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flowersandthings

When do you sow Cipollini onion seed?????

flowersandthings
17 years ago

When do you sow Cipollini onion seed????? Should I sow now? or wait until fall? thanks :)

Comments (15)

  • makalu_gw
    17 years ago

    I think it's too late for direct sowing seed in your zone ... not enough time for the plants to get big enough before the day length triggers them to start bulbing. You might be able to direct sow in fall and get enough growing days but I think you'd be better sowing inside 10 or so weeks before your last frost free date and transplanting a month before the last frost.

  • gardenlad
    17 years ago

    I answered this in the garden forum, so you might want to check back where you asked it there.

    Makalu is right, however, about it being too late this year.

  • nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
    17 years ago

    Gardenlad, which one is "the garden forum"? While I think you are too late for seeds, fall vs. (earlier) spring sowing might depend on the variety, of which there are several. Most are "long day" and mine do best with sowing indoors in the fall and transplanting out in early spring, but there are a few short day that I direct seed in the fall here in N. Cal, and this is much easier for me.

  • nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
    17 years ago

    Are they ALL long day? I've bought a few varieties at growitalian.com or felcopruners.com that claim to be short dry. Granted, they overwinter we fine, but I'm not sure when the start bulling. They seem to take longer they they are worth.

  • nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
    17 years ago

    Please excuse my typos. I'm using a tablet! check my pics from '03 & 04 in the gallery.

  • nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
    17 years ago

    Onion, Piatta of Bergamo. From the hometown of Franchi Sementi. Small very flat brown/red cipolla type onion. Medium/long day. For cooking or salads.
    BORETTANA YELLOW CIPPOLLINI (105 days) Gourmet Italian Small and flat yellow onions. Shaped much like a button. A neutral day type with average storage ability of around 4 months. Mild well developed flavor making it our number one recommended and requested yellow cippolini. 1,000 seeds - $2.15
    POMPEI (85 days) Wonderful Italian flat cipollini type with excellent flesh and flavor. Short day type that is for fresh use and not storage. Very tasty! 1,000 seeds - $2.15

  • shesalittlebear
    17 years ago

    Hi Nanelle,

    When do you plant the cipolla listed above?

    Thanks for your help.

    Angelique
    Roseville, CA Zone 9

  • shesalittlebear
    17 years ago

    Hi Nanelle,

    When do you plant the cipolla listed above?

    Thanks for your help.

    Angelique
    Roseville, CA Zone 9

  • gardenlad
    17 years ago

    Nanelle, thanks for doing that research. Let us know how the short- and intermediate-day length varieties work out for you. I might give them a try.

    I'm not sure I like the idea of a thousand seed, though. Onion seed only remains viable for a year, and I surely won't be growing out that many.

    Maybe grow a regular crop and keep the seed in the fridge until August, though, and then grow my own sets? Might be worth a try.

  • makalu_gw
    17 years ago

    Nanelle,

    That's interesting on the Borettana Cippolini being day neutral - Dixondale has them as long-day so I wonder if they are right on the edge? I grew them last year and they sized up in the 2 to 2 1/2 inch range (about the same as Candy) and I'm in long-day territory. Definitely worth a try though since they were very tasty in salads.

  • nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
    17 years ago

    I'm no expert but I have been trying for several years. Mostly I've been direct sowing in November herein N. California. I've tried four or five varieties, and have looked for "short day" because I was reading about onions that overwinter in the south. Since then I have come to understand that because I am at along day latitude (?) this may not work for me. Still, I've read since we are looking for small onions, this my be less of an issue. I'm trying to link to some pictures of my current cipolinis about the ones in the gallery are better.

    Here is a link that might be useful: early Bianca di Maggio

  • nanelle_gw (usda 9/Sunset 14)
    17 years ago

    A few more listings....DN = day neutral, SD: short day, ID: intermediate day, etc.

    Mini/Summer Varieties


    Bianca di Maggio (ID, 80 days) Â Flat, white, midsize (2-3 inches) mild-tasting Cipollini type. Good storage (5Â6 months).

    Blanc Hatif de Paris (SD, 90 days) Â White, flattened, mild, sweet Cipollini type


    Gold Coin (ID, 80 days) Â Small to medium yellow-gold bulb (1-2 inches) flattened like Cipollini types. Both pungent and sweet. Good storage (4-6 months).

  • butterflylion
    16 years ago

    What would be my best chance for growing these in metro Atlanta? Thanks!

  • OldDutch (Zone 4 MN)
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    You should have good luck with the granex types in Atlanta which are what Vidalias are from just a bit south. Check your Georgia extension service for cultural information; they have been intimately involved with commercial development of that variety of onion. As I understand it, the process starts with thick early fall planting of seed for transplanting later in the autumn to a better spacing in production beds to winter over to a late spring or early summer harvest, but you should be able to get specifics from the extension service.

    Else you can almost certainly get bunches of started plants for spring planting from quite a number of sources. That's what I do up here in Minneapolis with good results for Copra and cipollinis, or you can grow your own sets from a late thickly planted bed of seed that matures mid to late summer for planting back the next spring. My parents did that for years back when I was growing up. My mother always got a good crop of onions off her sets.

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