50 seeds of Onion Ailsa Craig - ALLIUM CEPA - Prizewinner + Gift 5 seeds Sunflower

Onion Ailsa Craig

A type of Spanish onion, Ailsa Craig (Allium cepa “Ailsa Craig”) crossed the Atlantic from England to reach the U.S. Known for its large size and sweet, mild taste, it can weigh up to 2 pounds and measures 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Like all onions, it thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. As a long-day variety, it needs to receive 14 to 16 hours of full sun daily.

Onion

The onion (Allium cepa L., from Latin cepa "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. Its close relatives include the garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese Onion.

The onion is most frequently a biennial or a perennial plant, but is usually treated as an annual and harvested in its first growing season.

The onion plant has a fan of hollow, bluish-green leaves and its bulb at the base of the plant begins to swell when a certain day-length is reached. The bulbs are composed of shortened, compressed, underground stems surrounded by fleshy modified scale (leaves) that envelop a central bud at the tip of the stem. In the autumn (or in spring, in the case of overwintering onions), the foliage dies down and the outer layers of the bulb become dry and brittle. The crop is harvested and dried and the onions are ready for use or storage. Some varieties of A. cepa, such as shallots and potato onions, produce multiple bulbs.

Onions are cultivated and used around the world. As a food item, they are usually served cooked, as a vegetable or part of a prepared savoury dish, but can also be eaten raw or used to make pickles or chutneys. They are pungent when chopped and contain certain chemical substances which irritate the eyes.

Sunflower - Gift

Rich in energy giving oils, Black Sunflower Seeds will attract a variety of birds to your garden.