Onions can be grown from an onion by chopping the bottom of the onion off and planting it in the soil. It can take up to 90 – 120 days for it grows and requires patience, time with enough water. To grow onions from an onion, here is a step by step guide:
STEP 1- PREPARING AN ONION CUTTING
1) Chop the onion from the bottom: This is done by placing your onion on a cutting board and using a sharp knife to cut off the bottom and remove the outer peel. To grow a healthy onion, your onion piece should be about 1 in (2.5 cm) long. If you are planning on growing your onions indoors, any time of the year is okay. If outdoors, start your cuttings in early spring.
2) Leave the onion bottom out to dry for 12 – 24 hours: After chopping the onion, place it on a dry surface with the bottom facing upwards and let it dry out for up to 24 hours until it is calloused and dry.
3) Poke toothpicks into each side of the onion: Cut your onion bottom into four sides, and pome a toothpick halfway into each of them. Ensure the toothpicks are equally spaced apart for them to resemble an “X” in spacing.
5) Hang the onion over a small bowl of water: Get a bowl and fill it with water to the brim. Place the bowl on a flat surface. Set your onions in a way that the onions just touch the top of the water. Allow it to grow for 3 – 4 days. When you notice small, white roots growth at the bottom, proceed to plant the cuttings.
Ensure that the bowl’s diameter is less wide than the length of the toothpicks. For faster growth of the cuttings, the onion should be suspended near a sunny window and you can as well, place it outdoors.
Read also: Learn about the Onions Growing Stages
STEP 2- PLANTING YOUR ONION CUTTINGS
1) Fill a pot with well-draining soil: Get a pot and fill it halfway with well-draining soil. Your onion bottoms can also be planted outside if you have a garden with well-draining soil.
2) Place the onion cutting in the soil and fill the pot with soil: Position the onion in the center of the soil when the onion cutting grows white roots from the bottom. Proceed to fill the rest of the pot with soil over the onion until 1 – 2 in (2.5 cm – 5.1cm) from the top of the pot.
3) Water the onion cutting: Immediately after planting onions, water the onion cutting. This helps it adapt to its new environment and allows it to grow roots faster. Ensure you water it adequately but avoid excess watering.
4) After watering, spray nitrogen fertilizer into the soil: Onions grow well in soil with high nitrogen content. After watering, spray the soil with nitrogen fertilizer and mix it so as to provide your onion the nutrients required for its growth.
Tip: learn more about how long onions take to grow
STEP 3- CARING FOR YOUR ONION
- Give your onions adequate water for its healthy growth and for it to yield more onions. Ensure the soil is always moist.
- Weed regularly and avoid spraying weed killers around the onion as they can be harmful to the onions. Also check for small insects and other pests.
- Fertilize your onion every 2 weeks as this will help it grow large, healthy bulbs. Spray the onion plant at least two times a month with nitrogen-rich fertilizer until you notice that the onion plant’s bulb has started poking from the soil, then you can stop
- Once your onions start growing flowers, it is ready for harvest. Using a shovel, loosen the soil around your onion and pull your onion by the base of its green foliage in order to pull it out of the ground. Find more tips about growing onions here.
Conclusion
I hope you find this article helpful. I would like to hear from you. So, let me know if you have any questions about growing onions from onions. Also, learn how to grow onions in a plastic bottle.
