Onion - Ailsa Craig

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CA$3.50
3.5 9 CA$3.50 - CA$9.00
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Approximately 250 seeds per gram.
Allium cepa
Lot# ON30000
The Ailsa Craig onion is considered a long day onion- (Long-day onions need about 14 to 15 hours of daylight to bulb. Short-day onions need 10 hours of daylight).  The Ailsa Craig onion is named after Ailsa, a small round island off the coast of Scotland that is solid rock.  Ailsa Craig is a globe-shaped onion, solid, and can achieve 20cm (8”) in diameter.  They are large straw-colored onions with small necks that can average 0.9 -2.2 kg (2-5 pounds) each.  They are best for fresh use, not extended storage.  Start seeds indoors as early as you can just to ensure that you have the biggest transplants available for spring planting. 
Planting Instructions:
  • Start indoors in February to mid-March, and transplant in April.  Scallions can be direct sown every 3 weeks from April to late August.  Sow 3 seeds 6mm-12mm (¼-½") deep in each cell of a 72-cell tray.  Transplant spacing for cells should be around 12-15cm (5-6") apart in rows that are 45-75cm (18-30") apart.  Direct sow seeds directly into the garden. The soil should be moist before sowing so check the soil the day before sowing and water if the soil is dry. We string our rows about 30cm (4”) apart and 15.2m (50’) long and etch a furrow about 5mm-12mm deep and drop seeds about 2-4 seeds per 2.5cm (1”).  Cover lightly with soil.  Thin when onions reach about 5 cm in height so that they are spaced about 10cm apart. If planting onion sets, wait until soil can be worked thoroughly in the spring.  A well worked, loose soil is best for planting onion sets. If soil is nice and loose, you can just push the onion set into the soil with necks upwards and cover up, leaving just the top of the neck poking out of the soil.
  • Soil Conditions:  Well worked, rich, loose well-drained soil. Ideal pH: 6.0-6.8.
  • Planting Depth:  6mm-12mm (¼-½").
  • Germination:  6-12 days.
  • Height at Maturity:   Ailsa Craig Onions grow to about +70cm (27.5”) tall.  Spread:  10-20cm (4-8”)   
  • Days to Maturity:   95-110 days for maturity from spring sown.
  • Watering:    An inch of water a week ensures good growth, whether vegetables are grown in single or wide rows. The amount of rain that falls during the week affects how much you should water your garden.   Keep soil consistently moist until bulbs enlarge and mature. Onion roots are shallow; so a light watering will suffice.
  • Sun/Shade:  Full Sun    
Additional Information
Pull onions at any stage for fresh eating. Harvest young onions to eat as scallions. For full-sized bulbs, don’t pull onions until bulbs are big and tops start to yellow and fall over.  To harvest, pull onions and shake off soil.  Cure onions by placing them in a warm, place with lots of air flow.  During curing, roots shrivel and necks dry and tighten. After 7 to 10 days of air curing, cut off onion tops and trim off roots with snipers or scissors.  Carefully rub dry dirt from bulbs, taking extra care not to remove papery outer skins from the bulb.  Temperature: Onions will last the longest in a dark, cool (but not cold), dry storage area. Don't ever store onions in plastic bags. Potatoes and onions should not be stored together.
Harvesting:  Stop watering in the beginning of August to mature the bulbs in dry soil. After half the tops have fallen, push over the remainder, wait a week and harvest bulbs. Curing is essential for long storage. Spread bulbs out in the sun for about a week, covering them at night to protect from dew. When the outer layer of the onion changes from moist to dry and crisp, it is cured. If weather is poor, cure inside.
Storage: Keep onions in mesh sacks or hang in braids so they get good ventilation, and hang sacks where air is dry and very cool, but not freezing. Check them regularly and remove any sprouting or rotting onions. Well-cured storage onions should keep until late spring.