Onion Agostana

What Onion Agostana is

Onion Agostana (Allium cepa L.) is a biennial crop grown for harvest as early as the first year, from the onion family (Amaryllidaceae). A high-yielding late onion variety with a bright white-silver colour. It stays compact when cut and does not fall apart.

It is used for direct consumption, short-term storage and industrial processing. The variety is resistant to downy mildew.

Onions contain large amounts of provitamin A, vitamins C, E, K and above all B vitamins, as well as calcium and potassium salts, which de-acidify the body.

The essential oils contained in onion juice have medicinal properties.

Onion from seed is the cheapest and surest way to a large harvest — for spring onions, onion sets or big bulbs for winter.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 97%
• Pack size: 0.7 g
• Seed origin: Italy
• Sowing: February – April; direct or seedlings
• Harvest: July – September
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Onion Agostana

Onion Agostana seeds are sown in February – April. Harvest in July – September. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Onion Agostana

• Sowing method: direct or seedlings
• Depth: 1–1.5 cm
• Spacing: 8–10 cm in the row, 25–30 cm between rows
• Germination: 10–14 days at 15–20 °C
• Position: sunny spot

The seeds are sown in spring in rows 30-40 cm apart, at a depth of 1-2 cm. You can sow it in greenhouses or outdoors. This plant requires well-worked soils rich in nutrients to grow well and give abundant crops. After emergence the plants should not be too dense, so they are thinned to a distance of about 25 cm. Onions are ready for harvest from the end of July to the first half of September.

Sow in early spring in loose, weed-free soil. Weed regularly — onions do not tolerate competition. Stop watering 3–4 weeks before harvest.

Harvest and use

The bulbs are harvested when the neck softens and the leaves flop over; dry them in the shade for 2 weeks before storing.

Frequently asked questions

When should Onion Agostana be sown?

The recommended sowing months are February – April. Sowing method: direct or seedlings.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 97%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

Can a large onion be grown from seed in one year?

Yes — with early sowing (February–March) for seedlings or direct, most varieties form bulbs in the very first year.