Onion is a type of vegetable that belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae. The plants prefer cooler temperatures at the start of their livesand can be planted in either the early spring or fall, depending on your locations. Photo by Forrest and Kim Starr licensed under CC BY 3.0. Day neutral varieties need about 12 hours of daylight to grow an onion bulb. Like many garden plants, onions need a few things to survive and thrive in your garden. Other articles where Green onion is discussed: onion: Green onions, also called scallions and spring onions, are young onions harvested when their tops are green and the underdeveloped bulbs are 13 mm (0.5 inch) or less in diameter. Crushed onion can be used for polishing of silverware and other metal objects. Our onion plants are easy to grow — just separate and transplant out. Imagine a line stretching across the US from San Francisco to Washington, DC. If you want to successfully grow an onion plant, you need to pick the type that’s right for your area. Plant onions 1 inch deep and 3 to 4 inches apart in double rows, leaving 6 to 10 inches between rows. A third option, which works in most areas where onions can grow, is to plant a day neutral variety. Onions can be eaten in different ways: In fact, they order what we call ‘sets.’ They look like tiny onions when in reality, that is basically what they are. They are also more resistant to diseases. Allium canadense, the Canada onion, Canadian garlic, wild garlic, meadow garlic and wild onion is a perennial plant native to eastern North America from Texas to Florida to New Brunswick to Montana.The species is also cultivated in other regions as an ornamental and as a garden culinary herb. Tips for Successful Onion Growth. Familiar bulb onions are easy to cultivate as long as you plant varieties adapted to your climate, and you can expand your onion season by growing leeks, scallions, and other non-bulbing varieties. It has low caloric value and high content of dietary fibers. All types of onions are divided in three groups based on the color: yellow, red and white onions. When planting onion sets, plant them between 4 and 6 inches apart. You can spot onion thrips in the garden by tapping the onion plants with a dark piece of paper. Quercetin, phenols and flavonoids isolated from onion have anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties. Interesting Plant Facts: An average size tree can provide enough wood to make 170,100 pencils. The green stems and leaves are hollow and can reach 3 ft (1 m) in height. Onion sets are small, dry immature onion bulbs grown the season before. If they plant seeds, they must later pull out most of the young plants so the rest can grow better. The onion is likely native to southwestern Asia but is now grown throughout the world, chiefly in the temperate zones. Because onions are small and their tissues leave little or no trace, there is no conclusive opinion about the exact location and time of their birth. Onions have been grown for thousands of years, as both a food plant and for medicinal purposes to treat problems as diverse as sore throats, colds, and gunshot wounds. Shallot is a type of bulb vegetables that belongs to the amaryllis family. They protect inner, moist and soft leaves. You can ease back on watering as the plant gets closer to harvest time, which will help prepare it for curing and storage. According to Harvest to Table, sets need less time to reach maturity than onion seeds. Interesting Facts about Onions. 1-5 Onion Facts 1. New York city, which is today known by the moniker ‘Big Apple’ was once known as ‘Big Onion’. Besides high nutritional value, onion beneficially affects human health. Seedlings or transplants can be more susceptible to diseases, but need less time to reach maturity than seeds. Onion was even used as currency along with parsley and garlic. We peeled back the layers and got in touch with one of our experts to look at some food facts about onions. When you obtain onion plants, they should be dry. If the onions are planted closer together, you can harvest every other plant as a green onion so that the bulb development of the remaining plants is not impeded. Cultivation of onion started 7000 years ago and resulted in creation of numerous varieties of onions that differ in size, shape, color and taste. Depending on the variety, they can besharp, spicy, tangy and pungent or mild and sweet. This acid induces painful sensation and eyes produce tears to eliminate it. Onions are members of the lily fam… The onion, also known as the bulb onion or common onion is a vegetable that is cultivated species of genus Allium. This is called 'thinning.' 19. The plant is also reportedly naturalized in Cuba. I want to take this opportunity to welcome you to the site and hope that you can find what you’re looking for. Speaking of water, onion plants need a sufficient amount of it to thrive and to produce juicy bulbs. If you cannot plant immediately, store in a cool, dry, and dark place with good ventilation. An onion usually does best in soil that has a pH of around 6 or 6.5, according to Clemson Cooperative Extension. If you want to use the green part of the onion and aren’t concerned with growing a bulb, you can pick the onions once they are about six inches tall. There are a variety of shapes and sizes in onion. Onion Fun Facts and Onion Trivia: 11-15. You’ll also want to leave enough room between rows of onion plants, if you’re growing more than one row. Slips give you a head start on growing and are hardy. 12. Onion can be rounded, egg-like or torpedo-shaped. Onion can reach 1 to 4.5 inches in diameter. Planting Onions. Onions, like other plants are made of cells the cells are divided into two sections separated by a membrane. 20. The six inches on each side gives the bulb ample room to grow beneath the surface of the soil. The bugs will fall onto the paper. Onions are very healthy to eat. Choose onion sets that are around ¾-inch in diameter and no bigger. If you do want bulbs, you’re going to have to wait. Average person consumes 13.7 pounds of onion annually. Onions are perennials that are cultivated for food worldwide. If your onions won’t grow big, keep reading for more onion facts that can help you fix that. Outer … As your onion plant grows in the garden, fertilize it on a regular basis and give it … If you live above that line, choose a long day onion variety. Their flavour is mild, and the entire onion… Most onion cultivars are about 89% water, 9% carbohydrates (including 4% sugar and 2% dietary fibre ), 1% protein, and negligible fat (table). Those problems can include rot and blight and pests such as onion thrips. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. How onions are eaten. Egyptians believed that onion possesses magic powers and that it can ensure success in the afterlife. A different way to plant onions is to plant young bulbs. Raw onions are very low in calories, with only 40 calories per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). Onions need a long season, usually at least 100 days, before they are ready to harvest. If you find thrips in the garden, you can get rid of them using an insecticidal soap spray. The average annual onion consumption calculates to approximately 13.67 pounds of onions per person across the world. Random Number Generator; Phone Number. 21. If you’re experiencing a particularly rainy season, you can drape netting over the onion plants to keep the maggots away. 85% of plant life is found in the ocean. Space your rows at least one foot apart. Onions need plenty of food, water and sunlight to successfully grow in a garden. The plants bear small flowers that are usually white or purple. Unearthing your onion bulbs exposes them to the air. It is closely related with onion and garlic. Onion plants need full sun to grow. Modern varieties typically grow to a height of 15 to 45 cm (6 to 18 in). Nutrition facts. Around 50 million tons of onions are produced each year. As the gardeners note in the video, unearthing your onion bulbs also helps jumpstart the process of curing the onions, which means they’ll have a longer storage life. These plants were inevitable part of burial rituals and tombs of most rulers are covered with pictures of onion. interesting facts of onion plants onion plants According to the Guinness book of world records the world’s largest potato grown was 7 pounds 1 ounce by J.East (1953) and J.Busy (1982) of Great Britain. Facts & Info About the Onion Plant You can grow an onion plant from seed, from a set (or bulb) or from a transplanted seedling. This is faster, but the onions that grow this way are weaker than the onions that started as seeds. Home - Gardening - Facts & Info About the Onion Plant. When planting transplants into the garden, space plants 4 to 5 inches apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. By fresh weight, they are 89% water, 9% carbs, and … The fleshy bulb that grows below the ground is used medicinally as well as for food. You can grow an onion plant from seed, from a set (or bulb) or from a transplanted seedling. Some types of onion plant won’t form a bulb if they get too much or too few hours of daylight daily. Onion was used as diuretic, to improve digestion, and to ensure good health of heart, eyes, and joints in the 6th century BC in India. Most onion bulbs are white, yellow, or red. Onion is antibacterial; during wars, onions were used in large quantities to sterilize soldier injuries and can be used to boost blood circulation by rubbing it to the skin. They are onion bulbs. First organized cultivation of onions started in Asia some 5,500 years ago. The Old Farmer’s Almanac recommends fertilizing your onion plants with a nitrogen-based fertilizer as they grow, to encourage the development of a large bulb. Onion was used as strength-booster during the Olympic Games in Greece in the 1st century AD. Onions need about a 1.6 gallons of water each week. Although it is usually thought of as a vegetable, A. cepaalso has a long history of medicinal use. Onions can grow in pretty much any part of the US and throughout many areas of North America. Some sources maintain the Pregnant Onion can also be grown outside, naming Southern California as a good example for growing outdoors. If you live below that line, choose a short day variety, your area won’t get enough daylight for a long day variety to thrive. Onion grows in temperate regions, on the sandy and well drained soils. Larger ones may produce stiff necks and go to seed too quickly. Onion plants are field-grown, spring dug plants. The onion bulb harvesting should be carried out when they attain their full maturity which can be identified by neck fall when it reaches more than 50 % of the total plants. The white, yellow, or red bulbs range in size from small pickling onions to large onions; they can be spherical, top, or spindle-shaped. Whether a specific variety of onion plant is going to do well in your garden depends on the type you plant and where you live. Facts About Onions When you unearth onion bulbs, you aren’t killing the plant. Onions may be a simple vegetable used to flavor dishes, but there is much more to them than meets the eye. Before you plant onions, add compost or fertilizer to the soil. When you harvest an onion plant depends on your goals. Allium cepa is the common onion. Avoid those that show sprouting or have signs of black mold (a kind of fungal attack) as they indicate that the stock is old. Nutrients from the leaves descend to the bulb, which becomes ready for the harvest. 11. The number of plants a single onion can grow will vary from 1-6, the onion pictured above can be divided into two. Sliced onion can sooth insect bites and burns on the skin. The onion plant is a biennial plant, but is usually grown as an annual. As your onion plant grows in the garden, fertilize it on a regular basis and give it at least an inch of water per week. According to most onion info, the number of leaves the plant produces before the days get shorter determines the size of the onion. Onion growers categorize onions in one of three ways: Short Day, Intermediate Day, and Long Day. Other research suggests onions were first grown in Iran and West Pakistan. Stronger insecticides are also available, but it’s important to use caution beofre using them. Heaviest onion ever recorded had 10 pounds and 14 ounces of weight. Onions are very popular in Libya where each person consumes 66.8 pounds of onion per year. Bulb is edible part of the onion and it consists of tightly packed leaves. Cutting of onion is always associated with crying. Long day onion types need at least 14 hours of daylight, which occurs during the summer in northern areas. Onions contain low amounts of essential nutrients and have an energy value of 166 kJ (40 kilocalories) in a 100 g (3.5 oz) amount. Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on May 2, 2014 8:08 PM. Interesting Onion Facts: Onion can reach 1 to 4.5 inches in diameter. I’m Emily Steiner and I’m the head editor at ProperlyRooted. Root maggots can also be an issue, particularly in more northern areas, according to the University of Illinois Extension. Onion plants are hardy and can withstand temperatures as low as 20 o F. They should be set out 4 to 6 weeks prior to the date of the last average spring freeze. You can start the plants from seeds, which can be sown indoors in small pots several weeks before the last frost date in your area. The first type of aspirin, painkiller and fever reducer came from the tree bark of a willow tree. Random Phone Number Generator; Random Toll Free Phone Number Generator; Random E164 Phone Number Generator If your feet are frozen, just apply chopped onion on them and increased blood flow will speedily warm your feet up. Plants arrive as dormant starts — expect them to be dry and/or pale in color due to dormancy and shipping. The flowers are a compound umbel, composed of small, greenish white flowers, that form on an elongated stem arising from the center of the bulb. How much sunlight each plant needs depends on the specific variety. Seeds take the longest time and should be started indoors, but are the cheapest. When combined with crushed aspirin and little water, slices of onion can be also used in treatment of warts. Onions can be consumed raw (in the form of salads), cooked or pickled. Knowing how to care for onions during these times of crises, or simply in general, can help alleviate the stress associated with unwanted onion problems. This plant originates from central Asia, but it can be found around the world today. Your onions will be ready to picking as soon as the leaves on the top are dry, crispy and brown. A third option is to plant a small onion seedling to get your onion plant going. Integer. Home gardeners have three choices for starting onions: Onion seeds, seedlings (slips) and sets (or bulbs). Libya has the highest consumption of onions with an astounding average per capita consumption of 66.8 pounds. As the onion bulbs grow, it’s important to “unearth” them, as shown in the video below. Therefore, the earlier you plant the seed (or plants), the bigger the onions you will grow. However, the harvesting of onion bulbs depends on cultivar, planting season, market price, climate conditions, etc … Although their strong odor and taste keeps many pests away, onion plants aren’t without their fair share of problems. Onions are low in nutrients but … Shallot originates from Central Asia, but it can be found around the world today. Outer leaves are dry and firm. According to Old English folklore, if the skin of the onion is thick, it means that a harsh or severe winter is coming. You can stop fertilizing the plant as soon as you see the bulb start to peek out from the soil. How to Plant Onion Sets. Plant onions in a sunny location with good drainage and always keep the soil moist. They also show beneficial effects in treatment of cataract and cardiovascular diseases. Many archaeologists, botanists, and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia. Onion develops root, bulb and green leaves. Be sure to leave enough room between rows to weed. To get multiple full size new onions from a single onion bottom, use a sharp knife to divide the onion bottom, leaving a portion of the roots on each section, as well as the leaves if it has started sprouting. Usually, it’s a good idea to leave about six inches of space between the onions you plant in the garden. Nutrition Onions are rich in beneficial, anti-inflammatory flavonoids and sulphur compounds. Heaviest onion ever recorded had 10 pounds and 14 ounces of weight. Short day varieties need just 10 hours of daylight to produce a bulb. They quickly spread around the world, and became popular for their medicinal value and ease of storing in the winter. Onions need plenty of food, water and sunlight to successfully grow in a garden. To read more about us, just click the link below. Domesticated varieties of onion are cultivated as annual plants - they are harvested in the first year of their life. Onions are eaten and grown in more countries than any other vegetable, with at least 175 countries producing an onion … Whether you’re new to growing onions in the garden or an old pro, at some point in time onion problems may become inevitable. Another option is to plant onion sets, which is similar to planting tulip or daffodil bulbs. When the bulbs aren’t surrounded by moist soil, they are less likely to rot and go bad. Onion is rich source of vitamin C, manganese, potassium and phosphorus. SCIENTIFIC NAME: Allium cepa CULTURE: Onion sets should be planted as soon as possible — ideally within one week of receiving them. Onion was worshiped in the ancient Egypt. Onion develops root, bulb and green leaves. Root maggots thrive in wet conditions. Onions contain flavonoids, unique compounds found in plants that also have health benefits. This rather curious plant is a South African native usually grown as a houseplant. Bulb is edible part of the onion and it consists of tightly packed leaves. Here are 13 Interesting Onion facts. Onion releases sulfur during the process of slicing which creates sulfuric acid in combination with moisture from the eyes. Best Portable Greenhouse For Outdoor Growing, Best Cordless Snow Blower For Light Duty Use, The Best Husqvarna Snow Blower For Residential And Professional Use, The Best Snow Blower: Identifying The Right One For You. Space, food, water and light are all essentials for an onion plant. (National Onion Association) Yellow onions make up more than 75% of the worlds production of onions. There are still roots beneath the soil, which are able to take up water and food. Onions require a fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.2-6.8. When a lot of people plant onions, they don’t start their own seeds. A thin skin on the other hand denotes a mild winter. Raw onions can be readily available during all the seasons. You can also sidedress with fertilizer as the plants grow. Or, you can direct sow the seeds in your garden. You have three options for starting an onion plant in your garden. Keeping the area around your plants free from mulch and other debris will also help keep the maggots from attacking your plants. Now, a lot of people will tell you this is the way to go for simplicity’s sake. There are many varieties. Onion, (Allium cepa), herbaceous biennial plant in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae), grown for its edible bulb. In the stores, they can be available in fresh, frozen, canned, pickled, powdered, and dehydrated forms.While buying, look for fresh ones that are clean, uniform, well-developed bulbs with dry, flaky outer (tunic) layers. 6 to 8 months after planting, bulb ceases production of new leaves. Onions contain flavonoids, unique compounds found in plants that also have health benefits pounds 14. 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Plant gets closer to harvest strong odor and taste keeps many pests away, onion plants need a few to! Plant as soon as possible — ideally within one week of receiving them acid in combination with moisture the! Potassium and phosphorus few things to survive and thrive in your garden usually white or.! The process of slicing which creates sulfuric acid in combination with moisture from the soil moist divided into sections., email, and became popular for their medicinal value and high of... Head editor at ProperlyRooted in Asia some 5,500 years ago compost or to. As for food worldwide varieties need about 12 hours of daylight to produce bulb. Issue, particularly in more northern areas, according to the site and hope that you can find what ’... Tree bark of a willow tree, particularly in more northern areas according! Option is to plant a small onion seedling to get your onion bulbs exposes them to the family..
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