I bought a tool several years ago that is wood with metal caps on the top and bottom.

It is conical in shape and works well. I don't know where I got it but Gurneys and other suppliers should either have them or know where to get them. I think it was called a "planting dibble".

If I can find more info, I will post it.

The really speed up planting.

This post was edited by dmullen on Sat, Apr 26, 14 at 21:13

Many different type of bulb planters.

I have a Fiskars Bulb Planter (less than $10.00) like the one below. It works like a pair of hand held post hole diggers. It does not work well in very hard soil. But does great in an Onion, Garlic or flower bed.

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You did say PLANTS....(not bulbs/sets)....

I use an old 3-tine garden hand fork to create the planting holes for my small onion seedlings.....I dampen the soil and wiggle the fork creating three tapered holes each spaced evenly.....move over and repeat.......

I'll trim the roots and tops on the small seedlings and drop them in the planting holes

........something like this:

doug

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden fork

The tool that you already probably have is your shovel or spade, or a hoe.

Clear out an area to whatever depth and length you wanted.

Drop the onion bulbs or plants into that trench, then push the dirt back over them. Onions, even as a growing plant, seem to be quite forgiving about how long they were out of the ground or how you replant them, so this method will work just fine. For a while they will look out of it but then bounce right back.

FWIW, I use a "dibble" which though it comes in various configurations and prices is essentially a sharpened short stick with some kind of handle. I made one out of a broken tomato stake and a rubber cap off a cane or crutch. If you have a 1X1 about 8" long and a draw knife or rasp you can build one in a couple of minutes.

Ev

I just make a V 'trench" with a hoe about 2" or so deep depending on the size of my starts.

Lay the starts along one side and then push the trench closed with your hands on either side, pushing the right amount so the starts end up vertical.

To be honest, this year I forgot the dibble and was down in the garden with only one pack of onion plants. Barn was 1500 feet away. I used Bill's method, so far, seems to be working fine.

Ev

Am I understanding this correctly? You guys plant Onions in rows like you do the rest of the garden?

I plant mine in beds 3'x12' formed from 2x8" treated lumber and filled with dirt. After the second or third frost. I just cut the tops off at the ground and cover them with leaves. What is not harvested will come back next year to grow even larger bulbs.

I do Garlic the same way. Only in the spring. I pull the largest and break the bulbs apart and replant them.

I make holes hoe handle in fresh till soil, drop plants down pvc pipe shake pipe add dirt to holes watering in finish covering plants, You need way carry plant a long with you a nail apron works good. I plant sets have green top about 6" long, plant tomatoes same way if plugs I use 2" pvc wet good before drop down pipe. To dig holes use 2" augur on drill from Garden center Lowes. Pepper plugs same. This give me stand-up planting.