Sweet Onions

If you like sweet, mild onions let me suggest including them in your vegetable garden. Onions do not take up much garden space. They are easy to grow and reliable. An outstanding variety is Candy. Candy makes a large, mild, sweet onion that stores until Christmas. You can purchase Candy transplants in April from some local greenhouses or you can order seed and grow your own transplants. If you grow your own, you need to order the seed now and plant it the first week of February. I sprinkle the seed in potting soil so the seed is spaced about a ½ inch apart. Cover the seed with about ¼ inch of soil and keep the soil moist. Onion seedlings like temperatures in the low 60’s. Give them as much sun as possible. Supply supplemental light if they get less than 8 hours a day of direct sunlight.

Onions can be planted in the garden in mid to late April. The onion transplant roots are smooth and can be separated easily with a little care. Plant them 8” apart in the garden. Keep them from being stressed by dry weather if you want the flavor to remain mild. Harvest in Early August.

For more information contact your local cooperative extension office. In Lackawanna County call 963-6842 and ask for the Garden Helpline or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu


John Esslinger, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
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