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Fertilizing Your Onions
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April 2009
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Dear Fellow Gardener,
We're often asked for onion fertilizing tips,
and now that it's spring, we thought this
would be a good time to address the issue.
Typically, your onions will need additional
nitrogen (the "N" in the standard NPK
fertilizer formula) three weeks after
planting. Apply the fertilizer at a rate of 1
cup per 20 feet of row, and spread it along
the center of the top of the bed. Repeat this
process every 2-3 weeks.
If you have alkaline soil, a sulfur-based
fertilizer such as ammonium sulfate (21-0-0)
is recommended. If your soil is acidic (below
6.5 pH), a calcium-based fertilizer, such as
calcium nitrate, will provide nitrogen while
raising the pH.
A good solution for organic gardeners is
OmegaGrow
for Onions, a liquid fertilizer
that offers the highest concentration of
nitrogen available in any organic fertilizer.
Spray it on the beds every two weeks at the
rate of one tablespoon per gallon of water.
To prevent thick necks on your onions, you'll
need to stop fertilizing within three weeks
of harvest, when the necks start to feel soft.
Happy fertilizing!
Bruce "Onionman" Frasier
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Onion of the Month
Lancelot Leeks
This month, we'll let one of our customers,
fellow Texan Joe Caruana, speak for us when
it comes to our Onion of the Month (which
isn't actually an onion at all!).
"We have a roadside stand in Big Flats, NY,
and I buy onions and leeks from you guys.
"Here's a picture of some of the Lancelot
Leeks that I received from you and grow in
Big Flats, which is below the Finger Lakes in
Upstate New York. They were freshly pulled
and ready to go to the veggie stand. My
customers loved them!
"What a great job you do on your end!"
Learn More
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From Our Friends
Customer W. Doseck of Wapakoneta, Ohio took
this photograph of his granddaughter holding
Big Daddy onions in both hands. What a cutie!
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
online Photo Album. Click
here for details on how to
submit your photos.
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Around the Farm
Spring Has Sprung
It's April, and that means it's time to get
the packages out the door! This year it's
exceptionally difficult, because of the huge
increase in volume we're experiencing. We're
shipping 20,000 packages a week, so please,
bear with us if your package doesn't arrive
on the exact day you expect it.
The man most responsible for getting the
packages packed and shipped to our customers is
Jesse James Jaime. Jesse has been with the
company since high school, and at just 23
years old, he's an exceptional leader and
team player. He's also our youngest manager,
and we are so thankful to have someone with
his energy to supervise the 30 people who are
packing our orders. Seen here is Jesse,
enjoying lunch. Even though we were busy, we
still had time for a great catered lunch
buffet for Bruce's birthday on the 2nd of April!
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Cooking With Onions
Charred Red Onion Salsa
- 3 medium-sized red onions, skin on
- 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano leaves
- 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1 cup of pitted olives
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut the
onions in half, and place the halves cut-side
down in a shallow casserole pan. Bake them
for 30 minutes or until the cut sides are
blackened, and the onions feel a little soft
when you pinch them.
Remove the onions from the oven and allow
them to cool. Peel off and discard the skins,
then process the onions, red pepper flakes,
vinegars, and oil in 2-3 second bursts in a
food processor until they're coarsely
chopped. At that point, add the remaining
ingredients and continue to process in 2-3
second bursts until the entire mixture is
chopped. Makes 12 servings.
Onions can enhance so many dishes, from simple
salads to complex entrees; and they can also be
consumed raw, fried, sautéed or baked. We
periodically receive sumptuous recipe
suggestions
from our employees and from you, our customers.
We want to share one with you each month, so
that
you can take full advantage of the fruits of
your labor! If
you have one you would like us to print,
please email it
to us at
customerservice@dixondalefarms.com.
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Q&A: Watering Your Onions
Q. How often should I water my onion
plants?
A. Newly-transplanted onions should be
watered immediately, so you can help them get
established. Afterward
they'll require gentle daily irrigation,
because onions have shallow root systems.
Avoid overhead watering, as it can cause
foliar diseases.
Be careful not to water too much; an obvious
sign of over-watering is an unhealthy yellow
tinge to the onion leaves. Conversely, if
your onions are under-watered, you'll notice
that the soil will be dry and cracked around
the bases of the plants.
Onions generally require about 30 inches of
water during the growing season in order to
mature and bulb properly. The nearer the
harvest, the greater the onion's need for
water. However, when you notice the tops
start to fall over, that means the onions are
almost ready to harvest. Stop watering at
that point, and let the soil dry out.
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Fun Onion Facts
If you've got a sliver in your finger, you
can use an onion to help remove it
painlessly. Just tie a piece of onion over
the sliver with a gauze band and let it sit
overnight. The onion's astringent properties
will draw the sliver to the surface, where it
can be easily removed in the morning.
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Send Us Your Product Reviews!
In addition to sending us recipes and photos of your
onions, we encourage you to give us
feedback on our products via the Product
Review options on the Web site. You'll find
a "write your own review" link on every
product page. Don't be shy -- we need
your opinions!
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About Dixondale Farms
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.
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