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Caring For Onions
Check that the onions are receiving a regular supply of rain
water - watering may be required in dry periods up until
mid August. From then on, do not provide any water, it may delay
the maturing process. Weeding will also be necessary,
because onion foliage provides no protection against weeds.
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Maincrop onion seeds will need to be thinned (reduce the number of
seedlings to avoid crowding) when the seedlings reach about 5 cm
(2inch). Thin the seedlings to 13cm (5inch) apart. The same
applies to Japanese onions. Maincrop onions from sets and Spring
onions should need little or no attention other than water and weeding. |
How to Harvest Onions
Maincrop and Japanese onions are ready for harvesting a week or
two after the foliage starts to turn brown and shrivel up. On a
sunny day, ease the onions roots from the soil with a fork and
leave the onions to dry in the sun. When dry, remove the foliage
at the top and store in a cool, dry and dark place - either in
nets or boxes with newspaper to keep the onions separate. Onions
with thicker necks should not be put into storage, because they
will deteriorate quickly. Maincrop onions will keep for a
couple of months or more in ideal conditions, but Japanese
onions will only last a month.
Spring onions should be harvested when about 45cm (18 inch) high and
eaten within a day or so.
Onion
Pests and Diseases
Onion Fly
This looks like a normal fly - it lays its eggs in Spring on the
neck of the onion, and the developing larvae will tunnel into
the onion and destroy it. Hoe around the onions regularly to
expose the eggs. The time of greatest risk is when you thin the
onions - the flies are attracted by the scent. Growing from
onion sets removes the need for thinning and the onions are unlikely to be attacked.
Click here to go
to GardenAction's main page on onion fly.
Onion Eelworm
Eelworms are microscopic worms in the soil which cause the
onions to distort and swell in size. There is really no
effective chemical cure, and it will be necessary to stop
growing onions in the patch of ground for three to four years.
Click here to go
to GardenAction's main page on onion eelworm.
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