How to Grow Onions: The Complete Beginner's Guide
- benmcneilly
- Sep 29
- 3 min read
Onions (Allium cepa) are a staple in kitchens worldwide, offering both culinary versatility and nutritional benefits. Whether you prefer bulb onions, bunching onions, or perennial onions, growing them at home is an easy and rewarding process. Onions can be started from seeds, sets, or transplants, each method offering advantages depending on your climate and growing preferences.
This guide covers how to grow onions from seed and sets, the differences between bulb and bunching onions, and an introduction to perennial onions like Egyptian walking onions, available at Earthling.com.
Step 1: Choosing Your Onion Type
Bulb Onions
Bulb onions are the standard onions that form a swollen underground bulb. Common varieties include:
Yellow Onions: Classic and versatile (e.g., Sturon, Ailsa Craig).
Red Onions: Mild and great for salads (e.g., Red Baron, Brunswick).
White Onions: Mild and crisp, ideal for fresh eating (e.g., Snowball, Southport White Globe).
Bulb onions can be grown from seeds, sets, or transplants.
Bunching Onions (Spring Onions / Scallions)
Bunching onions do not form a large bulb but instead grow in clusters. These are great for continuous harvesting and include varieties such as Ishikura Long White and Evergreen Hardy White.
Perennial Onions (Egyptian Walking Onions & Welsh Onions)
These onions grow year after year, producing clusters of small bulbs at the top of their stalks. When the stalks bend, the bulbs plant themselves, allowing the onions to "walk" across your garden over time. Perennial onions like Egyptian Walking Onions are available at Earthling.com for those looking for a low-maintenance, high-yield crop.
Step 2: How to Grow Onions from Seed
Growing onions from seed is cost-effective and offers the greatest variety selection.
Best Conditions for Germination:
Temperature: 10–25°C (50–77°F).
Soil: Well-draining, rich in organic matter.
Moisture: Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.
Starting Indoors (Recommended for Bulb Onions in Cool Climates)
Start seeds 8–10 weeks before the last frost.
Sow seeds 1 cm (1/2 inch) deep in trays or modules.
Maintain temperatures around 15–20°C (60–70°F).
Thin seedlings to 2 cm (1 inch) apart once they sprout.
Harden off before transplanting outdoors.
Direct Sowing (For Warmer Climates or Bunching Onions)
Sow seeds thinly in rows, spacing 2 cm (1 inch) apart.
Keep soil evenly moist until germination.
Thin seedlings once they develop 2–3 true leaves.
Step 3: Growing Onions from Sets
Onion sets are small pre-grown bulbs that establish quickly.
Planting Onion Sets:
Choose firm, disease-free sets.
Plant 2 cm (1 inch) deep and 10 cm (4 inches) apart.
Space rows 30 cm (12 inches) apart.
Water lightly after planting.
Onion sets grow faster and are less prone to disease than seeds but may offer fewer variety choices.
Step 4: Caring for Onion Plants
Watering:
Keep soil consistently moist but avoid overwatering.
Reduce watering as bulbs start forming to prevent rot.
Feeding:
Apply balanced organic fertilizer every few weeks.
Avoid excessive nitrogen, which promotes leaf growth over bulbs.
Mulching & Weed Control:
Mulch with straw or compost to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Step 5: Harvesting & Storing Onions
Bulb Onions:
Harvest when tops begin to yellow and fall over.
Gently pull bulbs and cure in a dry, airy place for 2–3 weeks.
Store in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area.
Bunching Onions:
Harvest anytime after reaching a usable size.
Cut leaves and allow roots to regrow for continuous harvest.
Egyptian Walking Onions:
Harvest top bulbs in late summer.
Divide and replant bulbs to expand your patch.
Conclusion
Onions are a versatile, easy-to-grow crop that provides a steady harvest year-round. Whether you grow bulb onions, bunching onions, or perennial onions like Egyptian Walking Onions, following these steps will help you achieve a bountiful onion harvest.
For perennial onion varieties, check out Earthling.com and start growing your own self-sustaining onion patch!
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