Winter Onion: Shakespeare Onion sets.

Description

Winter Onion: Shakespeare Onion sets. Allium cepa.

Shakespeare Onion sets. A hardy winter variety, suitable in Ireland since they were originally bred in Britain. These sets have been cultivated in The Netherlands and has been used commercially for many years.
These bulblets produce semi-oval tasty white onions.
We grew these last your ourselves in Kilclief. They were ready by June. They’re still storing well and we’re enjoying the crispy texture and fresh flavour.

How to grow:
Work your soil into a nice tilth, add organic material or compost to help improve drainage. Plant anytime from October to December. Position the bulblets 10cms apart in rows 20-30cms apart. They need to be in a position to receive full sunlight over the winter months. Onions will be ready by June.
Harvest 2 weeks after you see the stems bending over at the onion neck. Dry your onions out in a well ventilated dry area for 3-4 weeks. You can then store them for up to 8 months.

Problem solving:
Birds love to pull the young bulbs out – looking for grubs underneath, so protect until established if this appears to be a problem. Plant in full sun. Keep watered in a drout. In winter plant into a fairly well drained area.
Rotate onion planting location in the veg plot to help keep disease away.

Favourite ways to eat them:
Onions are so popular in Ireland these need no introduction. We love these, they’re such a great all rounder, perfect for cooking in every dish. If you like the taste milder just soak in tepid water for a short time and this doesn’t affect the great crunchy texture. Great for French onion soup or for caramalising as onion jam.

Cultural history:
It’s said if you cut an onion in half, it will soak up any germs in the room, especially good in the house of a sick person to keep the air clean, onions are known for their antiseptic properties.

Sold by weight, pre packed 100g, 250g and 500g bags.