Onions start to germinate at temperatures as low as 2-3 degrees Celsius and withstand light frost temperatures. Therefore you can begin to sow onions in the open in winter. The earth should be fine and loose, not too heavy and loamy. So that the bulb grows very large and healthy, the seed must be planted in a loose bed not more than one centimetre deep. After germination of the seeds, the superfluous seed buds must be transplanted so that the remaining onion plants each have approximately 12 x 12 centimetres space each. Regularly clear the onion beds of weeds by constantly loosening the earth by thorough hoeing. As soon as inflorescences can be seen on onions, these should be removed so that nutrients get into the bulbs and the plant does not use these to develop seeds. The harvest can begin six to eight months after sowing depending on the variety. The onions are ready to harvest when the onion leaves begin to begin to dry and fall over. The harvested onions should be left to dry for a few days then stored in a cool dry place.
Onions have various healing powers. As early as the Middle Ages, people used the onion as a seasoning and healing plant. Used externally, an onion cut in half helps against insect bites. In naturopathy, the onion is used for respiratory diseases, against coughs and colds. However, the onion is also effective in the digestive tract, for example it alleviates gastro-intestinal complaints.