Family

Amaryllidaceae

Description

We grow three different types of onions: sweet (Ailsa Craig), red (Red Wing), and a drying/storage type (Patterson). The small onion starts are mail-ordered from Dixondale Farms.

 

Drying onions are cultivated for their firm bulbs and papery outer skins, which enable long-term storage once they are cured. Varieties selected for drying typically form large, single bulbs with a high sulfur content and sharp flavor that mellows when cooked. Leaf tips are naturally yellow and fall over as the bulbs reach maturity, signaling harvest time. After lifting, they must be cured in a warm, dry location for several weeks to develop proper storage skins.

 

Allium cepa is believed to have originated in Central Asia and has been cultivated for thousands of years. It thrives in full sun with loose, fertile soil and consistent moisture during its early growth stages. Drying varieties are typically planted in early spring and harvested mid-to-late summer.