How to Grow Onion (Pyaz) Bulbs From Seed: Dates by City
Here is the honest answer on how to grow onion (pyaz) bulbs at home: sow seed in a nursery tray in October or November, move the seedlings out in December or January, and harvest in April or May when the tops flop over. Bulb onions are slow, about five to six months from seed, and pot onions come out smaller than market ones. If you want green leaves in four weeks, you want spring onions instead.
Before you start
- Nursery sowing: October to November on the plains; September to October in Sindh
- Transplant: 6 to 8 weeks later, when seedlings are pencil thick
- Spacing: 10 cm (4 inches) between plants
- Container: a wide trough or grow bag at least 20 cm (8 inches) deep
- Sun: 6 hours or more
- Harvest: April to May, when most tops fall over
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Sets or seed: which should a beginner use?
Sets are small dry bulbs grown the year before. They are quicker and easier, but the RHS notes they bolt (send up a flower stalk) more readily. Seed is cheaper and gives more choice, but the seed itself goes stale fast. Buy fresh seed every season and check the packing date; old onion seed is the most common reason for a tray that never comes up.
In the plains of Pakistan and North India, sets are rarely sold for home use. Seed or nursery seedlings from a mali are the realistic routes. If someone in your area sells ready seedlings in December, buying a bundle saves two months.
When to sow onion: dates by city band
| Zone | Sow nursery | Transplant |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal: Karachi, Hyderabad | Mid September to October | November to December |
| Hot dry: Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur | October | December |
| Punjab plains: Lahore, Faisalabad, Delhi | Late October to November | Late December to January |
| Sub-humid: Islamabad, Peshawar | October to November | January to early February |
| Hills | Spring sowing, March to April | As soil warms |
Why the fuss about dates? Bulb onions start forming bulbs in response to lengthening days and warmth. Plant too late and the days lengthen before the plant has enough leaves, so the bulb stays small. Every leaf a plant grows before spring is one more ring in the onion.
Sowing and transplanting, step by step
- Fill a tray or shallow pot with fine, damp seed mix (see seed starting at home).
- Sow seed thinly in lines, about 1 cm deep, and cover lightly. Expect sprouts in roughly 7 to 14 days, slower in cold weeks.
- Keep the mix moist but not soggy. Seedlings look like thin grass with a little kink at first; that is normal.
- When they reach pencil thickness and 15 cm tall, trim the tops by a third and lift them gently.
- Plant 10 cm apart, only 2 to 3 cm deep. Onions planted deep make long necks and small bulbs.
- Water in well and keep the bed weeded: onions hate competition because their thin leaves shade nothing out.
Pot size, mix and why pot onions stay small
A round 12 inch pot holds only six or seven bulbs at proper spacing. That is why most people with pots get a few small onions and wonder what went wrong. A wide trough, a 40 litre grow bag or a raised bed corner gives better returns.
Use 2 parts soil, 1 part compost and 1 part sand. Onions need loose soil to swell into. Our potting mix guide explains why bagged cocopeat alone dries out too fast for them.
A pot of onions supplements the kitchen. It will not replace the sabzi wala.
Watering and feeding by season
- December to January (frost nights): water when the top 3 cm is dry, in the morning, so leaves dry before night.
- February to March (bulbing): steady moisture matters most now. Uneven watering gives split or double bulbs.
- April: as tops start to fall, cut back sharply.
- Feeding: mix compost in at planting, and give a nitrogen feed once a month until bulbs begin to swell. After that, stop nitrogen; late feeding gives thick necks that rot in storage.
Why are my onion leaves turning yellow?
| What you see | Likely cause | First response |
|---|---|---|
| Silvery streaks, curled tips | Thrips, worse in dry heat | Hose the leaves in the morning; neem based spray per label |
| Purple or grey fuzzy patches in damp, foggy weeks | Downy mildew or purple blotch | Remove spotted leaves, water the soil only, improve air flow |
| Yellowing, wilting, white fluff at the base | White rot | Pull and bin affected plants; do not grow onions or garlic in that soil next year |
| Whole plant yellow in April | Normal ripening | Nothing; harvest is close |
When to harvest onion, and the curing step everyone skips
The step that makes onions keep: dry before you store
When about half the tops have toppled over, stop watering completely for roughly two weeks. Then lift the bulbs gently with a fork; bruised onions rot. Lay them in one layer in a dry, airy, shaded place for about ten days to two weeks, until the necks are papery and the outer skins rustle. Only then cut the tops to 2 to 3 cm and store. Onions put away with green, moist necks are the ones that go soft first.
The RHS gives about two weeks of drying for UK conditions; in a Lahore April, shade matters more than sun, because hot direct sun can scald the bulbs. For keeping them through summer, see potato and onion storage in summer.
Grow it or skip it?
Grow bulb onions if you have a bed or a large trough, enjoy a slow project, and want to see the whole cycle. Skip them if you only have two or three pots: spring onions give far more food per pot and per week. For a first season, our first five plants list is easier. Browse more in Kitchen Garden.
Onions and garlic are toxic to dogs and cats, raw or cooked, so keep pets out of the bed and do not leave peelings where they can reach them. If you use any spray beyond plain water and soap, read the whole label, wear gloves, and keep children away until it dries.
Onion growing questions
How long does onion take to grow from seed?
About five to six months for full bulbs: two months in the nursery tray and three to four months after transplanting. Green onions can be cut far earlier.
Can I grow onions in pots?
Yes, but use a wide container at least 20 cm deep and space plants 10 cm apart. Crowded pots give small bulbs.
When should I sow onion seeds in Pakistan?
October to November on the Punjab plains, earlier in Sindh and Karachi. Transplanting then follows in December or January.
How long do onion seeds take to germinate?
Usually one to two weeks if the seed is fresh and the mix stays moist. Old seed may not come up at all.
Can I plant a sprouting onion from the kitchen?
You can, and it will make leaves and probably a flower stalk, not a new bulb. Treat it as a source of green tops.
Why are my onions flowering?
That is bolting, usually set off by a cold spell on large young plants or by very early sowing. Snap off the stalk; the bulb will be usable but should be eaten first.
How do I know onions are ready to harvest?
The tops yellow and fall over on their own. When about half have toppled, stop watering and lift them a couple of weeks later.
Should I bend the onion tops over myself?
No. Forcing them down early can let rot into the neck. Let the plants signal ripeness themselves.
Pyaz kaise ugaye ghar par?
Sow seed in a tray in October or November, transplant 10 cm apart in December or January, and harvest when the leaves fall over in spring.