Given how bulbous and big they can get , onions may seem like they exclusively belong in a spacious garden secret plan — but you’re able to actuallygrow them inside containers . When you embed onions in pots , your fuel consumption rate may vary with size and yield , of course . But with thrifty planning , you could harvest this versatile veggie from your very own container garden .
Why would you want to acquire Allium cepa in a mint ? The most common resolution is quad — not everyone has the elbow room to develop Allium cepa in a bed or plot . Some region also have cold winter , during which it may be better to send onions within instead of depart them out in the frigidity . Most onion thrive in temperatures between 55 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit , although some are hardy down to 20 degree . Although you have the option of using row covers and hoarfrost blanket , bringing them indoors is the easiest way to protect them from coarse freezes .
Picking your onions
Before you depart , pick an onion miscellanea that ’s well become for your mood zona . With container , it makes the most sense to grow green onions for a prolific yield , but you could maturate full - sized onions with continuity .
geographical zone 6 and colder :
If you survive in a region where summer day are recollective , go for prospicient - Clarence Day onion plant such as Walla Walla and Yellow Sweet Spanish eccentric . These educate bulbs with 14 to 16 hours of brightness level a daytime .
geographical zone 7 and warmer :
If you live in a neighborhood where summer day do n’t variegate in distance as much , go for a brusque - twenty-four hours variety , such as Georgia Sweet and Sweet Red . These develop bulb with 10 to 12 hour of light a day .
When to plant your onions
you could start your onion with germ , sets ( that is , unfledged onion bulbs ) , or even scrap . For long - day onions , flora in early outflow to harvest late summer . For curt - Clarence Shepard Day Jr. onions , plant in nightfall to pick during the spring . Seeds should be sow two to three months before your last springiness hoar before you lend them outdoors .
Planting your onions
To turn your onions in container , keep in thinker the variety of onion that you imbed when deciding on a tummy . fleeceable onions can treat an 8 - column inch pot , but with an onion bulb , you ’ll need 3 inches of blank space around each onion plant that you spring up . In either case , your vas should be at least 6 in deep , so container gardeners normally implant bulb within of tub or barrels . Any more than 10 in may be too much , as you may make your bulbs susceptible to beginning rot .
stride 1 : take a flowerpot and ensure it has drainage . If it does n’t , drill hollow in the bottom so that supernumerary water can run out out .
whole tone 2 : satisfy the pot with a well - draining filth . Allium cepa are n’t particularly particular about their growing culture medium as long as it is n’t too acidic or nutritive - poor .
Step 3 : works seeds 1 inch deep and set at least 2 inches deep .
How to care for your onions
Now that your onion plant are establish and established , they ’ll require some special care to formulate .
Step 1 : Bring in artificial lights for indoor onions .
Onions grown outside involve between 10 and 16 hours of sunlight a twenty-four hour period . Indoors , you could get out with using fluorescent and incandescent light , butsupplementary grow lightscan be helpful . Make certain not to leave your lights on all through the night , as onions need a period of swarthiness to uprise as well .
whole step 2 : Fertilize on a regular basis .
Althoughfertilizingisn’t strictly necessary , a boost of nitrogen every two to three weeks throughout the grow season can lead to freehanded onion plant . A 5 - 10 - 10 or Pisces - emulsion fertiliser should be sufficient .
whole tone 3 : Water your onion plant deep .
Onions develop in containers will take more frequent watering because the soil will dry out out faster . Feel the soil each week — if the top is dry , it ’s prison term to snaffle your lacrimation can . Overwatering may encourage root rot , but underwatering can lead to smaller onion .
When to harvest your onions
Full - sized onion plant mind can take anywhere between two to four month to be ready for harvest .
Step 1 : When you ’re harvesting onion plant at the seedling stage , you may cook with them likegreen onionsor fetch them out of doors .
Step 2 : If you have plans for full Allium cepa , thin out your green onions so that the bulbs have 5 to 6 inches of outer space surrounding them by the time of your harvest .
Step 3 : commonly , you ’ll know when a full onion plant is ready for picking when the top leaves work dry and yellow — check around the two- or three - calendar month marking by digging up your onions .
Growing onions in containers is n’t a futile enterprise — and yes , that includes not only scallions but also full - sized onions . As long as you lie with which varieties to pick and how to plant them , you ’re off to a with child start . With sizable light and watering , you ’ll have this various culinary bulb approachable from the comfort of your kitchen orpatio .
