, so be careful not to disturb them while weeding.