Favoured for its wonderful taste and exceptional storage potential- this dark red onion can store for nearly a year!!! Onion ‘Redrover’ can be harvested in August and is happy to be stored in a net in a frost-free position until the end of May/June, with some even lasting until early August. These uniform red onions don’t have as much of a fiery flavour as a brown-skinned type and instead has a mild, sweet flavour with a crunchy texture. Great for adding to salads and sandwiches or cooking in a variety of dishes, as well as making a delicious red onion marmalade. ‘Redrover’ also has a high tolerance to sprouting, so it won’t start growing in storage before you’ve had chance to eat it.Height 35cm (14in). Spread: 20cm (8in).Companion planting: Try growing onions with mint to confuse and deter onion fly.
Sowing Information
Direct sow onions outdoors in spring on any firm, well drained soil in full sun. Sow thinly at a depth of 1cm (½”) and a distance of 30cm (12″) between rows. Prepare the planting area several weeks in advance by incorporating some well rotted garden compost to improve drainage and soil fertility. Avoid planting onions on freshly manured soil. On particularly wet ground, try growing onions in raised beds. When large enough to handle, thin onion seedlings to 10cm (4″) apart for medium sized bulbs, or at a slightly wider spacing if larger bulbs are required.
Alternatively sow onion seed indoors in module trays at a depth of 1cm (½”), using free-draining, seed sowing compost. Place in a propagator or seal container inside a plastic bag at a temperature of 10-15C (50-59F) until after germination which usually takes 10-14 days. Once germinated, grow onions on in cool conditions until all risk of frost has passed and they are large enough to plant outdoors at a distance of 10cm (4″) apart. Cover with a protective netting or fleece to prevent attack from birds and insects. Water the plants thoroughly after planting.
