Complete Guide To GROWING ONIONS From Seed [BETTER Than Onion Sets]

This is a complete guide to growing onions from seed. I show you the entire onion growing process from start to finish and explain why seed grown onions are better than planting onion sets. This simple method will help you grow onions without fail!
I'll explain why growing onions from onion seeds performs better than growing onion sets, how to select the proper onion varieties to grow in your location, why I don't bother growing onion bulbs anymore, how to thin onion seedlings, and when you should be transplanting onions in your garden.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 The Biennial Life Cycle Of Onions
1:11 What Are Onion Sets? Onion Bulbs Explained
2:02 The Problem With Onion Sets
3:03 Why I Prefer Growing Onions From Seed
3:54 Direct Seeding VS Starting Onion Seed In Trays
5:23 Short Day VS Intermediate Day VS Long Day Onions
6:12 The Onion Varieties And Shallots I Am Growing
7:07 Scarlet Bandit Bunching Onions
7:20 Setting Up The Seed Trays For Planting
7:51 How To Plant Seed For Onion Transplants
9:59 Germinating Onion Tips
11:09 Thinning Onion Seedlings
12:56 When To Transplant Onion Plants
13:43 Adventures With Dale
If you have any questions about how to grow onions from seed, want to know about the things I grow in my garden, are looking for more gardening tips and tricks and "garden hacks" like this, have questions about vegetable gardening and organic gardening in general, or want to share some DIY and "how to" garden tips and gardening hacks of your own, please ask in the Comments below!
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34.1°N Latitude
Zone 8A
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#gardening #gardeningtips #onions #growing #onion

[@tylerday1342]

Great video as always! I grow onions the same way (i live in socal, zone 10) and have great success every year. If I could suggest a tip though, next time you grow seedlings DON'T thin them out. Onions are very hardy, resilient plants and you can grow several of them in the same cell without an issue. They separate extremely easily, the roots basically never tangle, and it can save you a lot of time and money spent on seed and soil. I've grown up to 10 in the same cell and I just make sure they never grow past the thickness of a yellow pencil. Then I just wash off the soil once they're ready to transplant and separate the roots. They're also really easy to transplant to soil outside afterwards, just stick your finger in the soil 3-4 inches, put your seedling in the hole and cover with soil while leaving an inch still exposed to the sun.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Maybe I’ll leave them 2 in a tray and separate them. I know onions can take a beating, hence onion sets and the shipment of bunches of green onions. These cells are very small, but they should easily accommodate 2 onions. I’ll probably do that and skip thinning a second time.

[@robyndudley9684]

I said the same thing. My eyes got so big when he was thinning. 😢😭

[@colliecoform4854]

I said the same thing also. They are very easy to separate, no thinning needed.

[@robyndudley9684]

@@colliecoform4854 yes, an no need to use and entire tray. I grow mine in cups with the seeds densely sown. They look like a patch of grass in the cup. Separate and I lay them on the soil and layer soil over the roots. The roots grow down into the soil and the onion stand up straight in about 2 weeks.

[@anneciamartin9514]

@Tyler Day, fellow Socal gardener here. I'm in zone 9b. When do you start your seeds Tyler?

[@GardenerScott]

Great explanation of why sets and bulbs may not provide a big bulb for harvest. Starting from seed is easy and also gives more options for variety choice that sets don't.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I messed around with onion sets for years, because I thought it was the *easy* way. Turns out it was just the more expensive way with less predictable results 😅 You can't beat the productivity of a $2 pack of onion seeds!

[@KT-yq7ed]

That’s great that Gardener Scott watched and liked your Tutorial…..I subscribe to him also….he is so knowledgeable just like you……

[@charlichad07]

I never knew there was a long day and short day onion! I almost set myself up for failure. Your channel for gardening is one of my top favorites. Thank you!

[@brownthumbnursery]

Great video as always! The only thing I do differently is when I sow my seeds, I sow them heavy and don’t thin them. I separate them at time of planting into the garden. They separate very well. Especially in seed starting mix.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Next year, I may just sow them in a lasagna foil pan or something. Thanks for watching!

[@ahlamns]

I do the same

[@rjb6919]

I grow mine in clumps of 5 or 6; you can thin out salad onions as they grow or let them be and end up with medium sized onions. I haven't got a lot of space so works well for me. Got this tip initially from Charles Dowding who does the same.

[@lodollar23]

Exactly. I never waste the onions. To easy to seperate

[@Kim-lc2uq]

I have had great success using the tray you show your potting mix in, the one on the right. I plant 1 seed in proper spacing, about a 2" grid, double what I need. No wasted seed! I HATE THINNING! The trays lid workes well to keep them moist and to ventilate when needed. Easy to move around as well. At planting time, with decent moisture in the tray, I just use a kitchen fork to get 'em out and plant. For Welsh bunching onions I take the seedling completely out of the soil, put them on a moist paper towel, and stick them into an index finger sized hole and move the soil back around them. They are TOUGH! They dont mind this at all, ... just sayin. Enjoying yout videos! Thanks!

[@michaelkolanda8712]

I've had great success not thinning the seedlings until my final transplant into the garden bed. The roots tend to come apart fairly easily at that point and I'm not essentially wasting any seeds. It just means that I need to have more available room in the garden bed

[@RocketPipeTV]

Read my comments above and watch Charles dowding

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Because I used 72-cell trays, the onions have to be thinned since the cells can’t hold more than 2-3. That’s one of the downside to the cells. If you have a large, open tray where they can push each other around, you can thin less or possibly not at all. I enjoy popping them out of these trays, but it is not without downsides. That’s up to the individual to find their preference.

[@ketchfamily3854]

Well done. I've watched a ton of gardening videos over the years and I almost never leave a comment. This was well done. Thank you for the solid and well organized information.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the format. I appreciate the feedback.

[@cheryllamb8831]

Yes, I agree. This video helped me to understand how & why to plant seeds, as opposed to sets, my question about heat mat, etc. Thank you so much!

[@catherinesanchez1185]

Great video ! I’m going to try onions fir the first time this year . I now realize that I should probably may get the seeds started this week . Time to run to the garden center !

[@michaell1665]

Incredible video - answered some questions for me! Over the last year or so we've planted both onion and shallot roots when using them in the kitchen. So now we have these huge green stalks with flowers drying up and I just shook hundreds of black seeds from them. I still have to figure out if they were stalks from shallots or onions. Now I have to plant the seeds and see what comes up! The biennial cycle is now explained.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 The Biennial Life Cycle Of Onions 1:11 What Are Onion Sets? Onion Bulbs Explained 2:02 The Problem With Onion Sets 3:03 Why I Prefer Growing Onions From Seed 3:54 Direct Seeding VS Starting Onion Seed In Trays 5:23 Short Day VS Intermediate Day VS Long Day Onions 6:12 The Onion Varieties And Shallots I Am Growing 7:07 Scarlet Bandit Bunching Onions 7:20 Setting Up The Seed Trays For Planting 7:51 How To Plant Seed For Onion Transplants 9:59 Germinating Onion Tips 11:09 Thinning Onion Seedlings 12:56 When To Transplant Onion Plants 13:43 Adventures With Dale

[@Growingwithmcgrussen]

Can you let them all grow and separate them when transplanting?

[@fah6601]

Incredibly helpful video for this amateur gardener. Thank you I have my onion seeds that have germinated and think I will need to start thinning them out now

[@joancoble8065]

I live in New Bern about 2 hours north of you. It's really great to have a "local gardener" with tips that can help me right where I live! Your videos are well done.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm glad the videos are helpful! Thanks so much for watching!

[@TexasMyTexas]

Good afternoon from East Texas! You answered a LOT of question I had about growing from seed. I have higher hopes for my crop next year… 💁🏼‍♀️… Thanks!!

[@MsDragonfire1992]

I'm glad I watched this as I'm on day 26 since planting and day 20 since germination started and didn't know if or when u should thin out. So tomorrow I'm going to start thinning them out and then leave them a week and do the same again then hopefully by the end on February they will be ready to plant out.

[@natgirrl672]

Best explanation of the difference between seeds vs sets, and I have watched dozens of them.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I'm glad it was helpful.

[@erinnsmith180]

Thank you for the link ! I will give the tray a go. 🥰

[@theemmanuelswife]

Thanks for the video. I just started my onion, broccoli, and cauliflower seeds this morning, here in East TN, in my passive solar greenhouse, where I have our citrus trees. We go through a LOT of onions yearly, so I'm starting about 300 from seed this year. We have problems in our soil with Fusarium basal rot. It causes our onions to quickly rot, after pulling them from the soil. This year I'm trying a variety from Johnny Seed; Expression, an intermediate day onion. We are also "on the cusp" of growing long-day onions, so if the Expression doesn't do well this year, I'll shoot for a long-day that is resistant to Fusarium basal rot in next years garden. Last year I grew shallots that I started from seed. They were of a medium-size, which we used up fast. Bunching onions do very well in our smaller garden greenhouse. They even survived the sub-zero deep freeze we made it through this winter. I just cut them all down to about 1" after the deep freeze and you would never know they were effected by the very low temps. They are starting to divide and "bunch" now...awesome! Question...When don't you transplant your little onions that you thin out into other pots? I've done this before with great success. This years thinning will go into our small greenhouse, rather than the garden.

[@zanzabaro]

So informative! Perfect step by step. My mannn

[@seedhound]

Thank you for the lesson.

[@valoriegriego5212]

This is my second year growing onions...I was so surprised to learn how tough they are. Last year I grew mine from sprouts I purchased from a well-known company here in TX. Most of my sprouts lived through that crazy ice storm we got last Feb. They just shook it off and I got decent sized bulbs that stored pretty well. Hopefully we aren't in for an ice storm repeat this year. Thanks for the info.🙂 Howdy to cute Dale. He's such a good boy.🙂

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Pretty much everything in the genus Allium is tough: onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, etc. They also benefit heavily from the warmth of the soil itself, so even if the greens become damaged, they often come back. Last year, I planted all my onions in January, but we had a much milder winter. We're getting hammered this year with multiple nights in the teens and two winter storms, so I held back some. I'm so happy it's February - spring will be here, soon. Dale says hi!

[@jessiceeoriginal]

Thanks for the clarification. I found the information I wanted to know. 😁

[@paulasiefert2059]

Always full of useful information without all the fluff!

[@8oclocktomatotalk]

As usual: concise, clear information! Just what I needed my friend. Just getting ready to start onions from seed indoors in zone 6B Southern Indiana.

[@squange20]

Excellent video. So very clear. I just got my trays and heirloom seeds in the post, but I think our onion planting season has passed here in NZ, but I’ll get on with the summer crops. I hope the sowing process is similar to this. Thanks.

[@rosiehowell5575]

I'm so happy I found your channel. Finally someone in my area.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm glad it's helpful!

[@GtJrGrowsItAlaska]

You the mann👊🏾. This is the video I needed. Great catch Dale. Thanks for sharing. Got to watch it one more to make sure i got it lol.

[@theapopkagardener2485]

Very helpful. Thank you. Dale is so obedient 🥰

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! Dale is obedient when food rewards are involved. If there is no reward, he often ignores you if he doesn't feel like getting up. Hounds very much have a mind of their own.

[@wolfdreamer9]

Thank you so much for this! I have always assumed I should get the bulb but next year I'm definitely going to get some seeds.

[@hadassahhaman7550]

Wonderful! Thx for sharing this info. Extremely helpful. 😊

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@Tie-dyeGarden_dragon]

Great explanation on the difference between sets and seeds and also the different day lengths. Red burgundy onion is a short day red onion. I got seeds for them at victory seeds.

[@BecomingMoreSelfSufficient]

Great video! I love the explanation on bulbs versus seeds thank you so much.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@mo59602]

Very thorough information and well-delivered, thank you! Check the date on your seed packets as onion seed is very short-lived. After one year, seed viability drops to 50%, after that, they are hardly worth planting. Also for us long day growers in the north, it's hard to time when to start onions because you might be snow-free by early April but, conversely, could still have snow into May. In late snow years, keep checking root growth by lifting the inner tray. If you see more than a few strays, go shovel the snow aside and plant them. One year I left them in the trays too long and lost a lot of roots in transplanting. That shocked the plants and gave really poor results. Seeds are the way to go particularly in the north; by planting time, sets have been in warmth and light for a long time.

[@doggiefamily908]

Thank you. Great video. I've planted my onions in the fall (I'm the same zone in GA), and have some starting from seeds. Will see which ones will do better. I'm very impressed that you can leave your shoes on the floor. My Molly would get them right away. Great catch Dale!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I have been really meticulous with Dale. I stay on him pretty well, and I reward him very well when he's good. I work from home, so I'm home every day, which keeps his anxiety at bay. Dale is half Pit Bull, and contrary to popular belief, Pit Bulls may be the loyalest dogs in existence. They want nothing more than to please their people. Dale is very "hound dominant," but his loyalty is extreme and he's *extremely* sensitive. It's unreal.

[@jeevanm]

Thank you! Great video, great explantion!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You are welcome! Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!

[@StoneHavenWof5]

finally a good explanation on all options!!! thank you

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome!

[@bonniecarlstrom6014]

Super great information!!

[@katiem9644]

Great to have this video to refer back to as I started onion seeds a few weeks ago, and needed some guidance on what to do. Great video AS ALWAYS!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@user-dr6tm4wc4m]

Very good video. Thank you.

[@intentionalliving8706]

Very helpful.

[@ginavandam735]

Thankyou!!!🥰 Finally...I now know why and how! Grrrrrrate!😀👍Awesome!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching!

[@StefaniStevensBand]

Thank you! I will try your method!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I think you'll like it! Best of luck!

[@Liverpoolboy01]

Very informative, many thanks . 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@wynee1473]

This explains so much! Thanks!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome!

[@sylvia10101]

Thank you for the great information! ✌️

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!

[@melissagoodwin2602]

Was very helpful

[@RexySmith]

I got the same scarlet bandits and was trying to find how to plant them and find your video. Never tried onions/bunching onions before, can't wait to see the results 😁

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm looking forward to them, too! Mine should be ready for transplant next week!

[@katherinecornette5315]

Really good information! I would really love to grow shallots as well. Thank you for a great teaching video.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome! Thank you for watching. Shallots cost around 75 cents a piece, so growing your own is the way to go. A packet of 200 seeds only costs around $2!

[@billieharris6394]

I make holes in bottom of an empty mushroom container and fill with potting soil. I put 50+ seeds on top of the soil and dust with soil. I don't thin at all. Onions separate easily from each other. Plant as usual in the garden with at least 3" spacing. They grow quickly cuz they are happy to have the room outside. Been doing this for years. Zone 8b

[@SupremegreenlawncareLLC]

Great video!🔥

[@Haidersdiygardening]

Very nice explaine i will do the same way you did it

[@amyjo987]

Thank you

[@rabindarkumar8224]

Great explanation. Thanks

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@baljeetgoraya145]

A perfect procedure to grow onoions

[@Luv2Garden2]

Thank you. God bless you

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@cbk1232]

I start my seeds in the tray you have. I sprinkle in 100 seeds then they grow,a hair cut to 3”,separate them and plant them. I get 3” onions every time. I live in Vermont and I have to get them in the ground in early may for them to grow before the solstice in June where the bulbs start. I never have a bad harvest from seeds

[@doriswoo4455]

You are a fantastic teacher. 👍

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!

[@robinbennett3531]

I grew from sets last year and maybe 10-20% put up flower stems. I pulled the bud off and used the bulbs fresh rather than dry and store them, and still had plenty to store. This year it's all from seed, I did buy some shallot bulbs though.....

[@brendablack1554]

Very informative video! Great job I am a new subscriber

[@TrehanCreekOutdoors]

Those fancy plant cell trays are great to use but they do cost money. In my area, they are selling for about $6 per tray, with tax included. Frankly, the onions will do just as well planted in the same seed mix in any type container you may have around the house. Some people like to use egg trays, for example. I sometimes just use left over food trays from the grocery, such as plastic salad trays or aluminum trays that contained cooked meats, etc. Just clean them out well and fill them with potting soil. When it is time to plant the onions, it is easy to just use a large spoon or a small spade to lift out a bunch of the onions. As others have said, you can simply wait to thin the onions into individual plants at the time of planting. Thinning earlier may however help the young onions have less competition from their peers for available nutrients and thus grow stronger and faster. Very nice video presentation! I enjoyed watching it.

[@brianseybert2189]

I live in zone 5 and started my onions Jan 1st this year. Last year I started them early Feb and they were a bit scrawny when I planted them in March, although they did fine and had a pretty good harvest. I think for the heck of it I will plant my onions closer together and harvest every other one when they bulb to about 1" diameter for my own onion sets next year. I just use a plastic container and fill with about 4" of my home made potting mix and broadcast seed the whole tray and let em go. The plants pull apart very easily when I go to stick them in the ground. Enjoyed your video.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I can't prove this, but I think with onions, they like to be planted when it's still cold outside and the days are short. I think if you wait until it gets too warm and the days get too long, they'll try to grow greens too fast. Planting them during the short, cold days, I think, maybe makes them grow better roots. I'm not an expert with Zone 5, though. Our planting times are wildly different, so I guess it all comes down to trial and error.

[@brianseybert2189]

@@TheMillennialGardener I put my onions out as soon as I can work the soil. In fact last year I had to cover them a couple times when we went down into the teens at night. If interested I posted a garden tour from last Aug, "Brian Seybert garden tour." Enjoy your videos!

[@nancycowell-miller4321]

Excellent, informative video. Thank you! I may have to try some onion seeds next year!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! Glad it was helpful.

[@jpt1205]

Thanks for the great video! Do you need to add any fertilizer/nutrients to the vermiculite mix to give the onion seedlings something to feed on before transplant?

[@2023praise]

Enjoy your videos Im wondering if you have one on growing and harvesting onion seeds

[@ktreznin5538]

My knees hurt when watching you on the garage ground! LOL! Great info!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I do a lot of leg exercises 😂 It keeps them in shape.

[@robroy8485]

Well explained vid. Nice 👍🏻

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@pnenegal2982]

Awesome video 😊❤️

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@miaensuacre]

Thank you for your very helpful videos. I'm in NC too... when did you take your trays outside? I'm growing my seeds inside the house. I have a little green house 3x6', can I use that to take my onions outside? I don't have much space inside and would like to grow other seeds. Thanks.

[@ginobass66]

Hi MG, great video!! I have 2 long day onions in the 72 cell and after 3 days I can see germination already. They’re inside on the kitchen table which is near a window but there is a radiator below the window so it would be to hot to put under window.Would you put grow lights on when they start popping? My main grow station is in the garage and we’re coming up with a seriously cold spell this week here in Bryn Mawr, PA. Is it ok to transplant to bigger pot before planting outside in a raised bed. Thanks. gino

[@marypieroni9141]

Loved your video…and all of them!! I live in Sacramento, CA…zone 9, and would like to try growing onions. Looks like I’m in the intermediate section. Should I start mine now? Thank you so much.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! Yes, absolutely, start them now. Don’t delay. Onions mature around the solstice, so the sooner your start them, the better. In your zone, you can plant them in December for an early crop since onions are hardy to Zone 9.

[@davek7303]

I saved seeds from a couple onion plants that made it to year 2. I'm wondering if I can plant them going into this year if I will get a decent onion out of it? There's a risk of some cross-pollination as I also let some leeks go and the onions that flowered might've been from different varieties. Thanks for what you do as your content and presentation skills are spot on!

[@christinebrooks6364]

Hi, great video, I do grow from sets but, im growing from seed too this season to trial tge difference between both. If it goes well will definitely not bother with sets next year, thanks for sharing & take care 🙂

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Great plan! Nothing better than a side-by-side comparison. That's what I did, and I was amazed by the results. My seed-grown onions not only grew larger, but they matured more quickly. I was pretty surprised.

[@sk87est]

You explain so good. Very helpful. You also discipline your dog very nicely... He's lovely ^_^

[@oktayosmanov100]

Hi, great video. I live in the UK - Manchester area and it is my first year trying to grow onions from seeds. What time you think I should start with the seeds indoors? Thanks

[@rafika816]

Thanks!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you so much for your support and generosity! It means a lot. I really appreciate it ❤

[@manjuvikas3952]

Great informative video! I am in South Carolina. Will the seedlings survive the frost we might get in March or April beginning, if transplanted outside by Feb end or early March? Kindly clarify.

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

Your onions look amazing!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@zinnia3190]

I've always had great success growing onions from sets. This year I'm going to try both methods. Good video! SE Kansas on the Short Day/Intermediate line

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I recommend growing them side by side. I did that last year and the results were clear to me. Sets can be successful, but they’re more expensive and do run the risk of not bulbing well. Planting them side by side may be a good experiment.

[@zinnia3190]

@@TheMillennialGardener I plan to do this experiment this year. I also try to tuck onions in amongst lots of other things with companion planting. By planting them side by side in one bed, and together scattered in my other beds I hope to have a good experiment. (or maybe an abundance of scallions. Ha!)

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@zinnia3190 onions make great companion plants. They also help repel some pests, so by interplanting them around pest-susceptible plants (like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant), you can naturally repel some of those nuisance pests! It's a smart use of space, and a smart way to limit pest pressure.

[@kirklarson116]

I see other commenters have covered the thinning topic. I'm in MI and just planted (4) 4" containers with 3 different kinds of onions. One whole packet went into 2 containers and 1/2 of the other packets went into the other two containers. I didn't count the seeds but there's probably over 150 in those 4 containers. I have them on a thermostatically controlled heat mat at 75 degrees, bottom watered and a dome. I'll removed them from heat after 50% germinate and will get them under the light. I had zero luck starting from starts or sets...this is my first time starting from seed. I've done a lot of research and this is the method I'm going to try this season.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I’m curious why you’re adding bottom heat. Onions don’t need it. They’re a cooler season plant, so they don’t benefit from warm soil like a tomato or a pepper would. I think you actually may be harming your germination rates. Keeping them indoors at room temp on a cool tile floor or comparable works really well. No need to use seedling mats.

[@CraigDAL12]

Great video. The other 3rd option not mentioned is using onion plants. Here in TX you can buy a bundle of about 50 onion plants for $3 to $4. I plant these as well as a package of seeds so I can harvest at 2 different times as the plants have a way head start.

[@rafika816]

Smart!

[@TexasNana2]

Hi @CraigDAL12 where did you buy the onion plants? I'm also in Texas. I'm in zone 8b. Thanks 😊

[@angelatoplovich8998]

Howdy neighbor, I'm in Goldsboro so happy to have found you today. I'm a new subscriber

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for subbing, neighbor! I appreciate it. We have extremely similar climates, so what does well for me should do the same for you!

[@farmeral7566]

Hi I'm in Greenville. I just planted sweet peas.

[@amyreid9649]

I have struggled for years to grow big onions. Never started seeds. Always sets and the small bulbs. Always a fail, and seem to go to seed. This year I started seeds. I know it will be the best harvest yet! Can’t wait. I have seen videos on cutting/trimming them as they grow. Do you plan on doing this?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

As long as you are growing the appropriate day-length varieties for your latitude, I think growing from seed will fix your problems. Once the onions go in-ground, I will not touch them. Aside from handfuls of organic fertilizer every few weeks and watering as needed, they'll get no other attention til harvest.

[@Kellibel]

Dang it. I wanted to try onions this year so I bought a small bulb set. 😂. Next year I’ll try seeds! Thanks for info!!

[@ivyrakestraw]

I just started my onion seeds on the 30th, but my sets arrived today (feb 8th). Should I wait and plant everything out after my frost date has passed? Or plant the sets out ASAP and cover them? Zone 8a Charlotte NC. Thank you!

[@imanderdumme8706]

Thanks for the great content .

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@imanderdumme8706]

@@TheMillennialGardener thanks im looking forward to see how the seedling are transplanted into the soil . hope you get a very delicious 😋 yield .

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@imanderdumme8706 I can try to make a video on that if time allows. I think I have a video showcasing that last year here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHi5nZWZm9KGgKc

[@tomm5228]

When sown, where did you keep them? Sunlight? Temperature? Great video, I want to have a try at bunching onions

[@GoldenAfternoonHomestead]

So after germination, are you leaving them outside in the cells until time to transplant? I'm in upstate SC, 7b/8a depending on the map you're looking at. What would you recommend?

[@mereplants3449]

Nice

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks!

[@muziklvr1729]

Great information and perfect timing! I was just thinking today that I need to start some onions. I agree with you about sets. Too iffy and pricey. I read this onion hack in a Jerry Baker book: Step on the soil around the onion foliage to press the bulb deeper into the soil. He says this gives you bigger onions. Have you heard of that?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I have not. Do you wait until the onion is well-rooted? I assume this isn't the case immediately at planting. I always heard sort of the opposite - let the soil be as loose as possible so there is as little resistance as possible for the onion to bulb. I always heard compact soil makes it hard for the onions to grow big bulbs, so this seems to conflict what I was always heard. Last year, I did nothing, and my onions were awesome.

[@muziklvr1729]

@@TheMillennialGardener He doesn’t say when. I think you’re right. It makes sense that loose soil would be best. Rather than compacting them, I’d think it would be better to add another inch or two of soil if the depth is a concern. Btw, you’re going to love the bunching onions. They’re kind of a pain to clean, but they taste good. Once you’ve grown them you’ll always have them. They’re very easy to keep going by just leaving one or two behind, so they provide “onion security.” 😂

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@muziklvr1729 So, basically it sounds like he's recommending hilling, by either pressing them deeper or filling soil around them? I could see that making sense. It seems to work for potatoes.

[@roberttillotson6861]

I’m going to try short day and intermediate day onion. I’m in 7a in Reno. I think I can do both; yet I’m doing each type with own rows to confirm

[@riverunner9978]

I grow mine in multiples and plant out in 3-4 to grow together . Increases overall yield

[@thejordanlight]

Great video! I started my onion seeds a couple weeks ago too. Do you trim your seedlings at all before transplanting out? Mine are starting to get pretty long!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I've never trimmed them before, but this is only my second time growing onions from seed. When people ship bundles of onions for direct transplanting, they trim them, so they will recover. They are *very* tough plans, so whatever is convenient for you is probably fine. Just don't prune them when they are still grass-like, because they rely on that little blade of grass for photosynthesis. Wait until the greens thicken up a bit and take on that "hollow" feeling. As the seedlings are in my video, they are still very fragile, so definitely don't touch them at this stage.

[@abbienyathi7300]

Thanks for the video ,is it OK to cut and cook only leaves while the bulb is still growing

[@randysmith8101]

When and what do you feed the seedlings? We really enjoy your videos!! Thanks

[@chancegreen214]

Damn. This gardening video was actually useful. Most Chanel’s don’t do that :3

[@baileysbassethounds]

Good dog, good dog. Way to go Dale. Our basset hounds would love you.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Dale loves other dogs. He's a rescue, so he "grew up" around a lot of other dogs. He always gets to excited to play.

[@baileysbassethounds]

@@TheMillennialGardener we raise basset hounds. You can check us out at Bailey’s Basset Hounds on KZbin too.

[@Randeb86]

Is December or January the best time to get the trays loaded with the seed?❤ love your videos!

[@michellelemberger1212]

This is my second year trying to grow onions from a seed. Both years I have lost so many from damping off despite having a fan going to try and avoid fungal growth. Do you have any suggestions to avoid damping off?

[@Happy2Run4Me]

How long do you grow the seedlings before transplanting out to the garden? Is 6-8 weeks sufficient or do they need 12 weeks? I plan to start my seeds in Sept, transplant them in November and overwinter them here in zone 8b (east Texas). I tried that last year but made the mistake of trimming the tops right at transplanting time and should have done it a couple weeks before so I didn’t stress the plants out. Many of them died. Sad. I also moved them into too shady of a spot (technically into my GreenStalk planters) but in the planters are under the eaves of my covered deck. They don’t get enough sunlight I think. They never sized up. It’s July now and they didn’t get bigger than tiny bulbs. I am going to plant them out into full sunlight next time and I bet they’ll be happier. I’m still learning! I can grow green onions all day long, just not my short day onions apparently. 😏I am determined to get it right this next time! I got my garlic to grow (albeit they were smaller as well also due to shading). So both my garlic and onions will have their own plot out in the full sunlight this time!

[@AE-yt4lx]

Great video! What do you do with the ones you took out?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks. You can mulch them or just throw them out. They're so tiny that when you add it all up, it'll fit in a teaspoon.

[@SiriusScientist]

Great catch Dale! This was perfect timing! I planted shallot sets in late fall, it it will be my first year growing them. I had thought about onions but hadn’t committed to actually starting them yet. I know we have different day lengths, but on average how long does it take from sprouting to harvest? The dates on packages can be confusing and are sometimes from transplant and not seed and I’m trying to time my harvests so I can do fall crops in some as other things like the garlic get pulled. Great video, as always!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're in MA, right? At your latitude, shallots may before better. I'm on the 33/34N line, so shallots here are a struggle. I'm hoping seeds are the answer, but I'll find out this year before I give up forever 😄 I *think* the "days to maturity" on onion packages are just an estimate, because they grow very differently in varying climates. Onions "bulb" around the solstice when you have maximum day lengths, so I think you're supposed to basically take your solstice, subtract the days on the package, and then that is when you're supposed to plant your onions. That isn't always feasible due to climate. Obviously in MA, you can't plant some varieties of less-hardy onions in January or they will likely die. Therefore, onions are going to have a learning curve where you'll need to try a few types to find the varieties that work perfectly for you. My onion varieties won't work where you live and vice versa. I had it easy growing Yellow Granex since that's the famous Georgia Vidalia onion, and my latitude is around central Georgia, so it was a no-brainer for me. Just keep in mind many onions are not as hardy as garlic or shallots.

[@SiriusScientist]

@@TheMillennialGardener Yep, I’m in MA! I’m excited to see how yours do! I might have to save that experiment for next year when we expand the garden. We put in 6 beds for this season but are going to try to get the first wave of perennials established too (blueberries, asparagus, strawberries, etc.) and it might be more than I can handle. I can’t wait for spring and hope you’ll make more videos as you start different plant types.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@SiriusScientist the cool thing about onions, garlic and shallots is you can interplant them with other things. They even help keep pests away. I am going to interplant the bunching onions with my peppers mostly likely.