ONION - LONG RED FLORENCE

  Organic Onion Long Red Florence

         100 Seeds Pack    

The Italian Heirloom Long Red Florence Onion is a popular and visually striking variety. It produces torpedo-shaped bulbs that are deep purple to red, growing up to 6 inches long. The onions have a thin, moist, paper-like ruby skin with snow-white flesh that is juicy, crisp, savoury, and sweet. The green stems are hollow and tend to be more pungent and dry than the roots. These spindle-shaped bulbs, approximately 15cm in length, offer a mild and sweet flavour, making them a favourite in culinary use.

                                                                                                PLANTING & GROWING

Soaking needs to be done at least a few hours before planting, and preferably overnight. To prevent damping off when starting seeds indoors, it’s essential that you disinfect all of your pots, plastic grow trays, seed cells, and seedling tray covers before you reuse them. 

Sow onion seeds under cloches in February or directly outdoors from March to April, with harvest typically occurring 24 weeks later. In colder climates or for exhibition bulbs, start sowing indoors under glass in January, harden off in March, and transplant outdoors in April.

Sow seeds thinly in 1.2 cm (½ inch) deep drills, leaving 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 inches) between rows. Thin spring-sown seedlings first to 2.5 cm (1 inch), then once they have straightened up, space them 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) apart. Autumn-sown seedlings should be thinned to 2.5 cm (1 inch) in the fall, with further thinning to 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) in spring. Seedlings raised under glass should be transplanted 10 cm (4 inches) apart, leaving 23 cm (9 inches) between rows. Ensure the roots fall vertically into the planting hole, with the bulb base about 1 cm (½ inch) below the surface.

Onions are insect-pollinated and require a 1–3 mile isolation distance from other onion varieties to prevent cross-pollination.

Onions are excellent companion plants, as they repel pests like cabbage worms, cabbage loopers, Japanese beetles, and cabbage maggots. They also benefit brassicas such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, turnips, kohlrabi, and Brussels sprouts when planted nearby. However, avoid planting onions next to peas, beans, sage, or asparagus.

It's crucial to not plant onions in the same location for more than three consecutive years.