How to Grow Onion at Home

Scientific Name: Allium cepa

Family: Liliaceae

Onion is an easy-to-grow and the most popular bulb crop around the world. Without onions, it’s tough to imagine a dining table. They are eaten raw and also help to add delicious flavor to various dishes. You can easily grow onions in your home garden or even in a container to get fresh produce. Cool-weather is ideal for growing onion plants thus the best time is between November and February. The bulbs of onion are rich in calories, vitamins, and minerals. It is also known to possess several medicinal properties. But you have to keep in mind that onions are toxic to pets due to the presence of chemical compounds.

In this article, I will tell you how to grow onion at home easily from the sowing to the harvesting stage.

Propagation Methods

You can grow onions using seeds, sets, and transplants. According to your choice, you can opt for any method.

Growing Season

Onions are very sensitive to light and temperature. They grow best under cool or mild climates without extremes of heat. And require at least 8 to 10 hours of daily sunlight for proper bulb development. Winter and the early spring are the seasons for growing onion plants. That’s why October-November to February-March is the ideal time for growing onions. 

Temperature Requirement

The ideal temperature for better bulb growth and yield is between 12°C to 25°C. About 70% humidity in the atmosphere is good for crops. Onion plants require direct sunlight for a long period of time in a day.

Soil Preparation

Onions can be grown in different types of soil but well-drained loamy soil is ideal for the crop. For better bulb development and yield deep friable soils are desirable. The soil must be rich in humus and able to hold sufficient moisture for better results.

Sowing

You can directly sow onion seeds about 1.5-2 cm deep and optimum spacing should be given. After sowing seed should be covered with mulch to maintain the required temperature and soil moisture. 

If you are practicing the transplanting method then seedlings become ready for transplanting after 6-8 weeks depending on the season and variety. The recommended row-to-row and plant-to-plant spacing is 15 cm x 10 cm. 

Also Read: 10 Popular Winter Season Vegetables to Grow

Water Requirement

Onions require frequent watering depending upon soil and rainfall. Normally 10-12 inches of water is enough for the entire growing period of onion plants. It is like one inch of water every week is ideal. Most importantly the irrigation should be stopped about 15 days before harvesting.

Fertilizer Requirement

Fertilizers play the most important role in the better growth of onions. Frequent application of nitrogenous fertilizers helps to produce bigger bulbs and yield as well. The dose of fertilizer will be different according to soil quality.

Insect Pests and Diseases

Onions thrips are very small and most important insects as they cause whitish blotches on the leaves. Onion maggots are larvae of gray flies which also tend to kill plants. You can use recommended insecticides to control the attack. The plants may be affected by different diseases also like blight, onion smut, and downy mildew. Apply recommended fungicides for controlling different diseases.

Harvesting

Harvesting of onions depends on the variety you have chosen to grow. On average it takes almost three to four months for proper bulb development which is harvestable. When the top leaves start collapsing it’s the ideal time to harvest your plants. You can pull out the bulbs or dig the topsoil using particular equipment for harvesting.

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