Onion
Any of a variety of strongly aromatic and flavored bulbous vegetables of the lily family (genus Allium) and native to central Asia. Flavors range from relatively sweet strongly pungent, the color of the outlet layer ranges from white to yellow to red, the shape raanges from spherical to ovoid and sizes vary depending on the variety (larger onions tend to be sweeter and milder).
Commonly, a medium-sized to large spherical to slightly ovoid onion (Allium cepa) with a bright golden yellow outer layer, crisp white flesh and a strong pungent flavor also known as a yellow onion. The onion is most frequently a biennial or a perennial plant, but is usually treated as an annual and harvested in its first growing season.
History of Onion
Many archaeologists, botanists, and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia. Most researchers agree the onion has been cultivated for 5000 years or more. Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago and they are referenced in some of the oldest Vedic writings from India. In Egypt, onions can be traced back to 3500 B.C. There is evidence that the Sumerians were growing onions as early as 2500 B.C. One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of someone plowing over the city governor's onion patch.
Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world. Onions may be one of the earliest cultivated crops because they were less perishable than other foods of the time, were transportable, were easy to grow, and could be grown in a variety of soils and climates. In addition, the onion was useful for sustaining human life. Onions prevented thirst and could be dried and preserved for later consumption when food might be scarce.
Types of Onion
How to Grow Onion
How to Cook
An onion can be eaten raw, cooked like a vegetable or pat of a prepared savoury dish, or used as a flavoring, and also can be used to make pickles.
Sources @ Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts by Steven Labensky, Gaye G Ingram, Sarah R. Labensky
@ https://www.onions-usa.org/all-about-onions/history-of-onions
@ https://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-onions/
Any of a variety of strongly aromatic and flavored bulbous vegetables of the lily family (genus Allium) and native to central Asia. Flavors range from relatively sweet strongly pungent, the color of the outlet layer ranges from white to yellow to red, the shape raanges from spherical to ovoid and sizes vary depending on the variety (larger onions tend to be sweeter and milder).
Commonly, a medium-sized to large spherical to slightly ovoid onion (Allium cepa) with a bright golden yellow outer layer, crisp white flesh and a strong pungent flavor also known as a yellow onion. The onion is most frequently a biennial or a perennial plant, but is usually treated as an annual and harvested in its first growing season.
The onion plant has a fan of hollow, bluish-green leaves and its bulb at the base of the plant begins to swell when a certain day-length is reached. The bulbs are composed of shortened, compressed, underground stems surrounded by fleshy modified scale (leaves) that envelop a central bud at the tip of the stem. In the autumn (or in spring, in the case of overwintering onions), the foliage dies down and the outer layers of the bulb become dry and brittle. The crop is harvested and dried and the onions are ready for use or storage. The crop is prone to attack by a number of pests and diseases, particularly the onion fly, the onion eelworm, and various fungi cause rotting. Some varieties of A. cepa, such as shallots and potato onions, produce multiple bulbs.
They are pungent when chopped and contain certain chemical substances which irritate the eyes. Onions can show an additional color – pink-red – after cutting, an effect caused by reactions of amino acids with sulfur compounds.
History of Onion
Many archaeologists, botanists, and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia. Most researchers agree the onion has been cultivated for 5000 years or more. Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago and they are referenced in some of the oldest Vedic writings from India. In Egypt, onions can be traced back to 3500 B.C. There is evidence that the Sumerians were growing onions as early as 2500 B.C. One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of someone plowing over the city governor's onion patch.
Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world. Onions may be one of the earliest cultivated crops because they were less perishable than other foods of the time, were transportable, were easy to grow, and could be grown in a variety of soils and climates. In addition, the onion was useful for sustaining human life. Onions prevented thirst and could be dried and preserved for later consumption when food might be scarce.
Types of Onion
How to Grow Onion
Growing onions is simple: If you can poke a hole into the ground, you can grow an onion from a little plant. Many of onion varieties are sold as little seedlings in bare-root bundles rather than as plants in biodegradable pots; each plant will start growing within days after you plant. If you can’t plant your onions right away, remove their bindings and place them in a bucket with 2 inches of moist soil in the bottom. Keep them in a cool, bright place but out of direct sun until you are ready to plant. A sunny basement is ideal.
Soil, Planting, and Care
Most gardeners want sweet onions, and the sweetness of an onion is determined by both nature and nurture. For the mildest onions, start with a variety known to produce sweet, mild-flavored bulbs such as Texas Sweet (at southern latitudes) or Walla Walla (at northern latitudes). Get the plants off to a strong start by mixing an organic or timed-release fertilizer into the soil before your plant your onions. This fertilization technique, called “banding,” places nutrients right where young onion roots will find them. They will use up the nutrient supply as they grow. This is good because later, as onions form under lean conditions, they tend to taste sweeter.
Growing onions requires abundant sun and good drainage, and they grow best when the soil pH ranges between 6.0 and 6.8. Raised beds or raised rows made by mounding up soil are ideal, especially if your soil is heavy clay. Mix a 2-inch layer of compost into the soil before placing an organic or timed-release fertilizer into planting furrows, following label rates. Set plants 1 inch deep, so that their roots are well covered with soil but the top of the plant’s neck is not buried too deeply. You don’t want the part of the neck where the leaves grow away from the clear sheath to collect soil or water down between the young leaves, or they can rot. Space plants 6 inches apart in furrows 12 inches apart. Plants will appreciate a starter solution of liquid fertilizer after planting.
Onions roots are shallow and not very efficient at taking up moisture, so they need a steady supply of water to grow without interruption. Although they actually recover well from drought and start growing again when watered, it is best to keep the soil consistently moist until the bulbs enlarge.
You may mulch with a light layer of weed-free and herbicide-free grass clippings or another fine mulch. Onions naturally push toward the surface as they form bulbs, and it’s best if the tops of the bulbs are allowed to bask in dry sun. Remove mulch that might keep the expanding bulbs excessively moist.
Seedlings that are about the diameter of a pencil produce the biggest, most beautiful bulbs, so some gardeners sort seedlings by size before planting. Plant the largest ones together only 2 inches apart to start enjoying as green onions in just two or three weeks. Very small seedlings set at close spacing can serve as a second crop of scallions. Use the pencil-sized plants to grow full-sized onions that will produce extra-juicy slices.
Troubleshooting
As onions leaves expand, they may be found by tiny black onion thrips, which suck sap from onion leaves. These are hard to see because they hide down in the folds and neck of the leaves. Also be on the lookout for aphids. Finally, weak plants that slowly wilt may be infested with onion root maggots, the larvae of a common fly.
Harvest and Storage
You can harvest young onions just a few weeks after planting if you want to use them as “spring onions” or scallions. There is no perfect size, just pull when they are big enough to suit you.
For full-sized bulbs, let onions grow and mature. They are ready to harvest when the bulbs are big and the tops begin to turn yellow and fall over. Pull them up, shake off the soil, and lay them out to cure with the tops still attached. Any warm, airy location is a good place to do this; you can even sling them over a fence as long as they aren’t rained upon. Bulbs must stay dry and have good air circulation. As the onions cure, the roots will shrivel and the necks above the bulbs will slowly dry – a natural process that helps to seal the top of the bulb, making the onions less likely to rot. After 7 to 10 days, clip off the tops of the onions and the roots with pruning shears, remove as much dry dirt as possible without taking off the papery outer skins, and store your onions in a cool place. Very sweet, juicy onions may be stored, wrapped in newspaper or paper towels, in the fridge.
How to Cook
An onion can be eaten raw, cooked like a vegetable or pat of a prepared savoury dish, or used as a flavoring, and also can be used to make pickles.
Sources @ Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts by Steven Labensky, Gaye G Ingram, Sarah R. Labensky
@ https://www.onions-usa.org/all-about-onions/history-of-onions
@ https://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-onions/
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