planting onions

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I live in the panhandle of Texas and usually plant my onions in February, these are short day onions and don't store well for very long periods. I would like to plant some mid or short day onions for storage. Do I plant them in Feb. also or wait until it is warmer and the days are longer? Our last freeze is about the middle of April.

-- Marlene (Texas) (mleiby@caprock-spur.com), January 30, 2002

Answers

Marlene. What type of onion are you planting this year? Do you use sets, seed or bulbs? Thanks!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), January 30, 2002.

This link seems to have all sorts of information on onions types: Onions, http://aggie- horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/onions/onions.html I found this interesting:Texas A&M research findings indicate that onion growth and yield can be greatly enhanced by banding phosphorus 2-3 inches below seed at planting time. This phosphorus acts as a starter solution, which invigorates the growth of young seedlings.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), January 30, 2002.

Marlene,

WE have the same problem here in ARkansas. Most folks around here plant their long day onions as early a possibly hoping they will get enough light to really bulb up. This year we are planting copra. Every year about 7 - 10 of us get together and order onion plants from dixondale farms in Texas. One of my neighbors had really good luck with his copras last year, and still has many stored.

Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), January 30, 2002.


Thank you everyone for your response. I always forget about TAMU for a resource, probably the best there is. I got the information I was looking for there. Then I got on www.dixondalefarms.com and I will definitely order onions from them. I always plant the young plants. But I think I will leave the long day to those further north. I tried the sets one time and had a poor crop that year. Thanks again. Marlene

-- Marlene (mleiby@caprock-spur.com), January 31, 2002.

You might try planting a new batch every 4 weeks starting in Feb. and the last planting being May.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), January 31, 2002.


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