If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. This age-old proverb is a fitting motto for the Peed family, who first started growing yellow onions on their farm, Flatland Ag, Inc., near Aurora in the early ’90s. Though the Peeds had been farming other crops, such as corn and soybeans, for more than 100 years, this one posed more challenges than they’d encountered before: weed control, lack of proper machinery and labor-intensive hand-harvesting, to name a few. So they put onions on the back burner for a while – with every intention of trying again.
“We said we’d get back into them when we had the capital to buy the equipment for a mechanical harvest,” says Jeff Peed, a fourth-generation farmer who runs the family operation with his wife, Barbara; his father, Floyd; and his brother, Scott.
When they planted onions again in 2008, their circumstances looked much different. It was a big investment up front to obtain the planting and harvesting equipment necessary to have a successful onion crop, Peed says, yet it was the only way to be successful. “There’s such a top-to-bottom integration of parts, you can’t just pick one part and say, ‘I’ll start by getting this,’ ” he says.
Onions are a versatile vegetable that can be grown successfully in home gardens across North Carolina. With the right techniques, North Carolina’s climate is ideal for producing large, flavorful bulbs. This complete guide provides tips and best practices for growing onions in NC, covering topics like:
Selecting the Best Onion Varieties
Choosing the right onion variety is key to maximizing yields in NC. Short-day varieties like Texas Grano, Granex, and 1015Y onion are recommended, as they bulb with 10-12 hours of daylight. Other top options include Juno, Sweet Sandwich, and Sweet Winter. Consider disease resistance, storage ability, and flavor.
When to Plant Onions in North Carolina
Timing matters! Onions can be planted in either spring or fall in NC,
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Fall planting Mid-September to late October Allows bulbs to size up before winter,
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Spring planting: Mid-January to end of February. Avoid bolting in warm weather.
Many gardeners start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before transplanting.
Preparing the Soil
Onions need nutrient-rich well-drained soil
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Test soil pH and amend to between 6.0-7.0 if needed.
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Work compost into beds to improve fertility and drainage.
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Consider raised beds for improved drainage.
Planting Methods
You can grow onions from seeds, sets, or transplants:
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Seeds: Offer variety but take longer. Sow 1⁄2-3⁄4 inches deep.
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Sets: Quick but may bolt. Place 1-2 inches deep.
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Transplants: Fast growth but limited variety. Plant 4-6 inches apart.
Caring for Onions
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Fertilize with balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 before planting and side dress with nitrogen once established.
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Water deeply and consistently, about 1-1.5 inches per week.
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Weed thoroughly – onions hate competition!
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Use insecticidal soap, crop rotation to prevent pests like thrips.
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Address diseases like downy mildew quickly.
Harvesting Onions
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Harvest when 75% of tops fall over and necks are tight.
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Loosen soil with fork, then lift bulbs gently.
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Cure bulbs in sunny, dry area for 2-3 weeks until necks are papery.
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Cut tops to 1 inch, trim roots, and store in cool, dry place.
Storing Onions
Cured onions can last 6-8 months if stored properly:
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Optimal storage conditions are 32-40°F with 65-70% humidity.
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Use mesh bags or old pantyhose for air circulation.
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Avoid stacking bulbs too closely or exposing to light.
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Check regularly and use any sprouting bulbs first.
With the right variety selections, planting times, care, and harvesting methods, North Carolina gardens can produce bountiful onion crops. Follow these tips to grow your best onion harvest yet!
The Difficulty of Growing Onions
Growing onions is “not for the faint of heart,” Peed says, as he knows firsthand. Though the crop is in the ground 75 percent of the year, there’s not a month that goes by that they aren’t in the field tending to the onions.
“We call them our baby crop because they take nine months to mature,” Peed says.
To get ready for planting in the fall, they first till the soil until it’s very fine, then plant eight lines of onions using a Beck Precision Planter sourced from Oregon. Pulled behind a tractor, the planter does three beds at a time – it’s slow going, taking about three days to seed 75 acres of onions. The Peeds use direct seed (which makes up about half of their total growing cost), and each one is spaced 4 inches apart and staggered.
A weed-control program is a crucial part of the growing process, which can be quite challenging, partially because chemicals are less effective in the winter.
Harvest time is signified when about half of the onion tops have fallen over. The Peeds use a special piece of equipment that looks similar to a potato harvester, but doesn’t go in the ground. It lifts the onions up, packs the soil back down and lays them on top of the bed to dry for two or three days. Then they pick them up with the harvester and put them in box bins to cure (dry) the necks of the onions so they don’t rot. Once the onions are properly dry, they run through a grading line, are dumped into a hopper that slices off the remaining tops, and are brushed and sized to be bagged.
Inner Banks Soil Ideal for Onions
The Peed family first got the idea to plant onions from a North Carolina State University researcher named Doug Sanders, who thought yellow onions would grow well in the rich soil of eastern North Carolina. Sanders obtained seed he believed could work there, and about a dozen farmers in the area tried them.
“Finding varieties that would overwinter here was the most difficult part,” Peed says, “but he was right – you can grow good onions here.”
The all-purpose Tough Ball onion, “a sweet onion with flavor,” Peed says, is the main variety they grow at Flatland Ag, Inc. They plant in late September and harvest in late May or early June, so the onions winter in the ground. Ideal growing conditions are a warm fall so they get off to a good start and no temperatures below 25 degrees. Aurora’s coastal location usually means the weather doesn’t get too cold, though it doesn’t always work out that way. Peed says he remembers having a dozen or so test plots the first year to see what would survive the winter.
“It was frustrating at first,” he says. “We’d get one hard freeze and the next day, [the onions] would be all flopped over.”
6 Tips To Grow The BIGGEST Onions EVER!
FAQ
What month do you plant onions in North Carolina?
Direct seeding for bulb onion production is done in the early fall. In the Coastal Plain of the Carolinas, the seed can be planted directly into prepared beds from mid-September to mid-October and from mid-January to the end of February. Sow seed about 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep with about 8 to 12 seeds per ft.
What not to plant next to onions?
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Asparagus:Onions can inhibit the growth of asparagus by competing for nutrients and possibly introducing pests that target both plants.
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Beans and Peas:Onions can stunt the growth of these crops and also negatively affect their flavor.
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Sage:Sage releases chemicals that can hinder onion growth, making them incompatible companions.
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Other Alliums:While onions generally get along well with other members of the allium family (like garlic and chives), it’s best to give them some space, as planting them too close together can increase the risk of pest and disease spread.
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Fennel and Kohlrabi:Onions release essential oils that are not good for the growth and health of kohlrabi and cabbage.
Do onions grow better in full sun or shade?
All onions require full sun for the best growth. Overcast skies and cool temperatures during the growing season will delay bulb formation.
How do you grow onions in North Carolina?
It may be grown either by seeding directly in the field, or by setting transplants. North Carolina growers have an excellent market opportunity in June and July when very few onions are available. Yield will range from 400 to 800 (50-pound) sacks per acre depending on the year and cultural practices.
When is the best time to grow onions in North Carolina?
North Carolina growers have an excellent market opportunity in June and July when very few onions are available. Yield will range from 400 to 800 (50-pound) sacks per acre depending on the year and cultural practices. A premium is paid for large onions during our harvest season.
What types of onion grow well in North Carolina?
Recently, long-day and intermediate-day-type onion varieties have been developed that are well-adapted to North Carolina conditions. They all have been very resistant to bolting and have produced good yields of large bulbs when overwintered. Some of the varieties overwinter very well. Table 1. Recommended varieties for Eastern North Carolina.
When is the best time to grow onions?
Onions grow best during cool weather and are usually planted in the fall. Gardeners should target now through March for setting out bulb onions and February though March for planting green onions.
When should you plant onions in a new year?
Onions grow best during cool weather and are usually planted in the fall. The business of a new year is an excellent time to sort through seed catalogs and make your wish list for this year’s garden, but do not cross onions off the list just yet, there is still time.
How do you plant onions?
Onions may be planted in one of the following ways: Planting the seed directly in the field and thinning to the proper stand. Seed should be sown in late fall or early spring (Sept. 10 – Oct. 15 or Jan. 15 – Feb. 25) about 1 ⁄ 2 – to 3 ⁄ 4 -inch deep with about 8 to 12 seeds per foot of row.