Large Onions WITHOUT Synthetic Fertilizer: How I Grew Using Organic Methods (+3 side by side tests)
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- Опубліковано 11 лип 2021
- In my climate, growing onions for big bulbs -- without resorting to synthetic fertilizer most commonly recommended by onion growers -- has presented a challenge. This year I performed four different tests to see what might help me get a larger harvest. Here's what I learned.
More onion growing resources:
How to Grow Onions Successfully: journeywithjill.net/gardening...
10 Onion Growing Problems and How to Prevent Them: journeywithjill.net/gardening...
Beginner's Garden Podcast: journeywithjill.net/plantsome... - Навчання та стиль
Milorganite was originally discouraged from use on vegetables. It is made from city sewage sources...
I am so glad you confirmed what was my conclusion on Milorganite! Last year there were bags of it outside local hardware store and I was reading the bag to see what was in it. Something I read gave me that same conclusion you have that it comes from sewage. I figured the local store probably knows what works for our area, but was reluctant to purchase. I think it's for the lawn. Thanks again!!
@@dustyflats3832 Yep....the "Mil" in Milorganite is for Milwaukee, which is the origin.
That Amish and Mennonite use it here and they have some massive vegetables and huge harvests
@@lonewolftech just because they are Amish doesn't mean it's gospel. I've known some in the past. I still say it's intended for non edible plants. I'm sure that it will make things grow, I just prefer not with human sewage.
@@dustyflats3832 Its not actually composted human poop, etc. They have microbes that eat the sewage. Then as those microbes die they are composted and turned in the fertilizer.
I've found that one of the most important things for big onions is space. At a minimum, 6" apart. 8' better.
Hi Young Lady well done so far. I am a 84 year old great great Grandfather. I am passing a few tips on to you. first the seed Kelso seed from kelso in Scotland. plant on Boxing day in a tray, transfer to pot when possible. plant in your raised beds and feed with washing soda and sugar. back in the 1950s & 60s mine averaged six pounds each. hope you do all Okay. best of luck. Briddy.
What do you mean? Mix baking soda na d suger and give it to onions?
@@Mikkaray014washing soda and baking soda are entirely different.
Onion is biennial, that's why when planting from sets it goes to seeds because you are planting a year old onion.
One of the best organic sources of nitrogen is a 'weed tea' made from kudzu - the strangler vine that runs rampant and takes over trees/bushes in southern climates. You can also throw it in the compost bin. But for quicker availability, put a big armful of it in a bucket with a lid and let it steep for a few days. Then water your garden with it.
I’ve grown onions for many years. I also grow organically I’ve found they need lots of nitrogen and moisture early on. When harvest time arrives moisture always leads to rotting and storage problems. I never intercrop them because they have shallow root systems. You did a great job with your crop I’m impressed. Great video
When should one stop watering the onions then?
Watering is fine up until harvest... if it's in ground/drip.
The problem is overhead water (rain, sprinkler, spraying with garden hose etc..) the water runs down the leaf and seeps between layers of the bulb, keeping it from drying/curing properly.
They get enough water from roots. They dont need a soaking from above.
i think there are deep rooted plants that can pull nitrogen from deep in the ground. i'd rather not used chemicals, even if they are labeled organic. if that's the only way, is the yield even worth it? meaning is the cost of the chemicals worth it? do you get a significant crop worth more than the organic chemicals?
@@BobRooney290 plants don't pull nitrogen from the ground. They pull it from the atmosphere (78%nitrogen in the air we breathe).
I'm in the UK so my conditions are quite different to yours, but here are some observations. I specifically try not to grow large onions like yours because they don't keep as well as medium sized bulbs. I would always get big onions like yours though if I gave them as much space as you did, I grow at 2 or 3 times then density to get medium sized bulbs, ie about twice the yield (in weight) from the same ground. I only fertilise with a sprinkling of blood, fish and bone (1 handfull/square yard) at planting time and a mulch of compost, so very slow nitrogen release. If I gave my onions as much nitrogen as you do they would bolt for sure, we try to give then a little nitrogen early on but a lot less once they start to bulb, too much top growth leads to bolting in our conditions. My keeping onions are started from seed in February and harvested in August, grown from seed they never bolt due to the hot/cold cycling, they bolt because of stress in July normally lack of water and heat. I agree raised beds are great and a good mulch helps a lot, because I plant more intensively I don't interplant. It might not be useful given our differences, but here's more details and videos etc showing my approach steverichards.notion.site/How-to-Grow-Onions-main-crop-bulbs-175884349ec24abc8951eb0bfa6d3226 : All the best - Steve
This guy is a legend in England! 👍🏻🤠
I tend to space them out at 3-4 inches then harvest every other one as green onions. Then the rest can have more space to continue growing into larger bulbs.
All plants direct most of their energy resources to develop flowers. As soon as you see the onions begin to bolt, cut off the flower stalks. The onions will continue to grow in size as a result. Excellent job on growing your food organically, and well-done video!
to cut off the flower stalk helps the bulb to grow, but it is suggested not to try to store those because they don't store well.
Hallelujah finally a video without Music, I could actually hear the speaker !!
When growing Walla Walla Sweets, when the onion is breaking though the surface you fold the tops over without breaking them off. All the energy is then going into the onion not the top. And the will get huge.
I thought once an onion bends over its done because each green leaf is a layer to the onion?
I thought when leaves yellow and bend over showed they were ready to harvest. Not bending green ones?
@@marya6549 Ive never heard of purposely bending them over when the bulb starts pushing through the soil. Have to check on that. If the bulbs are formed and you want to harvest all at same time I've heard of bending them so they all dry at same time.
Beautiful onion harvest! I learned from this that I need to add fresh compost to my garden more frequently. Thank you!
Milorganite is byproduct of the microbes that digest organic materials from sewage treatment plants. Besides the ickiness of it's source, it can also contain levels of the ‘forever chemicals' class of polyfluoroalkyl compounds that break down slowly in the environment and may have potential health impacts on human health. It may not be as big a deal if it wasn't a root crop, but I think I would look for another source of nitrogen. Great video otherwise!
Yes. Lead is the biggest problem with Milorganite.
I'm not familiar with Milorganite. I planned to use blood meal. Do you have an opinion on that product as an organic nitrogen source?
@@rolandpinette9946 Use as instructed, as it can burn plants if you add too much.
What has an impact on human health. Is being poisoned from water to geoengineering to GM foodstuff & the Prussian mimicry system.
It is also important to note that sewage sludge is not just residential sewage, but also industrial chemical runoff. I would definitely cease it's use and probably would try to remediate that soil with a crop that will uptake toxins and could then be disposed of.
Starting from seed will reduce the risk of bolting because they have no dormant period from seed start to bulb. Even the bought transplants have a forced dormant period. Sets are the worst for bolting.
Milorganite clearly says on the bag NOT for vegetable gardens! It comes from waste sewerage plants!
If you look carefully vegetables are on the bag. I have used it for many years, I no longer use it because of the PFSA que3stion?
Great trials! You can learn so much from doing your own tests - whether it's for growing larger onions as you have done or for testing the effects of different ingredients or methods. I've done this for many years for things like rock/dust, azomite, compost teas, epsom salts and so many other recommendations I can't list them all.
The home garden is like your own personal laboratory. And after you've developed the habit over several seasons, you'll be surprised to find out what you learn.
Thanks for posting this informative and helpful video. Cheers.
Growing from seed does seem to reduce bolting compared to using sets. Great crop.
Less shock to the plant. I gave up buying starts as they were usually dried out and never did well. Also the tiny bulbs were bad about bolting due to cold storage or other reasons unknown. Best to start your own.
@@Val-ee4hd hi I’m just trying onions 🧅 for first time this year, I doubt I’ll do very good but I am wondering what does bolting mean? If you don’t mind me asking you.
@@jimmyboy2165 Bolting in Onions is when it puts out a flower stalk. Once the stalk does this I believe it is too late to save the onion but you can get seed from it.
@@jimmyboy2165 to go a little further...... buying sets (bulbs) are notorious for doing this. If an onion bulb / onion is put in cold storage or left in ground over winter it will bloom its second year. Stress can also cause an onion to set seed. Keep them watered well and if cold snap happens after a long warms spell you may want to cover them to reduce the chances of bolting. I personally do not know if covering will help but sure wont hurt.
Thank you I really do appreciate you answering me.
Very nice harvest! I am going to plant onions this fall for the first time....can't wait! Keep up the awesome podcast and videos, you rock!
Super interesting! I love hearing about your experiments.
People, people, people! It's simple, blood meal, bone meal, compost - leaf rich, for Potash - ground oyster shell and rock powder - like Azomite. Stop opening bags of Miracle powders!
For 1000s of years wise gardeners fed their soil. Now we're so 'evolved' we omit the entirety of soil biology and attempt to feed the plants directly. We want big over nutritious, at the cost of our soil health.
Enjoyed your video. We can see the satisfaction and joy on your face with your bumper onion harvest. Enjoy relishing those wonderful organic onions. You show has inspired me to start gardening.
That's the best Onion harvest I've seen well done
Very good vid! I shared your excitement with your great onion harvest! I still remember my first good onion harvest. mother nature has a big part in a good onion year....
Beautiful onions, great job, I will use some of your tips this year.
It's nice to find this information from someone in my area & climate. I've had great years with onions & some not so good. Good luck this year to us both I'm keeping my fingers 🤞.
Preach it, girl! I am in the same boat as I can't get my onions to grow to the proper size either. I am SO hear for this vid!!
This is my second year growing onions and I've reading that I should think of them as a leaf crop that at some point form bulbs. So, this year, I will be sure to grow them like I would a leafy green. Lots of nitrogen
I absolutely love your onion sweet potato combo idea! I'm really looking forward to trying it.
Such great information, and very well delivered. Thank you, I am also on an onion quest and I m taking your advice to heart!
Wow, I had watched already 5-6 videos about growing onions and I feel like your single video has so much new information. Thank you!
Hey y'all, this is my first time watching your channel. I was very impressed and enjoyed this video. I did subscribe to the channel. I will be watching all the other videos over the next couple months. I liked all the variables that went into you onion growing and the results you analyzed. I also watched parts of the sweet potato start and harvest videos. You are gardening much the same way I am so I like that.
I grew up in Mississippi and now I'm in Minnesota and I have to work hard at getting all the same vegetables in a shorter climate. I am getting there. The one thing about Minnesota you might not think of is that we have 80% plus humidity all summer so okra grows real well here all summer. Thank you for your channel the extra efforts you add to the video to give it the higher end results that do separate them from the regular videos. take care bye for now
Those are some really nice onions. Thank you for showing the map of the day length. I was always told we were intermediate day when actually long day. Got to switch seed.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Onions are probably my favorite crop to grow, and last year was my first time starting from seed as well. This year, I'm doing it again and amending with blood meal...will keep your tips in mind.
Excellent video Jill and congratulations for your wonderful onion harvest. May GOD Bless you and your family with continued abundant onion harvest. I plan to implement your organic growing tips.
Great job! I'm super excited to grow onions this spring here in ohio.
One of the best videos I've ever seen . Love the huge good information about them , even I live in Ireland.
Wow! Those are some nice, huge onions. I'd say you had great success!
Thanks for sharing your tips!
Wow, wow, wow! Good job!
Thank you for your wisdom. I'm growing onions for the first-time in Texas 9a for the fall. I'm excited and nervous about them. Excellent video you've explained so well.❤❤❤
I loved your experiment but above all your very clear explanations. Thanks I will follow you 😊😊😊
Awesome job. Those onions look great.
Starting onions from seed is a challenge. Nice results Jill! Thanks for the tips. We are to use our chicken litter in the same manner. Actually covering as I go right now. Happy Gardening in 2023.
Your insight is helpful, I live in southern Minnesota and Candy is our largest onion for harvest.
Thank you for your presentation!
Fantastic results! My first attempt at growing onions was a total failure. Had a bunch of fresh wood chips that inadvertently got mixed into my bed of onions and stole all the nitrogen. Last year was much better, had a decent harvest, but I planted them way to close together for the large bulbs. This year, I will incorporate some of your methods, pus a few experiments I have in mind.
last year 2 years i have been using fresh lawn clippings as a nitrogen supplement for corn ..basically laying it down over the soil every few weeks i cut the grass..mix up the old with the new
Awesome job! I found leaks grow very easy for me. I had an awesome harvest last year and froze them.
For those of you that have access to cow manure it works miracles. I plant early then find some dried manure crumble it up and spread in the row so all season as it rains it gets a dose of N. I put it on thick some of my Walla Walla's get big as coconuts , softball size is real common.
Those little flowers have a great onion taste. We grew onions last year and a couple went to seed. I ate the flowers off another couple.
Wow what an incredible yield. Cheers from Ottawa, Canada 🇨🇦
I grow decent onions every year, some years very large, but I have had rot before harvest. This year I planted Vidalia onions in a RAISED bed and they are still growing, but will be the best I've ever grown. I'm building three more RAISED beds. I'm sold and besides I don't have to struggle to get up after harvesting them. LOL
Really well put together video! Thank you
You were determined and succeeded. I should try middle day.
Really helpful info! Good job!
Great video!!!!!!! We have been gardening here in central Texas for 30 years and I use Black Cow brand, mix in bone and blood meal and depending on the weather do very well..
Impressed! I want to compliment you that when you do something you go all out. Very thorough.. Great job. Great presentation...you're good! Many Thanks for all the time put into this project.
Thank you, Jim!
@@thebeginnersgarden
Replant all types of onion root bottoms and regrow the onions! Works with bulb and green onions. Never throw the bottoms away again!
In fact I've regrown celery, carrot tops (for seeds), cabbage, onions, you name it! If it had a root before...it will grow roots again!!!🙋🏼♀️
Just put it back in the dirt.
Excellent tips
Good content. I really need to get going on this stuff.
blood meal makes huge bulbs here in Oklahoma. side dress at planting then about 2 months later
Nice crop, I like onions. Oh yeah you can grow big onions organically. Compost, mulches as you have, manure, even liquid fertilizer like Pureblend pro or general organics can help, fermented weeds in buckets with water, liquid seaweed, piles of options….
Very nice I totally love ❤️ your speaking skills you do great. I'm here to stay as a new sub... im gonna scroll down and watch your first couple of episodes when you first started.
I find onions harder to keep then raising. Good video! Thank you.
Great job .i had one year of softball size candies n i had used horse manure on clay ground.they were great.
Thank you so much for the video and content! Love your channel
Great video and thanks for sharing.
I find that onions are not easy to grow. I search for videos all the time. Thanks for sharing your method. I just ordered the Milogranite and will give it a try. God bless your garden.
Your onions are huge! I've tried intermediate Candy onions without much success. This year my nursery had short day onions Granex. So I'm trying these this year. Hopefully they will grow nice and large? Time will tell. You did a fantastic job growing them, I can only hope someday mine will turn out that nice!
Excellent way to grow, thanks for sharing. 🙂
Good information!
Hi Jill, I grow my onions in 28 inch high raised beds only and use the permaculture method utilising my compost with black A grade soil and mushroom growing material. I have had a great success with white (no genus name) and brown (Gladalan Brown) onions and the only extra fertiliser is a seaweed liquid watered down applied every 2 weeks.
I live in Australia with a good temperate climate and the veggies I grow are mainly 'local' heritage varieties. I now grow my own spring onions and replant the roots to grow again and again. I have left a couple to go to seed so I can collect them for later use and I do that with my white and brown onions as well.
I have just started my seeds as I build two new 'Birdies' raised beds so they will be the first harvest in one of them.
PS Love your vids!!
Wonderful video, thanks!
About the onions grown in a competitive reddish environment, did you try to check on the taste and flavour. The "smaller" bulbs in my experience have tougher kick in the mouth and a strong flavour to them whenever I compared them with the larger bulbs. Greatest harvest and experimental .
Fantastic job
My parents always had us cut that flower stem off and let the onion grow more. And it worked for them. Now I am in the same situation as you in that I can't seem to get the big bulb onions I want.
when i was a grounds worker @ a college (20 yrs), we used milorgaite only in beds or meadows. told not to use for any food crops
I've learnt alot, enjoy listening.
Excellent job young Lady,bravo!😘😘😘😘😘👌👍👏✊
I've heard to plant tomatoes or peppers with onions to deter pests and create shade for the onions. That keeps them cool and keeps pests away from the other plants. Companion planting
Good for you !!! We are in north central Arkansas, hope I can get your results !
This year I tried Patterson, a long day onion, that a friend in NWAR (Becky @theseasonalhomestead) recommended. It did well for me in central Arkansas so it might be one to consider in northern AR.
Really informative, thankyou for your experiments and trials, so interesting. I'm in New Zealand, so I'm often unsure how to adjust to the differences in the US with a huge landmass, and tiny wee sub arctic, to subtropic NZ.
Great video. Those small onions would be great size for pickling. Blessings.
What part of Arkansas? I'm in central NC where we've traditionally been zone 7b but now I think we're more 8a. I buy sets from Dixondale Farms. They're wonderful and I decided to get only short day onions this time. It sounds like our springs are similar so I'll follow your clever tips to keep the soil cool :) And good discussion about giving them the space and nutrients they need. I had the same results trying to companion plant with them - maybe you saved me for this year! Thank you. And I'll be looking forward to a video on storage this fall :)
How dehydrate and freeze onions to make last would make a good video. Especially by beautiful you
Years ago, this company created Miloganite as a lawn fertilizer for golf greens. It did a great job of keeping the lawns very green. Then they had problems with people walking with bare feet on the wet lawns after they used the fertilizer. Tested it and found heavy metals because it's made from sewer sludge. I would recommend using bloodmeal for your nitrogen fix. I am a retired nurserymen. Unless they have cleaned up their produce. Should have CERTIFIED Organic stamp of approval on it.😊
Wow! I love organic gardners.
Ypu got a nice harvest and a good mix of varieties. Im right at the north edge of the intermediate day zone and have grown Candy onions for years. The amount of sunlight does make a big difference. The bulbs got way bigger with full day sun. I have been able to store candy onions for 6+ months. Started growing my onions from seed last year and doing it again this year. Used Dixondale before that.
I agree with the sunlight. It's best if the get all day sun. But I'm still having problems growing large onions. My cauliflower and broccoli grow really huge but onions not so much. I followed all of Dixendales recommendations for fertilization but didn't work last 3 years. I was told by someone locally that if you just put a 10-10-10 on them every time you go out to the garden you'll grow large bulbs I'm going to try that this year.
@@kansasgardener5844 For fertilizer, I use bonemeal at planting time then bloodmeal and/or alfalfa pellets every 2 to 3 weeks until they start to blub. I don't use any chemical fertilizers because of the impact it has on the soil microbes but that is my personnel choice. :)
I live in central Illinois and I own a small farm located iin a area with a creek flowing through the bottom ground.This ground is in what the call the hundred year flood plain.Up stream from my property the sewer plant for a small town of around 2500 residents is located.Each year the land was flooded more often, and as a result more sand was brought on the land surface.I have two large gardens in the area whhere the creek as a large bend causeing the water of the creek and flow over the ground,Several years ago I tilled the ground I had plowed and the land had a rain on it and I laid down a string and poked holes with a steel rod about ever four inches in the ground three inches deep and then took dixondale onion sets of several different varaties and puut one in each hole .A couple of days later a huge rain came and the creek left its bank and flooded the onion patch,I donot use any fettilizer and my weed control is a how and a David Bradley cultivator but the weeds always get the upper hand.The onion sets were pushed to thhe top of the ground by the water annd sand and I suspect the water had a healthy urine content from the Sanitary District but those unions took off and never looked back even though they had allot of weed competion.That year the majority of those onions were huge of four inches or more
I planted onion sets last year and they didn't do well at all, it was kind of sad. Thanks for posting.
Very informative!
We used to grow huge ones and one thing we used to do was to use lime with them when we planted the sets.
Try pickling some, they are amazing!
Great information! Subscribed
great job
thats awesome,,, Great job !!!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Wow you have nice bulbs
I've also used companion planting in the past with poor results. This year I am going to give them their own space.
thank you so much for the tips
try mexican bulb onions! closer to your climate and delicious!
I use the lawn mower to bag leaves, and lay the leaves maybe six inches thick to control leaves and hold moisture. This year I'm going to water more and add chicken waste to the soil before planting.
I harvest onions every year here in Vermont.long day of course. I experimented on storage.after drying I would put them in my cool dark basement for a month then put them in a small refrigerator at 45 degrees f. I can store them for 8 months. I just used my last one
Interesting! Thank you!