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Old April 14, 2015   #1
Worth1
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Default New Onion Bed.

New onion bed, well not yet.
I do have just about everything but here is the list.
This is what I need to buy.
3 2x12x8 foot boards.
1 4x8 foot sheet of plywood.
The drip stuff I already have.
Here is my question.
Will I be able to grow 128 onions in this bed?
The math says I can.
The grid is laid out in a 6 inch pattern with each green spot representing an onion.
The blue lines are the drip lines each one watering a row of onions on each side.

I need to get the seeds now so I will have them ready to plant in the fall.
Half red half yellow.
Worth
Worths Onion Bedr.jpg

Last edited by Worth1; April 14, 2015 at 07:06 PM.
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Old April 14, 2015   #2
Stvrob
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I think your idea will work, but with one concern...I think some special effort at weed control is in order, not sure what though. Maybe a cover for the whole bed during the offseason?
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Old April 14, 2015   #3
Worth1
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I think your idea will work, but with one concern...I think some special effort at weed control is in order, not sure what though. Maybe a cover for the whole bed during the offseason?
The onions will have to be out and will be long before the elm trees throw seed.
Every year I pull thousands of sprouts from the beds.

Since it will be a raised bed I can just use another 1/4 inch 4x8 sheet of plywood on top.
Worth
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Old April 14, 2015   #4
Stvrob
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The onions will have to be out and will be long before the elm trees throw seed.
Every year I pull thousands of sprouts from the beds.

Since it will be a raised bed I can just use another 1/4 inch 4x8 sheet of plywood on top.
Worth
agree. 4 per square ft should be fine for the plants if they are well fed, but trying to pick weeds by hand will be a serious chore.
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Old April 14, 2015   #5
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So if the bed is going to spend the summer covered, maybe it could be a worm composting project say from June through Sept, covered and dark. You could put up a sign, worms for sale.

Would you grow onion plants somewhere else and then move them into the bed in the fall? Or start them from seed right there in the bed?
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Old April 14, 2015   #6
Worth1
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So if the bed is going to spend the summer covered, maybe it could be a worm composting project say from June through Sept, covered and dark. You could put up a sign, worms for sale.

Would you grow onion plants somewhere else and then move them into the bed in the fall? Or start them from seed right there in the bed?
I'm thinking of starting them right there in the beds.
Planting way more than I need and thinning and eating as they grow.
I have no problem giving away the sweet onions I grow.
What I have done before is plant leaf lettuce in between the rows it becomes so crowded that no weed seed stands a chance.
Keeping my neighbor ladies yard and my yard mowed before any weeds go to seed helps out a lot.

When I first moved here it was a weed jungle but keeping the things mowed down till they die has allowed me to take back quite a bit of area.
I have 1 acre here.

Worth
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Old April 15, 2015   #7
jerryinfla
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Worth -

If you add a couple inches of shredded leaves to the bed when the onions are a few inches high, it will be easy to keep the bed relatively weed free. I transplant onion settings into a 4 X 8 foot bed and add shredded leaf mulch soon after transplanting. This keeps weeds under control plus the onions and worms love it.
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Old April 15, 2015   #8
whistech
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Worth, I garden in raised beds and I grow onions somewhat like you are planning to do. The difference is I buy transplants from Dixondale and plant them in early January. I plant the onions three inches apart in rows. The rows are about eight to ten inches apart. When the onions start bulbing, which they are doing at the present time, I pull every other one to leave six inches between the onions that are left in the bed. I snip up the green tops and dehydrate them and freeze some of the bottoms (white parts) to use in stews, beans, and chili. I also give away a lot of my onions to people that enjoy them. I grow the Texas 1015 super sweet onions.

Every year I say I am going to start onions from seed in early October, but since I don't have a lot of garden space, I usually grow broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage where the onions would be started from seed.
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Old April 15, 2015   #9
Worth1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whistech View Post
Worth, I garden in raised beds and I grow onions somewhat like you are planning to do. The difference is I buy transplants from Dixondale and plant them in early January. I plant the onions three inches apart in rows. The rows are about eight to ten inches apart. When the onions start bulbing, which they are doing at the present time, I pull every other one to leave six inches between the onions that are left in the bed. I snip up the green tops and dehydrate them and freeze some of the bottoms (white parts) to use in stews, beans, and chili. I also give away a lot of my onions to people that enjoy them. I grow the Texas 1015 super sweet onions.

Every year I say I am going to start onions from seed in early October, but since I don't have a lot of garden space, I usually grow broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage where the onions would be started from seed.
Thanks for the input, it looks like I'm right on track with the spacing.
Now for a simple question, what variety are those HUGE sweet yellow onions we used to get at the store?
They never have them anymore.
I do know they are grown down on the border in what they call the valley.

Worth
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Old April 15, 2015   #10
greenthumbomaha
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I'm planting onions in a raised bed for the first time this year, actually I am late and they should have been in two weeks ago. I think it was Dixondale that recommended to leave at least 4 inches from the edges of the bed. They also show how to band in strips of fertilizer. At least I think it was Dixondale, I've read so many onion growing guides this week.

You might have some fun growing shallots too. I sprouted some from the organic grocery store but they got away from me. Smelled good all winter.

- Lisa
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Old April 15, 2015   #11
Stvrob
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Worth1 View Post
Thanks for the input, it looks like I'm right on track with the spacing.
Now for a simple question, what variety are those HUGE sweet yellow onions we used to get at the store?
They never have them anymore.
I do know they are grown down on the border in what they call the valley.

Worth
Even if your not buying from them, Dixondale farms website has a wealth of info.

http://www.dixondalefarms.com/

They are in Carrizo Springs, TX
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Old April 15, 2015   #12
Stvrob
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whistech View Post
Worth, I garden in raised beds and I grow onions somewhat like you are planning to do. The difference is I buy transplants from Dixondale and plant them in early January. I plant the onions three inches apart in rows. The rows are about eight to ten inches apart. When the onions start bulbing, which they are doing at the present time, I pull every other one to leave six inches between the onions that are left in the bed. I snip up the green tops and dehydrate them and freeze some of the bottoms (white parts) to use in stews, beans, and chili. I also give away a lot of my onions to people that enjoy them. I grow the Texas 1015 super sweet onions.

Every year I say I am going to start onions from seed in early October, but since I don't have a lot of garden space, I usually grow broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage where the onions would be started from seed.
I get more than enough onion transplants just by seeding a little 6" x 48" section in the fall garden.

That being said, I also ordered from Dixondale this year just cause I was very busy with work last fall and didnt get around to it
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Old April 15, 2015   #13
whistech
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The sweet yellow onions were probably either Texas 1015 super sweet or the yellow granex onion.
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Old April 15, 2015   #14
Worth1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by whistech View Post
The sweet yellow onions were probably either Texas 1015 super sweet or the yellow granex onion.
I can get the 1015's these were around before the 1015Y onions came out.
I remember back in the 80's when they had it on the news about the 1015Y onions.
They named the 1015Y onion because I think they sowed the seeds on October the 15th and the Y stands for yellow.


The ones I am talking about are the size of or bigger than a soft ball.
Maybe the granex.


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Old April 15, 2015   #15
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I'm growing Candy (large yellow) and red candy apple. both are supposed to get really large.
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