Get set, ready, go

There are few crops that can be sown in October and will grow overwinter in Ireland, but autumn varieties of onions, (Allium cepa) are one of the select few.

If you plant a variety such as Radar this month, the bulbs will grow slowly over winter to give you a crop of fresh onions with greens attached next May or June. This is perfect timing, as stored onions will have started to sprout or run out at this stage.

Often called ‘Japanese’ onions (because they were first developed in Japan), overwintering onions can be sown outside from mid-August up to late October. The main benefit of growing these onions is that you will have a crop ready for eating about a month before your main crop is ready for harvest next year.