Onions can be categorized in five ways:
1. Color -- white, yellow, or red
2. Flavor - sweet, pungent, or mild
3. Basic use - fresh, green, pickling, or storage
4. Shape of the bulb - globe, round, flattened or torpedo-shaped
5. Day length - Long day
Favorite Varieties
Green: Evergreen White bunching, Welsh Onion
Fall Bulb: Fiesta, Utah Yellow Sweet Spanish, Walla Walla, Sweet Sandwich (very mild), Early Ebenezer
Pickler: Crystal White Wax (pickler)
Seed Viability (Years)
1 years
Seed Germination
40° F to 60° F
Germination Time
136 days at 32° F 31 days at 41° F 13 days at 50° F 7 days at 59° F 5 days at 68° F 4 days at 77° F 4 days at 86° F or higher
Planting Instructions
Onions can be planted from seeds, sets or transplants. Transplants form better bulbs for storage while sets are best for fresh eating and green onions. Onions seeded in the spring will form good storage bulbs provided the season is long enough for them to reach full maturity.
Plant sets 1" to 2" apart and thin by harvesting.
Plant transplants 5" to 6" apart to allow room for proper bulb development.
Onions grow well in rows, containers, or wide beds so long as spacing is maintained.
Container Gardens