Onion Seeds,
Akatama Salad Red

Start seeds indoors three months before the last expected frost date in spring. Transplant acclimated, stocky seedlings into the garden 4-6 weeks before the last frost of spring, as onions can tolerate light frosts. Akatama Salad Red onions are ideal for intermediate-day length regions but can also grow in other zones with proper timing. Look into your local frost-free dates for precise planting schedules. If you’re not sure how to find your day length or first and last frost dates, consult our blog post 'Our Experts Answer Questions, Share Resources.'

Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting trays. Keep the temperature at around 60 F for good germination, which takes about 7-14 days. Transplant seedlings when they are 4-6 inches tall, spacing them 4-6 inches apart in rows 12 inches apart. You can enrich the soil with compost or well-rotted manure before planting for better results.

Feed plants every 2-3 weeks with a balanced fertilizer or compost tea, as onions are heavy feeders. Keep the soil evenly moist but avoid overwatering to prevent rot. Remove weeds regularly and mulch around the plants to retain moisture. When the tops start to yellow and fall over, reduce watering to prepare for harvest.

• Onions will cross with other onions, and occasionally they will cross with scallion types like Welsh onions and Hi Shi Ko bunching onions. Onions will never cross with leeks, chives or garlic.
• If you are growing types that will cross, try to isolate varieties by at least several hundred feet or ideally up to one mile.
• Onions are a biennial seed crop, so you will need to overwinter your first-year roots, ideally by digging them up and storing them for the winter. Replant in early spring, and allow onions to shoot up spikes of purple flowers.
• Let seeds become dry on the plants. Pick seeds when they are hard and dark black, then bring them indoors to finish drying.
• Once dry, separate the seeds from the husks or leave them on and plant them husks and all.