Long Day Walla Walla Sweet onions are renowned for their exceptional sweetness and tender texture, making them a favorite among gardeners and culinary enthusiasts alike. Named after the Walla Walla Valley in Washington, these onions have earned their reputation as one of the finest sweet onion varieties available.
Understanding Long Day Varieties
Unlike short-day onions that bulb in shorter daylight hours, Long Day Walla Walla Sweet onions require extended daylight periods—typically 14 to 16 hours of sunlight—to trigger bulb formation. This makes them ideal for northern regions and cooler climates where summer days are longer. Their unique growing requirements reward gardeners in these areas with outstanding results.
Flavor and Culinary Uses
What sets Walla Walla Sweet onions apart is their remarkable sweetness and mild flavor profile. The high sugar content and low sulfur levels create an onion that’s delicious eaten raw, grilled, roasted, or caramelized. Slice them fresh into sandwiches and salads, or cook them down for a rich, sweet addition to soups and stews. Their versatility in the kitchen makes them a must-have for any home gardener.
Growing Long Day Walla Walla Sweet Onions
Plant these onions in early spring as soon as soil can be worked. They thrive in full sun and well-draining, fertile soil enriched with compost or aged manure. Space plants 4 to 6 inches apart and maintain consistent moisture throughout the growing season. These onions typically mature in 120 to 150 days, rewarding your patience with large, sweet bulbs.
Harvest and Enjoyment
Harvest when the tops fall over and begin to dry. Unlike storage varieties, Walla Walla Sweet onions are best enjoyed fresh and don’t store as long, so plan to use them within a few weeks of harvest. Their short shelf life is a small price to pay for the incredible flavor they bring to your table.
Walla Walla Sweet Onions: The Sweetest Long-Day Variety
Walla Walla Sweet onions are legendary among onion lovers for their exceptional sweetness and mild flavor. Named after the Walla Walla Valley in Washington, these long-day onions produce large, tender bulbs that are perfect for eating fresh, grilling, or caramelizing. If you want onions that are genuinely sweet enough to eat like an apple, Walla Walla is the variety to grow.
What Makes Walla Walla Onions Special
Walla Walla onions are famous for their remarkable sweetness and low sulfur content, which gives them a mild, almost candy-like flavor. These large bulbs have thin, papery golden-yellow skin and pale, tender flesh that’s crisp and juicy. Unlike storage onions that become pungent with age, Walla Walla onions maintain their sweetness and are best enjoyed fresh rather than stored long-term.
These long-day varieties thrive in northern climates and regions with extended growing seasons. They’re reliable producers that develop substantial bulbs when given proper care and adequate day length to trigger bulb formation. A single plant can produce a large, impressive bulb perfect for slicing and enjoying raw.
Planting Walla Walla Onions
Walla Walla onions are long-day varieties, making them ideal for northern gardeners. Plant sets or transplants in early spring as soon as soil can be worked. These onions need full sun and well-draining soil enriched with compost or aged manure. Space plants 4 to 6 inches apart to allow adequate room for bulb development.
Water consistently throughout the growing season, providing about 1 inch per week. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Feed with a balanced fertilizer or one formulated for onions to support healthy, large bulb formation.
Growing and Harvesting
Walla Walla onions typically mature in about 100 to 120 days from transplanting. As bulbs develop, you’ll notice the characteristic golden papery skin forming. Stop watering once the tops begin to yellow and fall over, which signals the bulbs are ready to harvest.
Harvest when foliage has completely dried and fallen. Cure onions in a warm, dry location with good air circulation for 2 to 3 weeks before storing. Walla Walla onions are best enjoyed fresh—slice them thick for salads, grill them whole, or caramelize them slowly for a sweet, rich side dish. Their natural sweetness makes them perfect for fresh eating straight from the garden.
The Walla Walla Sweet Onion variety will produces a globed shaped white onion
– Bulbs can reach 2 lbs
– This is one of the most popular Long day onion varieties available
– Easy to grow
– Perfect for beginners
– Grows well in containers and tight spaces
Days to Maturity | 110-120 days
Onion Seeds | Onions are easy to grow, have a fairly short growing period and take up little space in the garden. Plant onions 1/4 inch deep and 3 to 4 inches apart in double rows, leaving 6 to 10 inches between rows.
