Candy Onion Plants

Taste of Candy

• The hybridizing that led to Candy onions sought to combine the best qualities of both Southern and Northern onions. Southern onions include a number of Bermuda-types, which are characterized by their large size, with thick flesh and mild, sweet taste. Typically, this kind of onion has a thin outer skin and stores poorly. Best known of the Southern sweets is probably Vidalia, named for its Georgia town of origin. Both Candy, a white onion and its hybrid cousin, "Red Candy Apple," retain the mild, sweet taste while achieving sizes up to 6 inches.

Storage

• Candy was bred for storage as well as taste. Northern onions store well. You will recognize them as the reliable, bag onions available in the supermarket season after season. The Spanish roots of many Northern varieties produce a round onion with a heavy outer skin. Resembling a Northern onion in both shape and outer skin, Candy is classified as a mild, sweet Spanish onion and has a thick skin that improves its storage capacities, although they scored lower than some other Spanish varieties in 10-week storage trials conducted by Pennsylvania State University horticulturalists.

Growing Candy Onions

• Like all onions, Candy onions prefer light, slightly acidic soil, rich in organic matter and full sun. Onions are generally known as heavy feeders, benefiting from monthly feedings of high-nitrogen fertilizer as they mature over a period of up to 100 days. Texas trials suggest banding seed rows with phosphorus for better seed starting and vigor in small plants. Good drainage and loose soil help onions resist blight and purple blotch and allow bulbs to expand as they grow. Onions need weed control to do well. Nearly all articles on growing onions mention the importance of regular weeding, usually by hand. Onions, more than some other vegetables, appear to be easily overwhelmed by competition for water and nutrition. Onions are also susceptible to thrips, small brown sucking insects that may require chemical control.

Seeds vs. Plants

• Planting Candy seeds or plants will probably be determined by budget and work time. In some areas, climate plays a role in the choice. In Southern climates, onion seed can be planted in October, and viable plants can be transplanted by spring. In Northern climates, winters dictate sowing seed either inside during winter or outdoors in early spring. Scallions can be ready within 8 to 10 weeks, depending on weather. In all areas with short summers, starting with onion plants maximizes growth and addresses the issue of long maturation times.