Nursery notes: the Onions Have Arrived: Texas onions, 1015, 

southern belle red, bermuda, vidalea and contessa.  Onion sets in 
bunches of 60+ for $3  (see below for Chris's article on how to grow
them).  Bluebonnet seedlings now in-stock: 6 packs for $3; Texas
A&M  supporters, how about some of our  maroon bluebonnets? 
On sale: 4" pots of wildfire mix lettuce for .99 cents (reg. price $1.50)
Thai basil - $1 a pot. Also,  fresh new crops of dill and fennel, and
gorgeous lemon-scented thyme & english thyme: 4.5" pots for $3.29.

 

How to Craft a Seasonal Wreath. Dec. 4 , 5, 11 and 12  (2 p.m.) 

In this hands-on class, Diane Winslow will help you create your own

beautiful bay leaf wreath. (Everyone takes their wreath home with them.)

Ask Russ to put you on the list in the check-out shed. Fee: $35

(Pre-registration is required.)

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On KLRU's Central Texas Gardener this weekend, a visit to the
http://www.klru.org/ctg/ 

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Next lecture: Nov. 21, 2 p.m  Free. DeAnne Pearson will show you

how to use herbs to create flavored vinegars, extracts and natural soda.

 

It's onion time! The big farms of south Texas shipped out their seedlings

this week - and gardeners have plenty of different onion sets to choose

from.

 

At the nursery I am often asked how to go about growing a good crop

of onions. The secret really is in the timing. Because our summers are

so warm, we have to choose short-day onions. (Folks up north plant

long-day onions.)

 

These short-day onions are planted during the ‘short days’ of fall and winter,

and start the bulbing process when the length of the day reaches 10 to 12

hours. They mature in 110 to 120 days.

 

Onions planted in the fall have a longer time to grow than those planted in

winter or early spring. Simply stated -  the earlier you plant them, the

larger the onion. Here are some tried and true varieties for our central

Texas region:

 

Texas 1015y  A super sweet, globe-shaped  yellow onion that can

reach a 6 inch diameter. This is the favorite onion of Texas. 1015 means

 10 month, 15^th day. This is the date they should be planted from seed.

The ‘Y’ means – yellow, the color of the onion.

 

Contessa  A white, globe shaped onion. Not as sweet as 1015 but still

 on the sweet side. Mature size - 5 inches.

 

Yellow Granex  A semi-flat, yellow, sweet onion that can grow to a

mature width of 5 inches. This is the Vidalia onion of Georgia.

 

Bermuda  This is an heirloom variety  brought from the Canary Islands to

south Texas in the late 1800s. Bermuda is white, sweet, and its shape is flat.

Grows to 3 to 4 inches in diameter. This variety makes great ‘green’ onions

when harvested early.

 

Southern Belle Red  A sweet, red, globe shaped onion that matures  to 4
inches. Onions need lots of sunshine and good drainage. Adding compost

will loosen compact soils and add beneficial amendments to the soil.

Onion seedlings (sets) should be planted 1 inch deep and 4 to 5 inches

apart. If you want to harvest green onions, plant 2 inches apart and harvest

 every other onion, leaving some to grow to maturity. Be sure to water in

your onions after planting. This will keep them from drying out and give

them a good start.

Happy gardening everyone!

 

 [© Chris Winslow 2010]