Ruqayyah Snyder
Onions are a staple in most kitchens and are surprisingly easy to grow at home. In Western Australia, onions thrive in the cool, wet winter weather and produce their bulbs in the hot summer. They can be grown from seeds or seedlings, and it is important to ensure they are well-watered until their bulbs are formed. The appropriate variety should be chosen for the climatic zone, and they should be planted in a sunny, open position with well-drained, alkaline soil.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Best time to plant onion seeds or seedlings | Autumn, especially in warmer areas |
| Soil type | Sweet, around 6.5 pH, alkaline, high in organic matter |
| Soil preparation | Digging in animal manure or compost |
| Sowing depth | 6mm deep |
| Spacing | 10-15cm apart in rows 20-30cm apart |
| Watering | Well-watered until bulbs are formed |
| Harvesting | When the leaves dry out and fall over |
| Storage | In a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot |
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What You'll Learn
Best time to plant onion seeds or seedlings in Western Australia
In Western Australia, onions can be planted from autumn through to winter. In warmer areas of Western Australia, autumn is the best time to start planting onion seeds or seedlings because onions need a long cool growing season to develop well. In cold areas, onions can be sown progressively from April to September.
Onions like a cool, wet growing period to establish themselves and then produce their bulbs during the hot summer weather. They do well in the Western Australian climate, but they need to be kept well-watered until their bulbs are formed.
Onion seeds should be sprinkled gently onto the soil and covered lightly. Seeds should be sown every 4 weeks to prolong the harvest. Once they are established, they will need to be thinned according to the spacing guidelines found on the seed packet.
Bought seedlings should be planted as soon as possible and given a good watering to help them settle in. When planting seedlings, add a small amount of organic bone meal to each hole.
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Preparing the soil for planting onions
Onions thrive in well-drained soil enriched with plenty of organic matter. They prefer a slightly alkaline soil with a pH of around 6.5. Work some lime into the soil to sweeten it and add calcium and magnesium. Dolomite lime is a good option. You can also add aged animal manure or compost to the soil. Sheep or cow manure is ideal.
Before planting, prepare the soil by weeding it thoroughly, digging it over to loosen it, and adding your chosen soil amendments. Keep the area free of weeds until planting. You can also add a small amount of organic bone meal to each hole when planting seedlings.
Onions do not like too much nitrogen, so be careful not to over-fertilise. They prefer a cooler, wetter growing period to establish themselves and then produce their bulbs during hot summer weather. In Western Australia, plant onions in autumn to take advantage of the cool, wet winter weather.
If you are planting seeds, dig a narrow furrow and sprinkle the seeds gently onto the soil. Cover them lightly with a seed-raising mix, ensuring they are not planted too deeply (about 6mm deep). Keep the soil moist.
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How to sow onion seeds
In Western Australia, onions thrive in the autumn, benefiting from the cool, wet winter weather to establish themselves before producing their bulbs in the hot summer.
When it comes to sowing onion seeds, there are a few key steps to follow. Firstly, prepare your soil by mixing in some dolomite lime to sweeten it and adding calcium and magnesium. Onions prefer a slightly alkaline soil with a pH of around 6.5. You should also add organic matter such as aged animal manure or compost to the soil. Choose a location that receives plenty of sun—at least six hours of full sun each day.
Once your soil is ready, it's time to sow the seeds. You can either sprinkle the seeds gently onto the soil and cover them lightly, or you can dig a narrow furrow, place the seeds in, and then cover them with a small amount of soil. Onion seeds should not be planted too deeply—around 6mm deep is sufficient.
To prolong the harvest, sow seeds every four weeks. Once the seedlings reach about 10cm in height, you can transplant them into pots or the ground, spacing them about 10cm apart. Keep the seedlings well-watered and feed them with liquid plant food every couple of weeks to encourage healthy growth.
Onions typically need about six months in the ground before they are ready to harvest. You'll know they're ready when the leaves start to yellow and wilt.
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How to care for onion seedlings
In Western Australia, Autumn is the best time to start planting onion seeds or seedlings, especially in warmer areas, as onions require a long, cool growing season.
Onion seedlings should be transplanted into the garden in early spring when the soil is workable, around 2 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost. Before transplanting, it is important to harden off the young plants for at least a week. Choose a spot in full sun that receives plenty of sunlight and prepare the soil by mixing in some fertiliser. Dig a narrow furrow, around 6mm deep, and sow the seedlings. Space them 10cm apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Water the seedlings well and feed every couple of weeks with liquid plant food to encourage healthy growth.
Onions prefer well-drained soil of a pH of around 6.5, which is slightly on the sweeter side. To achieve this, fill a jar halfway with sand and add your seeds, then top up the jar with dolomite lime. This will help to sweeten the soil with added calcium and magnesium. You can also use a technique called banding fertiliser, where you create deep planting trenches and line them with rich compost or organic fertiliser.
Mulching with straw between rows can help retain moisture and stifle weeds. It is important to foster healthy foliage growth to ensure the plants have enough energy to form large bulbs. Fertilise every few weeks with nitrogen to encourage bulb growth, stopping once the bulbing process has started.
You do not have to wait for all the onion bulbs to reach full size before harvesting. You can pick and use smaller bulbs and leave the rest to grow. When the leaves begin to yellow and wilt, it is time to harvest. Pull the onions out of the ground gently, being careful not to bruise them, and cut the leaves a few centimetres above the bulb. Leave them in a warm, sunny spot to dry out. Once the skins and roots are dry, they can be stored in a cool, dry place.
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How to know when onions are ready to harvest
Onions can be harvested as soon as they reach your desired size. You can also harvest them for storage when the leaves dry out and fall over. To harvest, gently dig the bulbs up and remove them from the soil. Leave them in a sunny, well-ventilated spot to cure for up to two weeks. You’ll know they’re finished curing once the skin is papery, and the roots and leaves are dry. Once they are cured, brush the dirt off them and remove the dead stems, leaves and roots. Alternatively, keep the leaves on and plait them to hang for storage.
Onions should be stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot and kept away from direct sunlight. Do not store any onions that are damaged or mouldy. Instead, use these first.
You don't have to wait for all the onion bulbs to be full-sized before harvesting. You can pick and use smaller bulbs and leave the rest to grow bigger.
In Western Australia, onions can be harvested and used right through the growing season, first as spring onions and later as onion bulbs. If you want to store your onions, leave them in the ground and only harvest once the leaves start to fall over.
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Frequently asked questions
In Western Australia, onions should be planted in autumn so they can establish themselves during the cool, wet winter before producing bulbs in the hot summer.
Onions prefer a slightly alkaline soil with a pH of around 6.5. The soil should be well-drained and full of organic matter but not overly rich. You can add lime to the soil to increase alkalinity and dig in animal manure or compost to add organic matter.
Onion seeds should be planted very shallowly, only around 6mm deep.
Onions need a lot of water until their bulbs are formed, so be sure to keep the soil moist. Towards the end of the growing season, allow the soil to dry out to prevent rot.
You can harvest onions at any size you are happy with. To store onions long-term, wait until the leaves dry out and fall over, then gently dig up the bulbs and leave them in a sunny spot to cure for up to two weeks. Once the skin is papery and the roots and leaves are dry, brush off any remaining dirt and trim the dead stems, leaves, and roots.
