{"id":1668,"date":"2026-09-02T19:40:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T19:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/?p=1668"},"modified":"2026-09-09T20:59:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T20:59:13","slug":"grow-huge-onions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/grow-huge-onions\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Grow Huge Onions from Sets: Planting &#038; Care Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div class=\"kk-star-ratings kksr-auto kksr-align-left kksr-valign-top\"\n    data-payload='{&quot;align&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;1668&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;valign&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;ignore&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;reference&quot;:&quot;auto&quot;,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;count&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;legendonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;readonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;starsonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;best&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;gap&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;greet&quot;:&quot;Rate this&quot;,&quot;legend&quot;:&quot;0\\\/5 - (0 votes)&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;How to Grow Huge Onions from Sets: Planting \\u0026amp; Care Guide&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;_legend&quot;:&quot;{score}\\\/{best} - ({count} {votes})&quot;,&quot;font_factor&quot;:&quot;1.25&quot;}'>\n            \n<div class=\"kksr-stars\">\n    \n<div class=\"kksr-stars-inactive\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"1\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"2\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"3\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"4\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"5\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n<div class=\"kksr-stars-active\" style=\"width: 0px;\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                \n\n<div class=\"kksr-legend\" style=\"font-size: 19.2px;\">\n            <span class=\"kksr-muted\">Rate this<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<article class=\"gardening-guide\">\n<p class=\"author-meta\"><em>Author: Pomidoroved | Originally published: May 3, 2013<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"tldr-box\" style=\"background: #f4f9f4; padding: 20px; border-left: 5px solid #4CAF50; margin-bottom: 30px; border-radius: 4px;\">\n<h3>\ud83d\udccc Quick Summary (TL;DR)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Choosing Sets:<\/strong> Bigger is NOT better. Buy small onion sets (about 1 cm \/ 3\/8 inch). Large sets are prone to bolting (going to seed) instead of forming a bulb.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Storage:<\/strong> Store your sets in a dry, warm place (like a shoebox on top of a closet). Before planting, warm them up in the sun on a windowsill.<\/li>\n<li><strong>When to Plant:<\/strong> Don&#8217;t rush! Cold soil and spring frosts trigger bolting. Plant later in the spring (late May) when the soil is thoroughly warmed up. Wait until after cherry blossoms drop to avoid the Onion Fly.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Planting Depth:<\/strong> Do not bury the sets deep into cold soil. Plant them flush with the soil surface (or just 1-2 cm deep on sandy soils).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Harvesting:<\/strong> Harvest when the tops turn yellow. A pro trick: pull them slightly to snap the roots, then leave them in the ground for a few days to mature and dry out before bringing them under a roof.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>It has become something of a tradition here that almost everyone plants onion sets in their gardens in the spring. I don\u2019t know how things are in your region, but here, planting onions is practically a &#8220;ritual spring planting.&#8221; We do it in the hope that, come autumn, a beautiful, large onion bulb will form. Or, as they say, &#8220;at least we&#8217;ll have some green tops to pinch for a summer salad if the bulb doesn&#8217;t grow&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>No way! Let&#8217;s actually do everything in our power to grow a proper, large bulb, and not some mystery object that ends up being barely larger than the set we originally planted.<\/p>\n<h2>\ud83e\uddc5 Choosing Onion Sets<\/h2>\n<p>So much has been written and rewritten about this, but many people still buy the &#8220;biggest sets possible!&#8221; But there is a clear correlation between the size of the set and its desire to bolt (shoot up a flower stalk).<\/p>\n<p>The optimal size of the little bulb should be 1 cm (3\/8 inch) or slightly less. The larger ones, bought at markets and stores, were likely stored haphazardly and will most likely flower. But the tiny bulbs, even if stored in poor conditions, will want to grow a bit more before they even think about flowering.<\/p>\n<p>The best approach is to buy sets as early as possible\u2014preferably in the fall\u2014and store them yourself. Then you have a much better chance of getting bulbs instead of flower stalks.<\/p>\n<h3>\ud83d\udce6 How to Store Onion Sets?<\/h3>\n<p>It&#8217;s actually very simple. Let&#8217;s assume you, having read smart articles on our site (hehe), decided to get your sets in the fall, or at least in early spring.<\/p>\n<p>Take the time to sort through the purchased bulbs. Remove the rotten, empty, and damaged ones. The remaining ones store perfectly in a shoebox somewhere on top of a closet (it&#8217;s usually warm and dry there). Just don&#8217;t put them in the kitchen\u2014kitchens are usually too humid.<\/p>\n<p>It wouldn&#8217;t hurt to look into the box once or twice a month and shuffle the onions around\u2014just in case one of them has started to rot.<\/p>\n<p>Before planting, spread the sets in a thin layer on a sunny windowsill so they can be absolutely sure that their growing conditions will be comfortable\u2014dry and warm. Then, in August, they will surely reward you with a large, juicy onion that brings a tear to your eye.<\/p>\n<h2>\u23f1\ufe0f Planting Dates: Don&#8217;t Rush!<\/h2>\n<p>Onions aren&#8217;t afraid of frost and will happily turn green even after fairly severe morning freezes. Therefore, those who don&#8217;t know the consequences of such treatment often rush to plant onions early\u2014to get it out of the way, so to speak, so they won&#8217;t be distracted from more important tasks (like planting potatoes \ud83d\ude04).<\/p>\n<p>But there is one big &#8220;BUT&#8221;. An onion that gets hit by frost, or even just a prolonged cold spell (several days with temperatures below +5\u00b0C \/ 41\u00b0F), will reward you with a fat flower stalk by June. Do you need that? Probably not. So, tip number one\u2014plant onions later, in the second half of May, or even in early June. The warmer the soil and air, the better!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pest Note:<\/strong> There is another important factor. One of the most unpleasant pests that damage onion patches is the Onion Fly (Delia antiqua). The fly&#8217;s first spring flight, followed by egg-laying, roughly coincides with the blooming of cherry trees. So if you can hold out, plant your onions a week after the cherries finish blooming. This is usually the very end of May or early June.<\/p>\n<h2>\u26cf\ufe0f How and Where to Plant<\/h2>\n<p>Herein lies the second catch that prevents our coveted large bulb from growing. People plant them however they see fit: some do the &#8220;finger method&#8221;\u2014they take a set and push it into the ground with their finger to the full depth of said finger. Others do even worse\u2014they poke holes in the ground with a shovel handle or some stick and chuck the bulbs in there&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>None of this yields a positive result. First, deep down, the earth is cold and damp, and our onion loves to warm its sides in the sun. Second, a bulb squeezed from the top and sides won&#8217;t puff up much; it will slowly push out green tops but will be too lazy to grow wide.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So how do you plant them correctly?<\/strong> Very simply\u2014so that the top of the bulb is flush with the soil level, without burying it. On light, dry, sandy soils, you can bury it another centimeter or two (an inch), but no deeper.<\/p>\n<h2>\ud83c\udf31 What Kind of Soil Do Onions Like?<\/h2>\n<p>According to all the gardening rules and canons, onions should love sand. And it&#8217;s quite likely that they do. For someone. Somewhere. I suffered for several years on a classic sandy garden bed. I added lots of wood ash, deoxidized it, added humus, this and that&#8230; The bed was a sight to behold. And practically everything grew there, except onions&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>As soon as I moved the onion bed to loam (clay-loam soil), the onions took off without any shamanic dances with tambourines.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, Potassium\u2014in the form of wood ash or other potassium fertilizers\u2014is mandatory. Additionally, onions prefer a soil pH close to neutral. If you have acidic soil, lime or wood ash will help.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You don&#8217;t need much Nitrogen.<\/strong> The best nitrogen fertilizer is humus or compost, applied &#8220;by eye, but in moderation.&#8221; If you overfeed with nitrogen, the onion will again push green tops at the expense of the bulb.<\/p>\n<p>It doesn&#8217;t hurt to mulch the bed so the soil doesn&#8217;t dry out. Otherwise, you&#8217;ll have to water the onions. If you mulch, the earth under the layer remains moist, and watering isn&#8217;t strictly necessary. Keep in mind that onions grown in dry soil are usually spicier in taste and smaller in size, but they store very well.<\/p>\n<h2>\ud83e\uddfa When to Harvest and How to Store?<\/h2>\n<p>You shouldn&#8217;t delay the harvest. It&#8217;s very easy to see when it&#8217;s time\u2014all the tops turn yellow. If the tops have already turned brown or completely disappeared, you are clearly late.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong> To improve the ripening and shelf life of the onion, at the time when the tops are just beginning to turn yellow (in late July or maybe early August), slightly pull the onion up from the ground. Once you hear the characteristic crack of tearing roots, don&#8217;t pull any further. Let the bulb &#8220;finish ripening&#8221; for a few more days.<\/p>\n<p>It is highly desirable for the weather to be dry during this time. Harvesting onions in the rain isn&#8217;t necessarily terrible\u2014you can dry the crop later under a canopy (and you must do this anyway). It&#8217;s just that in the rain there will be a lot of mud, and there is a chance that someone might get too lazy to dry the onions properly, and they will rot in storage later.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<hr style=\"margin: 40px 0; border: 0; border-top: 1px solid #ccc;\" \/>\n<h3>Community Q&amp;A and Comments<\/h3>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/set_resources_5\/84c1e40ea0e759e3f1505eb1788ddf3c_default_photo.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Alexey0027<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 June 23, 2013<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Good afternoon, I completely agree about the loam, it really is easier to grow onions there. But I have one problem. I plant my sets in the fall (for overwintering), and in my loamy soil, when the onion starts to root, it pushes off with its roots and pops out of the ground. When I saw this in the spring, I thought neighbors or crows were picking at them, but noticing that the bulbs I pushed back in kept popping out again, I realized they were doing it themselves. How do I solve this problem? I dig the beds deep, a full spade&#8217;s depth, and the earth is always soft.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/set_resources_5\/84c1e40ea0e759e3f1505eb1788ddf3c_default_photo.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Sergey<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 June 19, 2017<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>We have the same thing happen with garlic (frost heave). They say that for winter planting, you need to plant them deeper. Almost a spade&#8217;s depth. Haven&#8217;t tried it yet though.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/set_resources_5\/84c1e40ea0e759e3f1505eb1788ddf3c_default_photo.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Sergey<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 June 19, 2017<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Regarding harvesting onions, I read that it&#8217;s best to pull them strictly according to the lunar calendar. Regardless of the weather. Just dry them longer if it&#8217;s damp outside.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2024_04\/Screenshot_20240414-213044_2_11zon.thumb.jpg.e6dfabb6228753e862c2b10213ebe264.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">mopsdad1 <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (1,363 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 April 17, 2019<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>We plant onions in early April. Sometimes they get hit by late spring frosts. No bolting (arrows) at all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_12\/27838_1.thumb.jpg.0d4efa4b45465fdab7fc128df356278c.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Ninulia <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (33,132 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 April 17, 2019<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>Sergey wrote:<\/strong><br \/>\nRegarding harvesting onions, I read that it&#8217;s best to pull them strictly according to the lunar calendar. Regardless of the weather.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Sergey, without reading anything, just from my own experience, I can tell you: you need to harvest when the onion is mature! And whether it&#8217;s wet or dry just means you&#8217;ll have to put in more effort to dry it. An onion matures based on weather conditions, favorable or not, and not based on the lunar calendar!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_07\/PSX_20190730_225311.thumb.jpg.8e52de181d390e6fd6ee1917b6eefc43.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">GreenMen <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (2,162 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 June 4, 2019<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Regarding nitrogen, there are nuances. You cannot fully replace nitrogen with just humus\/compost. Onions need nitrogen in the first month to month-and-a-half after planting, but compost initially <em>takes<\/em> nitrogen from the soil (for the decomposition processes) and only starts releasing it in the middle of summer. On sandy soils, humus acts more as a moisture-retaining additive.<\/p>\n<p>If you apply compost in the fall, it will be more beneficial. It will have time to decompose and mineralize. If you apply it in the spring, you may face nitrogen starvation due to an excess of raw organic matter in the soil.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s better to provide actual nitrogen fertilizers:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Ammonium nitrate<\/li>\n<li>Ammonium sulfate<\/li>\n<li>Potassium nitrate<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>It&#8217;s best to choose according to the soil type. If the soil is acidic, try to avoid ammonium forms of nitrogen and use calcium and potassium nitrate. If the soil is alkaline or neutral, you can use potassium nitrate mixed with ammonium nitrate as a top dressing. Or ammonium sulfate during soil preparation.<\/p>\n<p>Urea is not the best option as a nitrogen source. Its absorption by plants depends on the microbiological activity of the soil, and urea can quickly turn into ammonia and cause plant toxicity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/set_resources_5\/84c1e40ea0e759e3f1505eb1788ddf3c_default_photo.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Genrietta<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 October 26, 2020<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Eat such chemically stuffed onions yourself. You can buy them cheaply in the store and not break your back over a garden bed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/set_resources_5\/84c1e40ea0e759e3f1505eb1788ddf3c_default_photo.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Nadya<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 January 2, 2021<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>Genrietta wrote:<\/strong><br \/>\nEat such chemically stuffed onions yourself. You can buy them cheaply in the store&#8230;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Nowadays you can&#8217;t grow anything without chemicals, and if you treat them yourself, at least you know when, how, and with what. But in the store, you might buy something that was treated just yesterday and sold immediately because there are very few honest people left. My neighbor grows tomatoes for sale and walks around with a sprayer all summer long.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img style=\"background: #c46e62;\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Irinabog3 <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf31 Vegetable Grower (298 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 January 6, 2021<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>From my experience of getting good onions:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Soak the sets for half an hour in a mild disinfecting solution.\u00a0<em>(Note: The author used a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate, which is a traditional Russian method. In the US, a mild solution of hydrogen peroxide or chamomile tea works perfectly for this).<\/em>\u00a0Then rinse and leave in warm water overnight&#8230;.<\/li>\n<li>Plant according to the weather, when stable above-freezing temperatures are established.<\/li>\n<li>The soil must be loose and nutritious. Plant in rows that have been well-watered (just the rows, not the whole space). I cover them on top with a centimeter or so (1\/2 inch) of dryish soil from between the furrows and pat it down slightly. So there is just a tiny bit of soil over the bulbs. <strong>I plant them by alternating rows with carrots (companion planting).<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Water a couple of times a season with a fermented manure tea; before the rains in mid-summer, I dust them with wood ash.<\/li>\n<li>Any weeds I pull from the onions, I leave in the inter-rows\u2014it builds up a pretty good layer of mulch.<\/li>\n<li>Harvest in dry weather when the tops have mostly died back and dried up. Some bulbs mature earlier, and I start pulling them in the summer for salads or canning, so the remaining ones mature more or less evenly.<\/li>\n<li>Good watering, even if less frequent but thorough, and planting must be with enough spacing for the bulb to grow. For me, that&#8217;s about 10-12 cm (4-5 inches) apart, with only three rows in a bed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">T<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Tatyana123415 <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf31 Beginner (44 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 February 24, 2021<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Can you plant onions from seeds (not the Exhibition variety) directly into the open ground??<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_03\/114.thumb.jpg.d8e37ab8198605b69cd53f8b49a2e3e4.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Olechnaya <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf31 Vegetable Grower (144 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 March 18, 2021<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I gave up on onion sets completely. I switched to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/growing-onions-from-seed\/\">growing onions in a single year from seeds<\/a> by starting transplants indoors. It turns out much cheaper. If you buy sets, the final cost of the grown onion ends up being the same as buying them at the store.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2020_01\/photo_2019-07-05_18-21-24-22.thumb.jpg.7e171aed3036f525272ce4d2ccdd3110.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Prostoy chainik (Newbie) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (1,987 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 March 21, 2021<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>My sets, bought in the fall, have somewhat dried up and shriveled\u2014especially the ones mentioned in the article: &#8220;The optimal size of the bulb should be 1 cm or slightly less.&#8221; The onions are lying in a shoebox in a dry and warm place, and it seems to me they are drying out. Is it supposed to be like this?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2020_01\/1397159046_.thumb.jpg.2abd8a1f2bd098a32b9041cb00d5da06.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Pnz2019 <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf31 Vegetable Grower (249 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 January 10, 2022<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>My sets also sit in a shoebox with newspaper underneath. They seem to store well and always survive until planting. The temperature in the storage spot is +19-20\u00b0C (66-68\u00b0F). I keep them away from the heating radiators.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_02\/Ar8468.thumb.jpg.be9f0fcadba8d346ee7e4ee6d7b4dc03.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">tomatinka <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (3,802 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 March 29, 2022<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Here, onions up to 1 cm (3\/8 in) in diameter are called &#8220;ovsyuzhok&#8221; (wild oat size). It&#8217;s better to plant them before winter. Which is what we do. But regarding the size of the sets for spring planting&#8230; I don&#8217;t know. One year I bought several different varieties. The ones that were larger when planted ended up growing into larger bulbs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img style=\"background: #62a3c4;\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">webzepa <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf31 Beginner (0 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 January 16, 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Good afternoon, can you plant onions from seeds directly into the open ground??<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_12\/27838_1.thumb.jpg.0d4efa4b45465fdab7fc128df356278c.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Ninulia <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (33,132 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 January 16, 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>webzepa wrote:<\/strong><br \/>\nGood afternoon, can you plant onions from seeds directly into the open ground??<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>If you&#8217;re starting straight from seeds (which we call &#8220;chernushka&#8221; or black seeds), it&#8217;s better to grow them as transplants. Sow them indoors in March and grow them until planting out in May. Perhaps only very early varieties can be direct-sown into the ground, and probably mostly in southern regions.<\/p>\n<p>This thread specifically discusses growing from <em>sets<\/em>\u2014these are tiny bulbs obtained by sowing seeds very densely in a bed. They are stored over the winter and planted early in the spring directly into the ground.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2018_12\/image.thumb.jpeg.1a95e7ffdeb0df3a78f232d3436703a0.jpeg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Sibiryachka <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (1,111 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 February 14, 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Yes, here (in the South\/Zone 7+), we successfully grow them from seeds in one season. Even late onion varieties.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2020_03\/image.thumb.jpg.068ef9d1f55499aff82b419582c29130.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Ovechka <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (4,943 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 February 16, 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Alright, let&#8217;s do it then. We will grow them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2025_04\/befdb3e4cee2e55e9fba507d3063d2ea.thumb.jpg.bd39a631f8a6f6996bd70b02806afa9d.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Ural i Zauralye <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (836 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 March 1, 2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I live in the Urals (Zone 3-4), and I plant seeds directly as soon as the bed thaws a couple of centimeters (in the last ten days of April). Only the onion &#8220;loop&#8221; (when it first sprouts) is afraid of frost (I cover it until it straightens up). After that, it can easily survive a cold snap down to -5\u00b0C (23\u00b0F). They grow to 60-100 grams (2-3.5 oz). There are some tiny ones that germinated late, but not many. And you must use early or mid-season onion varieties, of course.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border-radius: 50%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2024_04\/Screenshot_20240414-213044_2_11zon.thumb.jpg.e6dfabb6228753e862c2b10213ebe264.jpg\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">mopsdad1 <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (1,363 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udcc5 May 10, 2025<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I grow the &#8216;Exhibition&#8217; (Ailsa Craig type) onion from indoor transplants. I sow them in late January. Plant them out in late April or early May. The bulb grows up to 1 kg (2.2 lbs). This year, I also planted a white variety from the &#8220;Partner&#8221; seed company via transplants.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Author: Pomidoroved | Originally published: May 3, 2013 \ud83d\udccc Quick Summary (TL;DR) Choosing Sets: Bigger is NOT better. Buy small onion sets (about 1 cm \/ 3\/8 inch). Large sets are prone to bolting (going to seed) instead of forming a bulb. Storage: Store your sets in a dry, warm place (like a shoebox on &#8230; <a title=\"How to Grow Huge Onions from Sets: Planting &#038; Care Guide\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/grow-huge-onions\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How to Grow Huge Onions from Sets: Planting &#038; Care Guide\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1668,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[645],"tags":[559,561,560],"class_list":["post-1668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-onion-and-garlic","tag-growing-onions","tag-onion-seeds","tag-onion-sets"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1668"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1670,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1668\/revisions\/1670"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}