How to Grow Italian Cipollini Onions

Prepare the soil before planting. Onions have soft roots, so they need well-worked soil that is soft, well-drained and fertile. Add compost and all-purpose fertilizer to your planting bed, and work through the top 3 inches of soil with a garden rake or hoe.

Plant the onion seedlings when all danger of frost is past. Depending on your area, this will be early to late spring. If you live in a warm-winter region, you can also plant onions in the fall to provide a spring harvest. Nurseries and garden centers will carry packs of onion seedlings.

Space the seedlings 3 inches apart. For an extended harvest period, you can plant a few seedlings every two weeks through spring. Water well after planting, and be sure to remove weeds whenever you see them.

Water regularly throughout the growing period. Do not allow the soil to dry out, as the cipollini onion has a shallow root system and is easily harmed by drought conditions.

Fertilize every four weeks with an all-purpose organic fertilizer, or a fertilizer specially formulated for vegetable growth.

Stop watering your onions when the tops of the plants start to dry up and collapse. When most of the plants are dry and toppled, bend over any that remain standing. Leave the onions in the ground for another week, then dig them up and inspect them. If any are damaged, use them right away, as they will not store well.

Place the harvested onions on dry ground in a sunny spot for three to four days to allow further drying. Keep them out of very intense heat or sun.

Store the cipollini onions in a cool, dry spot with good air circulation, and they will keep for several months.