Onions are used for almost any kind of dish because of their strong tasting characteristics and their ability to absorb and add to the flavor of any dish. There is more than just one type of onion, with the red onion being a common choice for many Spanish and Asian dishes.
It is called the red onion because the color of its skin is purple with red strings. Its taste is not considered to be as strong as other spices, with a sweet-tasting flavor that adds to the sweetness of a dish.
Planting your own red onion can be difficult if you do not know what to do, but for starters, learning certain skills such as when to harvest red onions can help make having and planting your own onions a reality.
These are commonly seen as plants in the areas of India and the Middle East, though some countries have also started planting red onion. Aside from being delicious, the red onion also has a lot of nutritional benefits.
1. How long do red onions take to grow
Thinking about the length of time in which a plant grows can help you gauge whether or not the plant has died, and whether or not the plant has matured.
Growth takes time, and the process of getting a seed to a full-sized red onion can be quick if you know how to take care of it throughout its growth process.
Knowing the answer to the question “How long do red onions take to grow?” will help you estimate the amount of time you need in order to grow your first red onion.
To start off, the soil of every plant needs to be well thought out. Soil is a necessary element to the health of a plant since poor quality soil can lead to overwatering or lack of nutrition. For red onions, the best soil that you can use in order to help them grow in soil that drains easily.
It should be a type of soil that is rich in organic matter and doesn’t dry out quickly, otherwise, the red onion will not have enough water to sustain itself and grow properly.
As to the amount of sunlight exposure, you should always remember that some plants need more sunlight than others, while some need less. It all depends on the type of plant you have, and whether or not they can thrive indoors.
For the red onion, the amount of sunlight they need is around six to eight hours and said exposure should be direct, such that the plant is directly under the sunlight during the day.
Producing larger red onions
If you want to produce larger red onions, it is best to use smaller onion sets, since these are more likely to produce large, red onion bulbs. You should also make sure to space the onions apart to ensure that they have enough space to grow.
Rows of onions should be spaced about twelve to eighteen inches apart to provide enough room for the onions to grow without them hindering other onions that surround each of their areas.
Usually, once you have planted your onion, you will not need to monitor them daily, they can survive with minimal care since they are considered to be one of the easier plants to take care of.
Aside from soil and sunlight, you will also need to make sure that you water the red onion weekly, at least every other day, or once a week.
You should also watch out for when the weather is dry and tends to lead to dry soil since water should be added in said instances.
Be careful not to water the plant too much, since too much water that is not drained out in time will lead to rotting.
To know when the onions are mature enough, you should check whether a red onion flower stalk appears. If one does appear, that means it is time to get ready to harvest the red onion.
2. Is Harvesting red onions for storage possible?
Harvesting red onions for storage is not a difficult process, especially since information on when red onions are ready for harvesting is readily available nowadays.
In fact, all you need to know is when the red onions are mature enough to pick from the soil. Usually, the amount of time it takes for an onion that is newly planted to grow into a red onion that is ready to harvest is around three to fourth months.
This period of time allows the red onion to properly grow and mature, as opposed to its other cousins like the green onion, which only takes weeks.
To harvest a red onion, you will need to be ready with tools that can be used to dig the red onion that is buried in the soil that you placed it in. Dig the soil around and pull the onion with its body to harvest it.
3. How to cure red onions?
To cure red onions, spread them out in a dry space and allow them to develop dry skin for two to four weeks. When you spread out the onions to cure, you have to prevent the onions from incurring bruises or damage, which might prevent the onion from curing.
Conclusion
Learning when to harvest red onions requires knowing how many months it takes for normal red onions to mature. Compared to green onions, red onions take months to mature, and they do not always turn out as big as other red onions you might see in the groceries.
It also depends on the set of onions you use, the weather conditions, and the amount of time, effort, and care you put into taking care of your red onion plant.
However, learning these things will definitely give you a lot of benefits, since this learning experience also helps you achieve a new source of red onions for your cooking.
Red onions are used in a lot of dishes, especially strong tasting dishes like Spanish dishes and Asian dishes. Red onions are a common spice that most people have seen and have tasted, which is why learning certain skills that help in producing your own red onions can be pretty beneficial in the long run.
