Onion Karmen

Onion Karmen — variety description

Onion Karmen (Allium cepa L.) is a biennial crop grown for harvest as early as the first year, from the onion family (Amaryllidaceae). This is a Czech, mid-early variety and is one of the best varieties of red onion. Both its skin and its interior are dark red with a moderately sweet flavour.

About 80 days are needed to full ripeness.

It is eaten green and as bulbs. It is added to salads, various dishes and preserves. There is hardly a garden where it is not grown.

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: 93%
• Pack size: 0.7 g
• Seed origin: Italy
• Sowing: February – April; direct or seedlings
• Harvest: July – September
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Onion Karmen

Onion Karmen 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 Karmen

• 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 Karmen 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 93%. 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.