How to Start Onion Seeds Indoors 🌱🧅👨🏻‍🌾

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I hope you enjoy today's video! I love that it is time to start growing seedlings already! Be sure to get some onions planted right away! To learn more about seed starting check out my free eBook: ourstoneyacres.com/seed-starting-ebook

[@caroltodd9132]

I have been gardening full time for 62 years and am still learning. You do and excellent job, thanks so much for

[@tomichelled]

Rick, there is no one better than you at these videos!!!! I'm grateful for you. And your time.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Thanks!

[@FaithfulAcre376]

Thanks for this video. I was about to go start my onion seeds when I saw your video. Every year I try to start my own onions, but end up mostly using store bought starts. This year I am determined to finally grow my own healthy starts.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Good Luck!!

[@trjocdman]

I just watched this video while planting my onions. This is my first year using my greenhouse I am very excited. Thanks for the onion starting tips.

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Nice video! Very thorough explaining all aspects of the onion growing process. I tried actually winter-sowing onion seeds a few years ago with a decent success rate. Thanks for the motivation....I have also subscribed!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cowboyblacksmith]

Perfect timing, I was just thinking about onion seed starting. I swear this year I'll get it down. New Hampshire zone 5b here so still need to wait a little bit but I am ready.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Remember it is based on your frost date, not your growing zone.

[@littlecountrykitchen]

Rick 😊 thanks for tips! Glad i watched your video before I did my winter sowing video of my onions too! Yay, 2 long and 1 intermitten. Glad i didn't get the wrong kind of onions for my area!

[@carriecreates1207]

Thank you, I look forward to your class in February!!

[@01Paulsgirl]

So helpful! I appreciate your demonstration along with your instruction. I'm hoping to make this one of my top crops this year, so I'll be following your other videos, too. Thanks!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I'm glad it was helpful!

[@violethelton44]

Thanks for the info!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Any time!

[@sparrowsknow8491]

Thanks for the video! Do you have a video of transplanting into the frozen ground? That’s my only question. Thanks again! 😊

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You need to time it so that the ground isn't frozen. For most folks the ground has thawed by around 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost.

[@lanettelawrence6308]

Thank you for sharing.

[@darlenecotter8476]

thank you. loved all the detailed information

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You are so welcome!

[@QueenQueenly]

Amazing

[@cbak1819]

Thanks a bunch☺️

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

You're welcome 😊

[@91210paige]

Great video. I tried growing from seeds last year in 2 flats. I didn't get them under lights or feed from below so I'll try that this year. Starts are iffy and never get as big

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Starts are the only way to go in my opinion. They do so much better than sets. Just get them planted early around 4 to 6 weeks before your last frost.

[@JenniferD.-wt4uj]

What a great video!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@natk8976]

Great video! How often do you bottom water and fertilize?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

It depends on the time of year and temperature, but I usually water about every 3-4 days and fertilize every other time I water.

[@bigtomatoplantslover6205]

Wow Lovely Planting ~ Thank you for good sharing 😊 LIKE 68 My friend, have a good relationship 😊

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Thanks

[@jgrady9553]

Good tips

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Thanks

[@the_green_anna]

Thank you very much! 💚 That was great info! Does the same apply to leeks? Hopeful that I might get to harvest some useful onions this year then... 😁

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Yes leeks are started the same way. They don't need quite as much time, so you can hold off planting for a couple of weeks.

[@the_green_anna]

@@StoneyAcresGardening Thanks! 🙂

[@TJtheHAWK]

Hey great video! I've been growing onions for about 5 years now in New Hampshire and last season was my absolute worst year. While I suspect an extremely rainy June and July contributed to some blight and the very small bulbs, its nice to get a refresher on the basics here. I feel like I've been planting my onions a little too close as well. What do you think the optimal row spacing is?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

We space ours at about 4 inches and we get nice sized bulbs, not huge, but we like ours to be in that baseball sized range.

[@Minnehaha64]

This will be my second year growing onions. My bunching onions were fabulous last year! But I did not get my bulbing onions out when I was supposed to. I am determined to try until I get it!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Good luck! You've got this!!

[@springkaye8280]

Hi Rick - do onions like bottom heat while they are germinating ???

[@linedezainde]

Thank you! This is the best info I have ever received and I have been gardening for decades. QUESTION: could you confirm the timeline? You start by saying sowing 6 weeks before the last frost but then you mention planting when the seedlings are 8 to 10 weeks old. Thanks!

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

No you have it backwards. You need to set the seedlings out in the garden 6 weeks before the last frost. That means you need to start the seedlings indoors 8-10 weeks before that. So you are starting the seedlings indoors 14-16 weeks before your last frost.

[@mrslsix]

I will be starting my onions this weekend. How do I save seeds from the onions I plant and harvest this summer?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Onions are bi-annual so you would need to leave some of the onions in the ground over the winter, next spring they will start growing again and put up a seed head and you can harvest seeds mid summer NEXT year. Be sure that you are using an heirloom or open pollinated variety.

[@RoseFelton]

I have most of my onions planted last fall, but came across some seeds in early January so decided to start them indoors (January 12th) I live in SE Arizona and the weather is perfect for putting the onions outside right now. Today is Feb. 4th so I know that they have not had enough weeks to grow, but I'm already Hardening them off. Am I rushing it? They look good and I've already gave them their first trim. My first frost is around March 20th and I live in 8B zone. We have been getting varied weather, from 55-75 degrees and am worried that by the 8-10 weeks for them to be big enough it will be too warm for them. Any suggestions?

[@thatonegirl1837]

I have a couple of questions. I have a room in my garage that isn't heated but I have the space for lights. Can you start them in the cold? Also, I see so many articles and videos of people keeping the plants trimmed down before they plant them in the ground. Is that something you recommend?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Onions will do okay in that colder room as long as it stays above 45 or 50 degrees. A heat mat would help with germination. But that cold room isn't going to be great for starting warm season crops like peppers and tomatoes. You will probably trim them down 2 or 3 times before you plant them out, just to keep them under control.

[@thatonegirl1837]

@@StoneyAcresGardening Great! Thanks so much for your reply and invaluable information.

[@jujube2407]

If Growing an avg softball size bulb onion... how many per Sq ft would you suggest? I'm trying seeds and sets this year... the kids want to compare them

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

We space ours at about 4 inches apart. but we do like a slightly smaller "baseball" sized onion as that is usually the size we use for a meal.

[@aliceandgordonarras9781]

Does one need to worry about the hours of indoor light on the onions seedlings so as not to trigger bulb formation. (Daylight hours ) before they have been transplanted out?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

No it's too early in the growth stage for that. I've never had an issue with 16 hours.

[@aliceandgordonarras9781]

@StoneyAcresGardening Thank you sir for the quick reply. This was a timely video as we have onions sprouting and under lights. Zone 6b/7a

[@johnnyb7147]

I live in mass. zone 6 and I just started my onions. I have grown then from seed for many years and I keep them under grow lights for 12 on and 12 off with the thinking that when I take them out of my growroom in march the daylight hours will be 12 12. This has always worked for me and I don't worry about premature bulbing. Good Luck!!

[@brandynash1409]

They have to have so many layers of leaves before the onion will know to bulb. So you’re just fine!

[@angienorheim3105]

I'm brainstorming cutting off roots of onion stalks from grocery store indoors. Would that work? I've always wanted to try growing new crops...asparagus and blueberries and artichoke hearts. Blueberries transplants I bought last summer and they froze. How can I prevent freezing?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Growing from the grocery store onions will only get you green onions, they won't get you onion bulbs. What is your garden Zone. Maybe your winters are just too cold for blueberries??

[@angienorheim3105]

@@StoneyAcresGardening 5ab. Winter storm ❄️❄️ and freeze warning... Blizzard since Wednesday. End Sunday night.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

@@angienorheim3105 You need to check the hardiness of the blueberry plants you are growing to be sure they are hardy down to zone 5. Also if you are growing them in pots they will need extra protection in the winter to keep them alive. Bring them into your garage or a green house to keep them from being too exposed to the cold.

[@missyfabulous8149]

I was wondering, how to do this, and where do you get the seeds?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I get most of mine from True Leaf Market.

[@mygrannysgarden]

Great video. I always have trouble growing nice size onions. But I keep trying. I usually purchase my onion seedlings from an onion grower. I think I will try to grow my own seedlings from seeds. I have to grow short day onions in my area (Central Florida).

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I don't know a lot about your climate, but I'm assuming it's almost time for them to go out in the garden. Have you ever tried overwintering?

[@angienorheim3105]

Where do you buy seeds?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

It depends on the varieties I'm looking for. The seeds in the video are from Botanical Interests and I got them from our local farm store. But I also buy quite a bit from True Leaf Market.

[@jeanlofaso7997]

Is it true that you need to purchase onion seeds each year to have a good crop?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Yes, onion seeds don't last long, your germination rate will drop off very quickly. I can usually get 2 planting season out of a package of seeds, then I replace them.

[@juliakvitovskiy4344]

Onion seeds usually aren’t viable for longer than a year so that’s why it’s recommended to get new seeds each year. But if I had old seeds I would give it a try anyway, if they don’t germinate then just start some new seeds. :)

[@bullobca]

Thanks for the info. I find here in Ontario Canada that I can get away with direct sowing bunching type onions. I tried starting bulb type ones indoors last year and had some success but don't think I started them quite soon enough. I have some just started now, hopefully they will do better, Cheers.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

I agree you can direct sow bunching onions. But I like to get a head start, those bunching onions that I sowed in the video will be some of the earliest veggies that we get to harvest this year.

[@truthsayer6329]

What zone are you located in?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

Zone 6b - But your last frost date is more important than your Zone.

[@wipeoutxl21]

Won't having light on for 16 hours cause them to not grow well as they will think it's time to form bulbs?

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

No, it's too early in the growth stage for that. and unless you have a super intense grow light it won't really be giving them enough light to bulb.

[@wipeoutxl21]

@@StoneyAcresGardening thanks, did some research and found that too. I think I will get them to germinate indoors them put them out in my greenhouse

[@jodyd7301]

ok i started my onion seeds 12 weeks before my last frost date they came up great indoors. i had them under grow lights gave them a little trim when the green growth was getting to tall. then all of a sudden they flopped over and died about a week later do you know what could have caused this? i did use sterilized seed starting mix

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

It's hard to say for sure without seeing them. But that sounds a lot like Dampening off.

[@missyfabulous8149]

I never Seen any seeds

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

They should be pretty easy to find. Most seed companies carry them.

[@teriparrish]

Rick, I’ve checked multiple sites and some show my area as short day and some show mine as intermediate. I don’t know which to believe. Can you help? Zip 29654. NW corner of South Carolina.

[@StoneyAcresGardening]

That means you are right on the edge. You should be able to grow both short day and intermediate, although you will probably have the best luck with Intermediate. We are similar but on the opposite end. We can grow both long day and intermediate.

[@teriparrish]

@@StoneyAcresGardening thanks very much