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Red Onion Planting

You can plant red onions in three ways: from seed, sets or transplants. They can be planted as soon as the ground is able to be worked in the spring. Red onions require cool temperatures for strong leaf development and root growth. Onion varieties are classified as “long day” or “short day,” based on the number of hours of daylight they need to produce bulbs. Short day varieties are best suited for southern regions and long day varieties fare better in northern regions. Common red onion varieties include Stockton Sweet Red, Southport Red Globe, Granex and Red Wethersfield.

Things You'll Need

  • Red onion sets, transplants or seeds
  • Soil pH test kit
  • Hand spade
  • Starter fertilizer
  • All-purpose fertilizer, such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a site that receives full sun and has well-drained soil. Test the soil pH. The ideal soil pH level for red onions is from 6.0 to 6.5. Amend the soil, if necessary, by adding lime to raise the pH or sulfur to lower it. Mix well-rotted compost or manure into the soil to make the soil rich in nutrients.

    • 2

      Apply fertilizer to the soil prior to planting the red onions. Iowa State University suggests applying an all-purpose fertilizer, such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10, at a rate of 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. per 100 square feet prior to tilling. Sidedress with additional fertilizer four to five weeks after planting, spreading the fertilizer in a band approximately 2 to 3 inches from the base of the plants.

    • 3

      Grow red onions from sets. Find red onion sets -- small onion bulbs that were harvested from the previous year and stored during the winter -- at your local garden center. The sets should be firm and marble-sized but not yet sprouted. Sets with bulbs that are larger than an inch in diameter are best used as green onions since they frequently bolt and produce a seedstalk. Sets with bulbs that have a diameter smaller than an inch will develop into mature bulbs. Plant sets 1 1/2 inches deep and 1 to 2 inches apart in the row for green onions and 3 inches for bulb onions. Allow 12 to 18 inches between rows.

    • 4

      Plant red onions from transplants. Use plants that are approximately 6 inches high with a stem about 1/4 inch in diameter. Dig a hole about 1 1/2 inches deep. Set the red onion plant in the hole and fill in with soil. Space the plants three to four inches apart in the rows that are 12 to 18 inches apart. Apply 1 cup of a starter fertilizer solution per plant.

    • 5

      Plant red onions from seed as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring. Plant the seed in rows 12 to 15 inches apart. Cover the seed with 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of soil. Once the seedlings are 2 to 4 inches tall, thin the plants so that they are spaced 2 to 3 inches apart.

    • 6

      Water the red onions immediately after planting to firm and moisten the soil. Keep the soil moist until the onion plants are established. Continue to water the plants as the bulbs mature to supplement rainfall so they receive approximately 1 inch of water per week. Discontinue watering a week prior to harvest to encourage the onion bulbs to form a thick, protective covering.

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