Last year’s onion harvest was a disappointment. Only about 16 pounds. Not sure exactly what went wrong, but I do remember they weren’t as substantial as I would have liked when I put them in the ground in April. Probably because I didn’t fertilize them at all in the 8 weeks they spent under the grow lights. Those little jiffy pellets are swell, but they aren’t meant to provide a seedling (onion or otherwise) with all it needs to grow big and strong. A little fish emulsion, I think, would have gone a long way. A better start would have led to a better finish.
I’m doing all I can to make this year’s harvest better. Most importantly, I chose the right variety: Ailsa Craig Exhibition (Johnny’s Selected Seeds, purchased in the fall of 2020) a long-day variety known for producing big bulbs. I started them February 5th, in jiffy pots, under grow lights. I’ve already fertilized them twice: once on March 3, and once on March 17. I used a general purpose organic fertilizer at half strength. They seemed to like it. Some of them are a foot tall! Today I cut them back because it’s supposed to make them stronger and stouter. I must confess I was a nervous wreck doing it, because if I kill them now I won’t have time to start more. Yikes!
Before Trimming 
After Trimming
They seem to have survived.
Next, I have to acclimate them to outdoor conditions, but first I’m going to give them a few days to get over the shock of being cut in half. Reasonable, right?
So I’ll spend March 22 through 31 hardening them off and April 1 is transplant day. The bed’s been prepared with compost and a good, granular organic fertilizer (applied according to manufacturer’s instructions!). Onions have short, stubby roots, so even though they’re all growing close together, they’ll be easy to separate. I’m going to plant them on 5 inch centers to give them room to grow. At that rate, I should have room for about 140 of them in my 4 foot by 8 foot bed, but I don’t think I have that many.
Once they’re in the ground I just have to keep them weeded and watered and fertilized. Hopefully by June or July I’ll be rewarded with a bumper crop.