Growing onions in Maine can be challenging . A short growing time of year makes the timing of engraft vital . Planting Allium cepa at the incorrect time can lead to stunted growth and a diminished harvest . To get the most out of your onion plant crop in Maine , it ’s of import to understand the singular growing consideration and plant at an optimum sentence . Most gardener will want to initiate their seeds indoors to get a leap start up on the season . There are a number of way to battle Maine ’s mood to grow premium onions .
Good Onion Varieties to Grow Maine
Onions are a popular vegetable crop among gardener due to their versatility in the kitchen and the simplicity with which they can be grown . There are numerous varieties of onions , each with its unique characteristics and utilisation .
Here are some of the more popular onion plant varieties that gardeners wish to produce :
Overall , each onion plant variety has its singular flavor profile and culinary habit , give them a popular and versatile crop for gardeners .
When to Plant Onions in Maine
Onions are a coolheaded - season crop that can be engraft in the spring as before long as the stain can be cultivate . The exact planting time will depart calculate on your location and clime , but generally , onions should be establish about 2 - 4 weeks before the last expected frost day of the month in your orbit . The onion planting dates in Maine are :
Additional Resource : Find Your Maine Hardiness Zone
Before planting onions , it ’s essential to prepare the dirt by loosen it to a depth of 4 - 6 inches and incorporate compost or well - rotted manure . Onions choose well - draining dirt with a pH between 6.0 - 7.0 .
To plant onion readiness , which are little onion bulb , make a crease about 1 column inch deep , plant the sets 4 - 6 inches apart , and incubate them with soil . For onion come , sow them about 1/4 inch deep and 1 in aside , and cover them with filth . Water the dirt thoroughly after imbed , and keep the soil moist until the seedlings emerge .
onion get best in full sun and require consistent moisture to produce quality bulb . They also profit from regular fecundation throughout the uprise time of year . Weed dominance is of the essence , so keep the area around the plants free of weeds .
In conclusion , onions should be planted in the spring , 2 - 4 week before the last have a bun in the oven Robert Frost escort in your area . Prepare the soil , plant the exercise set or seeds , water system the well , and keep the domain free of weeds . With proper care , you could savour a bountiful harvest time of scrumptious onion plant in the summertime and fall .
Planting Onions From Seed
Allium cepa can be grown from seed , but it take longer than constitute onion set or starts . It ’s recommend to plant onion starts rather than seed because onion seeds take a longer meter to spud and grow , and the plants may not mature as uniformly as onion sets .
However , planting onion from come can be a good option if you want to grow a specific variety that is n’t usable as sets or starts . Planting onion plant seeds can also be more cost - efficacious than purchasing set or starts .
If you settle to plant onion from seed , you should start the source indoors 8 - 10 weeks before the last expected Robert Frost date in your area . If you determine to found onions from seed , you should start the seeds indoors 8 - 10 weeks before the last expected frost date in your area . The last frost dates in Maine are :
In Maine , start your seeds indoors in around :
To set out onion come indoors , fill seed tray with a near lineament seed - starting mix , and sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil . get across the seeds with a lean layer of dirt , water the tray , and keep it in a warm , bright localization . Onion seeds demand a consistent temperature of 65 - 75 ° F to germinate , so you may need to use a heat mat or grow light to assert the right conditions .
After the ejaculate have shoot , thin the seedlings to about 1 inch apart , and continue to grow them indoors until they are enceinte enough to transplant outside . Harden off the seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions for a week before transfer them into the garden .
When to Harvest Onions in Maine
onion plant are quick to harvest when the leaf start to turn chicken and fall over . This typically happen in late summer or early fall , about 100 - 120 twenty-four hour period after plant , depending on the diversity and growing conditions .
To watch if the onions are ready for harvest home , lightly drive back the dirt around the base of the onion plant bulbs to see if they have developed into fledged bulb . If the bulbs are of the desired size , you could embark on to harvest them .
To harvest onions , use a garden fork or shovel to carefully lift the bulb out of the soil . softly loosen the soil around the medulla oblongata to fend off damage them . Once the light bulb are out of the grease , pull up stakes them on the ground for a daytime or two to dry out and cure in the sun . This will serve to toughen the skins and protract the storage life history of the onion .
After the Allium cepa have dry and cure for a day or two , cut off the stems and roots to about 1 inch from the bulb . you could then store the onions in a cool , dry position , such as a garage or basement , with good zephyr circulation . hang them in mesh bag or tying them in braids is also a good path to store onions .
Onions should be put in in a place with a temperature between 32 - 40 ° F and with low humidity . Avoid put in onions near potatoes or other fruit and vegetables that produce ethylene gas pedal , which can cause Allium cepa to spoil more quick .
