Allium cepa
HEIGHT: 30cm x 8cm.
DISTANCE APART: 10cm
WHEN TO HARVEST: Onions will let you know when they are ready to be harvested as the green strappy leaves will start to dry and fall over which will be at around 12 weeks from planting.
HOW MUCH WATER: Water every day unless it rains.
WHERE TO PLANT: Full sun
CAN I GROW THEM IN A POT? Yes. Fill a pot that is at least 25cm deep with premium potting mix then plant the seedlings. Water them well.
CAN I GROW THEM IN A GARDEN BED? Yes. The garden bed must get at least 6 hours of sun every day. Mix lots of compost or animal manure into the soil, plant the seedlings and water lightly. Spread some mulch such as pea straw or lucerne hay over the soil.
BEST BUDDY PLANTS: Onions are best buddies with beetroot, cabbage, cabbage, carrots, celery, cucumber, lettuce, chillies, capsicum, zucchini, strawberries and tomatoes. The smell of spring onions confuses the insects that visit the garden making them think that there is nothing yummy to eat.
OTHER ‘SMARTY PLANT’ TIPS:
- When you get your seedlings home, let them sit in a shallow tray of water which has had a tablespoon of seaweed solution added for an hour or two. This will get them ready for transplanting.
- After planting, water the seedlings with a very soft hose or a watering can several times a day until they settle in.
- Water the onions regularly but don’t fertilise them as they rarely need it.
There’s more information at the Smarty Plants website.