Louisiana ’s strong and humid clime creates a singular environment for growing onions , which can be both good and dispute for Farmer . plant the onions at the right time can maximise the yield and quality of your onion crop . Starting the onion at the wrong sentence can lead to scrawny growth or even industrial plant death . arm with the local climate , you will have all the info you involve to successfully cultivate onions in the Bayou State .
Good Onion Varieties to Grow in Louisiana
onion plant are a popular vegetable craw among gardeners due to their versatility in the kitchen and the ease with which they can be grown . There are numerous form of onions , each with its unequalled characteristic and uses .
Here are some of the more popular onion diverseness that gardeners care to grow :
Overall , each onion smorgasbord has its unique flavor visibility and culinary uses , seduce them a popular and various crop for gardeners .
When to Plant Onions in Louisiana
Onions are a cool - season crop that can be plant in the outflow as shortly as the grime can be work . The exact planting time will vary bet on your placement and mood , but generally , onions should be planted about 2 - 4 calendar week before the last expect frost escort in your area . The onion planting day of the month in Louisiana are :
Additional Resource : Find Your Louisiana Hardiness Zone
Before planting onions , it ’s all important to prepare the dirt by undo it to a profundity of 4 - 6 in and comprise compost or well - rotted manure . onion prefer well - draining stain with a pH between 6.0 - 7.0 .
To constitute onion sets , which are small onion bulbs , make a furrow about 1 inch bass , plant the sets 4 - 6 inches asunder , and cover up them with land . For Allium cepa seeds , seed them about 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch aside , and traverse them with territory . Water the territory good after planting , and keep the grime moist until the seedling issue .
Onions develop best in full sunlight and ask consistent wet to produce quality bulb . They also benefit from regular fertilization throughout the growing time of year . Weed control is of the essence , so keep the area around the plant free of weeds .
In conclusion , onion should be embed in the outflow , 2 - 4 weeks before the last expected icing date in your sphere . Prepare the soil , plant the sets or seeds , urine the well , and keep the area complimentary of weeds . With proper aid , you could enjoy a bountiful harvest of delicious onions in the summertime and crepuscle .
Planting Onions From Seed
onion plant can be grown from seed , but it take on longer than planting onion solidifying or starts . It ’s urge to plant onion starts rather than germ because onion plant seeds take a long time to germinate and spring up , and the plants may not mature as uniformly as onion plant band .
However , planting onions from seeded player can be a honest option if you want to grow a specific variety that is n’t available as sets or offset . Planting onion plant germ can also be more price - effective than buy sets or starts .
If you decide to found onions from come , you should start the seeds indoors 8 - 10 weeks before the last expected freeze date in your area . If you adjudicate to plant onions from source , you should come out the seed indoors 8 - 10 weeks before the last expected frost particular date in your area . The concluding hoar dates in Louisiana are :
In Louisiana , start your onion plant seeds indoors around :
To go onion seed indoors , fill up semen trays with a good lineament semen - starting mix , and sprinkle the seeds on top of the stain . underwrite the seeds with a flimsy layer of soil , irrigate the tray , and keep it in a warm , bright location . onion plant seeds involve a reproducible temperature of 65 - 75 ° F to germinate , so you may need to employ a heat mat or grow light to maintain the correct condition .
After the seeds have germinated , thin the seedlings to about 1 column inch aside , and continue to grow them indoors until they are turgid enough to transplant outside . Harden off the seedlings by bit by bit exposing them to out-of-door conditions for a calendar week before transplanting them into the garden .
When to Harvest Onions in Louisiana
Onions are ready to glean when the leaves start to turn chickenhearted and fall over . This typically happens in late summertime or early autumn , about 100 - 120 days after planting , depending on the miscellanea and turn conditions .
To see if the onions are ready for harvest , mildly push back the soil around the floor of the Allium cepa electric-light bulb to see if they have recrudesce into fledged bulbs . If the electric-light bulb are of the desired size , you could start to harvest them .
To reap onions , use a garden crotch or shovel to carefully lift the electric-light bulb out of the territory . mildly loosen the filth around the bulbs to avoid damaging them . Once the electric-light bulb are out of the dirt , leave them on the ground for a day or two to dry out and cure in the Dominicus . This will help to toughen the skins and prolong the depot biography of the Allium cepa .
After the onions have dried and cured for a daytime or two , cut off the stems and roots to about 1 in from the light bulb . you may then salt away the onions in a cool , dry place , such as a garage or basement , with expert melodic line circulation . Hanging them in mesh bag or tying them in tress is also a honest way to store onion .
Onions should be stored in a place with a temperature between 32 - 40 ° F and with low humidity . Avoid put in onion plant near potatoes or other fruits and veggie that produce ethylene throttle , which can cause Allium cepa to vitiate more cursorily .
