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Cool 12 Onions

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Cool 12 Onions

layout: base.njk title: "Onions (Bulbing & Scallions)" plantName: "Allium cepa" category: "Cool Season Crops" description: "Growing guide for Onions (Bulbing & Scallions) in West Virginia Zone 6b/7a" tags: planting-guide

Yellow onion bulbs with papery skin

Type: Biennial (grown as annual for bulbs, annual for scallions)
Family: Amaryllidaceae (Allioideae)
Sun: Full sun (6+ hours, essential for bulb formation)
Water: Moderate (1" per week, reduce as bulbs mature)
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0 (optimal 6.2-6.8)
Hardiness: Zones 3-11 (cool season annual, variety-dependent cold tolerance)

📅 Planting Calendar (WV Zone 6b/7a)

Method Timing Notes
Start indoors January 15 - March 1 10-12 weeks before last frost for bulbing onions. Sow 1/4" deep at 65-75°F. Germination in 7-14 days. Transplant when pencil-thick.
Direct sow March 1 - April 30 Soil temp 50-85°F. Sow 1/2" deep, thin to 4-6" for bulbs, 1-2" for scallions. Bulbing onions need early start.
Sets/Transplants March 15 - May 1 Plant sets (tiny bulbs) or starter plants. Space 4-6" for bulbs. Easiest method but limited varieties. Tolerates light frost.
Days to maturity 90-120 days (bulbs); 50-60 days (scallions) Long-day varieties need 14-16 hour days to bulb. Choose correctly for latitude. Scallions harvested young, before bulbing.
Succession plant Scallions every 2-3 weeks For continuous scallion harvest. Bulbing onions planted once—day length triggers bulbing.

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per plant: Bulbing onions: 0.5-2 lbs per bulb. Scallions: 1-2 oz per plant.
  • Per 10' row: Bulbing: 15-40 lbs. Scallions: 5-10 lbs (multiple harvests).
  • Per season: Bulbing onions: 20-50 lbs per 10' row. Scallions: 10-20 lbs with succession planting.

🌿 Growing Conditions

  • Soil: Loose, well-drained, fertile loam high in organic matter and sulfur. Onions are moderate to heavy feeders. pH 6.2-6.8 optimal. Avoid fresh manure (causes rot). Work in 3-4" compost several weeks before planting. Raised beds excellent for drainage.
  • Fertilizer: Heavy nitrogen feeder early, then phosphorus/potassium for bulbing. Apply composted manure or extra compost at planting (2-3 tbsp per 10' row). Side-dress with nitrogen monthly until bulbing begins (when tops start falling). Then switch to high-phosphorus fertilizer. Sulfur increases pungency and storage ability.
  • Companions: Excellent with carrots (mutual pest protection), beets, cabbage family, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers. Onions mask scent of susceptible crops. Avoid planting with peas, beans, asparagus (onions can inhibit growth).
  • Avoid: Plant away from peas, beans, asparagus, sage. Rotate 3 years away from other alliums (garlic, leeks, shallots).
  • Pests: Onion thrips (major pest—silvery leaves, insecticidal soap, beneficial predators), onion maggots (row covers, rotate, beneficial nematodes), aphids (hose off).
  • Diseases: Downy mildew (improve airflow, avoid overhead watering), neck rot (harvest properly, cure thoroughly), botrytis leaf blight (remove affected leaves), bacterial soft rot (harvest carefully, cure properly). Proper curing essential for storage.

🏺 Heirloom Varieties (5-10+)

'Walla Walla Sweet'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com), Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com)
  • Days: 110 days from seed
  • Notes: Washington state heirloom. Large, globe-shaped, yellow-tan. Exceptionally sweet (low sulfur). Named for Walla Walla valley. Long-day variety. Doesn't store as long as pungent varieties. Famous for onion rings, raw eating.

'Red Wing'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 105 days
  • Notes: Long-day red onion. Globe-shaped, deep red-purple. Good storage for red variety. Mild, sweet flavor. Uniform. Excellent for fresh market and storage.

'Patterson'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 110 days
  • Notes: Long-day yellow onion. Globe-shaped, brown skin. Excellent storage (6+ months). Firm, pungent. Industry standard for storage onions. Reliable yielder. Sharp flavor mellows with cooking.

'Ailsa Craig'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 110 days
  • Notes: Scottish heirloom from 1800s. Massive bulbs (2-5 lbs!). Yellow skin, white flesh. Sweet, mild flavor. Exhibition onion. Doesn't store long. Impressive size. Traditional for showing.

'Yellow Globe Danvers'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (southernexposure.com)
  • Days: 105 days
  • Notes: Massachusetts heirloom from 1847. Flattened globe shape, yellow-brown skin. Excellent storage. Pungent, sharp flavor. Traditional New England variety. Reliable producer.

'White Lisbon'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 65 days (scallion)
  • Notes: Classic scallion/bunching onion. White stalks, green tops. Cold hardy. Sweet, mild. Can be left in ground over winter. Traditional for scallions. Self-sows readily.

'Evergreen Hardy White'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 65 days (scallion)
  • Notes: Hardy scallion. White bottoms, green tops. Extremely cold tolerant—overwinters in zone 6+. Sweet, tender. Reliable spring and fall. Standard for bunching onions.

'Copra'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, High Mowing Organic Seeds (highmowingseeds.com)
  • Days: 105 days
  • Notes: Long-day yellow hybrid, F1. Globe-shaped, brown skin. Excellent storage (8+ months). Uniform. High yield. Sweet flavor that develops with storage. Industry standard.

'Red Zeppelin'

  • Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds, Baker Creek
  • Days: 100 days
  • Notes: Long-day red hybrid, F1. Oval shape, deep red. Good storage for red. Sweet, mild. Uniform. Excellent for fresh market. Beautiful color.

'Bunching' (Japanese Bunching)

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds
  • Days: 60-70 days
  • Notes: Allium fistulosum (different species). Doesn't form bulbs—harvest as scallions. Cold hardy, perennial. Sweet, mild. Traditional for Asian cuisine. Returns yearly.

📜 Cultural History & Domestication

Domesticated: Onions were among earliest domesticated crops, originating in Central Asia (Iran/Pakistan region) over 5000 years ago. Wild onions distributed across Europe, Asia, North America.

Archaeological Evidence: Onion remains found in Bronze Age sites (5000 BCE) in Iran, Pakistan. Depictions in ancient Egyptian tombs (3200 BCE). Onions found in Egyptian tombs, placed with mummies (spherical shape symbolized eternal life).

Historical Record: Ancient Egyptians cultivated onions extensively—fed to pyramid builders for strength and disease prevention. Onions used in mummification—placed in eye sockets, abdomen. Egyptians swore oaths on onions. Greeks valued onions—ate before Olympic games (believed to balance blood). Romans grew onions throughout empire. Roman soldiers carried onions for food and medicine (rubbed on muscles for soreness). The word "onion" derives from Latin "unio" (unity, referring to single bulb vs. garlic's multiple cloves). Onions traveled Silk Road to Asia. Medieval Europeans relied on onions—peasants ate bread, cheese, onions as staple diet. Onions used as currency in medieval times—paid rent with onions. European colonists brought onions to Americas. Native Americans adopted onions into cultivation. Onions became standard garden crop. Storage onions provided vitamins through winter. Different varieties developed based on day length (long-day for northern latitudes, short-day for southern, day-neutral for intermediate). Modern breeding improved storage, disease resistance, uniformity.

Cultural Significance: Onions fundamental to world cuisines—French mirepoix (onions, carrots, celery), Italian soffritto, Spanish sofrito, Cajun trinity (onions, bell peppers, celery), Indian masala base. Nearly every cuisine starts dishes with sautéed onions. Onions' sulfur compounds (released when cut) cause tears—enzyme reaction produces syn-propanethial-S-oxide. This biological defense mechanism (protects plant from animals) became cooking challenge. Cutting onions under water, with sharp knife, or chilling reduces tearing. Onions stored through winter in cool, dry place—provided essential vitamins when fresh produce unavailable. This storage ability made onions crucial for survival. Different colors = different nutrients (red = anthocyanins, yellow = quercetin, white = mild flavor). Onions have medicinal reputation—antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular benefits. Traditional medicine used onions for coughs (onion syrup), wounds (poultice), infections. Cutting onions releases allicin (same compound in garlic)—antimicrobial. Onions associated with frugality, peasant food ("onion soup"穷人的食物), yet also culinary sophistication (French onion soup elevated dish). The layer structure made onion symbol of complexity ("peeling away layers"). Onions don't sprout during storage if properly cured—dormancy induced by drying. Sprouting indicates storage past prime (still edible, flavor different). Onions and carrots classic companion planting—each masks other's pest scent, efficient use of space, similar cultural requirements.

🌾 Seed Saving

  • Method: Onions are biennial—require vernalization (cold period) to flower. For seed saving, select best bulbs, store over winter in cool, dry place (35-40°F), replant in spring. In zone 6b/7a, some varieties can overwinter in ground with heavy mulch. In spring, plants send up 3-5' flower stalks with round umbels (cluster) of small, star-shaped white/pink flowers. Flowers are insect-pollinated (bees, flies, moths). Seeds mature 6-8 weeks after flowering, turning from green to black. Onion seeds are small, angular, black. Cut umbels when most seeds black but before shattering. Hang in paper bags in dry, ventilated area 2-3 weeks. Thresh by rubbing umbels between hands. Winnow by pouring between bowls in breeze to separate seeds from chaff.
  • Isolation distance: 2 miles minimum (up to 5 miles for pure seed). Onions cross-pollinate readily with other Allium cepa varieties and related alliums (A. fistulosum can hybridize). For pure seed, grow only one onion variety or cage isolated plants with netting and hand-pollinate.
  • Viability: 1-2 years when stored in cool, dry, dark conditions in airtight containers. Onion seeds lose viability quickly—use fresh seed. Short storage life.
  • Special notes: Save seed from minimum 5-10 plants to maintain genetic diversity. Select for bulb shape, size, color, flavor, storage ability, bolt resistance. Onions require two full seasons for seed saving. First season grow bulbs, second season flowers and seed. In zone 6b/7a, overwintering possible with mulch but storage indoors more reliable. Onion seeds short-lived—plan to use within 1-2 years or trade/share. For scallions (bunching onions), same process but harvest young plants before bulbing.

📖 Sources Consulted

  1. Jett, Lewis W. "2026 Garden Calendar." WVU Extension Service.
  2. Ashworth, Suzanne. Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners, 2nd ed. Seed Savers Exchange, 2002.
  3. "Growing Onions in the Home Garden." Ohio State University Extension, HYG-1601-08.
  4. "Onion Production Manual." University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publication 7220.
  5. "Onion Varieties." Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook. seedsavers.org, 2025.
  6. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Catalog. rareseeds.com, 2025.
  7. Johnny's Selected Seeds Grower's Library. johnnyseeds.com, 2025.
  8. Kiple, Kenneth F. and Kriemhild Coneè Ornelas, eds. The Cambridge World History of Food. Cambridge University Press, 2000. (Historical references)
  9. "The History of Onions." University of Illinois Extension. web.extension.illinois.edu.

🌾 Natural Soil Amendments (Loop Farmstead Standard)

Only on-farm, regenerative inputs:

  • Compost: 1-2 inches annually (on-farm production)
  • Cover crops: Rye + vetch (fall), buckwheat (summer), daikon (compaction)
  • Wood chips: Pathways only (aged 2+ years for beds)
  • Fall leaves: Mulch or compost browns
  • Blood/bone meal: From farm-slaughtered animals
  • Biochar: Charged with compost tea (permanent carbon)
  • Wood ash: Light application from wood stove
  • Eggshells: Crushed/powdered (slow calcium)

❌ Never used: Synthetic fertilizers, mined minerals, gypsum, peat moss

See: natural_soil_amendments_standard.md for complete guide

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead