Description
These Canada No. 1 Red Onion Sets are an excellent choice for any gardener looking to grow beautiful, sweet, and mild-tasting summer onions right in their own backyard. Grown in Ontario, these sets are a simple and reliable way to ensure a great harvest of stunning reddish-purple bulbs that are perfect for fresh eating. They are ideal for use fresh from the garden due to their mild flavour profile and are suitable for short-term storage.
Quick Details
- Type: Canada No. 1 Sets (Bulbs), Annual
- Fruit: Medium to large, reddish-purple bulbs with a sweet, mild flavour
- Features: Excellent sweet flavour; best for fresh eating; easy to grow from sets.
- Botanical Name: Allium cepa
- Days to Harvest: 80–120 days (from set to bulb)
Nutritional Information
Red onions, like all members of the Allium family, are not only flavourful but also highly nutritious. They are a very good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Folate. Red onions are particularly valued for their high concentration of antioxidants, notably quercetin and anthocyanins (which give them their beautiful colour), which contribute to cardiovascular and overall health.
What you need to know to Plant & Grow
- Sowing: Plant the sets outdoors in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, typically 2 to 4 weeks before the last expected frost date. Choose a site that receives Full Sun and has fertile, loose, and well-drained soil.
- Planting Depth: Plant sets 2-4 cm deep with the pointed end facing up. Avoid planting too deeply, as this can impede proper bulb formation.
- Spacing:
- For full-sized bulbs, space the sets 10 cm apart.
- For harvesting as green onions (scallions), space them 5 cm apart.
- Row Space: 30 cm
- Care: Onions require consistent moisture, about 2.5 cm of water per week, and a weed-free environment, as they compete poorly with other plants. Fertilize with a nitrogen-rich formula until the bulbs begin to swell. Once the bulbs start pushing out of the soil, cease fertilizing and reduce watering to encourage maturation and prevent rot.
- Harvesting: Onions are ready for harvest when the green tops begin to yellow, wither, and naturally fall over. This typically occurs in mid to late summer. Harvest on a dry, sunny day. Gently lift the bulbs and allow them to cure (dry) in a warm, dry, well-ventilated location out of direct sunlight for about a week.
- Storage: These sweet, mild varieties are best for fresh eating and have a shorter storage life than pungent, yellow storage onions. They are suitable for short-term storage of a few weeks to a couple of months in a cool, dry, dark, and airy location.
Why Red Onion Sets belong in Your Garden
For quick, delicious, and colourful summer salads, salsas, and garnishes, nothing beats the home-grown taste of a sweet red onion. Planting sets offers the easiest path to a mature crop, bypassing the lengthy indoor start required for seeds, giving you large, mild bulbs perfect for enjoying all summer long.
Should You Buy Onion Seeds or Sets? Learn more here. We also offer garlic bulbs and gladiolus bulbs for spring planting.
