Ailsa Craig Exhibition Onion is a celebrated open-pollinated variety that produces enormous, mild onions perfect for anyone seeking substantial yields of sweet, tender bulbs. From transplants, these onions reach maturity in 110 days, developing into impressive specimens that command attention in both garden and kitchen. The variety thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, rewarding gardeners with the kind of generous harvests that make onion growing feel like genuine accomplishment.
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Moderate
3-11
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Moderate
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These are genuinely huge onions, bred specifically for exhibition quality and mild flavor that works beautifully whether sliced raw or cooked down. The mild character means you can use them generously without the sharp bite of storage onions, making them particularly welcoming for anyone new to growing alliums. Open-pollinated genetics mean you can save seeds from your best plants year after year, building a strain perfectly adapted to your garden's microclimate.
Ailsa Craig onions shine in applications where their size and mild sweetness become assets rather than curiosities. Slice them thick for burgers and sandwiches where their gentle flavor won't overwhelm other ingredients, or use them as the foundation for caramelized onion tarts and gratins. Their substantial bulbs make them excellent for stuffing and roasting whole, and their sweetness intensifies beautifully when cooked low and slow.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date in 128-cell trays with one seed per cell. Cover seeds with 1/4 inch of soil and maintain warm conditions until germination. Seedlings will develop slender green tops that may look ungainly; don't worry. You can clip tops back to 5 inches at transplant time if they've become too tall or unruly, which actually encourages stockier growth.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days, gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant 4 inches apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart once soil can be worked and nighttime temperatures stay consistently above 40°F. Water gently after planting to settle soil around the roots.
Ailsa Craig onions signal readiness when their tops naturally yellow, weaken, and fall over, usually around 110 days from transplanting. Once the majority of tops have collapsed, wait another week or so to let the outer papery layers develop fully, then gently pull bulbs from the soil on a dry day. Allow them to cure in the garden for a few hours before moving indoors to finish drying.
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