Storage Onion
Southport White Globe Onion is a distinctive intermediate-day variety that produces clean, globe-shaped bulbs perfect for both pickling and fresh eating. Named for its origin in Southport, Connecticut, this onion reaches harvest in 90-100 days and develops a crisp, sweet flavor with impressive shelf life when properly cured. The compact 2-inch bulbs make it an excellent choice for gardeners seeking a white onion with genuine storage capacity and culinary versatility.
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Moderate
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Biennial (Usually Grown As An Annual)
High
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This variety delivers surprising versatility in a small package. The globular white bulbs are crisp and sweet, qualities rarely combined in pickling onions, and they store remarkably well when cured correctly. What sets Southport White Globe apart is its dual purpose, equally at home as a petite, tender pickled onion or bunched fresh at the market stand. The intermediate-day photoperiod makes it adaptable across many growing regions, and the compact size means you can tuck plenty of bulbs into limited garden space.
Southport White Globe shines in two distinctly different applications. Fresh harvested at young maturity, the tender bulbs are prized for pickling, their small size and thin skins making them ideal for whole-bulb preservation. At full maturity, they transition into a bunching onion suitable for fresh market sales or kitchen use, where their sweet, crisp character works beautifully in raw applications like salads and slaws, or gently cooked into composed dishes where their mild character won't overpower other ingredients.
Southport White Globe reaches maturity in 90-100 days from planting. Harvest pickling-size bulbs when they reach 1.5-2 inches in diameter, typically around 60-70 days, by gently loosening soil and pulling by the stem. For full-size storage bulbs, wait until the foliage naturally yellows and flops over, a sign the bulb is concentrating energy into papery skin development. Cure harvested bulbs in a warm, well-ventilated space for 2-3 weeks before storage, allowing the outer layers to dry and papery skins to form completely.
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