TINO: There are loads of alliums and onions that can be grown at home.
And long-keeping onions, as the name suggests,
are those varieties than can be stored
for many months after harvesting.
But regardless of the type of onion you choose to sow,
the cultivation technique is always the same.
In many parts of Australia,
autumn is the best time to be planting
your seed or seedlings of onions.
This is particularly important in warmer areas,
because onions need a long, cool growing season to develop well.
Here at the Patch,
I wait until it's consistently cold
before I sow my onion seed.
And the trees behind me,
when they change colour and lose their leaves,
that tells me that it's cold enough to chuck in some seed.
Onions like a soil that is high in organic matter
but not overly rich.
A bed prepped with aged sheep or cow manure
is absolutely perfect.
Onions love a full-sun position.
And when it comes to soil,
unlike their close subterranean cousins, garlic,
that requires excellent drainage,
onions grow above the ground,
so drainage needs to be good, but it's not as important.
And they're a great follow-up to nitrogen-hungry crops
like leafy greens and the brassicas here.
That's because if there's too much nitrogen in the soil,
onions put on a lot of soft, leafy growth
and this can be at the expense of your bulb development.
So, if you can provide them with a pH of around 6.5,
you'll be well on your way to getting a cracking crop.
Speaking of which, I think it's time to get some seed in the ground.
You can grow your onions from either seed or seedlings.
Seedlings are a great way of getting an early start in the season
or catching up if you're a little bit late.
Just make sure when you're selecting your punnet
that the plants aren't too overdeveloped.
Otherwise, they can bolt and go to flower early.
My preference is for seed.
Just make sure that it's nice and fresh.
And when it comes to sowing,
I've got a ripper little idea that you might like to try at home.
I'm using a jar.
First, I half-fill it with sand.
Then I put my onion seed in.
And then I fill up the rest of the jar
with dolomite lime.
Once you've got all your ingredients in your jam jar,
just pop on the lid... and give it a good shake.
Now, you may have noticed
I popped a little hole in the lid of this jam jar.
This is so the contents can flow out freely.
This technique of sowing
is a great way of ensuring even spacing between your seedlings.
The sand adds to drainage.
And the dolomite lime sweetens your soil
and has the added bonus of putting in much-needed calcium and magnesium.
Once you've finished planting your onions,
it's time to give them a water.
I like to put a cheeky little bit of seaweed extract in there
just to push them along.
Now, in the seed, I've gone for a variety
called 'White Gladolan'.
It's got a beautiful white flesh but a sweet flavour.
And for the seedlings, I've gone for
the common old browns.
I personally love them 'cause they last forever.
And don't worry that they're bowing their heads down.
With a bit of water, they'll pick them up quick smart.
Now, they need about six months in the ground,
and if there's dry spells through that period,
you'll need to keep the water up to them.
After six months, the leaves will start to yellow off,
and that's when you know when to harvest them.
Just store them in a dry, dark place
and they'll live up to their name - long-keeping onions.