How to Select Yellow Onion Sets
Since onion sets are already one-year-old, they produce onions the first year you plant them. When you choose your yellow onion bulbs, select the small ones. If the onion bulbs are too large, they tend to bolt, which prevents them from forming large onion bulbs for curing. If you’re growing onions for their onion tops, known as scallions, then you can use larger bulbs for that purpose.
How to Plant Yellow Onion Sets
The methods for planting yellow onion sets are the same for red onions and transplants, as well. You can begin planting sets from the beginning of April to the beginning of May. Follow these steps for planting your onion bulbs:
- Choose a garden site that has full sun for up to eight hours per day.
- Turn over your garden to loosen up any packed down soil.
- Rake the soil with a stone rake.
- Remove any rocks, roots and other debris to make a fine soil.
- Smooth out the garden surface, so it’s level.
- Use the corner of a hoe to dig furrows that are 1 to 1.5-inches deep and 1 to 1.5-feet apart.
- Set the bulbs 2 to 3-inches apart in the furrows.
- Cover the onion bulbs with a light coating of soil, so that the onion tops poke through the soil.
- Water weekly during the springtime and more often in the summer.
- Weed the garden when the weeks reach up to 3-inches tall.
Harvesting Yellow Onions
Your yellow onions are ready to harvest when the onion stems fall over and start to dry out. When this happens, gently pull your bulbs out of the soil. Let them sit on top of the soil to dry out in the sun. It can take up to two weeks for the onion bulbs to cure completely.
If your weather forecast predicts rain, remove the bulbs from the garden and store them in a well-ventilated, dry area.
Storing Yellow Onions
Once your onion bulbs dry out, sort through them and remove any that are injured or soft. Store the bulbs in mesh bags, slatted crates or any container that has good air circulation. Keep the onions in an area with a temperature of 32° (0°C) to 50°F (10°C).
