RADIO TRANSCRIPT
September 2, 2024
Matt Rodriguez

This is Matt Rodriguez, horticulture agent with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Burke Center.

Today’s program is on Onions. This is a vegetable that is used in many, if not most culinary dishes. There are several distinctions to classify onions. You have green/branching onions that are like chives and bulb onions like the white or vidalia onions we buy in the store. Bulb onions are broken down further by the amount of sunlight they need. Short (10-12hrs) , Intermediate(12-14hrs), and long day(14-16hrs). Some varieties need to be planted in the Fall or Spring. Be wary of onions planted too early in the fall as they can “Bolt” or go to seed, this results in small bulbs and longer necks. For larger bulbs, it's important to plant at the right timing and choose the correct varieties for what you are wanting to harvest. Typical Planting dates for onions in our area are in August for the fall. You can also plant them in early Spring: Feb-Mar. Seeds should be sown half to three-quarters of an inch deep. Place about 8 to 12 seeds per row. If growing larger bulbs, space your seeds 4 inches apart. Harvest in about 75 to 105 days. About a month before harvesting, clear away soil around the bulbs to hasten the curing process. Pull the bulbs and keep them in a dry ventilated area for curing. Curing takes about 2 to 3 days.

This has been Matt Rodriguez, horticulture agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Burke Center. For more information, call us at 828-764-9480.