Onions are humble things—mud on their boots, bite on their tongue—but they are the backbone of a serious kitchen. Treat them right at planting, and they’ll reward you with bulbs worth bragging about. Treat them poorly, and you’ll get scrawny excuses that split, bolt, or sulk. Let’s do it the old, proven way.
When and Where Onions Thrive
Onions are creatures of daylight, and they pay attention.
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Climate zones: Best in USDA Zones 3–9.
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Cool seasons rule: Plant in early spring in colder regions, or late fall to early winter in the South for a spring harvest.
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Day-length matters:
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Short-day onions (the Southern standard) bulb as days reach 10–12 hours.
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Long-day onions suit northern latitudes and need 14–16 hours.
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Ignore this, and the onion will ignore you back.
Soil: Where the Real Work Happens
Onions don’t like hardship underground.
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Texture: Loose, friable, and well-drained—sandy loam is king.
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Condition: Stones, clods, and compacted soil cause misshapen bulbs. Onions want room to swell.
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Organic matter: Moderately rich, not swampy. Too much fresh manure invites rot and excess leaf at the expense of bulb.
If your soil packs like brick, fix it before you ever open the onion bag.
Ideal Soil pH
Onions are polite but particular.
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Preferred pH: 6.0–6.8
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Below 5.5 and nutrients lock up. Above 7.0 and growth slows.
A simple soil test saves a season of disappointment.
How to Plant Onion Bulbs (Sets)
Onion sets are forgiving—perfect for busy gardeners or those who’ve been burned by finicky seedlings.
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Plant depth: Push the bulb in so the tip just peeks above the soil. Don’t bury it like a corpse.
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Spacing:
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4–6 inches apart for full-sized bulbs
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12–18 inches between rows
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Orientation: Pointy end up. Always.
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Firm gently: Onions hate air pockets but don’t need stomping.
Watering: Steady, Not Soggy
Onions are shallow-rooted and quick to complain.
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Water regularly: About 1 inch per week, more in sandy soils.
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Critical period: Bulb formation—drought here means small onions.
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Back off near harvest: Too much water late invites rot and weak skins.
Consistency beats enthusiasm.
Fertilizer Requirements
Onions are heavy feeders early, light eaters later.
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Nitrogen: Crucial during leaf growth. Use a balanced fertilizer or compost early on.
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Phosphorus & potassium: Support root and bulb development—don’t neglect them.
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Stop nitrogen once bulbing begins, or you’ll grow leaves fit for a salad and bulbs fit for nothing.
Think front-loaded nutrition, then restraint.
Health Benefits: More Than a Flavor Bomb
Onions earn their place beyond the skillet.
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Rich in quercetin, a potent antioxidant
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Support heart health and healthy circulation
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Possess anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties
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Contain prebiotics that feed beneficial gut bacteria
No, they won’t cure everything—but they’ve been doing quiet good work for centuries.
Companion Planting: Friends and Foes
Onions are good neighbors—mostly.
Good companions:
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Carrots
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Lettuce
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Beets
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Spinach
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Strawberries
Their scent confuses pests and keeps trouble guessing.
Avoid planting near:
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Beans and peas (they resent onions, and the feeling is mutual)
A garden, like a dinner table, works best when you seat the guests wisely.
Final Word
Onions reward patience, preparation, and restraint—virtues gardeners used to have in abundance. Give them loose soil, honest water, and sunlight measured in hours, not hope. Do that, and when harvest comes, you’ll pull from the earth a bulb that feels like an inheritance—earned, solid, and worth the wait.
Return to GoGardenNow.com.
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