Springtime's just around the corner, so it's time to think about getting your onion plants into the ground!

If you haven't received your plants from us yet, you may want to begin soil preparation. Onions grow best on raised rows measuring at least 20 inches wide by four inches high, and require a well-balanced, very fertile soil for the best results. If you're an organic gardener, work in nitrogen- and phosphorous-rich finished compost containing plenty of minerals, and don't hesitate to mix some lime into the soil if it's too acidic. If you're using our Dixondale Farms Onion Special (10-20-10), make a trench in the center of the bed four inches deep, distribute one-half cup of the fertilizer per 10 linear feet of row, and cover it with two inches of soil. Don't plant directly in the trench, but to either side of it.

When you receive your onion plants, they should be dry. Be sure to unpack them immediately, and store them in a cool, dry place until you're ready to plant. Don't wet them down, or put the roots in either soil or water. If they're stored properly, they'll easily last three weeks. Don't be concerned if they dry out; as soon as you plant them, they'll start growing new roots and tops.

Set out your plants 4-6 weeks before the last estimated spring freeze. Plant them four inches apart and an inch deep; depth has a dramatic impact on the mature bulb's shape. The bulb forms immediately above the stem plate, where the seed germinates. Onion bulbs may form above or below the soil surface, depending on the placement of the plant and the subsequent movement of the soil due to cultivation. Shallow planting yields flatter, rounder onion bulbs, while greater depth results in bulbs that are long and narrow.

You should plant two rows of onions on each row, four inches in from the sides. If you want to harvest some green onions during the season, you can reduce the spacing to two inches apart -- but be sure that you pull every other onion at some point before they begin to bulb, so the onions don't get too crowded. If you decide to grow your onions in beds instead of rows, they'll need about seven inches of space on every side.

Happy planting,

This delicious intermediate-day onion was the first hybrid ever to win the prestigious All-American Award. It takes about 100 days to mature into a large, globe-shaped white bulb that will store for up to two months -- though they taste so good they probably won't last that long! Super Star also makes an excellent early green onion for your table, which gives you a good excuse to plant them close and thin them out during the season.

Bob and Janet write,

"We have bought onions from you the last few years; in fact, it was your Dixondale onions that helped us garner Grand Champion with our white Ringmaster onions at the Indiana State Fair. We got First on all of our plates of 5 (Mars and Candy), and did well on our 10 lb bags as well."

We love hearing from our customers. Send us your favorite "onion photo" and we'll try to include it in a future newsletter, our next catalog or our upcoming online Photo Album. Click here for details on how to submit your photos.

Bill and Pam Martin are the other half of the family-owned Dixondale Farms success story. They were there when the shipping department began in the back of a pickup, and they are here overseeing today's streamlined shipping operation, which can process up to 1000 orders per day. The unique blend of skills and personalities that Bill, Pam, Bruce and Jeanie bring to the table each day is one of the reasons Dixondale Farms has grown and prospered. Pam is Dixondale's number one Customer Service agent and bookkeeper, while Bill coordinates shipping and plant inventory concerns.

This picture was taken when their first grandchild, Aidan Stewart, was just a few months old. Aidan's now almost four years old, and when he's in town he enjoys visiting Gama-P at the office and making the rounds with B-Daddy at the farm and ranch.

As the largest and oldest onion plant farm in the US, Dixondale Farms offers a wide selection of top-quality, disease-free, ready-to-plant onion plants. To see our complete product line, request a catalog, or for growing tips and cultural information, visit our Web site by clicking here.

Whether you're planting one bunch or thousands of acres, we're committed to your success. If you have either questions or suggestions, we'd love to hear from you. You can reach us from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central Time at 877-367-1015, or e-mail us any time at customerservice@dixondalefarms.com.