How to Choose and Plant Onions: Sets, Seeds, or Transplants?

Onions are a kitchen staple and a rewarding crop to grow in your garden. But with multiple options—sets, seeds, or transplants—how do you decide which is best for you? Let’s break it down.

Understanding Onion Options

• Onion Sets
  Sets are small onion bulbs grown for one season and planted in the spring. They’re beginner-friendly but prone to flowering due to onions’ two-year lifecycle. While easy to grow, onions from sets typically don’t store as well as those from seeds or transplants.

• Onion Seeds
  Growing from seeds offers the widest variety, including rare and heirloom onions. Onions from seeds rarely flower before harvest and store well. However, they require the most effort, including starting them in trays and transplanting delicate seedlings.

• Onion Transplants
  Transplants strike a balance between seeds and sets. They’re easier to grow than seeds and store well like them. Though more expensive than seeds, their convenience often justifies the cost.

Preparing for Onion Transplants

If you opt for transplants, make sure your garden beds are ready. Onions thrive in loose, nitrogen-rich, and phosphorus-rich soil. Upon delivery, inspect your onion plants. A little sliminess or wilting is normal; focus on ensuring the bulbs are firm and not mushy. Plant them immediately, or store them in a cool, dark garage until you’re ready.

Plant Onions and Reap the Rewards

Whether you choose sets, seeds, or transplants, growing your own onions is a rewarding experience. Prepare your beds, pick the right method, and enjoy delicious, homegrown onions.

Here at Peaceful Valley we are busy at work receiving and sending out thousands of onion transplants. If you have ever wanted to grow onions but didn't know where to start or you have ordered them in the past and had issues with planting, check out this video!