And if you follow this fail-safe philosophy when it comes to planting your spring garden, you'll already be thinking about getting the perfect salad and pizza topping in the ground - red onions.
Packed with the antioxidants vitamin A and E, as well as vitamin C, calcium and iron, these red delights are also great on burgers and sandwiches, or a delicious grilled toastie. You can also throw them in the frying pan, but keep in mind they tend to lose their wonderful purple colour when cooked.
The best thing about red onions, though, is that you can plant them wherever you like, as long as the soil is friable (goes crumbly when you touch it). Just dig the soil over, and add a little fertiliser.
Make rows 20cm apart from each other, then plan the onions 10cm apart within the rows.
While you're at it, why not plant a bit of spinach in between the lines of onions? It's ready to harvest a lot earlier, so it's a good use of the space, given that you'll need to wait 20 - 24 weeks before the onions mature.
And how will you know when your red (or should I say 'purple') delights are ready? Just give them a gentle tug and they'll come right out of the ground. If they're starting to look a bit jaded, it means they've most likely gone to seed. If that happens, simply tie the top of any nasty-looking onion in a knot to stop it growing further.
Now all you have to do is get down to your local supermarket, The Warehouse or Bunnings today and grab a Traditional Value bundle of Awapuni Nurseries' California Red Onions. Alternatively, head to our online store and have them delivered direct to your door. Happy planting.