Don't cry, plant some onions
““True friends chop the onions and cry together.””
The term “onion” refers to the entire group of plants in the genus Allium. But the most traditional, widely grown onion is the bulb onion (Allium cepa) known exclusively from cultivation, but related wild species occur in Central Asia. The most closely related species include Allium vavilovii and A. asarense from Iran. However, there are doubts whether the A. vavilovii collections tested represent genuine wild material or only feral derivatives of the crop. Because the wild bulb onion is thought to be extinct and ancient records of using onions span western and eastern Asia, the geographic origin of the onion is uncertain.
Traces of onions recovered from Bronze Age settlements in China suggest that onions were used as far back as 5000 BCE, not only for their flavor, but the bulb's durability in storage and transport. Onions were used in Egyptian burials, as evidenced by onion traces found in the eye sockets of Ramesses IV, the concentric circles inside the onion a metaphor of eternal life.
Common onions are normally available in three color varieties. Yellow or brown onions are full-flavored and are the onions of choice for everyday use, with many cultivars bred specifically to demonstrate this sweetness. Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when caramelized and give French onion soup its sweet flavor. The red onion is a good choice for fresh use when its color livens up the dish; it is also used in grilling. White onions are the traditional onions used in classic Mexican cuisine; they have a golden color when cooked and a particularly sweet flavor when sautéed.
Onions deliver a lot of flavor without adding a lot of calories to a dish. And the smell of cooking onions make most people very hungry.
Onion bulb starts in the hand, green onion starts in the background
Onions are normally purchased as small bulbs and planted in September or October, though they can be sold as young green onions as well. Plant onions in well-drained, enriched garden soil, in full to part sun. Feed occasionally with a well-balanced, organic plant food. Grow plants throughout the cool season, and like garlic, harvest when the tops begin to die back in summer. Sometimes plants can be ready by as early as spring.
Some varieties are only available as seed, which is planted in summer, indoors or in cooled greenhouse—aim at getting pencil-sized onions to plant in fall.
Onions have shallow root systems and need consistent moisture and good weed control. Water weekly if weather is dry, and mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
When they are ready to harvest, the tops will die back. Let the onions stay in the ground a few weeks after the tops have died back.
