A comprehensive overview of the best varieties of onion sets

This article will review the most popular varieties of onion sets available to farmers for planting, and provide a brief description of each so you know which one is right for you when choosing.

Stuttgarter Riesen

One of the most popular onion varieties among amateurs and professionals, bred by German breeders. The yield of Stuttgarter Riesen is up to 8 kg per square meter, which ensures its high demand on the market. It produces large, flat-round bulbs, somewhat reminiscent of the Strigunovsky onion, weighing 100–150 grams. Stuttgarter has a rather pungent flavor. Its color ranges from yellow-brown to white. Stuttgarter is considered a versatile, well-stored variety that is quite easy to care for. Like many other onion sets, it can be purchased through the Leroy Merlin website or through Lukomorye, the largest Russian-Dutch onion set producer in Russia.

Sturon

Considered an improved version of the Stuttgarter Riesen variety, it is very similar to the latter. It is quite pungent, making it suitable for use in a variety of dishes. Its bulbs are round, and the scales are yellowish or brownish. It produces a relatively large yield, and storage is usually easy. Due to its low maintenance and high yield, it is the choice of most professionals.

Centurion

A mid-early onion with an elongated, medium-sized bulb weighing 100 to 150 grams. The husk covering the plant is brown, while the center is white. It has a medium-sharp flavor and is characterized by a high dry matter content. Therefore, the best storage option for Centurion is in a cool, well-ventilated area. It is a high-yielding variety and is widely used in a variety of dishes.

Red Baron

Red Baron is an annual onion plant. The red variety it belongs to always produces a reliable harvest. Red Baron bulbs are large (up to 200 grams), slightly flattened, and have red scales. In appearance, they are similar to Danilovsky onions and Alvina onion sets. They are not at all difficult to grow, and if planted correctly, Red Baron is a productive variety (3 kg per square meter). Red Baron has excellent flavor; unlike yellow onions, red onions are much sweeter. This is why Red Baron is widely used in vegetable preserves.

Carmen

Carmen is a relatively easy-to-grow red onion, its main characteristic being its long shelf life. This variety ripens early and can yield a substantial harvest (with proper planting and care, 1.5–2 kg per square meter). The bulb is quite small and light—only 60–80 grams—and is round and flat, almost slightly flattened. It has a mildly spicy flavor, but it's not exactly sweet, so many cooks use Carmen raw, without any special preparation.

Stardust

Stardust is a white onion with round bulbs. Stardust is quite pungent, making it popular in salads and adding a piquant flavor. This variety is characterized by high yields, but proper planting practices are essential for this. When storing Stardust, it's important to remember that it thrives in warm temperatures, so it thrives best at temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). Higher or lower temperatures significantly reduce its shelf life.

Shetana

A mid-season onion variety. Its round bulbs weigh 75–95 grams and bear some resemblance to the Strigunovsky onion. Shetana has a pungent flavor, making it ideal for salads. It produces a substantial yield—as much as 4–5 kg per square meter. Furthermore, Shetana is easy to grow and stores well (at a temperature of 15–20 degrees Celsius), and has already proven itself to be a good ripening variety. Therefore, many farmers choose this variety for planting.

Shallots

An early-ripening onion, it's ready to harvest within a month of planting. It yields up to 5 kg per square meter and is rich in various essential vitamins, including carotene, thiamine, niacin, and others. Its mild flavor makes it highly popular, and its nutritional and medicinal properties make it a popular choice.

Bamberger

An onion variety that ripens fairly quickly. The bulbs are round and slightly elongated, and quite small in weight—the largest specimens reach 80 grams. The bulbs are yellow and have a mild flavor. Furthermore, this variety is easy to store and can be grown for greens.

Bamberger is characterized by resistance to various types of diseases, which undoubtedly adds to its popularity.

Hercules

This hybrid has a very large, round bulb. It bears some resemblance to the Strigunovsky, Odintsovets, and Myachkovsky onion varieties. Gerkules weighs up to 160 grams, with a brownish skin and juicy white scales. It has a rather pungent flavor and can be stored for a considerable period of time. This variety has one of the highest yields, up to 8 kg per square meter.

Corrado

A relatively modern variety. It ripens quickly after planting; one season (90 days) is sufficient. It has a rather pungent flavor, like most of its kind. Corrado's bulbs are round and flat, with a medium-sized bulb, and even a slight golden hue. They are medium-sized, with some specimens reaching up to 120 grams. They are virtually disease-resistant, and with proper care, they produce quite a lot.

Cupido

A mid-season variety. The bulb scales are golden, and the bulb itself weighs up to 120 grams. The plant is fairly disease-resistant and has a high yield. It's easy to store, but it's important to keep in mind that Cupido is not very cold-tolerant, so it's best to find a warm location for it. This vegetable is particularly prized for its medicinal properties.

Rumba

A mid-season variety. The bulb is small, neatly rounded, reminiscent of the Helena onion. Each bulb averages 120 grams. The skin, like most onions of this variety, is brown, but the flesh is a pleasant white. Rumba produces high yields—3–5 kg per square meter. It is noted for its rather pungent flavor, so it is often used in dressings and preserves.

Alpha

It's considered a variety that ripens very quickly. Its bulb is quite small, round, and light in weight (90-100 grams). One of the species' distinguishing features is its resistance to disease, so the use of pesticides such as phytosporin is not necessary. Furthermore, it's a favorite among chefs for its flavor.

Shakespeare

A mid-season variety, it has a small, round bulb. The scales of the Shakespeare are brownish. The flesh is quite juicy and firm, and this variety has a semi-sharp flavor. One of the advantages of the Shakespeare variety over other varieties is its tolerance to low temperatures, significantly reducing the risk of spoilage in winter.

Senshui

A late-ripening onion, beloved by many farmers for its high resistance to bolting. The bulbs are round and flat, and their color ranges from yellow to brown. Senshui produces a large harvest, and cooks love this vegetable for its specific spicy taste.

Rosanna

An early-ripening variety. The bulbs are medium-weight (between 100 and 120 grams) and round. The dry scales are red, almost pink, while the juicy scales are white. The flavor is reminiscent of the Myachkovsky onion—not too hot and not too sweet. The yield is also quite high—up to 3 kg per square meter.

Alvina

A mid-season, high-yielding variety characterized by high sugar, selenium, and quercetin content. The bulb is purple, reaches a weight of 150 grams, and is similar in appearance to both common onions (Danilovsky) and some onion sets (Red Baron). Compared to other onion varieties, it has a sweeter flavor. It is characterized by good yield and ripening.

Golden domes

A mid-season hybrid. Transverse-elliptical bulbs weigh 75–85 grams, with yellowish scales. Zolotye Domeli has a rather pungent flavor and contains a significant amount of sugar. It stores well and is resistant to low temperatures.

Odintsovets

A mid-season variety. The bulbs are round and flat, not too large, weighing only 60–80 grams. The scales are yellowish, and the onion itself has a semi-sharp flavor. Odintsovets can be considered a universal variety, and it is also resistant to neck rot.

Video: Planting Onion Sets

This video will teach you all the intricacies of planting onion sets.