HUGE Onion Harvest // How to Grow Huge Onions!

In this video I finally get to harvest my onions to see just how big they are. I'll let you in on how they got this big and I'll also show you how to harvest and cure onions for storage.

[@juaba4173]

wowie wow wow I might try this thank you Brian!!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Any time!

[@johnlord8337]

Onion "science" and onion growing comes down to some simple points- (1) Onions are bulbs - not tubers (potatoes, sweet potatoes), not leafies (lettuce, cabbage, ...), and not roots (carrots, turnips). Bulbs like to grow within a small surface area, and atop the surface. They are not carrot roots or radishes that like to have their roots buried up to their shoulders. Onions like to have their rootlets being the only deep part of the vegetable searching for nutrients and water under and around their soil perimeter. Thus ! - roots like to be near the surface, and down deep, the bulb (at most depth) lies to sit on the ground. That is why you sow onion seeds in the very smallest depth of soil. (2) Onions are alliums - meaning - they are sulfurous bulbs (onions, garlic, shallots, scallions, chives, leeks, ramps, ransoms). Cruciferous vegetables are sulfur vegetables (cabbage, kale, collards, tree kale, tree collard, brussel sprouts, ... turnips, rutabagas). Remember that word - sulfur. (3) So to get the best sulfur vegetables - you want to apply sulfur or "magnesium sulfate" Epsom salts to the allium beds. The hydrated sulfur (weak sulfuric acid) breaks down the minerals and metals in the soil, making them easier to consume. Epsom salts applied to an allium bed - magnesium for chlorophyll and maximum photosynthesis of sugars, starches, proteins, and growth. (4) Hydration - yes. Irrigate the onions to fill up all their cellular structures, as well as having firm and tall leaves. The "ONLY" reason why onion leaves fall over, is not due to age and maturity, it is lack of water. Onions can be perennials (as well as the other allium bulbs). The only way onions have fallen leaves is extreme weather, heat, lack of irrigation, dehydration and thus pre-mature aging and dying, and falling over leaves. Maximum hydration will NOT have fallen over leaves. The only issue of harvesting is when you want to harvest them ... (5) Look at an onion. It is make up of multiple 10s of internal layers. Notice the leaves - they are also made up of older outer leaves and younger inner leaves. It is these outer leaves and those paper-thin onion "skins" that were the younger bulb's growth. All growth of onions happens in the center, upward, and outward. TO KEEP AN ONION GROWING, is hydration, proper fertilization, appropriate seasonal growing, and watching those internal leaves keep growing and growing. When you see a stop to those inner leaves, you know that the onion has achieved its maturity ... and will then "naturally" go to seed. (6) Maturation of an onion and going to seed - happens most-times by bad gardening practices. Lack of watering, and a dying onion will attempt in its last breaths to go to seed - to make a future generation of seeds. Overheating and drying out will go to seed. A properly mature onion plant will have tall and firm leaves, AND shoot up a seed stalk - yet not die. It is a perennial, thus a seasonal shoot of seeds will be its seasonal production - and it will continue to live - with proper nutrition, tending, fertilization, hydration. (7) Overwintering onions in the soil, also makes them perennial. With Fall, "they decide" when they will fall their leaves, saves all excess energies of sugars into the bulb, and go dormant. By allowing onions to naturally fall, and covering them up with DRY mulcings, allows them their own "root cellaring" environment, minimal dehydration (just as the ancestors used root cellars - dry, cool and sand or sawdust sucking up any moisture keeping the bulbs (not molding etc) - and the moist sand or sawdust would keep the moisture content of the onion intact. The same can happen with garden onions in temperate grow zones. In Spring, uncover, and they will resprout new leaves (from the inner core) and grow even larger (!). (8) One CAN grow even more HUGE and IMMENSE onion bulbs with the proper (and highest) of tending, nutrition, fertilization, mulching, and hydration.

[@johnlord8337]

(9) To get less sulfurous onions, tend the allium bed with alkaline ph calcium (as well as magnesium). You will get close to Vidalia or Walla Wall onions - with delicious sweet onion flavors. The same magnesium also helps with the chlorophyll and photosynthesis processes. (10) Don't waste onion greens, by laying them out - broken and drying. If you are going to dry out an onion-and-root bulb, then cut off the leaves 2 inches above the bulb, allowing that leaf growth to dry out - and keep the onion from rotting or molding from the inner leaves inwards - the real cause of molding of onions when the younger inner leaves rot, while the outer leaves are drying out. Keep the leaves, and dry out separately, blanch and fresh freeze, or wash and freeze dry for onion greens for soups, stews, etc. Onions leaves, like leeks, take immense time to dry out - while braiding up garlic, shallots, or scallions with thinner and smaller leaves can accomplish drying with ease. Use the cut leaves, or feed to the rabbits, quail, chickens, ducks, geese, pigs (not to milking cows/goats/sheep - can be fed when they are in the drying off period before next cycle of breeding and pregnancy). Dry the onions and roots until the roots are totally dried out and stiff, while the onion has dehydrated further outside bulb layer of skins and has a tight and compact skin around the leaves - and the cut leaves portion is totally dried out and retracted back to the rest of the onion bulb surface for total drying out of the outer surfaces. (11) To even get better results, just dehydrate (air drying or freeze drying) the cut up portions of onion slices, and put into clean, dry, and cool jars in the pantry. One Canadian YTer took 5# of onions,, dehydrated and put them into 2 quarts ! It is only water that can then be rehydrated within the soup or stew. Would you rather have long-term onion storage, or onions with water that you have to constantly have to watch for mold, or use quickly in large amounts as a short-term storage and cooking option. The ancestors (not having dehydration devices used the root cellar method) - and short-term storage of fresh onions for quick starts in the Fall and early Winter. The rest of the root cellaring would go through Winter and Early Spring - and then any replanting of any remaining root cellared bulbs (NO CUT ROOTS !!!) would be replanted in the Spring for regrowth - alongside onion seeds. Otherwise, these overwintered root cellar onions would be fed to the pigs. So onverwintering in a root cellar or in an over-mulched garden, or dehydrating and storage are the best options for onions. (12) Enjoy your onions !!!!

[@Amanda-cn3pk]

What is a good fertilizing schedule for onions?

[@johnlord8337]

@@Amanda-cn3pk Fertilize the bed in the Fall, pre-Spring soak and sprout the onion shoots in the house. When soil reaches 60F, transplant. No real hardening off here before transplanting. Can also put some compost, manure tea into the shoot hole before planting. Plant the shoot, and sprinkle some good fertilizer and denatured manure/manure tea 1 inch away from the shoot on both sides of the onion row - makes the roots reach down (strong vertical stability, strong outward roots, horizontal stability. When onions get to 3 inches, can fertilize again. 6 inches, 9 inches, 12 inches. With all this sub-surface irrigation and fertilization you should be making softball-sized onion bulbs. Can do the same for garlic, make a chive SHRUB (!), shallots, scallions, ramps, and ransoms. Depending on your grow zone, (and whether you over-winter the bulbs in the soil, bend down the fresh greens, and cover over) ... or harvest by bending down the greens, when they are dry, dig up the bulbs, also dry out on the surface or a sunny patio deck (etc), and store in root celler or dry COOL pantry space - with lots of air space - not flowing air - but air space so that sulfur compounds and the humid drying bulbs can attain their final storage shell of outer dry tight skins.

[@kudjo24]

I thought onions were billenials

[@johnlord8337]

@@kudjo24 A MAJORITY of onions are biennials. But, this means planting seeds and growing them in place for their lifetime. As such, my comment could be mistaken as saying perennial (which I did say). An onion, like any other vegetable, given massive and proper fertilization and irrigation - will surpass all homestead single year grow-and-harvest garden crops. Overwintering an onion into its 2nd year, and also harvesting its seeds before Fall, one can stop part of the time clock of aging for an onion and give it more garden time. The only reason for plants to die in a single year is fertilizer and irrigation - and harvesting after the plant matures and goes to seed. Seeding is literal seasonal or lifetime dying off, and creating great energies for its offspring seeds. If you prevent the plants from seeding, and cut down the greens, and overwinter - you will have extended the life of the plant (without seeding and seasonal dying off with its plant hormones). This keeps the plant from not knowing its age, and still grow (and regrow greens in the Spring) and continue to grow. One can selectively harvest the outer leaves of the onion (of which the inner leaves are the youngest. The onion will continue to grow and bloom from its innermost youngest leaves, while the outer leaves become the mature and dying leaves. If you keep the plant from having mature leaves and seeding, it can only respond like a young onion plant and keep growing more young greens.

[@cindyfulk8853]

WOW! Those are MONSTERS! Great harvest! Do I smell onion rings? 😋

[@judymckerrow6720]

Congratulations Brian, those onions are HUGE! 🌸💚🙃

[@halcyonyorks4454]

I am in Maine. I grow onions every year and love using them in my cooking. A friend grew Ailsa Craig onions last year, as big as your biggest one. She gave me one, and it was wonderful. I'm growing Ailsa Craig's this year, and we have had a ton of rain. I'm hoping, now that the sun is finally shining, they will take off and GROW!!

[@penobby1]

Oh hi fellow Mainer!!! 😊

[@Gardeningchristine]

Kevin from epic gardening also had huge onions. He’s also in California. I think you guys had really good weather for large onions this year!

[@gaylekerr9826]

Be careful leaving your onions in the sun after pulling them. I lost an entire bed of onions last year to onion maggot - so upsetting! Those that I had in another location were laid out for a few days in the sun, but omigosh!, they cooked! Seriously! When I went to check them they were warm and soft, like they had just come out of the oven! I live in Central California and should have known better. Lesson learned. I now pull my onions and lay them on racks in the shade in a breezy area until they have cured. This year I had the best onion crop I've had in several years - I grew from seed, gave them nitrogen when they were transplanted, and plenty of water all along. Zone 9b, 37th parallel, but I grew short day varieties. Always great videos, thanks Brian!

[@deecooper1567]

Brian, you have green thumbs & fingers😮🧅🧅. Nw Nevada desert & all I get are golf ball size 😤. The winds here are very strong & blows sand alll over ‼️. I even tried spooning.. no luck 😢. They get covered with lots of sand🥴. My gators about the same.. but I keep trying!! Love , watch & learn 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

[@sherry2836]

Yes, sleeping/spooning with your onions would be strange indeed, but you never know about gardeners! So many uses for your onions! The size of your massive onions will be good for making a Bloomin Onion, freeze drying for onion powder, dehydrating for minced onions, canning caramelized onions, canning onion-maple-bacon jam and canning french onion soup. Though I do prefer the smaller onions for daily use. Bravo on your beautiful harvest!

[@craighalle7892]

I never buy those little unnamed onion sets because they didn't grow well or taste good. Last year, I let one of the store bought Spanish onions that sprouted grow and go to seed. One of the best tasting and biggest onions I've ever grown. I harvested the seeds before the onion and tried to plant them in my starter bins, but very few sprouted, and none made it for bed planting. I also tried to grow Ailsa Craig onions, but none made it this time. Maybe I made a mistake as they have done well and tasted great in the past. I love onions, and they are a great pest deterent too. I have only 4 plants that over wintered or grew from sprouts in the garden this year. They are doing OK but not great. Wish I could grow a 3 pound onion, but it would take weeks to eat that much. Another great video, Brian. May the Lord keep blessing you and yours and remember I love you and what you're doing.

[@vickieboley9452]

I want to see you eat the burger a slice of that is going on!!! 😂

[@Jillian143]

You're so adorable. Love your humor!!! Amazing onions too! 😀

[@debbietabor3493]

Wow❤ those onions are AMAZING 🤩

[@dennisolive4741]

I used to grow onions and garlic near the Canadian border. I planted the garlic in the fall and onions in the spring. It's amazing how they be covered by snow in below freezing temperatures for months and come up in the spring. Last time I tried to grow onions and garlic in Grass Valley Ca. Directly in the soil and had gophers and voles eat every one out of six hundred. It was very disappointing. If I try again there I will have to grow in raise beds with hardware cloth on the bottom. One thing you didn't mention was to take off the scapes when they start to grow. I think that's important to do. If you let them flower doesn't all the energy go into the flowers? I'm not sure so I always removed them. Next time I want to grow more red onions and shallots. Good luck. Tell people they have to store them in mesh bags or open boxes in a cool dry place. They need the air to stay dry.

[@alysonbaker939]

Wow, is all I can say to your onions. I am in the north and grow onions with the longest shelf life. 2022, I had so many onions, albeit not big onions, to last me all winter. This year, my onions didn’t fair as well. I think the difference was sunlight. 2022, I had the onions in a sunnier spot. This year, I planted onions with beets, carrots, lettuce, and kale. The tops of the other crops shaded out the onions so I don’t have as big a crop. Always learning. Great show!!

[@slomo1716]

BEAUTIFUL ONIONS!!! WOWZA!! I planted onions many times over the years and failed with seeds but this year I planted bulb starts and am actually getting an onion harvest. Granted they are small, nothing as brilliant as yours, but already a bunch of them in my freezer. LOVE your spooning comment/joke, never heard of spooning onions before. Great video as ALWAYS!!!!

[@JAYNEmM1962]

I'm longday zone 5b, I watched lazydogfarm videos and started mine from seed indoors in jan,then put them out good Friday. Put chicken manure and compost in then every 4to5 days hit them with water soluble fert. After about 3to4 weeks I put pure nitrogen down. Plus set them on drip one hour every morning and about every ten days supplement them with overhead water to work nitrogen in. Mine are huge likevyours I planted candy wall walla and sweet Spanish. Next year going with purple too.

[@melodystull19]

Impressive harvest.

[@roserizzo3094]

Going to try onions next year. Thanks for the info😊

[@rachellemazar7374]

Amazing onions Brian.

[@songsforthemaster]

Wow❣️❣️❣️😍 Congratulations Brian❣️ That was an awesome harvest. 👏🏼

[@marygrott8095]

Wow, those onions are massive!!! This is first year growing onions, and they're not quite ready to harvest yet. I'm eagerly waiting!!

[@rondam934]

Hi. I'm also in your zone here in San Diego county. My onions were HUGE this year. I've never seen onions this big, ever! I agree that the rain this spring had to be the major factor.

[@noraalvarado8178]

Yess, I think alot of it has to do with them getting enough water. I'm in N.Y and first year I grew them we were in a drought and they all looked liked sets at the end of the season when I started them from seed early. This year I started early also and we had a drought period in the spring and then when summer came we got alot of rain and they grew like crazy and I never used fertilizer. Just cover my beds with mulched leaves with grass clippings in the fall. Water I think is the key but with good drainage.

[@traceymorris4702]

I have grown an intermediate onion the last 2 years. They grow large and store really well. Over 6 months. Candy is the variety

[@lettyv3155]

Thank you my first time growing onions not sure if I can grow them but you explain so clearly even 4 me that I'm a beginner thank your greatly appreciated 👍😊

[@juliehorney995]

We are grateful to have huge onions this year, even the cool Egyptian Walking Onion. Quite a conversation piece at our party yesterday! The dif for us was I bought a long day variety pack online instead of sets at a local nursery. I had just the right amount and they did great in grow bags and tall raised beds. Zone 5b/6a

[@lisaellis-te7zy]

My onions never make it to big. Green onions are the best. Need to start planting more for big boys like you have shown. Amazing!!

[@staplesgarden8900]

I loved your spooning the onions in the garden bed joke. Keep on making people smile! :)

[@NextLevelGardening]

Thank you! Will do!

[@Dianatorres6990]

Those onions look like our very own 1015. I used to clip them when harvesting. RGV in S. Texas. We didn't cure them with tops.They are good to fry as onion blooms. Yummy! When too many ,just dice and freeze.

[@amysmith3967]

I grew onions last year and they were quite possibly the smallest onions I have ever seen in my life. I'm truly looking forward to trying again. Thank you for this video!!!

[@Acts-1322]

Let them overwinter in ground also, the 2nd year they'll be bigger!

[@ramz1455]

How did you grow them? from sets or seeds? and did you get the Long Day or Short Day? A lot of variables can give you a crappy harvest.

[@jamiwhatley1765]

I plan on growing onions this fall/winter. I’m in zone 9a

[@HuuThoTV]

The dream garden of many people. Very beautiful

[@nkinzigorreti9436]

following you in the garden everyday

[@cyhomer]

Brian, I see you got your requisite tee(s) from Hawai’i..lol…we went there a couple years ago for the vacay of a lifetime. OMG, just the best! Hope your was great also.

[@connieeneix3891]

I can see some onion rings in your future 😂. I’ve never had much luck with growing them. I’m in the PNW. Great work Brian.

[@debbymooresmith6704]

I grew onions last year and had a great harvest. Those big ones are great baked on the bbq! I grew red yellow and chalets. Red didn’t do well

[@michellewelch6013]

I grow Egyptian Walking onions because they are easy and I havent purchased a green onion in years. But Id like to try growing onions like yours. Can you talk about different long day and short day varieties? what does that mean and how do we determine what varieties work for us in different parts of the country? Also what is better, planting seed or planting starts?

[@patkrueger7353]

I cannot believe how big your onions are. Holy moly.

[@whitestone4401]

Just harvested my onions over the last week. Not nearly as large, but, they are beautiful. Beautiful harvest.

[@missmaziecat5058]

WOW!!! When is the onion ring party?! I'll bring the condiments! 🤣

[@ceecee-thetransplantedgardener]

This is the 3rd year I've grown onions. And, they are finally pretty respectable. I'm in 5b and the issue I have is getting them in the ground soon enough for optimal bulbing. We can still get freezing temps into April (avg last frost is early May) - so it's always a timing thing. BUT - yours are spectacular! Congratz. Now - would love a follow-up to see what you do with them. Those are "bloomin" onion size ... :) :)

[@kansasgardener5844]

I live in 6a and have been trying to get big onions for 7 years to no avail! I've tried it all and I would just be happy to grow baseball size. Do you buy your plants or grow them?

[@ceecee-thetransplantedgardener]

@@kansasgardener5844 For onions, the first year I used onions starts - and it was a complete fail. The last two years, I grew from seed and had better success. Last year, I grew mostly long-day onions and they did okay. They were still smaller than I wanted but flavor and shelf-life was really good. This year - going to focus more on day-neutral. I am hoping the day-neutral will be the balance between our long winters and getting enough of that best daylight time for proper bulbing.

[@kansasgardener5844]

@@ceecee-thetransplantedgardener Thank you for the info. I just ordered 2 varieties of long day seed today figured I would try seed this year.. When do you start your seed? Any tips? I have been starting seed indoors for years just never tried onions. I've been watching onion starting videos this weekend .

[@rochellemiller6329]

In my area (I’m in Kansas zone 6a) I’ve found many people don’t plant their onion early enough. They think it’s too soon because it’s still cold. I plant mine between the middle to the end of March. Onions are tough, they can take it!

[@kansasgardener5844]

I'm in Manhattan and struggle growing them. Do you buy them or grow from seed then transplant? Maybe that's my problem maybe I haven't been starting them early enough. I buy the plants from nurseries so I can't put them in the ground until they receive their plants. Usually late April.

[@melissaschloneger9902]

@@kansasgardener5844wayyyy too late. I live in southern Ohio and have finally started to get onion success with growing from seed last year. I started my seeds this month (January), and plan on putting the small plants out in mid-march. I know the plants will be fine…there are wild onions growing in my gardens that I would love to eliminate.

[@kansasgardener5844]

@@melissaschloneger9902 I started some seed so I will see how it goes this season.

[@Happy2Run4Me]

I used to live in a Nevada town almost solely dedicated to growing onions and still didn’t know much about growing them myself. Now I’m in TX I’m growing Texas Early Grano as well from seed and hope I get results like yours! WOW! Also I learned last year that onions love FULL sun. Mine were getting too much afternoon shade and they never bulbed up sadly. Kept a couple as sets for this year and planted them out in full sun alongside my plants from seed and they’re finally growing well! They love sunlight! 😊

[@MS-cz2fx]

I loved you spoon joke. It made me laugh.

[@lisaellis-te7zy]

😂

[@BlackJesus8463]

Good for you! Those might be the biggest onions I've ever seen! 🤣🤣👍

[@stevesmith3556]

Grew Texas superstar from plants. Planted in end of March in CO. Most are big as my fist and still standing tall. I agree with the water. Keep them wet!

[@rosaarias7128]

wow, those are huge! excellent video. i learn more when you show it like it is, as it happens and what you do to correct it.

[@debbiep7419]

I tried growing bulbing onions (Red Burgundy) from seed this year with disappointing results. I followed all the instructions for starting indoors and transplanting out. But about 3 months after transplanting, we got some storms with some pretty heavy rainfall which caused the onion tops to fall over. They never recovered; ended up turning brown and I had dig out some very small onions. Also, without a basement, I have trouble storing onions. Same problem with potatoes (yes, I know to not store them together - they're in separate rooms). They rot and/or sprout long before I can use them. I've become so discouraged, I probably won't grow onions or potatoes again. Your onions, however, are truly impressive. Well done!

[@PaullaWells]

Those onions are super impressive, dude!

[@NextLevelGardening]

Right?!

[@Stefanplayz.]

Great videos. You're a wealth of information. Thanks, and keep up the good work!

[@lindysmallwood2039]

I’ve only tried to grow onions once but didn’t do well. Last year was a disaster due to the high heat here in AR. This years all my bell peppers, jalapeños and banana peppers are doing great. Tomatoes results are fair. They just can’t take the heat. I did put shade cloth over tomatoes and peppers but tomatoes are still not thriving. Working on making a better area with shade cloth and air flow. Will try onions again next year. Your onions are amazing. Blessings ❤️🌺

[@kristastern2616]

Those are the biggest onions I have ever seen!! My onions grew the best i ever had this year too, I also gave them extra water, but also, got a different variety this year. mine are about the size of your smallest ones,

[@Jaycee604]

Great job!

[@GigDrivingKatt]

I planted bulbs in spring of last year thinking i would pull them in fall. They looked so tiny still so i left them until last month and they came out huge like yours. Because we got so much moisture i had to pull instead of letting them keep growing. But i ended up pleasantly surprised. I will plant more around September.

[@rickthelian2215]

Huge onions, now with topping onions, topping onions are only meant for the greenhouseonly not in the garden. I loveonions and Garlic, I’m growing them now in Sydney Australia 🇦🇺

[@josealeman332]

I fail the 3rd time with onions I think I will give up, they take too long and I only have few garden beds. yours looks really nice ..congratulations :)

[@crt9082]

Great harvest!!

[@hillbillyshadetreefarm5732]

I grew bulbing onions for the first time this past winter. I was very happy with the results. Yes I'm planning on growing again this year! - Rhonda

[@kat6084]

do huge onions have a different texture or taste? hubby can't eat onion, so I only grow a couple to dehydrate & powder for seasoning.

[@lindamckeny876]

Oh My Goodness, that was such a Hugh onion I ever did see. This is my first year gardening with your encouragement on your channel. I am going to plant onions this weekend. I live in Phoenix AZ so its extremely hot right now, so I have switched my gardening in the evening of early mornings. I am using Grow Pots on my back patio. I saw your video on grow pots and it suits me perfectly. Thank you soooo much for your invaluable lessons on gardening

[@dugchris2009]

I live in Indiana and have trouble with some high winds that blow over the tops and break them, so the quit growing after that. Very disappointing. We planted 600 one year to sell at our market and only got 50 out of it because of the winds.

[@RonniR2]

San Diego here. We had lots of rain this year and my onions were ginormous.

[@debbybrady1246]

Those are very impressive!

[@Nancy4133nope]

I am planning on growing onions, I have watched videos on the small green onions so now its on to your video here to figure out how to grow big ones thank you for sharing this video I am really enjoying your channel as I am a beginner vegetable gardener.

[@benmoffitt7524]

Holy moly those onions are huge. 😯

[@bethsands7665]

Oh-my Goliath !!! Awesome onions !!!

[@sandraoconnor5700]

Planning to grow short day onions in Zone 8b this fall for the first time.😮😮😮 Fingers and toes are all crossed!!😊😊😊

[@elainemiller9943]

I am also in zone 8b. Here in Western Washington we grow long day onions.

[@zacharytrudell2411]

My mouth hung agape a few times during those onion pulls haha oh my god those things are massive

[@jamiecollins1220]

I grew onions for the first time 2 years ago had good success but planted them a little later than I wanted so they didn’t get as big as the ones I planted last year that I planted in February I had some nice sized onions. They were Texas Supersweets. Those were the best I have ever ate. All I did was plant them in loose soil and watered them about every 2 days and fertilized them a lot. I also used composted material from a cotton gin this stuff is very high in nitrogen seemed to do the trick. I realized that they loved to eat so I fed them every time I watered them my location is in North Georgia.

[@mcwadetm]

I agree 100% with you.I grew the biggest onions in my 35 years of gardening this year.Lots of rain lots of nitrogen.I tried an experiment cutting the tops down on some and spooning with poor results they stopped growing! Greetings from SW Ontario Canada love your channel thanks

[@paulbraga4460]

wonderful. first time here. so you're in the south - short-day onions...blessings

[@kelleyleblanc5025]

I’m in northern Ontario and I’ve tried onions and garlic for 2 years now. I have had horrible allium miner issues. I’m still able to salvage most of the crop if I preserve them right away but they will not store. I’m going to try and come up with a way to cover them for next year.

[@DebRoo11]

Im having issues with pill bugs/rolly polly's. Didnt think they'd go after onions but sure enough

[@kelleyleblanc5025]

@@DebRoo11 hmmmm I don’t have those so I don’t know what could help with those. I’m going to look into a solarization of some areas before I plant next year. It supposedly will kill overwintering bugs. I don’t particularly like it could kill beneficials but I don’t like my onions destroyed either.

[@DebRoo11]

@@kelleyleblanc5025 i may try nematodes

[@Dianatorres6990]

Rain takes care of spooning.

[@joshmegow6424]

This was the best onion year for me. I topped the onions in the past but this year they never needed it and I got bigger onions. I also planted them in the sunniest part of my garden since I am growing long day onions and the bulbs won't get big unless their location gets full sun. I only spoon my onions if I see they are bulbing too deep. I just carefully use my fingers to remove the dirt.

[@darla123]

Those are some massive onions! I put some sets in with my tomato plants for pest protection. I have harvested most of them, but they are small. I was not expecting a big harvest, and the tomatoes have done well, not a horn worm in sight!

[@williammorrill8268]

Why break them rather than letting them break on their own? And, what breed of onion are you using?

[@fionaharvey2720]

I have just come in from harvesting my onions !! Mine are much bigger this year too but I don’t know why? We had a wet winter so maybe that’s why! Great video thank you ☘️ ☘️☘️☘️

[@NextLevelGardening]

Could be!

[@stormraven4183]

Watering is so key with onions. When I started planting them right next to the drip emitters they did much better.

[@safusp]

This is awesome, and super helpful❤. I grew onions for the first time and I did so from onion sent planned in early sprint. Was pleasantly surprised with my first onion harvest!

[@ambermacmurtry7884]

Those onions are as big as my head!

[@kirkshar]

Ohh, they make me hungry for a blooming onion!

[@traceybennett1817]

I’ve already harvested a couple onions, they’re so small but tasted good.

[@roberttillotson6861]

It is also recommended to know days to bulbing of onion which should start at summer solstice. Count back and start onions in ground accordingly.

[@Gardeningchristine]

My garlic did the neck breaking thing. Didn’t know garlic would do that too. Went out one day to most bent over so they were ready!

[@cedrichassell7902]

Thanks for all your information. Any advice on when to start onions in the Caribbean?

[@NextLevelGardening]

Fall

[@mickeymcdoogle119]

I always wanted to grow onions but never knew when to put them into the ground. Will my northeastern climate kill them when temps drop below freezing? Ouy i don't know. But yeah this is something I do want to try.

[@faithrada]

That was very helpful.... Thank You

[@dirtdigger949]

My biggest onions were about the size of that small out of you bunch the thing about onions is that they can last a year or more in a cool dry spot and this is why I only grow one batch each year. I am curious will you use all those onions or give some away I give most of my extra to our local food pantry?

[@susanhenley8240]

Bought a bundle of baby onions (about 50 of them) last spring, planted them,... got nothing. Nothing at all. Whatever you did sure worked great!

[@tairam9383]

Wow. Actually the last few years, I have grown fond of small onions where I use the whole small onion in one meal completely.

[@Balaams_Donkey]

I'm getting SUPER BIG onions this year, too. I'm in Bakersfield. I don't think rain is the factor because we missed most of it. I was thinking it was because I planted in the Fall this year - I usually put my starts out in February and get a range of sizes. I think it's the weird extended cool temperature with mild nights that did it. Didn't really get very much in the way of frost. I think it's the time and temperature. I plant Texas Super Sweets.

[@missbhaavin]

My Walla wallas were huge again like yours this year; however I also grew a storing onion, Patterson. I know I can’t compare to a sweet onion like the WW, but I expected more than a few 4 inch bulbs. Most were around the two inch mark. Can someone recommend a good storing onion, prefer yellow or white. Live in Oregon.

[@patkrueger7353]

I tried direct seeding in my raised beds twice and nothing came up.😢. I dont know if sets will work. Or starting them inside.

[@missbhaavin]

Willamette valley Oregon here, pretty heavy clay where I am. However raised beds where I grow onions are now growing in mostly excellent compost and raised bed, Kellogg’s soil. Spooned for years, starting with. 60% clay. Seemed to work well, huge Walla Wallas, but now with less clay and a layer of compost this year I found only spooning, done with claw glove finger twice was all that they needed. If can plant as shallow as possible is the key. But yes, agree if you have heavy clay/compact soli spoon them.

[@lindasoaft9303]

I grew white onions and I believe they grew so big is due to all Thracian and the light loamy soil in the raised bed. Also, amended with compost before planting. Yours look great!

[@debbiethompson9853]

QUESTION - What regiment of fertilizer did you do?

[@MrStrongbox]

Damn buddy those are some MONSTER onions! Great job!

[@desertdweller18]

I am planning on growing onions in the future but I am a little hesitant because I live in the high desert. I guess I see another science experiment in my future.

[@ShoeLJE2011]

I grew onion sets for years. Small onions. Then heard about onion starts. I ordered some but they came in a bunch and were rotten. Tried growing from seed but none sprouted. Then, amazingly I found starts at a local nursery. They are really looking good!!!

[@padimills1494]

If I plant in October the onions will encounter cold and frost. Will that affect them

[@beverlyzientara4502]

I am in northern Wisconsin. I grew about 100 yellow onions, 20 red onions, 20 white onions and 20 shallots this year. Some of them were starting to fall over so I was thinking maybe about 2 weeks until I would harvest them and then this last week we got golf ball size hail and 3 inches of rain in an hour. The whole garden was flattened including the onions. I pulled all the onions out. Some have enough stem to hang to dry , some don’t, so those are drying on a flat surface. My question is if they dry well will the shelf life be ok. I am cutting some up and dehydrating them as I watched this video because I’m worried they will rot sooner than normal🤷‍♀️

[@michellewelch6013]

Golly, nature can sure wrangle with out gardening plans, sorry the hail messed your garden up. My son lives in Iowa and said similar happened to him. Im glad you could salvage your onion harvest. I’m currently dehydrating Roma tomatoes in CAlifornia. I know little about it but my new dehydrator seems to take way longer than setting halved tomatoes outside on a screen on a hot sunny day.

[@beverlyzientara4502]

Thanks, our roof and siding on our house will need to be replaced also. The whole town took a hit. What can you do🤷‍♀️ just have to go on the best you can.