But success isn’t always guaranteed.
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Why Plant Onions in Fall?
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Onions establish and develop green tops and roots in cooler weather which translates to bigger and more flavorful bulbs.
After several frosts, plants go dormant.
Keeping autumn-planted onions free of weeds is easier as many garden weeds have died back.
Find the first frost date in your zone and back time to find out the best day/s for planting.
Sets vs.
Seeds
Onion sets are the best choice for autumn planting.
Sowing seeds for overwintering requires starting eight to ten weeks before first frost.
This falls in mid-summer when heat and humidity causedamping offand other problems for seedlings.
Try searching online or in garden catalogs to find sets or slips for autumn planting.
Look for varieties most successful in your growing zone.
Onions are categorized as short-day, intermediate, or long-day.
Here are a few onion varieties to consider for autumn planting.
Grow them for salads and cooking but use them fairly quickly, within about a month, after harvest.
Intermediate and long day types will be ready to harvest from early to mid summer.
It depends on where you live.
Onions need four to six weeks to develop roots and establish before the ground freezes.
Find out your first frost date and back time six weeks from that date.
In northern zones, short day onion types grow bigger, sweeter bulbs when autumn planted.
There are many varieties available but northern retail outlets rarely carry onion sets in autumn.
You’ll probably have to procure them through mail order.
Yes, as long as they have established root systems and are winter hardy.
In northernmost zones with extended freezing, winter survival is not guaranteed.
Cover plants with a 6 inch layer of straw or leaves.
Any green tops that emerged before frost may dieback but regrow when weather warms up.
