how do you crop an onion

How to grow onions?

You can also plant your onions in the ground in warm weather. You can choose to grow onions from transplants/cuttings, but this isn't always successful and is much more difficult to accomplish than just using sets or seeds. Visit a local nursery to get recommendations on sets and seeds that grow well in your area. Know when to grow.

How do you plant onion sets in pots?

To get an early start on your onion garden, plant onion sets in containers filled with moist potting soil two weeks before you want to put them in the garden. Keep the containers inside so they can sprout and develop a root system by the time you are ready to plant.

What are the best tips for onion harvesting?

Here are some extra tips for getting the best onion harvests possible. Plant your onions in a spot with full sun. They need at least 12 or more hours of sunlight to form good bulbs. Onions prefer a nutrient-rich, loose soil for optimal growth.

How do you germinate onion seeds?

Fill a large seed flat tray (with good drainage) with seed starting soil and spread plenty of the seeds into the flat under your growing lights. Mist the seed flat occasionally with water and thin the onion seeds so that you keep the healthiest of the bunch.

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What are the steps to cutting an onion?

0:191:15Dicing An Onion | Gordon Ramsay - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNice long stroke and then push the onion back together push the knife halfway in to the onionMoreNice long stroke and then push the onion back together push the knife halfway in to the onion slightly tilt the knife down. One at the top.

Do you cut the root or the shoot of an onion?

Cut off the stem end of the onion by about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch. Trim the root end, keeping it intact: Trim the roots but keep the root end intact. The root end will help hold the onion together as you make the other cuts.

Which side do you start cutting an onion?

How To Cut An OnionTrim the ends. Using a sharp knife, trim off both ends of onion, leaving the root still intact. ... Cut in half and peel. With the root end facing up, cut the onion in half through the root. ... Make your cuts. Lay one half cut side down with the non-root end facing you. ... Chop.

How do you cut an onion without cutting the roots?

The trick is not to cut the root, which releases the majority of the evil gas:Cut onion in half lengthways.Slice off the top (not the root).Make parallel cuts from the end, being careful not to chop through the root. ... Then turn onion 90 degrees to make cuts across onion.

Which part of an onion should you not cut?

Try to leave the root end intact and only remove the skin from the section of the onion you're slicing. According to The National Onion Association, “the root end has the highest concentration of sulphuric compounds that make your eyes tear.” As you cut, it's best to cover or move the exposed parts of the onion.

Can you leave onions in the ground over winter?

It's a little-known fact that many seasoned gardeners aren't aware of: you can grow onions (and shallots) in the winter. These super-hardy plants can survive incredibly cold temperatures with a little protection, and provide quality bulbs even after they bolt in the spring.

Which part of onion should be use to plant?

To grow an onion from an onion, first cut off the root end of an onion. Peel off the papery outer layer from the cut end. Then, fill a small glass or jar with water, and rest the cut end of the onion on top of the glass so the root end is submerged.

What part of an onion do you plant?

Tip: You can regrow green onion tops from discarded onion tops. Here's how: About an inch from the roots, cut off the green section, leaving the white base with a little bit of green. Settle this top outside into garden soil. This works great for harvesting green onions in a raised garden bed in cool seasons.

Which end of the onion do you plant?

Set the bulbs with the point end up. Again, don't bury them more than 1 inch under the soil. It's important that onions aren't planted too deep, as this can affect bulb development.

Do you wash an onion before cutting it?

The lesson? Onions to be used in any raw preparation--and cut into any shape--should be calmed by a cool rinse and patted dry before using.

Does a wet paper towel help with onions?

Wet some paper towel and keep it on the cutting board. The acidity from onions gravitate towards water. So instead of hitting your tear ducts it'll seep towards the wet paper towel instead.”

What comes out first root or shoot?

The radicle is the first part of a seedling (a growing plant embryo) to emerge from the seed during the process of germination. The radicle is the embryonic root of the plant, and grows downward in the soil (the shoot emerges from the plumule).

What happens if you cut the root of an onion?

It will keep the tears at bay Cutting around the root can save you a lot of tears. Ramsay explained in a video demonstration that if you don't leave the root on the onion as you are chopping it, it will "bleed," and that's when the weeping begins.

Which part come out first the root or the shoot?

Solution : Radicle gives rise to root. Plumule gives rise to shoot.

Which part of onion eats root or stem?

We usually eat the root of the onion plant. The stems taste good too, when they are young and tender. Some of the plants we eat are poisonous if we eat the wrong part.

Best Tips for Successfully Growing Onions

There are so many choices for onion varieties. It can be overwhelming to decide what to plant and how many to grow.

Quick Tips for Growing a Great Onion Crop

Once you’ve figured out your onion varieties and you’ve chosen whether to grow onion sets or seeds, growing onions is actually pretty darn easy. Here are some extra tips for getting the best onion harvests possible.

Companion Plants for Onions

Companion planting is a way you can maximize your garden space to enable different plants to give each other a boost.

Common Onion Diseases and Pests

Onions are relatively non-fussy in the garden, but there are a few things to look out for in order to keep your onion plants happy and healthy.

Harvesting and Storing Onions

Onions are simple to harvest, and can be picked fresh any time of the season once you’re happy with the bulb size.

Community Q&A

I have an onion sitting in my cabinet that has lots of green leaves. Should I plant the top part (leaves) or the bottom part (roots)?

Tips

To help prevent disease and infestations, try planting radishes in the same plot of your garden as the onions.

Warnings

Although onions are generally resistant to pest problems, they can sometimes fall victim to root maggots that eat bulbs. Insecticidal soap, used according to package directions, can usually control the problem.

About This Article

This article was co-authored by Andrew Carberry, MPH. Andrew Carberry has been working in food systems since 2008. He has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. This article has been viewed 688,067 times.

Success in Harvesting Onions

Your success in harvesting onions will depend on proper planting and care throughout the growing season. Plant onions as soon as the garden can be worked. Rich soil, consistent moisture and cool temperatures help bulb development. It’s best to create hills for onions that are to be used for green onions but do not hill those to be used for bulbs.

When to Harvest Onions

In addition to good planting, you need to know when to harvest onions for the best flavor. Harvest tops for green onions as soon as they reach 6 inches (15 cm.) in height. The longer you wait to harvest the green tops, the stronger they become.

How to Harvest Onions

Knowing how to harvest onions is also important, as you don’t want to damage the plants or onion bulbs. Carefully pull or dig onions up from the ground with the tops intact. Gently shake the soil from around the bulbs.

Drying and Storing Onion Bulbs

Once harvested, storing onion bulbs becomes necessary. Onions must first be dried before they can be stored. To dry onions, spread them out on a clean and dry surface in a well-ventilated location, such as a garage or a shed.

First Things First

Decide whether to plant purchased or home-grown onion sets or sprouted bulb onions. Or try planting both and see which yields the better crop:

Soil and Amendments

Onions are able to grow in many different types of soils, but for best results, soil should be well drained, rich, loamy, free of weeds and grass, and slightly on the acid side.

When and Where to Plant

Locate your onion bed in an area that receives full sun or at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Wait four to six weeks before the last expected frost date to plant onion sets or grocery onions outside. If you live in an area where the weather is mild year-round, you have the option of planting in fall or winter.

How to Plant

Onion Sets: Create a shallow furrow in a prepared bed and plant onion sets, tips up, 4 to 6 inches apart or about 2 inches apart for green onions. Gently firm the soil around them, leaving only the tips protruding above the surface. Allow 12 to 16 inches between rows.

Watering Your Onions

Following planting, water the bed to a depth of 6 inches using drip irrigation if possible. Going forward, onions need about 1 inch of rainfall or irrigation per week. When you water, water deeply – enough to moisten the soil about 6 inches down. Don't let onions dry out while they're growing, but avoid drowning them.

When and How to Harvest

Start harvesting green onion leaves when they're 3 or 4 inches high. Snip off what you need with sterilized scissors or hand pruners and wash the leaves thoroughly before using them. When the tops are about 6 inches high, green onions are ready to be pulled.

What does it mean to cure onions?

Curing is a month-long process of drying down your onions to prep them for storage. Once properly cured, onions store for a very long time—through the fall and winter, and sometimes even spring under the right conditions.

Which onions store the longest?

When it comes to onions, we just have to accept that long-storing onions cannot be grown in the south.

7 secrets to harvesting, curing, and storing onions from the garden

When your onions are vigorously growing through the longer days of spring and summer, their stems are lush and happy and green. You might even have a few onion flowers topping those stems.

Common questions about harvesting, curing, and storing onions

No. Onions are edible right out of the ground and can be eaten at any stage of growth. You only need to cure onions that you want to store.

Where to buy onion harvesting and storage supplies

This post updated from an article that originally appeared on July 12, 2012.

How to Grow Winter Onions

Winter onions can actually be planted in spring or fall. However, onions planted in fall generally produce larger yields. Many gardeners like to plant onions in fall, then save a few small onions in a dry location for planting in spring.

Harvesting Winter Onions

Harvest the first winter onions two to three months after planting. Although you can harvest earlier, the onions will be very small and they won’t have time to multiply. (When allowed to mature, each bulb usually produces seven or eight bulbs.)

Best Winter Onions

Many types are available and the best way to determine the best winter onions for your area is to experiment with different varieties. Example of popular winter onions include: