Bailey Van Tassel

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hand holding onion bulbs
22 Oct 2021
Gardening

How to Grow Onions: Starting with Bulbs aka Sets

There are four ways to grow onions: via bulbs (otherwise known as sets), via seed, via seedling, or from an onion that’s already been used but has roots and a bulb intact. The last method is most common with green onions, which regrow quite successfully.

Today we are talking about growing onions from bulbs, as that is what I am currently doing in the garden. It’s Fall, so bulbs are all the rage, and onion bulbs are easy to snag at the nursery. Being a zone 10 gardener, we can actually grow some form of onion year-round.

Onion bulbs are small tiny onions that look like “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids!” onion version. They’re very simple to plant and give you a leg up from starting onions via seed. This also allows for some cold-weather tolerance, great for more Northern hardiness zones.

I’m going to give you Cliff’s notes bullets, because that’s what we really need, right?

How to Grow Onions From Bulbs:

  • Start with well-draining and balanced soil (with about 3″ compost if possible).
  • Onions like full sun – 6 hours minimum
  • Plant your bulbs 1″ deep and fertilize with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer.
  • Leave your bulbs in their paper and plant roots down.
  • Plant about 4″ apart with rows that are double that
  • Water those top 3″ of soil and then daily for about 5 mins until established.
  • Keep your onion patch free of weeds

That’s it! The onion bulbs are what you’d get if you started seeds, before they shoot up greens, so it gives you a leg up, but produces a strong plant. I love them.

Harvesting Onions

From the time of planting your onion bulbs, it should take about 3-4 months to get to maturity. Once you’ve grown your onions, the fully mature bulb will start to pop up out of the soil, and the greens may yellow and flop over. That’s when you know they’re ready for harvest. Additionally, if the onions start to soften, they need to be pulled up.

Curing Onions

Once your harvest your onions, keep them in a warm and well-ventilated place for a couple of days to cure. Then they are ready to store – for up to a year!

With onions being such a staple to cook with, they are a garden staple too! I encourage you to try them this year and see what you think. There are few things as satisfying as pulling up those pretty onions!

TAGS:curing onionsgrowing onionsonion bulbsonion sets
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Hi I’m Bailey

Hi I’m Bailey

Teaching you how to grow veggies in any space while show you how to live a garden-inspired life.

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Bold move, right? One of my girlfriends told me to do this and raved about the benefits (she always knows the good stuff - she’s that girl). But, I did some research too. 

One clove of raw garlic a day has myriad health benefits. Yes it has to be raw. You cut it and let it sit out a minute so the allacin can form which is the healing component in garlic. Then just take with water. 

It’s not just amazing for cooking, but also repairing us from the inside out and boosting immunity.

So, are you game for a clove a day?? I know, it seems cringey but you don’t even taste it - the upside is just too good!
•
Follow

Bold move, right? One of my girlfriends told me to do this and raved about the benefits (she always knows the good stuff – she’s that girl). But, I did some research too.

One clove of raw garlic a day has myriad health benefits. Yes it has to be raw. You cut it and let it sit out a minute so the allacin can form which is the healing component in garlic. Then just take with water.

It’s not just amazing for cooking, but also repairing us from the inside out and boosting immunity.

So, are you game for a clove a day?? I know, it seems cringey but you don’t even taste it – the upside is just too good!

19 hours ago
View on Instagram |
1/4
I took this advice seriously 🌸 

But “for real life” as my four-year-old says, the more I focused on turning my life into a heaven on earth, creating happiness with my own hands, the more I just felt so at home with myself. 

Growing food is so poetic to me (as you can probably tell) because it truly takes our hands and fills our hearts - our lives - with joy, resilience, and confidence. 

It’s also fun to see progress! This started out as an in-ground garden and has evolved immensely. 

Any garden design questions - leave them here 👇🏼
•
Follow

I took this advice seriously 🌸

But “for real life” as my four-year-old says, the more I focused on turning my life into a heaven on earth, creating happiness with my own hands, the more I just felt so at home with myself.

Growing food is so poetic to me (as you can probably tell) because it truly takes our hands and fills our hearts – our lives – with joy, resilience, and confidence.

It’s also fun to see progress! This started out as an in-ground garden and has evolved immensely.

Any garden design questions – leave them here 👇🏼

3 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/4
This is MY list of top 4 must-know things. It doesn’t have to be yours. But after years of guiding people through hardiness zones 3 through 10, I can tell you there’s a difference in each one when it comes to timing and temperament. 

And then your very own microclimate will determine a ton. This is a personal thing that no one can really deeply help you with. Not even your neighbor. Every outdoor space has nooks and crannies that behave uniquely. And altitude and valleys and hillsides and salty ocean air versus humid tropical air, etc etc will determine a lot. So just pay attention. Be curious. 

Then we need to know the purpose of it all. Mine mixes function, health, beauty, and adding magic to my children’s lives all wrapped up in one. 

Of course then the sun you get is crucial. We all dance around the fireball in this crazy solar system, and we can’t change our positioning to it. 

The list goes on, but this is where I start. 

Are your top 4 different?
•
Follow

This is MY list of top 4 must-know things. It doesn’t have to be yours. But after years of guiding people through hardiness zones 3 through 10, I can tell you there’s a difference in each one when it comes to timing and temperament.

And then your very own microclimate will determine a ton. This is a personal thing that no one can really deeply help you with. Not even your neighbor. Every outdoor space has nooks and crannies that behave uniquely. And altitude and valleys and hillsides and salty ocean air versus humid tropical air, etc etc will determine a lot. So just pay attention. Be curious.

Then we need to know the purpose of it all. Mine mixes function, health, beauty, and adding magic to my children’s lives all wrapped up in one.

Of course then the sun you get is crucial. We all dance around the fireball in this crazy solar system, and we can’t change our positioning to it.

The list goes on, but this is where I start.

Are your top 4 different?

4 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/4
Turns out I just needed to let what I had be enough. 

Many of you have watched this journey unfold from day one. I am so grateful to have gotten to prove to myself and others that you can make whatever you have, bring joy and connection and contentment. 

Along the way you may just uncover a passion, career, purpose, and dreams that you never realize would come to manifest. 

If you have ANY garden limitations, share them here. We’ll troubleshoot ‘em together!
•
Follow

Turns out I just needed to let what I had be enough.

Many of you have watched this journey unfold from day one. I am so grateful to have gotten to prove to myself and others that you can make whatever you have, bring joy and connection and contentment.

Along the way you may just uncover a passion, career, purpose, and dreams that you never realize would come to manifest.

If you have ANY garden limitations, share them here. We’ll troubleshoot ‘em together!

6 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/4

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