Into The Bloom: How To Grow Onion At Home

Onions are one of the most used vegetables in Indian kitchens. Imagine using homegrown onions for your daily food preparations. Onions can be easily grown at home using seeds and onion bulbs. 

How To Grow Onions At Home Using Seeds And Onion Bulbs?

You can grow onions in your home garden but first, you need to check the favourable planting time and choose the right variety of onions for your specific location. Once done, plan the onion planting. You can get seeds to grow onions at home from a nursery and plant them in a pot. Onions can also be grown using onion bulbs in your home garden.

If growing onion using seeds, take a pot and add the potting mix. Sprinkle the onion seeds all over the soil's surface. Press them down gently. Onion bulbs should be planted about one inch deep in the soil. Both seeds and bulbs take about six to ten weeks to take root. Onions are ready for harvest in about four to five months. 

How To Grow Onions At Home Quickly?

• If growing via onion bulbs, make sure you place them in rows. Onion bulbs need a lot of space to grow and not having enough space can hinder growth.
• To prepare the best potting mix for onions to grow, mix organic soil with compost or well-rotted manure. 
• You need to keep the soil moist for onions to grow quickly. Avoid waterlogging. Water the plant enough to prevent dryness. Overwatering an onion plant can lead to diseases. (Onion health benefits)

• Monthly fertilisation helps improve plant growth. Make sure you avoid using a fertiliser that has a high amount of nitrogen present in it.
• Onions grow quickly under full sunlight. The plant should receive at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight everyday.
• Get some organic mulch from the nursery and place it around the onion plant. This will regulate the soil's temperature, prevent excess moisture and remove pests, further helping with faster growth.

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• Inspect onion plants for any pests and diseases regularly. If you see an issue, address it immediately as it can slow down the onion's growth.
• Onions are ready to be harvested when you get to see their top above the soil. Once you start to see the leaves, you can pull out onion bulbs from the soil.

Onions can take months to grow completely. To ensure their healthy growth, you need to monitor them daily. If you notice issues in plant growth, get a gardening expert to monitor the plant immediately. Here are some signs that your onion plant isn't growing properly - 

• Yellow leaves on the top of the soil are a sign of overwatering and nutrient deficiencies. 

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• If you notice no bulb formation, there are chances that the plant isn't getting enough sunlight. 

• Pests are also a sign of diseases and might be a reason why your onion plant isn't growing. 
• If the leaves start to droop, there are chances that there is an issue with the root system such as a disease. 

With our new series, Into The Bloom, we have been bringing you detailed guides for growing herbs, vegetables, and fruits at home. Read here.