Looking for a great choice in sweet onions for your garden? Look no further than candy onions, which can be grown in basically every region, and generally, if they're planted in early spring, you'll have a delicious crop of large onions by late summer.
Videos by Wide Open Country
What Are Candy Onions?
The candy onion, A.K.A. Allium cepa, is a large or jumbo type of onion and its bulb "is encased in thin, papery, light brown to yellow layers," Specialty Produce noted. Recipe-wise, they "are crisp with a slightly sweet flavor when raw, and when cooked, they become tender with a mild, pleasant flavor," the outlet reported.
The onion plant variety was bred to adapt to lots of different climates following the success of Walla Walla for cold climates and Vidalia for warm regions, according to SF Gate. They grow best in full sun and can be pulled at any stage of growing for eating; when harvested young, they can be eaten as scallions, Bonnie's Plants noted.
Candy onions are a day-neutral variety/intermediate day variety, Speciality Produce reported and can grow almost everywhere besides extreme north and deep south areas.
What Can You Make With Candy Onions?
Sometimes, you'll find yourself with a recipe that allows you to make a choice when it comes to onions. As a grower, if you know you'll use leeks vs shallots vs green onions vs yellow onions vs small onions the most often, you'll want to plan your home garden accordingly. Whether you grow your plants in raised beds or another way will depend on what's best for the variety, too.
If you are deciding whether you plant candy onions for the first time, consider what you can make with them or how you'd cook them. There are some great recipes involving grilling candy onions, for instance. They can be put into sandwiches or salsas, too. If those are things you find yourself eating a lot, give candy onions a try in your garden!
