Henny Penny Farmette

Closeup of the dried flower head of an onion with black seeds

This afternoon, I harvested a basketful of onions (mostly red ones as I planted more of those in April than the yellow ones I use for soup). Red onions taste great in salads or sauteed with garlic and cooked into a sofrito that is added to beans.

I planted the onions in April in planter boxes that my husband built last year (four feet by six feet). This year, I put out sets. But since I’ve harvested seed this summer from the onions I grew from those sets, I will grow next year’s crop from the seed, starting them in seed flats in the kitchen in February.

Shake dry seed heads of onions onto white paper and transfer to paper envelopes to label and store

Here’s how to grow onions from seed.

1. Sow the onion seeds about 1 inch deep in seed flats with seed starting mix.

2. Keep the soil moist and warm until the seeds germinate (about a 10 days to 2 weeks).

3. Keep the young onion shoots moist and warm as they grow.

4. In April or May after the ground outside has warmed sufficiently, replant the seedlings two to a hole about 4 to 6 inches apart in fertile, well-drained soil. (I  lay my onion sets on the soil and cover lightly. They are shallow rooted. Do not plant too deep.

5. Water and remove weeds regularly.

6. Harvest onions in midsummer. Let dry in a dark, cool place.

Tags: midsummer crop, onion seed, onion sets, red onions, sofrito, yellow onions