Onions

I plant in very early Spring, as soon as the frost leaves the ground, and the soil can be worked. The bulbs are planted, but small seedlings are also successful, but grow longer to maturity. They are in full sun, in good soil well supplied with vegetative compost. When the bulbs start to bulge and rise above the ground I heavily mulch with wood chips. This tends to keep the top vegetation green longer than just exposing the bulbs, hence larger bulbs. And I keep the soil damp often with a watering can.

Onions are light sensitive- meaning they grow vigorous vegetation until the days shorten then they bulb; so maximum growth is essential at the beginning of the season by extending the time in the ground in early Spring.

I do grow the multiplier onions for early green use, and they also thrive.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LKOKW 18 July 2008 Yellow Spanish Onions.

There is some controversy about allowing onion to bulge above the ground as they mature. The view is that they get larger, and have a less stinging flovour if exposed to sun.

I have two rows of Yellow Spanish Onions, and have covered one row of bulbs with light mulch and earth, and the other has all the earth removed down to the beginning of the root.

Both rows will be allowed to mature, and they will be judged as to size and taste, in an attempt to determine if the claims have any validity that is apparent.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?HKLFV 9 August 2008 Yellow Spanish Onions
Some of the exposed bulb onions had soft necks so were pulled today, and placed in the sun to dry completely.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?PLEUK 11 September 2008 Spanish Onions Harvested
today.
Onions are large and well shaped. They will be further dried and stored

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?QDFKW 28 September 2008 Spanish Onions dried for storage.
Next year as the onions bulge from the ground they will be covered with mulch. I notice the tops stay green longer, hence possibly larger bulbs. As to exposing to Sun to reduce the sting, I have drawn no conclusions, and will pursue the matter no further.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?NSUQX Summary: Onion Growing experience.