Can I grow Vidalia onions in Texas?

Green Side Up

The short answer is yes and no. The famous Vidalia onions grown in Vidalia, Georgia start their journey to maturity as sets of Texas Granex onions shipped to Georgia by Texas producers. So, yes, we can grow both yellow and white Granex onions in Texas, but for them to be technically Vidalia onions they must be grown in Vidalia, Georgia. The sweetness of the Vidalia and Texas’ own Noonday onion is claimed to be due to the soil in which they are grown. The grower’s associations in both areas have strict guidelines as to what can and cannot be called a Vidalia or Noonday onion. For an onion to be called a Noonday onion, it must be a Granex grown within a certain radius of Noonday, Texas in the eastern part of the state. The 1015 onion developed at Texas A&M is another Texas sweet onion. It has been reported that the name 1015 is derived from the seeds being planted on Oct. 15 (but I have no documented proof of that).

All sweet onions are subject to rot due to their high sugar and water content. Growers suggest the fatter the stem end of a sweet onion, the shorter time you can store the onion. So, if you buy thick stemmed onions, use them first.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac said that, according to the moon, I could plant root crops between Jan. 31 and Feb. 2. Then later in the month of February between Feb. 23 and 25. So, I planted a couple of bunches of onions and some radishes last Thursday (Jan. 31) and will do another planting later in the month so that I can have an extended harvest time. Onions may be grown from seeds planted in October or November or from sets planted in January and February.

Onions are easy to grow in almost any well-drained soil and any type of local weather. Onions should be planted in rich, well-drained soil. Onions like lots of water and are heavy feeders, especially during their early growth. Contrary to some popular thought, it does not help onions to form bulbs by cutting off the flower heads (signs of bolting) or uncovering the top of the bulb and exposing it to the sun and air. Bulb formation is a function of the number of daylight hours the plant experiences. Onions are ready to harvest when the tops fall over. At my house they never reach that stage because we enjoy the green onions. Onions are easy to store, dry and preserve during winters.

Onions are available in white, yellow, brown and red. White onions are generally stronger flavored than the other varieties, depending on the soil in which they are grown (sound familiar?). Yellow, brown and red onions contain quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that acts as an anti-cancer agent by blocking the formation of cancer cells. Quercetin has been shown to deactivate the growth of estrogen-sensitive cells often found to cause breast cancer. Researchers have also found that onions contain a sulfur compound that can prevent the biochemical reaction that leads to asthma attacks. Other health benefits of onions that have been reported are the effect of lowering total cholesterol helping to kill bacterial infection, helping control blood sugar and aiding in dissolving blood clots. Who would have thought that an onion could be so good for you?

Onions have been utilized in many cultures for thousands of years. The location of the origin of onions is the subject of some debate among the people who study such things, but the scholars agree that onions have been cultivated for more than 5,500 years. Onions were used by ancient civilizations because they prevented thirst, were a source of energy, had useful medicinal properties and could be easily dried and preserved for times when other food sources were scarce. Columbus brought onions to the New World in 1793. The Native Americans quickly adopted the European onion because it had a better flavor than the native onions growing here. It has been claimed that the first crop planted by the Mayflower Pilgrims was onions.