Grow Perfect Onions - Every Time!

Whether you start your onions from seed, sets or seedlings, there are some tricks of the trade that make the difference between a great crop and a disappointing one.
In this short video, Ben demonstrates how to grow onions so perfect they could make you weep!
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
www.GrowVeg.com
gardenplanner.almanac.com
gardenplanner.motherearthnews...
and many more...
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[@hubblespacebox1661]

Impossible not to love this guy.

[@GrowVeg]

Bless you - you'll make me blush!

[@BigStiffWilly]

I harbor a deep seeded hate

[@melissanguyen4904]

“They’re enough to make you cry” 😂 you got me

[@FoolishForm]

Love your dad jokes “there enough to make you cry” 😂😂😂 these upcoming comedians should take note. Well done mate

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers for that - love a good pun! :-)

[@kimrubidge5162]

Please dont stop making video's, thay are so helpful. Love your channel.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Kim. We'll keep those videos coming, don't worry. Thanks for watching.

[@slvice14]

It will be my first time trying to grow onions and garlic this year. Wish me luck! Thanks for posting this, it was highly educational.

[@GrowVeg]

I'm sure you'll do a fantastic job with both! :-)

[@carladelagnomes]

What a nice picture! A man with an arm full of onions he's just harvested. :)

[@kh2716]

I dont have time to watch now but I quickly skipped to 52 seconds and his face and passion is enough to subscribe. Fairplay my friend!

[@GrowVeg]

Wow, thank you! And a very warm welcome to the channel! :-)

[@bradymcphail9690]

I just found your website and then your KZbin channel, which is backwards to my normal way as I’m a University of KZbin PHD Student! I was searching for a journaling tool and found yours, not being very computer smart and a beginning vegetable gardener your planner and journaling website spoke to me… I hope I can maneuver around it easily. We live in Southern California now, but we will be relocating to the Oceanside of Northern California or Oregon within the year or 2 to our forever beach property. Retirement is divine, but I must maintain constant activity to remain alive!

[@GrowVeg]

KZbin is a great way to learn Brady! I do hope you'll find the Journal and Garden Planner handy - they're quite intuitive we hope. Best of luck with your relocation. I spent a year in Portland and loved Cannon Beach - it's beautiful over there and I'm sure you'll be very. But keep active okay!!

[@JohnandSarah]

I always come back for a quick review! Thanks, Ben, for fertilizing my gardening knowledge!

[@GrowVeg]

You're most welcome. :-)

[@obiagelindoeche904]

Thanks for teaching. I will try this weekend to plant my own onions.

[@GrowVeg]

Best of luck!

[@julieelliott2948]

Love salad onions. Didn’t realize the actual difference. Thanks Bob. 😊😊😊

[@GrowVeg]

You’re welcome. 😀

[@pappy9473]

Yes. Sets. And upping the harvest by 200%

[@IsthataDOG-xh8vo]

Oh I love your greenhouse! That's beautiful!

[@Talmeida13]

I used to make it straight to the soil, in tropical cities in south America. But plots is amazing idea

[@carolavant3778]

Definitely growing short day onions here in North Florida panhandle Zone 8b! I start my seeds to plant out in November and over-winter them.

[@gilshelley9183]

When do you start your seeds?

[@Joe-yo1tm]

Ben, ngl mate i really love your videos. Theyre short, sweet, to the point. Ur just brilliant mate.

[@GrowVeg]

Wow, that's very kind of you to say. Thank you! :-)

[@timtation5837]

Another superb video Ben!!! Brilliant work! One thing I would add is the affect of soil sulfur content on onions. The more sulfur, the hotter and more pungent the onion, the sweetest and mildest onions are grown in well draining soil with almost no sulfur. Some gardeners use sulfur to adjust soil PH and that can have a dramatic affect on onions. I like to raise the sulfur content in the soil in which I grow my cooking onions, (adding eggs is a good natural way to do that). More pungent means more flavor and more flavor for cooking onions is very good. I like to grow my sweet onions, red onions, and scallion onions in low sulfur soil because those will be consumed raw where sweet and mild is appreciated. Manure has plenty of sulfur to keep most garden plants happy and healthy, and too much or too little sulfur can negatively affect most plants, but for onions, understanding how sulfur affects it can give you a big advantage in growing onions you like/prefer.

[@GrowVeg]

I had no idea about the sulphur - that's a really interesting insight, thanks for sharing that Tim.

[@JJLewin1]

Great tip, thank you

[@nancyhjort5348]

I had no idea. Thanks for the onion wisdom.

[@MrNoucfeanor]

Imagine this would help with garlic as well after all, the best benefits of garlic is their sulfur compounds yes?

[@TheZippyMark]

Wow, seems there's many layers to this

[@richardhoner7842]

I've grown onion for many decades here in New England and usually have a good crop. The crazy weather is the biggest problem. Very late cold weather followed by hot dry weather can make it difficult. This coming growing season I am going to go back to raising my onions under lots of leaf mulch. I will also space them further apart as you suggest Many thanks!

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, that shoud all help, especially that mulch. :-)

[@Knittingilove]

I left (accidentally) some onions through the winter and this season they flowered. Now I know why. Although, they look good and tasted good to eat after flowering too. I still have some in the garden. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@GrowVeg]

Glad you got to enjoy their flowers - they're quite stunning really. :-)

[@ShrekTheShrekyOgre]

*I've already grown 420 onions, they have layers*

[@jessiecarabillo9565]

My hero

[@ShrekTheShrekyOgre]

@@jessiecarabillo9565 *yes*

[@southsidescola4588]

Just like ogres

[@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen]

I’ve just harvested my onions which were a little disappointing this year so this video is timely. Thank you for the great content as usual.

[@Chris-pv2ht]

Mine were same smaller than normal, I put it down to neglect on my part didnt water as much. Always have winners and looses though so maybe next year we get a better crop. I am trying my hand at seeds next year I usually buy heat treated onion sets but trying to be a little more frugal and save some cash

[@GrowVeg]

Not all of mine were perfect. I think this summer (in the UK anyhow) hasn't been as warm and sunny as perhaps we've become used to, and the onions haven't swollen quite as much as I'd liked. Next year though!

[@BumblebeeAdventure]

🐝 Thanks for the great video 🌻

[@LCSJess]

Growing onions for the first time, this year! Thank you so much for all the helpful tips!!

[@GrowVeg]

Great to hear - I hope they do well for you. :-)

[@medcitymami]

my onions from the store started sprouting, and since i use onions on a regular basis i figured why not just let it grow🤷🏽‍♀️ i’ve been trying to do research on growing onions and ALL i could find were tips on growing it and harvesting the leaves, nothing about harvesting another onion. this is the first video to finally go into full detail! thank you so much ♥️

[@GrowVeg]

Unfortunately doing this, while giving you some tasty leaves, is unlikely to produce a new useable bulb. This is because the onion will now be in its second year, so will instead go to flower instead, rather than producing a bulb. Onions live for two years only - first year producing the bulb, then in their second flowering and setting seed. That said, the flowers are beautiful and the insects love them!

[@nic.h]

I've grown new shoots from the cut off bottom of a store brought onion and they seem to be successfully growing so far. Although sounds like I should expect them to go to seed. Not that worried as I'll be able to use the seed for next year.

[@lynnrushton7458]

This is the first year I’ve managed to grow some decent onions. Having listened to your advice, I luckily nailed it‼️👌😂 chuffed to bits 😁

[@katherinewright7963]

I bought some onion sets in the sale, forgot 50 pence you can only try !!any how they have now sprouted, so let's see what happens 🤔

[@lynnrushton7458]

Katherine Wright fab! Fingers crossed! 🤞🤞😁

[@GrowVeg]

Nice work there Lynn - and best of luck Katherine.

[@sharonchriswell8500]

You are my go to guy. Thank you

[@dianemayberry1917]

This will be my first time growing onions

[@GrowVeg]

Very best of luck Diane. 🧅

[@elizabeth5549]

Truly enjoy your videos. I am starting an onion garden. I eat a lot of onions. I just built the raised bed with wood scraps and will plant the onions tomorrow. I am hoping my onions look as good as yours.

[@nancyhjort5348]

My Walla Walla Sweets are huge. I am so excited. I started them early, April at the 45th parallel, and had been amending my soil beginning in March with worm castings and compost. I kept them wet all summer. Yum! Gardener bragging rights!

[@GrowVeg]

Nice one Nancy!

[@matthickey6994]

I had a cracking onion 🧅 harvest this year. Mine are now hanging in an onion bag in my shed👍

[@GrowVeg]

Lovely stuff!

[@pammommawmaw2604]

Thank you Ben! ❤️❤️

[@gingerlove7739]

Your videos are one of my gardening guide 101.

[@GrowVeg]

That's wonderful to hear, thank you.

[@PDXGardenHome]

I love growing onions! Thanks for the tips!

[@Kali08012]

This is my second video, there is so much information in such a short video. You have got yourself a thumbs up and another subscriber

[@GrowVeg]

Nice one Kali! Thanks so much for the sub. :-)

[@janetbull2616]

Thanks again Ben another great video full of tips on onion growing 👍

[@JohnSmith-zv8km]

as always simple but informative and to the point explanation. Thanks

[@cafarmgirl3279]

Great advice thank you! I was planning on growing onions this year and after watching this video it is definitely going to happen this year.

[@jillwright8196]

Thank you! This is very helpful as always!

[@michelledouglas8913]

Thanks for the great information!

[@christinedemir9474]

Planting onions this weekend (Autumn here in Western Sydney, Australia). Small sets grown from seed last year. Hunter Brown, and seed of a white onion passed down from my grandfather.

[@GrowVeg]

How wonderful to be growing a variety passed down from your grandfather. Such a nice way to honour his memory.

[@HeyYouSA]

Learned a lot about onions, thanks!

[@h.sinclair]

great help thanks!

[@pammommawmaw2604]

Great info thank you!

[@darcyasher2716]

Great video, thank you.

[@rae2960]

I grew my first crop of onions this year using your videos. I was pretty terrified of the process because of that certain mold that can happen and essentially ruin the soil for eternity lol. But it was a good experience and I got two dozen proper onions. A few didn't make it but that's okay. I'm going to start my seeds tomorrow for next years' harvest :) Love your videos!

[@GrowVeg]

Well done on getting some decent onions - top work! :-)

[@samdumaquis2033]

Thanks for the vid

[@brianforster3498]

we've just planted seeds to overwinter, fingers crossed they get established before we get a frost!

[@moonrose9278]

Attempting to grow onions for the first time this year!! Im excited!!

[@rhg3212]

Yes I grew my own onions this year and thoroughly enjoying cooking with them. I only wish I did more! I’m off to look at my onion seed pack to see if it’s time to plant! 👀

[@kristycasamayor1389]

I'm a novice gardener, and this is my first season growing onions. I live in NW Arkansas and sometimes having a garden can be tricky because of the extreme weather so I thank you for your informative video❤

[@GrowVeg]

You're very welcome. I hope you enjoy a great first harvest of onions. :-)

[@adriancollingwood2983]

Grew 2 beds this year. Red and brown. Started sets off indoors. In a tray of compost. As experiment. Soon had shoots and come planting. Lovely healthy roots. Pulled red early, to eat. Lifted brown last weekend. Biggest onions yet. In greenhouse drying. Well chuffed 😊

[@GrowVeg]

Nice work Adrian!

[@erikutube33]

Love your videos, Ben!

[@GrowVeg]

Thank you! :-)

[@greenseb71]

I grew onions this year in between my carrots and they did very well and just learnt to let them dry before eating.

[@Jeff-rd6hb]

Companion planting is a game changer. I used to get holes all through my carrots from carrot fly larvae until I started planting them with onions. Carrot flies can't stand the smell of onions, and onions actually make your carrots taste sweeter.

[@GrowVeg]

I think they're also confused by the leaf shapes - makes the crops harder to spot.

[@marycampbell4160]

Yes I am going onions this fall

[@mlduomixvlog]

So good

[@garettschappert2419]

Ben, I have tried onions from seed one time and nothing came up. I was so disappointed I never tried again but after watching the video you made, I am going to give this a shot again. You have inspired me and I know I will succeed if I follow your instructions. I will start indoors this time, it must have been a weather event that stopped them from coming up last time.

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, worth starting them off in the warm, to germinate. And use fresh seed!

[@darylemmanuel4747]

Great way of describing the whole process. I have learnt a lot in such a small time :-)

[@TheSteve0583]

Love it buddy. I hope mine turn out as well as yours!

[@superchickexplosion]

I am so grateful to have stumbled upon your channel! The way you explain is so simple to understand and entertaining, too! Thank you spreading your knowledge 🙏🏻

[@GrowVeg]

You're very welcome - thank you for watching. :-)

[@cheweytdomingo4624]

Im glad i found your videos!

[@GrowVeg]

A very warm welcome to the channel!

[@randomlyjessie9689]

Another awesome video thank you! I am learning sooooo much!

[@GrowVeg]

Brill! :-)

[@Tazz5590]

"Perfect," exact info I needed to know. Awesome video. Thank you so much.

[@GrowVeg]

Great to hear Aaron, thanks.

[@slaneyside]

i love this channel great work Ben

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks for watching. :-)

[@marksallotmentplot]

Great video Ben. Onions are one of my favourite things to grow so will be following your tips for next time 👍

[@GrowVeg]

Good man Mark. Good luck with next year's crop.

[@46FreddieMercury91]

This video made me cry

[@debartellomartinez7214]

last years onions werre so so. I followed all instructions including the awesome dry rack the results were stellar.

[@GrowVeg]

That's great to hear. :-)

[@albertweis7669]

Thanks

[@julieattard7098]

I needed this video!! I can grow spring onions and pickling ones but no go on the big yellows!!

[@ramonatyler7152]

I just watched your video, I am a new gardener, here in zone 6a and well the sets that I put in at the beginnig of of the season have yeat to do anything. Now I know the trick and next year will be a great harvest. Idid get lost of leafy greens, garlic, some carrots and some tomatoes. I do have some squash that has begun to need harvesting. I will check out your channel so I am ready for next season.

[@GrowVeg]

Glad you found the video handy. Hope next season you get some fab onions. :-)

[@lynnpreece8461]

First time growing onions this year -so helpful advice thank you 👍

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers Lynn - hope you bag yourself a superb crop. :-)

[@lunabean2794]

First time viewer here. Thank you for making this. I have been doing well with growing onions but you gave me some tips to help improve my crop.

[@GrowVeg]

That's great to hear Luna. Welcome to the channel!

[@topoftheplotshomestead]

Just found your channel, excellent video Ben. Subscribed. All the best Nige

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks for the sub Nige, and a very warm welcome to you!

[@topoftheplotshomestead]

@@GrowVeg Thanks mate :)

[@marsiesz]

will be planting onions soon! Wish me luck!

[@GrowVeg]

Very best of luck Mariela!

[@sloanschwindt9718]

Our onions did really well this year. Started harvesting some of them that had fallen over about two weeks ago and just left them on the wooden part of the bed to dry. Braided them a couple of days ago and hoping that the rest of the onions do well and will harvest them at the end of September or early October. Love growing onions. We had enough last year to last all through the winter and into early summer!

[@brimelowfarmbychon3329]

lovely

[@davidhardy6881]

just subscribed excellent video very informative

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks for subscribing David. :-)

[@davidhardy6881]

@@GrowVeg pulled my oiions up which we had groewn in pots and planters sadly not very bulbous but still edible think perhaps harvested too early have left some in so will see what happens in the next few weeks or so

[@CardieTrick]

Hi thanks for the video, I'm just growing onions for the first time this year, as always I love watching how you do it first.

[@GrowVeg]

That’s great to hear Wayne. I hope you enjoy a bumper harvest!

[@chrisp7405]

I have never grown onions before but I am going to try next year!

[@GrowVeg]

Great to hear that Chris.

[@billbalch6549]

I have three different types of onions this year Ben. Walla walla , French table and white 🧅. Thanks for you input!

[@GrowVeg]

Great stuff Bill - nice to have a variety like that.

[@deepak975487]

yes i will try this year i mean tomorrow :) from melbourne, AUstralia

[@analarson2920]

Excellent video, keep sharing, lots of blessings. Yes I grow all sorts of onions each year, red, yellow or green they are all wonderful to cook salades or fermenting. Yum

[@GrowVeg]

Will keep sharing, thanks Ana. Great to have a selection of onions like that.

[@ruthkerry4841]

My first year growing onions and they were fabulous.

[@GrowVeg]

Well done Ruth!

[@ruthkerry4841]

@@GrowVeg thank you. I do enjoy your easy to follow advice and the Garden Planner App

[@jacquelinebaxter6420]

Yes I just planted 120 sets for first time Thank for the info on onions 🌰

[@GrowVeg]

Nice work Jacqueline, I hope they grow well for you.

[@JJLewin1]

Growing 5 varieties this year, Bedford Champs, Walla Walla, Sweet Spanish, Kelsae and another white variety. Starting them from seeds sown on Boxing day indoors without heat. Last years crops were great, but not from seed, so this year should prove interesting. Good luck with yours this season.

[@GrowVeg]

And very best of luck with yours - you've a great selection there.

[@PineGeri]

I grew short day bulb onions this year from sets as soon as the local nursery received them! Highly successful! Such fun! Had never grown bulb onions; only scallions…will do this again…absolutely delicious! I shared with my neighbors as “just because” gifts and everyone seemed to love them! P.S. i am a subscriber and I bought your book.

[@GrowVeg]

So pleased they were a success for you Geri. Thanks so much for buying the book - happy gardening!

[@pauln1557]

A effective way to store onions is to stuff them into an old pair of tights, its amazing how many will fit in, then hang them up.

[@GrowVeg]

Have seen that tried - a great idea.

[@deanaustin6885]

I've just started some from seeds just had to separate them and plant individual done about a 3 inch spacing once they mature a little more I may have to space them further

[@antoinettebeck6773]

I've just planted mine in South Africa

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

I always do them in the fall. I just have way more time! So we sow them then we move bed to bed refreshing the soil and weeding etc

[@andredumas9547]

I know that I can buy onions at the farmer's market for 25 cents a pound, but also more often at the supermarket, but nothing beats my own backyard garden for onions that I grew myself without pesticides or insecticides just one minute away from my kitchen.

[@GrowVeg]

Absolutely! :-)

[@doityourselflivinggardenin7986]

Good video. A couple of pointers... If your soil is always damp, plant them in raised rows along the edge of the raised bed. This keeps them dryer. However, do be sure they do not dry out. With this method, the soil will naturally pull away from the bulb so the bulb gets larger. If you want lunkers, this is the way to go. I try to keep my onions in the soil until the top is really dead and the roots begin to die off. This helps the onions to cure faster when you bring them in. I also like to leave them on the soil after pulling them out to dry out the roots and tops in the sun. However, like you said, if it is going to be wet, bring them in. I like your drying rack! I need to make something like that. I just planted five 30 feet rows of onion plants today. I too spaced them tighter for smaller bulbs. Like you, I started them in the winter for spring planting. Yeah, we eat a LOT of onions!

[@GrowVeg]

That’s lots of onions - great stuff!

[@Giove83]

hi Ben iv come back to this video because I followed this way last year and by God they was absolutely brilliant and all the same size apart from one that took some damage, mime are already in rite now hope to get the same result s again. hope you have a great veg season Ben

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks so much - and you too.

[@RelentlessHomesteading]

Thanks for more wonderful 'scapes' -- er.. I mean tips on onion planting. This year we weren't going to do a garden. ==> But had some stored onions left from last year that were going bad. Decided to plant them and see what would happen !! Thought they just might rot... They grew quite well - and what was amazing to me is how although they each were planted as a single bulb, they split up into separate onions !! There were splits from 2-8 ways - most being 3-4 way splits. They ended up perfectly formed with many quite large for our climate. Between those and all the volunteers on potatoes, tomatoes, rocket (arugala), and so forth we still ended up with a little garden.

[@GrowVeg]

That's remarkable! Good work!

[@SuffolkSusie]

I too just harvested my onions and videoed but I now know why some were small and most medium... I'm going for large next year, in a raised bed, far from the in ground garden I grew in this year. Thank you excellent tips, as always.

[@GrowVeg]

Great stuff Susie. Let's hope we both have better luck next season!

[@shoshanahcrookes4406]

Great video as usual Ben thank you. Please help pollinators though by letting some veg bolt to produce lovely flowers for them 😊

[@GrowVeg]

Absolutely. And some veggie flowers are beautiful too!

[@AmericaFirstNow]

2022 I was almost three weeks late in getting them in. Some red and white onions. Last week of June, 2" onions and smaller. Zone five. Still hopeful.

[@GrowVeg]

I also planted quite late. Fingers crossed for us that we get a crop! :-)

[@damioncutler1115]

I'm using an allotment for the first time this year and am growing onions from bulbs

[@GrowVeg]

Hope the allotment is going well - here's to a productive first year. :-)

[@smsfmastergardeners]

Thank you for your valuable information! Another good onion to grow is the Egyptian walking onion which is easy to grow here in the San Francisco Bay Area, although the bulb is about shallot size.

[@openmind5973]

We planted 12 of these last winter and just harvested at least 75 - 100 bulbs this autumn (I'm guessing the amount as I haven't counted them). That's enough to eat plus enough to plant out and expand our onion patch. They are great and really cool to see growing.

[@mikealexander7662]

Yes I grew Ailsa Craige this year and am very pleased with the results. I did have a few bolt but having seen your video I wonder if this was the result of temperature fluctuations in the spring I had sown the seed at the beginning of August planting on the seedlings in November to a raised bed in my polytunnel.

[@GrowVeg]

Temperature fluctuations can be a nuisance for bolting.

[@tinamccartney3778]

I'm going to try to grow onions ONE MORE TIME! It's so frustrating to get beautiful greens with no bulbs. But, I've done more research and think I can do it this year! Wish me luck! Love your channel

[@GrowVeg]

Best of luck Tina - I'm sure you'll succeed this time round. :-)