Herbs & Spices Edible Container Friendly

Everything You Need to Know About Onion — Care, Propagation & More

Your complete Filipino gardener’s guide to growing, caring for, and harvesting Sibuyas — from seed to table.

Filipino Sibuyas Scientific Allium cepa
DifficultyModerate
📅
Days to Harvest4-6 months
🏡
ContainerYes
🌞
SunlightFull sun
🍴

What Can You Eat?

Discover the edible parts and how Filipinos enjoy this plant in everyday cooking.

Edible Parts
🌱 Root 🥬 Leaf
🍳
How It’s Eaten in Philippine Cuisine

Adobo, sinigang, afritada, menudo, kaldereta — every Filipino dish has sibuyas. Green onion (sibuyas dahon) is essential in pansit, lugaw, and as garnish. Pickled red onions for grilled meats.

🇵🇭
Cultural Significance in the Philippines

Sibuyas is the foundation of Filipino sauces and adobos. The infamous onion shortage of 2022-2023 made every Filipino aware of how dependent we are on this aromatic. Backyard sibuyas dahon (green onion) is the easiest start.

🌱

Germination Guide

From seed to sprout — here’s what to expect and how to get started.

7-14 days from seed; 3-5 days from sets
Days to Germinate
15-25°C
Ideal Temperature
Seeds (long process) or onion sets (faster)
Method
Step-by-Step Timeline
1
Sow seeds 0.5 cm deep in seed tray.
2
Transplant at pencil thickness.
3
Or plant pre-made onion sets directly.
4
Spacing 10-15 cm apart.
🪴

Planting Instructions

Everything you need to prepare — soil, spacing, depth, and the best Philippine planting months.

🪴
Soil Type
Loamy, well-drained, fertile
⚗️
Soil pH
6.0-7.0
↔️
Spacing
10-15 cm between plants
⬇️
Sowing Depth
0.5 cm sowing depth; 2 cm for sets
🪣
Container Size
Minimum 10 L pot, 25 cm deep
📅
Best Season (PH)
October to December (cool season planting).
Philippine Seasonal Calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
M = recommended planting months
🌿

Propagation Methods

Learn the best ways to multiply your plants — from seeds to cuttings.

Seeds Sets (small bulbs)
Steps
1
Buy onion sets from seed shop.
2
Plant 2 cm deep, root end down.
3
Mulch with rice straw.
4
Water moderately.
💚

Care Guide

Keep your plant happy and thriving with the right light, water, and nutrients.

🌞 Sunlight

Full sun

💧 Watering

Moderate; reduce as bulbs mature

🌱 Fertilizer

Compost at planting; nitrogen sparingly during growth, none during bulbing

🌡️ Temperature

15-25°C

💨 Humidity

55-70%

🪨 Soil Maintenance

Mulch; weed regularly.

🌾

Harvest Guide

Know when and how to harvest for the best yield and flavor.

4-6 months
Days to Harvest
👀
Signs of Readiness

Tops fall over and yellow; bulb necks soften.

✂️
How to Harvest

Lift with fork; cure in shade for 2-3 weeks.

⚠️

Common Problems & Solutions

Spot issues early and fix them fast.

Small bulbs

Cause: Heat or insufficient day length

Solution: Plant during cool season; use short-day varieties.

Onion thrips

Cause: Thrip infestation

Solution: Neem oil; reflective mulch.

Pink root rot

Cause: Soil-borne fungus

Solution: Crop rotation; resistant varieties.

Bolting (flowering)

Cause: Cold then heat shock

Solution: Plant when temps stabilize cool.

🌻

Perfect Plant Partners

Plants that grow well together.