Onion Seeds

Onion seeds – more info

Onions are straightforward to grow from seed with spring onions like ‘White Lisbon’ or ‘Guardsman’ ready to harvest just 10 weeks from sowing. Soaking the seed overnight can speed up germination, though it’s not essential. What they do need is a sunny site, well-drained soil and regular watering to get the best result. It’s also important to make sure they have enough space to grow. Want to enter your onions into the local show? Check out our advice on growing exhibition onions before you start.

Which are the best onion varieties for storing?

Onion ‘Red Baron’ and ‘Redrover F1’ are both red varieties that store well. Other varieties that are suitable for storing include the banana shallot ‘Zebrune’, and the large onion ‘Exhibition’.

Which varieties have the best disease resistance?

Onion ‘Santero Improved’ has a great flavour and good resistance to bolting and downy mildew. ‘Marksman’ is a bunching onion variety with good disease resistance.

Which varieties are best for small space growing?

Onion ‘White Start’ is a great multi-purpose onion that saves on space. It can be harvested as salad onions or allowed to grow to bulb onions – you can also use the thinned plants as spring onions.