Spring onion seed 4815

hybrid

New! Red long-day onion for overwintering. Robust, dark green plants survive winter well and produce red bulbs with deeper color than Desert Sunrise. Bulbs are round and uniform in size, maturing a few days behind Desert Sunrise when overwintered. In our trials, Red Spring is slightly more prone to bolting than Desert Sunrise when overwintered in Maine. Also a good option for a spring-sown, early red onion in long-day latitudes. Stores approx. 3 months. Avg. 121,700 seeds/lb. Packet: 250 seeds. SCIENTIFIC NAME: Allium cepa CULTURE: Onions require full sun and fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0. Sandy loam soils are ideal; in heavier soils, use raised beds or raised rows to promote soil drainage. DIRECT SEEDING: In April or early May, or as soon as the soil can be prepared in early spring, sow in a 2" wide band, about 2 seeds/in., 1/4– 1/2" deep, rows 12–18" apart. Thin to 1 1/2–2" apart for highest yields in fertile soil. Thin to 3-4" apart for larger onions. TRANSPLANTING: In short-season areas, sow seeds indoors in flats in late February to mid-March. Broadcast 1/2" apart and cover 1/4". Tops may be clipped to 5" tall. Transplant to the garden 4" apart, or sow 5 seeds in each cell of 1–1 1/2" diameter plug trays, thinning to 3 per cell. Transplant each cell 6" apart. CULTIVATION: Keep onions well weeded with shallow cultivation. WATER: Onions are shallow-rooted and grow best with at least 1" per week of rain or irrigation, especially during the bulbing phase.