Select your climate zone Australia - cool/mountain Australia - sub-tropical Australia - temperate Australia - tropical New Zealand - cool/mountain New Zealand - sub-tropical New Zealand - temperate United Kingdom - temperate/cool United Kingdom - temperate/warm What is my climate zone?

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(Best months for planting Onion in Australia - sub-tropical regions)

• Easy to grow.
• Harvest in 180-240 days
• Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 8°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 5-10cm

Onions come in a range of colours and shapes and sizes. Brown :- strong flavour and pungent. Usually good keepers for storage. White :- milder but still flavoursome. Keep fairly well. Red :- Mild, suitable to use raw in salads and sandwiches.

Onions can be bought as young plants (sets) from garden shops/nurseries to plant straight into garden beds. Choose your variety according to your climate and the time of year as some onions will grow better in the cooler months .

Onion bulbs should sit on the surface of the soil. Do not cover. They will take six to eight months to mature. Onions are ready when the tops start to dry and fall over. Pull them and leave to dry for a few days. Store in a cool, dry airy place. Use a net bag or make a string by weaving the tops together.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Onion

Brown onions roasted whole with other vegetables are delicious.
Red onions add colour to salads or stir-fry.

Your comments and tips

18 Apr 09 Gervaise (Australia - temperate climate)

where can i find onion sets for spring planting...not seed but the actual bulb...im in NSW...?

23 Apr 09 Evelyn (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Evelyn, I live in a cool mountain area with frosty winters. I sow onions successively from March through to August. I like to grow long keepers, Creamgold being my favourite as I have kept them for up to six months (ate them all by then so don't know how long they keep). I have also sown Ailsa Craig for the first time this year and would be interested to hear feedback from anyone who has grown that variety.

29 Jun 09 Mel (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

i am interested in planting onions, does this chart shown about growing months occur to Australia?

27 Jul 09 Barb (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi Mel, if you select the climate zone for your area in Australia, then the planting guide will tell you which months you can plant onions in your area.

11 Aug 09 (Australia - temperate climate)

I have geown onions for sometime with very ittle success, why don't the bulbs swell?

08 Sep 09 Ani (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Hi, Just wondering, is there any chance you can put an onion that has started shooting roots in water and have it grow? Thanks.

02 Oct 09 Kate (Australia - temperate climate)

My onions have now got flower pods at the top but never really got round at the bottom like an onion should. Everything says wait till the stems fall over and dry out but I also saw that when they flower they are no good. Help I am confused as to what to do. Do I just pull them all out and plant something else?

07 Oct 09 Annie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have the same issue as Kate. My onions are looking great, getting bulbs. I don't want to wait too late in case they start bolting. But I don't know when to harvest them. Or to bend the stems over or just pull them, which is what I've done before. They still have thick stems.

25 Oct 09 mick (Australia - temperate climate)

hi i use to grow hunter river white onions and just cant find where i can buy seed anymore .I live in the wollindilly distric ?

16 Jan 10 Fritz (Australia - temperate climate)

My Brown Onions seem to be ready to harvest.How do I store them? What is a cool Place ? Do i keep them in the Fridge or just in the Kitchen cubboard? In Paper Bags/