Food-Gardening Lessons From A Wartime Victory Garden

Articles

Tag: growing onions

When Do You Plant Onions and Potatoes in Southeast Texas?

“For Northeast Texas, when is the right time to plant onions and potatoes? Question from Ronnell of Linden, Texas

Answer: Potatoes like it cool, so you want to get them in the ground in late winter–February is a good month. Some varieties are better than others for growing in your area. ‘Yukon Gold’ is a good yellow variety to try, ‘Atlantic’ is a good white, and ‘Norland’ is a good red-skinned type. To read more about how to grow potatoes in your neck of the woods, click on this great Texas A&M article about growing potatoes in Texas.

Spring onions and leeks can be planted in February or March, but most traditional onions are best planted from October to December in Northeast Texas. (You might be able to get away with planting them now, if you’re fast!) Once again, there are some varieties that perform better in the South than others. To get all the details, click here for a great Texas A&M article about growing onions in Texas.

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist

Is it Better to Grow Onions from Seeds or Sets up North?

“Is it better to grow onions from seeds or from sets in my zone?” Question from Karen of Randolph, Vermont

Answer: Really it depends on how much money you want to spend and how long you want to wait for an onion crop. It is less expensive to grow onions from seed, but you have to start them very early to get a crop, especially when you have a shorter summer. It also depends on the type of onion you are growing. I would recommend growing spring/bunching onions and leeks from seed in your zone, but I would rely on onion sets for robust summer and fall onions.

Northern gardeners like you should also choose day-neutral or long-day onions. Both are sure to reliably produce a good crop up north. Try the day-neutral AAS-winning ‘Sierra Blanca’ or long-day ‘Redwing’ for great results. For bunching onions try the purple buncher, ‘Deep Purple’.

Onions grow best in loose, friable soil, so amend your soil with quality compost, like OMRI Listed Black Gold Garden Compost Blend, before planting. Fertilizing with bone meal will also help your onions along. If starting seeds, check out Black Gold Seedling Mix, which is also approved for organic gardening.

Happy gardening!

Jessie Keith

Black Gold Horticulturist