PlantFiles: Garden Onion, Edible Onion
Allium cepa

Some onion types do not flower; instead they form bulblets on the tops of the leaves which can be used as sets for another crop, or eaten.

Laying over onion leaves before they flower helps to make the bulb grow bigger. Growing onions in the same place for several years also reportedly makes the bulbs grow bigger.

Onion flowers can be eaten; they are more strongly flavored than the bulb.

The onion is one of the few edible crops almost every country in the world would recognise, it is also thought to be one of the oldest cultivated edible crops

Has long, mid green-blue green, hollow tube, onion scented leaves. All parts of the onion are edible but they are most often grown for their bulb which has a very long list of uses.

Onions prefer an open, well drained, fertile soil in full sun so prepare the bed well during Autumn. Prior to planting apply a general fertiliser (organic or chemical depending on your preference) and rake over. Tread down the raked area and rake again until the tilth is fine and even. Make rows half an inch deep and 9 inches apart.

Sow when the soil is workable for an Autumn crop, late February - early April. For an earlier crop you can sow in August for a June crop the following year. Sow the seeds very thinly in the trenches. Thin out to 2 inches apart and then when the seedlings have straightened out thin again to 4 inches apart. If you have onion seedlings to plant then space them at about 4 inches apart. Ensure that the roots of the seedling go into the hole as straight as possible.

Water the crop only when the weather is dry. Do not allow to flower. When the bulb has swollen stop watering and dust off earth from the top of the bulb so it is exposed to the sun.

The onion will tell you when it is mature by flopping over its own leaves and making them go yellow (some experienced veg growers will bend the leaves for the bulb to stop it from growing). Leave them in the ground at this stage for a further 2 weeks. Twist or fork the bulbs out (taking care not to damage them) and will leave the bulbs out to dry on benches indoors or on the ground if the weather is going to be dry take indoors if rain is forcast. You can use the onion for cooking straight from pulling but you cannot store them until they are dry. Allow to dry for 7-21 days (the longer the better), get rid of any damaged or dieseaed bulbs and store in strings or net bags in a cool well lit place.