BBC Gardeners' World

Plant details

• Common Name: Onion
• Genus: Allium
• Species: cepa
• Cultivar: 'Red Baron'
• Skill Level: experienced
• Exposure: full sun
• Hardiness: hardy
• Soil type: dry, moist, well-drained/light
• Height: 0.6m
• Spread: 0.2m
• Time to plant seeds: August to September

Bulbing onions can be used all year round, fresh from the garden or from a store. Yellow, red and white-skinned varieties are available, with more or less pronounced flavour and keeping ability. Varieties sown in spring (or earlier under glass) or grown from sets (small bulbs) are ready from late summer onwards and keep until late the following spring. Seed or set varieties started in late summer or early autumn stay in the ground over winter and mature in early summer after stored onions are used up - these varieties only keep until the new year. They grow best in a sunny site in rich but light soil that is relatively free-draining. They will tolerate a range of soils, as long as it is firm.