Should I water my onions often?

[Phill]

Do onions prefer dry conditions or should I water every 2 or 3 days?

[Demeter]

They won't like it if the soil dries out (at least, not until they are just about ready for harvest, but that'll be a while yet!). Equally watering little and often may not be very efficient as the water does not penetrate deeply into the soil so it evaporates more quickly - not to mention using up more of your time! A good drench once a week or so is better than a little bit every couple of days, but you only really need to do even that if it hasn't rained in a while (I can say that because my soil is clayey, if yours is sandy then you may need to water a little more). My onions have not been watered since the day they were planted and are very healthy and happy.

[janeyo]

I have only watered mine twice I think. I thought someone on here told me that they can cope with tough conditions ?

[Demeter]

They won't like it if the soil dries out (at least, not until they are just about ready for harvest, but that'll be a while yet!) Equally watering little and often may not be very efficient as the water does not penetrate deeply into the soil so it evaporates more quickly - not to mention using up more of your time! A good drench once a week or so is better than a little bit every couple of days, but you only really need to do even that if it hasn't rained in a while - I can say that because my soil is clayey, if yours is sandy then you may need to water a little more - but it is important to remember that onions are a staple crop even in countries where rainfall is unreliable. My onions have not been watered since the day they were planted and are very healthy and happy.

[Demeter]

er, not sure what happened there, seem to have posted twice lol - oops

[Phill]

good advice given twice...two for the price of one, Thanks!!

[gojiberry]

My autumn planted onions are doing very well and are starting to swell, I haven't watered at all mainly because I think that once you start you have to keep it up. I have always been of the opinion that if you bring your plants up tough they will seek the water that they need.

Ian

[Snadger]

My autumn planted onions are doing very well and are starting to swell, I haven't watered at all mainly because I think that once you start you have to keep it up. I have always been of the opinion that if you bring your plants up tough they will seek the water that they need.

Ian

My sentiments as well Ian.

Seedlings get a drop of water untill they are established then they are left to there own devices!

[zazen999]

In pots or the ground?

Pots, yes water but in the ground - no!

[burnie]

They can bolt and go to seed if they are "stressed",especially red ones.I've got heat treated reds to reduce the problem.
When I grew "mammoth" onions I did a trial and found that the well watered ones were bigger.As has been said it depends on your soil as much as the rain fall,I live near the coast and my soil is light and sandy and needs some water on a regular basis.

[King Carrot]

I think it depends on your spacing.

I would have agreed at letting them fend for themselves up to last year when we had an exceptionally dry 3 weeks at the end of May/early June, following this mini drought quite a few bolted and others became stunted - worse year ever for onions for me so I'm planning to water them if its hot and dry for 4 days or so as I've planted at a 4" x 6" spacing which I understand (following a bit of reading) will require added water in dry conditions so that's my plan for this year.

Spacing of at least a 4" x 12" would be much more drought tolerant and they could be left to get on with things and would come though a period of drought a lot better off with their increased root area.

[terrier]

I have always been of the opinion that if you bring your plants up tough they will seek the water that they need.

Ian

Or die in the process! If they're going to put all their effort into roots to look for water, they won't have much energy left to produce the onion bulb. IMHO.

[00264167]

They can bolt and go to seed if they are "stressed",especially red ones.I've got heat treated reds to reduce the problem.
When I grew "mammoth" onions I did a trial and found that the well watered ones were bigger.As has been said it depends on your soil as much as the rain fall,I live near the coast and my soil is light and sandy and needs some water on a regular basis.

interesting...was there any difference in flavour/strength between the well watered ones and not well watered?

a farmer grew a field of them a few years ago near me and never watered them, i dont think they transpire too much.

[di]

I very rarely water mine...if you pull one up now you'll possibly be amazed at how far down the roots go...then have a little poke around the soil & see how deep before you find moisture,my guess is you'll find damp soil closer to the surface than the onion roots!
"If" we get a really long hot/dry spell,then they may get a soaking...once a week at most.

[rana]

We don't get many wet days here but once they are in the ground the onions do not get watered. It's up to them to find the moisture they need - and they seem to manage.
Same goes for the spuds. I was told that too much water when near maturity could cause bolting in onions.