Barolo Onion is an F1 hybrid red storage onion that brings reliable performance to northern gardens with its intermediate 110-120 day maturity window from transplants. This variety excels as an earlier-maturing red storage type, making it perfect for gardeners who want to enjoy homegrown red onions before the traditional long-season storage varieties are ready. With its compact 2-inch spacing requirement and bush growth habit, Barolo maximizes garden efficiency while delivering the deep, rich colors that make red onions so prized in the kitchen.
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High
3-10
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Moderate
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What sets Barolo apart is its unique position as an earlier red storage onion, bridging the gap between quick-growing scallion types and traditional long-season storage varieties. This F1 hybrid combines the reliability of modern breeding with the classic appeal of red onions, maturing in 110-120 days from transplants while still offering excellent storage potential. Its compact growing habit allows gardeners to maximize their onion harvest in limited space, with plants spaced just 2 inches apart in 12-inch rows.
Barolo onions excel both as fresh cooking onions and for winter storage, offering the versatility that makes red onions kitchen staples. Their earlier maturity makes them perfect for late summer and early fall cooking when you want the sharp bite and beautiful color of red onions in salads, sandwiches, and grilled dishes. As a storage type, these onions cure well for long-term keeping, providing homegrown red onions through the winter months for soups, stews, and roasted vegetable dishes.
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In northern regions, sow Barolo onion seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Plant one seed per cell in 128-cell trays, covering with 1/4 inch of soil. Alternatively, sow 10-12 seeds in 4-6 inch pots for later separation.
Transplant seedlings outdoors when soil can be worked, spacing them 4 inches apart in rows 12-18 inches apart. If tops have grown over 5 inches before transplanting, trim them back to 3-5 inches to reduce transplant shock. When planting pot-grown seedlings, carefully separate individual plants and place in shallow trenches, then fill soil around them and water thoroughly.
Harvest Barolo onions 110-120 days from transplanting when about half the tops have naturally fallen over. Push over any remaining upright tops and wait about one week before harvesting to allow bulbs to finish maturing. Pull bulbs when the outer skin has begun to dry and papery layers have formed around the bulb.
Trim unruly tops to 5 inches at transplanting time to reduce stress and encourage strong root establishment. If seedlings grow over 5 inches before transplanting, cut them back to 3 inches to prevent flopping and transplant shock.
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