Multiply Onions: Plant Sprouted Onions for More Plants
Gardeners can multiply onions by planting sprouted onions, a method that mimics natural onion reproduction. This technique involves separating sprouted onions into individual plants and planting them directly into the garden or potting them indoors.
Onions can withstand light frost and are typically planted outdoors from seed about a month before the last spring frost. Each sprouted onion can contain multiple distinct onion plants, usually around 3. To prepare these plants for outdoor conditions, especially when planted early in the season, they should be gradually introduced to the outdoors to harden them off.
Planting a sprouted onion is similar to planting onion sets. Both are small onion plant starts. However, unlike onion sets, sprouted onions should not be eaten as there's not much usable onion left inside. Onions need well-drained soil and ample water. They also cannot tolerate weedy competition. Harvesting onions from started onion plants takes about 65 to 80 days after planting, depending on the initial bulb size and onion variety.
The idea of multiplying onions through sprouts is a practical application of natural onion reproduction. This method, while not as efficient as using sets or seeds, offers gardeners an alternative way to grow onions. It's a testament to the combination of observing natural processes and developing agricultural practices over generations.
