Onion
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Onions are a cooking staple and come in a range of colours, shapes and sizes.
When to plant/sow in zone:
Requirements:
Plenty of sun; good drainage
Soil:
Well-drained soil enriched with compost and/or well-rotted manure or organic pellets.
How to start: SEED: Sow direct or in punnets into seed-raising mix, 5mm deep. Keep moist. Germinates in 7-10 days. SEEDLING: Plant in the ground when seedlings are 5-10cm+ tall. Space 10cm apart, in rows 40cm apart. NOTE: Onion seeds are small - they can be mixed with sand or seed-raising mix prior to planting.
How to grow: Keep moist and mulch along the rows with straw. Apply seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser fortnightly. Apply organic fertiliser pellets or blood and bone monthly. Thin to 10-12cm.
When to harvest: Harvest in about 24+weeks. Leaves should have died down. Use a garden fork to loosen the soil before pulling them out.
Troubleshooting:
Aphids; rust; thrips
Wondering what to plant when?
Use our planner to create a planting calendar for your climate zone
View Planting Guide
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