Harvesting Onions on a Small Permaculture Homestead in San Marcos, Texas How I Grow, Harvest, and Store Onions Beneath a Pecan Tree in Zone 8b
In the heart of San Marcos, Texas, where the climate swings between wet winters and blazing spring sunshine, onionshave become one of my favorite crops to grow on our small permaculture homestead. I don’t grow them in traditional rows, but instead tuck onion sets beneath the canopy of a pecan tree—using seasonal rhythms, natural leaf mulch, and careful harvesting to ensure they thrive.
If you're gardening in Zone 8b, this method is a simple way to weave onions into a perennial food forest, build soil fertility, and harvest as needed throughout the season.
Why I Plant Onions Under a Pecan Tree in Winter
Onions are cool-weather crops, and in Central Texas, I plant onion sets in December or January. The key is choosing a south-facing, gentle slope, which warms early and drains well—perfect for root crops.
Right above that slope is a large pecan tree, bare in winter and wide-leafed by mid-spring. This timing is essential:
In winter, the sun reaches the onions directly while the tree is dormant.
By late spring, as the heat builds, the pecan leafs out and provides dappled afternoon shade, helping prevent sunscald and stress.
This seasonal microclimate is a textbook example of passive design in permaculture—working with nature's timing rather than fighting it.
Using Leaf Mulch to Support Onion Growth
I collect fallen leaves from various trees—pecan, oak, elm—and layer them over the soil around the onions. This natural mulch does several things:
Retains soil moisture
Suppresses weeds
Builds fungal networks and organic matter as it breaks down
Keeps the soil cool and aerated in rising spring temperatures
Over time, this builds what permaculturists call living soil, rich with worms, mycorrhizae, and carbon.
How to Know When Onions Are Ready to Harvest
Onions tell you when they’re ready—you just have to watch:
When the tops begin to yellow and fall over naturally, it’s your signal.
Stop watering at this point to prevent rot or splitting.
Wait 7–10 days after the tops flop over, then gently loosen the soil and pull them.
Avoid yanking them by the stems, as that can bruise the bulb or cause the neck to rot in storage.
Harvesting Onions as Needed
Because I plant densely and intercrop onions with herbs and perennial greens, I don’t harvest all at once. I walk through the garden and pull only what I need—a handful for tonight’s dinner or for preserving.
Fresh onions with green tops are ideal for:
Soups and sautés
Pickling with herbs
Swapping at the local farmers' exchange
This slow-harvest rhythm supports both the soil and the kitchen.
How to Prepare the Soil for Better Onion Harvests (Permaculture Style)
Onions need loose, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. To build this up each year:
I use chopped leaf mulch and duck bedding (aged manure + straw) in fall
Add crushed eggshells or wood ash to boost calcium and potassium
Avoid synthetic nitrogen, which causes excessive top growth but weak bulbs
Use companion plants like garlic chives, calendula, or nasturtiums to deter pests and enhance soil biodiversity
Each season improves the soil without tilling—just layering and planting in rhythm with nature.
Final Thoughts
Harvesting onions on a small permaculture homestead in San Marcos is more than a task—it’s a seasonal ritual tied to the trees, the sun, and the soil. Planting under a deciduous canopy, mulching with fall leaves, and harvesting by observation brings you into relationship with your garden’s natural cycles.
And when you slice into a sun-cured onion months later—whether for a curry, soup, or pickled plate—you’ll taste not just the flavor, but the system that grew it.
