Johannian said: Good to know, Sandy. Maybe that's what I should do. I can't seem to grow onions successfully if my life were dependent upon it. This year, I got the best leeks I've ever gotten, but they were still really small.
Johannian, In your climate you should be able to grow some beautiful long day onions. First thing to remember is that onions are about the heaviest feeders available in the vegetable line up. Nitrogen requirement is equivalent to that of corn. Also remember that by nature an onion is a green leafy plant. The bulb itself is modified basal leaves, each ring on an onion is the base of a leaf. More leaves bigger onions. They need loose soil and do not spare nitrate heavy fertilizers.
It may be best to start with plants from a grower such as Dixondale. Onions seeds are ok, but do need more care. Once the transplant size plant is available, They should be set after the spring thaw and when the ground has dried sufficiently. Very cold resistant, but do not tolerate frozen ground. Long day onions are triggered to begin bulbing around the summer solstice. Depending on variety, they need 14-18 hours of direct sunlight to trigger bulbing. Harvest in late summer - early fall.
Most of my experience is with short day onions Transplanted in mid - December. Harvested in May. Don't have enough hours of daylight to trigger many varieties of short day. plus, most summers are way too hot for onions in this part of Georgia. I di grow Spanish types when I lived in Virginia along with some potato onions.
Onion (Allium cepa 'Golden Grande')
