onion questions

Posted on January 7, 2006 at 03:31

A weird thing has happened.  Dh ran to the store a few weeks ago to get some onions for me, he brings back a sack of OLD onions from a cheap grocery store close to our house (he didn't want to go to the good one which is further away, just for 2 onions)  So I use what I need, throw some out that are getting yucky and had one sitting on the counter for awhile.  One day I come downstairs and the onion has sprouted out the top!  So we leave it on the mircrowave and every day this onion just keeps growing out of itself.  Today I finally put it in a pot with potting soil and now it's by the window. 

I have never grown onions before, but it's something I plan on doing in my garden this year.  Does anyone know...

how much watering do onions need?

how much sunlight?

And...it looks like there are many sprouts coming out...will I be able to carefully seperate the onion into different sections and from them get many onions when it's warm enough to plant them in the ground?

If anyone can help me I'd appreciate it!  Thanks!

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Posted by spinninggrandma on January 7, 2006 at 03:39 - Link

Onions like lots of water!!! I have never separated an onion before - always either put the whole thing in the ground (and usually lost it, anyway) or used sets.

It won't hurt to gently separate it by hand, following the sprouted green down into the onion and then planting each sprout -

But make sure you get onion sets this spring - you can plant them pretty early and they will give you lots of big onions if they are watered well. Find a good keeper onion for your area!

Fun!

Posted by rosehillranch on January 7, 2006 at 04:00 - Link

What a fun project! Can't wait to see how it turns out! xo Jeani

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Posted by DonnaJoy on January 7, 2006 at 10:13 - Link

I find my onions and potatoes like that all the time - doesn't everyone!!! LOL!! I live in Louisiana and if you don't use it quick in the summer time - everything sprouts right in your pantty!!! Who needs a garden!!!

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Posted by peggy on January 8, 2006 at 03:06 - Link

very easy to grow. you can separate them at the bulb end and it should be fairly easy. You can plant onions in cold weather for early spring onions. good luck

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Posted by OurLittleHomestead on January 9, 2006 at 08:19 - Link

Everything should grow so easily!

Lisa

Wow....

Posted by sweetcottage on January 11, 2006 at 05:58 - Link

my inlaws garden used to house lots of onions and who knew they could be grown so easily....
Please keep us updated about your onion growing project!

Have a blessed day!