For the Love of Onions

Have you ever seen an onion so large that it looked like a melon? Our good friend, Evon, has mastered growing huge onions right here in Vacaville and has been doing this for 24 years.  He appears at our front door in June or July, gifting us with the biggest onions ever!  One onion will last us for weeks, often longer!  He mails his onions to friends in New York, San Diego and Mexico, no small feat when they weigh up to 4 pounds each.

What is his secret?  His onion sets are purchased in early November at a local nursery. He prefers the Stockton Red’s and yellow onions.  They are planted deep and 8 inches apart, in a raised bed that has been filled with compost and steer manure. These amendments are rototilled together. The compost he uses is available from April 1st to October 1^st at Vacaville landfill, (free, if you have Vacaville garbage service).   When the top of the soil dries out, the onions need to be watered thoroughly.  In about 8 months, the onion tops will fall over and at that point they are ready to pull from the soil and eat.

When our group of classmates get together to celebrate the 4^th of July, the hot topic is Evon’s monstrous, trophy onions and what the biggest one weighed this year!

Evon and his onions. (photos by Sharon Rico)

large onion with it's grower

Evon in the garden.

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