Onion

How to harvest Onion

When the tops turn yellow and "wilt", it is time to harvest; usually between 100 and 120 days after planting. Gently lift the bulbs before the foliage has fully died back, place the whole plant on racks with good ventilation in full sun to dry out for 2 weeks before being stored in a cool dry location.

How to propagate Onion

Bulbs

Plant onion sets 10cm from mid-March to mid-April. Plant the bulb in the soil with just the tip showing, and firm the soil around them. Birds can be a problem, pulling new sets from the ground so cover with a fleece until firmly rooted.

Seed

Direct sowing in late autumn in a well-prepared bed and thin out later. Will require about 9 to 12 hours of daylight to stimulate bulb formation.

Special features of Onion

Repels harmful insects

The juice is used as a moth repellent. Rubbed into the skin it acts as an insect repellant.

Attracts bees

Only when in flower which is in its second year of growth.

Crop rotation

Onions are light feeders. Plant these after heavy feeders. Follow these crops with legumes.

Other uses of Onion

Culinary, vegetable. Can be grown in containers.

Medicinal

When eaten raw, onions benefit the health in many ways, i.a. anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, prevents tooth decay. The juice is a first-aid treatment for bee stings and quickens healing of wounds.

Edible

Although the bulbs are probably the base ingredient of the vast majority of cooked dishes the world over, the flowers are also edible.