Ailsa Craig
HOW TO GROW ONION
Start indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost, plant out 4 weeks before frost. For fall harvest, transplant 11 weeks before first frost. Short-day onions produce bulbs in 11-12 hours of light, long-day onions in 14-16 hours. The dividing line is 36˚, about the KA/OK border. Plant long-day varieties north of this line and short-day south. Direct sow thickly as soon as soil can be worked. If tops reach 5” before transplant, cut to 1-3” to increase girth. Transplant seedlings in shallow trench 2-7” apart. Hill sides slightly after 4-5 weeks. Knock the rest of the tops over when 60 percent have fallen. After 3 days, pull and sun-cure 7–10 days in field rotating every few days before twisting off tops and storing. Soil pH 6.2-7.5. Hardiness zones 3-10. Biennial.
Days from maturity calculated from the date of seeding. Average 6,500 seeds per ounce. Average 580M seeds per acre. Federal germination standard: 70%. Usual seed life: 2–3 years. Isolation distance for seed saving: 1 mile.
Planting Depth 1/8-1/4”
Soil Temp. Germ. 55-75˚F
Days to Germ. 7-14
Plant Spacing 3-6”
Row Spacing 12-24”
Days To Maturity 95–100
Storage Refrigerate
Full Sun, Moist Well Drained
Days from maturity calculated from the date of seeding. Average 6,500 seeds per ounce. Average 580M seeds per acre. Federal germination standard: 70%. Usual seed life: 2–3 years. Isolation distance for seed saving: 1 mile.
Planting Depth 1/8-1/4”
Soil Temp. Germ. 55-75˚F
Days to Germ. 7-14
Plant Spacing 3-6”
Row Spacing 12-24”
Days To Maturity 95–100
Storage Refrigerate
Full Sun, Moist Well Drained
- 100 Seeds$4.10
- 1000 Seeds$18.50
Sweet yellow onion with a slightly elongated shape. First introduced in 1887 by David Murray, the gardener for the Marquis of Ailsa, at Culzean Castle in Maybole, South Ayrshire in Scotland. Brought to the U.S. from the British Isles, this sweet heirloom onion is by far the largest onion you can grow in a short grow...
Sweet yellow onion with a slightly elongated shape. First introduced in 1887 by David Murray, the gardener for the Marquis of Ailsa, at Culzean Castle in Maybole, South Ayrshire in Scotland. Brought to the U.S. from the British Isles, this sweet heirloom onion is by far the largest onion you can grow in a short growing season. Common Ground Country Fair, Maine, Blue Ribbon winner. Good for families or restaurants cooking for groups of people. Pump these up with good nitrogen-rich compost to grow them as big as basketballs, size potential 8”, up to 2 plus pounds. Best used fresh from the garden, not intended for long term storage. Also known as the Kelsae Sweet Giant. Tags: Color: Yellow, Size: Large, Shape: Round, Specialty: Cool Climate, Heritage: Heirloom, Season: Spring Fall, Certification: Organic.
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Meet Your Farmer
We promote fair trade, organic practices and environmental responsibility throughout the Restoration Seeds supply chain. Below are the family farmers and seed suppliers who bring our open pollinated seeds to you.
Feral Farm
Certified Organic by CCOF
Seed grower since 2015
I started growing seed commercially as an apprentice at the Organic Farm School in the Puget Sound in Washington. I already loved growing vegetables, but taking a plant all the way through its life cycle felt like a special kind of honor, and I quickly saw the value in sustaining organic, important, and rare plant varieties and participating in sustainable food systems in this way. I moved to Oregon in 2015 and have been growing my organic seed farming business over the last four seasons by renting land from existing farms and slowly taking on higher volumes and more varieties. I’m currently growing 1.6 acres of certified organic seed crops and heirloom garlic.
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