planting red onions

 

i just finished planting my baby red onion sets and am so excited.  each year i try something new, and this is something i have never tried in the past.  onion sets are commercially produced baby onions that are guaranteed to be free from viruses.  they are slow-growing and will take several months to harvest.

they don’t require much care, just a little water and mostly lots of sun.  they were very easy to plant, since i wanted them to stay small and bunch.  therefore, i planted them in groups of three along the row. red onions tend to be milder and can be used in salads.  

edible gardening has been increasing in popularity in the past years, due to the slow food movement and buy local campaigns.  food tastes so much better when home-grown or purchased locally, since the vegetable varieties are chosen for their taste, not for their good shipping characteristics.  for example, a store-bought watermelon usually has a thick rind, because it holds up better during transport.  that variety may not taste as good as some others you will find in your local farmers markets.  local farmers make selections based on taste, color and uniqueness.  store-bought vegetables often lack real flavor.  if that doesn’t inspire you to start an edible garden of your own — not sure what else could.  i find anything i have grown in my garden tastes just amazing, and beyond better than what is found at the store.

i am still learning about edible gardening, but am so excited to have herbs, flowers and edibles planned for my garden spaces this year.