Are you in need of in-depth knowledge on onion and garlic production? If yes, we are a call away. Our service chatter includes: Onion seedlings, Garlic seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack and Farm management. For free consultation, placing orders or booking a visit with an agronomist, please contact us via Call or what’s app +254703982228, Email: Info@oniondoctor.co.ke. Onions are generally considered a ‘cool season crop’ because onion seedlings like to start their life when conditions are still cool. Then as the weather warms up, they switch to focus their energy on bulb formation. If you hope to grow onions from seed, you’ll need to be prepared to get a jump start and plant seeds. After sprouting onions take three  months to reach a mature size. At Onion Doctor we offer high quality seedlings, and guidelines on how to plant from nursery to harvesting point. Don’t hesitate to reach out for our services at a competitive price. The difference between bulbing onions, green onions, scallions or spring onions Red, yellow, white, sweet… In addition to the various colors and subtle flavor differences, traditional bulbing onions can be enjoyed in a variety of ways – depending on the age they’re harvested! Before forming large bulbs, immature onions may be picked and used as green onions – also known as scallions. If you allow them to mature a little longer and form a modest (but still underdeveloped) bulb, then they’re considered spring onions! Gather up a cluster of young green onions, spring onions, or scallions, and now you have a handful of bunching onions. Note that there are also varieties of slender non-bulbing onions; a true “green onion”. Short-day, long-day, and day-neutral onions In addition to size and color, different onion varieties are further classified as either short-day, long-day, or day-neutral onions. They’re grouped by the number of daylight hours required to trigger good bulb formation. It is important to choose and grow onion varieties that are a good fit for your location! Otherwise, the onion bulbs may fail to successfully develop. Non-bulbing green onions aren’t as fussy about exact daylight hours, though all onions like plenty of sun! Should I grow onions from seed, seedlings or “sets”?  Do you want high quality seedlings, we Onion Doctor got your back! Don’t hesitate to reach to us in your journey to grow onions . There are three main ways to grow onions: from seed, seedlings, or by purchasing onion sets. Every gardener has their preference between the three! Growing onions from seed is easy, and allows you to choose the exact varieties you want to grow! Purchasing started seedlings or sets is also a great option, and will give you a quicker start than seed. Onion seedlings are like small green onions, recently started from seed (within the last couple months). In contrast, onion ‘sets’ are small, dry, immature onion bulbs that were grown from seed the previous year. They were allowed to partially develop, harvested as a tiny bulb, and kept dormant to later sell or plant as “seed” – though they’re not really seed. Because they’re on their second year of life (and onions are biennial), onion sets have the tendency to bolt more readily or result in underdeveloped bulbs. When an onion ‘bolts’, it prematurely sends up a flowering stalk and then forms seed. You can still eat around the tough center of the onion bulb, but it will decline in quality and no longer be good for long-term storage. Onion Doctor supports small holder farmers across Africa with quality and affordable Onion and Garlic seedlings, Onion seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack, Farm management, E-extension and on-farm training for farmers to optimize on yields and get maximum profits.

Are you in need of in-depth knowledge on onion and garlic production? If yes, we are a call away. Our service chatter includes: Onion seedlings, Garlic seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack and Farm management. For free consultation, placing orders or booking a visit with an agronomist, please contact us via Call or what’s app +254703982228, Email: Info@oniondoctor.co.ke. Onion sets are small, dry onion bulbs grown but not allowed to mature. Advantages of Growing Onions from Sets 1: Onion sets produce much earlier than seed started onions. 2: Onion sets saves time , they take about 40-60 days How to Grow Your Own Onion Sets Onion sets are tiny onions that mature in about 14 weeks. They have a higher success rate than direct-sown seeds or transplants. The onion sets look like small bulbs and are sold at gardening stores; once they mature, they develop into full-size bulbs. Choose onion sets with bulbs that are 3/4 of an inch in diameter; larger ones tend to produce stiff necks and go There’s no need to soak onion sets before planting. Plant them 10-15cm apart, allowing 30cm between rows. Plant them just below the soil surface, with just the tips showing, in moisture-retentive, fertile soil, ideally with plenty of well-rotted organic matter such as garden compost.  Keep the planting bed just moist; do not let it go dry. Let the plants grow until most of the developing bulbs are ½ to ¾ inch in diameter Cull the bulbs. Do not save sets larger than 1 inch in diameter for planting next season; large sets will likely bolt and flower quickly when replanted next season. (If you do save larger sets, they can be grown as green onions next season.) Do not save sets less than ½ inch in diameter; very small sets will likely not have enough stored energy to produce large onions next season. Cure the sets you are saving in a sunny place for about 10 days–until the tops dry. Remove the tops and store the sets in a mesh bag in a cool, dry place. Be sure to label each bag. Onion Doctor supports small holder farmers across Africa with quality and affordable Onion and Garlic seedlings, Onion seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack, Farm management, E-extension and on-farm training for farmers to optimize on yields and get maximum profits.

Are you in need of in-depth knowledge on onion and garlic production? If yes, we are a call away. Our service chatter includes: Onion seedlings, Garlic seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack and Farm management. For free consultation, placing orders or booking a visit with an agronomist, please contact us via Call or what’s app +254703982228, Email: Info@oniondoctor.co.ke. Onion is a vegetable that belongs to the species of the genus Allium. Onions are 89% water but are also composed of sugar, protein, fiber, and low amounts of essential nutrients. Onion is mostly used as a flavor enhancer in day to day food without raising the calorie count. The global onion market has been categorized as part of the global agricultural products market. The global agricultural products market includes producers of agricultural products. The market also includes crop growers, owners of plantations and companies that produce and process foods but do not package and market them. The onion market in Kenya is highly competitive and you need to have a solid marketing strategy in place to ensure that your onions reach the right buyers at the right time. In this article, we will discuss some of the best ways to market onions in Kenya. 1: Understanding the market: Before you start marketing your onions, it is important to understand the market. This includes knowing your target customers, their preferences, and the prices they are willing to pay. For example, if you are targeting supermarkets, you need to ensure that your onions are of high quality and meet their specific requirements. 2:Networking: One of the most effective ways to market your onions is by networking. This includes building relationships with other farmers, traders, and buyers. By networking, you can learn more about the market and identify potential buyers for your onions. Also attending conferences, Agriculture expo’s, for more exposure and understanding the market. 3: Packaging and labeling: The packaging and labeling of your onions is also important. It is important to package your onions in a way that protects them from damage and ensures that they reach the buyer in good condition. Additionally, you should include a label on the packaging that provides information about the onions, such as their variety, size, and weight. 4: Advertising: Advertising is another important aspect of marketing your onions. This can include advertising in local newspapers and on radio and television. You can also consider advertising online on platforms such as social media, Google AdWords, or through targeted online ads. 5: Participating in trade fairs and exhibitions: Trade fairs and exhibitions are a great way to showcase your onions to potential buyers. By participating in these events, you can showcase your onions to a wide range of buyers and suppliers, and gain valuable feedback on your product. 4: Utilizing digital channels: In the digital age, it is important to make use of various digital channels to market your onions. This includes creating a website or social media account dedicated to your onions and regularly updating it with information about your product, as well as pictures and videos. Additionally, you can join online marketplaces and groups where you can connect with potential buyers and suppliers. 5: Joining a cooperative society: Joining a cooperative society can be an effective way to market your onions. Cooperative societies can provide you with access to a wider market and better prices for your onions. Additionally, society can provide you with support in terms of packaging and labeling, transportation, and other services. Onion Doctor supports small holder farmers across Africa with quality and affordable Onion and Garlic seedlings, Onion seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack, Farm management, E-extension and on-farm training for farmers to optimize on yields and get maximum profits.

Are you in need of in-depth knowledge on onion and garlic production? If yes, we are a call away. Our service chatter includes: Onion seedlings, Garlic seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack and Farm management. For free consultation, placing orders or booking a visit with an agronomist, please contact us via Call or what’s app +254703982228, Email: Info@oniondoctor.co.ke. Thinning onions refers to the process of removing excess onion seedlings to allow the remaining plants enough space to grow and develop properly. Thinning onion plant is an important part of the growing process in Kenya. it allows the plant to focus their energy on producing fewer but larger onions. Thinning also helps to prevent overcrowding and promotes air circulation, which reduces the risk of fungal diseases. To thin onion plants, use your fingers or small gardening tool to remove excess seedlings around each plants base carefully. Leave enough space between the plants to grow. Thinned seedlings can be transplanted. Wait for Seedlings to Develop: Once seedlings have sufficient leaf growth, thin them down to around 3 to4 inches (8-10 cm.) apart. Thin seedlings to 1 inch apart, and thin again in four weeks to 6 inches apart. For transplants or sets, use a dibble to make planting holes 2 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Use the closer spacing if you plan to harvest some young plants as green onions. Prepare Tools: You’ll need a small pair of gardening scissors or your fingers to gently lift and remove the unwanted seedlings. Gently Remove Seedlings: Carefully grasp the seedling you want to remove near its base. Using scissors or your fingers, gently lift the seedling out of the soil. Try to minimize disturbance to the neighboring seedlings and their roots. Water After Thinning: After thinning, water the onion bed gently to settle the soil around the remaining seedlings. This helps reduce stress and promotes recovery. Onion Doctor supports small holder farmers across Africa with quality and affordable Onion and Garlic seedlings, Onion seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack, Farm management, E-extension and on-farm training for farmers to optimize on yields and get maximum profits.

Are you in need of in-depth knowledge on onion and garlic production? If yes, we are a call away. Our service chatter includes: Onion seedlings, Garlic seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack and Farm management. For free consultation, placing orders or booking a visit with an agronomist, please contact us via Call or what’s app +254703982228, Email: Info@oniondoctor.co.ke. Onion farming is a lucrative business, providing income for millions of people, but there are some essential decisions you need to make before you venture into the onion farming business. You have to make a decision on how many acres you want to farm, which type of onions you will farm, which season you are going to plant your onions, and your target market. These choices will be affected by the amount of capital you have, the size & needs of your target market. If you do not have a lot of capital, you can always start small and grow your onion farming business overtime. You also need to carry out market research (Who are you going to sell the onions to? At what price?) and write a bulb onion business plan before you venture into the business. Onions are also known as bulb onions, due to their shape. BUSINESS MODEL Options To Choose From:  Broadly, you can sell your onions to wholesalers or retailers. You can also serve as the wholesaler and or retailer. You can sell them directly to consumers. You have considerable flexibility in how you can sell your onions. Your scale of onion production will determine which option is best. For example, if you are doing onion farming on a large scale, the direct to consumer business model can be too tasking. Meaning wholesale would be ideal. Find A Balance: The wholesale approach is the most hassle-free but might not fetch high enough prices. Other approaches such as retailer and direct to consumer can fetch higher prices. However, they are more demanding in terms of time, resources, and effort. You can always find a balance so that you enjoy the best of each approach. Incorporate selling online since it can be much more effective. LAND FOR ONION FARMING BUSINESS Good bulb onion production starts with good land selection. Onions can grow well on a wide range of soil types, including sand soil, fine textured clays, however good fertile sandy loam soil is usually the best soil type. This is because it has a low sulphur content and is well drained. It allows normal development of the onion bulb, and has a good capacity of holding water. Another important factor to consider is the pH of the soil, as it should be ideally in the range of 5.0-6.8 to enable the optimum growth of the bulb onions. The land for bulb onion farming should also have the right soil structure. The soil for onion farming must permit adequate root growth to support the plant and supply water, oxygen and mineral nutrients and must be free of toxic elements. It is important that before you start farming onions on your farm, you check whether the soil is suitable for onion farming. Your onion production business plan should take into account the cost of purchasing or renting the land. MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT FOR ONION FARMING Land preparation must be properly done to ensure the soil is ready for the onions. The range of machinery and equipment needed for your onion farming business depends on the scale of production. For small scale this can be done using hand-held equipment whereas for medium to large scale heavy machinery such as tractors and the like may be needed. Machinery and equipment needed include tractors, harvesters, boom sprayers, fertilizer spreader equipment, irrigation equipment, spray equipment, diggers, scales, ridgers, bins etc. Most farmers usually hire big machinery like tractors when they want to use them, rather than purchasing them as they are expensive. Adequate water supply is also important meaning that irrigation is necessary. Onions can thrive quite well by the use of drip irrigation thus making the required amount of water less. We the Onion Doctor, we offer drip irrigation and installation depending on your acreage as follows:  1 acre =170,000ksh. 1/2 acre=85,000ksh. 1/4 acre=43,000ksh. 1/8 acre=22,000ksh.  BULB ONION VARIETIES Onion varieties are classified into three categories as short-day, intermediate-day and long-day types and this reflects the hours of sunlight (day light) which will trigger bulb formation. Short day varieties need 10 – 12 hours of daylight , intermediate-day varieties need 12-14 hours of daylight while long day varieties need 14 – 16 hours of daylight. Examples of onion varieties include Texas Grano, Copra, Walla Walla, and Red Burgundy. ONION FARMING INPUTS:  You require various farming inputs when doing onion farming. The onion farming can be started using onion seeds or seedlings. It is important that you purchase your onion seeds from us Onion Doctor, we offer certified, high-quality seeds and seedlings that gives you full potential growth. Also Fertilizers and Herbicides are important in the growth of onions to prevent Pest and Diseases. Some of the low-cost measures to fight these issues can be spreading thin films of sand around onion plants, mulching, crop rotation and incorporating humus into the soil. Pests:  Some of the common onion pests are cut worms, maggots, flies, leaf miners, thrips, and mites. The composition of onions works to ward off several potential pests. Onions are rich in sulphur and that wards off pests. Regular inspection of your onion plants is imperative. When it comes to pest infestations, the signs will typically be on the leaves. It can be things like spots, larvae, or discolouration, amongst others. Diseases: Most diseases that affect onions occur due to more or less the same factors. If the weather or the general state of the environment is characterised by moisture and heat, diseases tend to occur. The most common onion diseases are fungal and bacterial ones; fungal ones being the most

Are you in need of in-depth knowledge on onion and garlic production? If yes, we are a call away. Our service chatter includes: Onion seedlings, Garlic seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack and Farm management. For free consultation, placing orders or booking a visit with an agronomist, please contact us via Call or what’s app +254703982228, Email: Info@oniondoctor.co.ke. Proper onion spacing is essential to promote healthy plant growth and high yields in a vegetable garden. Plant and row spacing depends on the type of onions you’re growing (green onions, small bulbs, or full-sized bulbs), as well as the planting technique (direct seeding, transplanting seedlings, or planting sets) Are you in a position you don’t know the right measure to put in spacing your onion plants? We the Onion Doctor are here to guide you on how to plant, transplant, harvest and store then link you to markets. For a very competitive price. Reach to us for a quotation. Why is onion spacing important?  Proper plant spacing is essential when growing vegetables. Those planted too closely compete for water, sun, and nutrients, but planting too far apart wastes garden space and reduces yield. Tightly packed plants also limits air circulation which increases the risk of plant diseases. Plant seeds in rows 12 to 15 inches apart. Cover the seeds with 1/2 to 3/4 inch of soil. When the seedlings are 2 to 4 inches tall, thin the planting. For large, dry onions, plants should be spaced 2 to 3 inches apart after thinning. 3 ways to plant onions:  Onions grow best in a site with full sun and fertile, well-draining soil. Amend the bed with an inch of compost or rotted manure before planting. If your soil isn’t particularly fertile, you may wish to add a slow-release organic fertilizer when you prepare the garden bed. If planting onions in pots, choose a container or fabric planter that holds 7 to 10 gallons of potting mix and offers good drainage.  Onion spacing when direct seeding: Sow the seeds a quarter of an inch deep and a half inch apart. When the young plants are several inches tall, thin them to 1 inch apart for green onions, 2 inches apart for small to medium-sized bulbs, or 4 to 6 inches apart for large bulb onions. Plant in a grid pattern or space rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Onion spacing when planting seedings:  Set seedlings 1 inch apart for green onions, 2 inches apart for small to medium-sized bulbs, or 4 to 6 inches apart for large bulbs. Plant in a grid pattern or space rows 12 to 18 inches apart. Onion Doctor supports small holder farmers across Africa with quality and affordable Onion and Garlic seedlings, Onion seedlings, Farm planning services, Soil testing, Drip irrigation installation and maintenance, Agronomic support, Onion and Garlic value pack, Farm management, E-extension and on-farm training for farmers to optimize on yields and get maximum profits.