How many times have you gotten the cart before the horse? This happened to me on one of those much-welcomed warm days in March. I stopped in at one of my favorite garden and farm supply stores and ended up joining in a buying frenzy of onion sets and seed potatoes. How could I not get caught up when tall men were reaching over my shoulder, grabbing netted bags of onion sets? I grabbed two netted bags before the next hand-over-the-shoulder beat me to it. Thank goodness I had sense enough to stay out of the potato bin.

My thoughts on the way home were that I could immediately plant half a bag (50 sets) in the greenhouse and then, in a few weeks, plant another 50 sets, but hold the second bag till I could plant in the vegetable garden.

My enthusiasm for enjoying an extra early harvest of green onions came to a screeching halt when I realized I wouldn’t have water available in the greenhouse for another six weeks and if I wanted the sets to grow, I would have to haul buckets of water. Frankly, I am too old to play pioneer woman. Just thinking about hauling water puts a hitch in my back. There was one more reality check: I had done nothing to prepare the soil. That’s what I mean about putting the cart before the horse.

I now have water available; the soil has been prepared, so it is time to plant the sets. However, I must admit those wild and crazy impetuous feelings diminish when you are forced to become sensible and organized.

Julia Child is quoted as having said, “It’s hard to imagine a civilization without onions.” In addition to being valued as a culinary ingredient, onions are known as a super food with health benefits.

I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the fact that onions can cause allergic reactions. I have a friend who is very allergic to onions, which has taught me the importance to add an “ingredient” list to foods taken to a potluck or picnic.

Onions aren’t as common in the home garden, in part because of their continual supply and low price in grocery stores. No matter the month, you will find a neatly stacked onion display.

Onions are tolerant of a variety of soils, which should be a big selling point for the home gardener. They are also frost-tolerant. Choose a sunny location that has not previously been dedicated to onions.

Onions are heavy feeders and do need a soil that has been amended with a healthy dose of good organic compost. Compost is a great soil conditioner that helps retain moisture in the soil, and the slow release of nutrients in the compost adds to fertility.

Recommendations are to add 1 to 2 pounds of an all-purpose fertilizer per 100 square feet of soil at planting time. Turn the compost and the fertilizer into the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Four to five weeks after planting, apply a side dressing of fertilizer. Do not fertilize during the last month before harvest.

There are two schools of thought on planting onion sets.

One is that if you want mostly green onions, you plant the sets 3 to 4 inches deep, thereby yielding more white flesh.

The second method is to plant all sets to the top of the bulb (the pointed end). The bulb should be planted just deep enough so the top of the bulb is barely visible. The sets are planted 2 inches apart in the row, and the green onions would result from the thinning process of pulling every other onion, allowing space for the remaining onions to mature to storage size.

Green onions are usually ready in four to six weeks. Onions grown for winter storage are ready in three to four months.

Onions do not compete well with weeds and will benefit greatly from regular weeding. Once the sets have a good start, you can mulch around the onions for weed control and moisture consistency.

When the plants turn yellow and start to break over, your crop is ready to harvest. Lift the bulbs out of the soil with a harvest fork and allow to dry for several weeks. Onions must be thoroughly dry or they will rot during storage. The best way to keep them in storage is to braid them or hang in net bags. Be sure to let air circulate around them.