Yellow granex, White granex, or....

I'm just full of questions this year, and I'm so glad there are people who can answer them here! I'm trying to decide which variety of onions to grow this year. I only have room for one "bunch", and I'm trying to choose among:

1015Y Texas Supersweet
Yellow Granex (the genuine "Vidalia" onions - if they're grown in Vidalia, GA)
White Granex
Southern Belle Red

And are there any special tips on preparing the bed? I plan to set them out by mid-March, weather permitting (about 5 weeks before our average last frost date.)

I think the reds are consistently the sweetest and least harsh variety and are the only ones I generally plant, but now that I have a much larger vegetable garden I will start trying a number of new ones for trials and let you know the results in the future.

I also have a marvelous way of preparing them, which you may not have tried. Cut them into quarters, separate the larger sections, and then put them into a bowl filled with half water, half white vinegar, and a bunch of ice cubes and put the whole thing in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The vinegar helps "sweeten" the onions and the ice cold water "crispens" (if that is a word) them. They are marvelous with barbeque or ham steaks, green beans, and cornbread.

Southern Belle has a great reputation Vols. I haven't grown them but now that you bring it to my attention perhaps I should give them a try this yr. I have grown the white and the yellow granex varieties and have had good results, both for "spring" onions (green onions) and bulb onions! I grew the 1015's last yr but can't honestly give a good opinion on them (growth-wise or taste-wise) because of the area they were grown in (too much shade and "non-care").
Copperbaron, you eat onions like I do!! Glad to hear it! I do something similar. I like to take the smaller onions, soak them in water overnite. Then pour the water off, sprinkle the onions with salt and let them sit another nite. Next day, rinse off the salt (I really don't use too much salt and sometimes just lightly rinse it off), put the onions in a jar and cover with a mixture of Balsamic vinegar and red wine (mixed 50/50). Let sit in fridge for a few days to "flavor", then pig out! If you close your eyes you'd never know you were eating an onion...very crisp, flavorful, and will last a long time in the fridge (altho around here they only last a short time!)
I usually use the small onions that didn't get any size to them but have also used medium-sized ones and have quatered them for this recipe. You'll love it!

You guy's are making me real hungry! Maybe you mail me a care package???? hehe
sue

Shoe have you ever planted from seed the Lisbon onions? We do here and can eat on them all year long out of the garden. In fact, just last week, I pulled a bunch of finger sized (my finger, not yours) green onions to serve with pintos and cornbread.

Oh my mercy me! No Cala,never have..but NOW I gotta! Have a good seed source you can recommend? And will the seeds actually germ? (I have a terrible time with onion seeds, but I just keep trying anyway.) If I over-sow them I've had decent luck...I really like to grow the "bunching onions" that never bulb up...is that what the Lisbons are? I believe in the past I've been growing the "evergreen" bunching and just checked my "larder" and see a pack of "white spear" bunching onions (from Johnny's).

Pintos, cornbread, green beans, my goodness, is everyone here trying to make me sign off and head to the kitchen?

Aimee, no kidding! And I'm still scratching my head on which variety to order :)

I think I'll heed Horseshoe's advice and scratch the 1015's off the list. I've tried them several times before, and never had much success.

So I'm still debating between the yellow granex vs. the Southern Belle reds. Any other votes/opinions?

We LOVE sweet onions in the summer - in salads, on burgers, grilled with big zucchini slices, or (my personal favorite) sliced with cukes (and fresh tomatoes) and marinated in some vinegar for "belly achers" (also known as fresh pickles :)

Sigh. It seems I'm back to food, and I'm getting hungry again!

Okay, I'm flipping a coin. Heads - Southern Belle red, tails - Yellow granex.

Yellow or WHITE granex...I have experience with them. If in doubt, stick w/what you know.
Course now, you know you can do both...if no room in your "garden" then just set the leftovers anywhere and everywhere...flower beds, along the walkway...empty lots in town...(you're the only one who will know what they are!), cemetaries, etc.
Let us know for sure what you pick. And more importantly WHERE you planted them!

Heads won. They're getting their own 4x4 bed when they arrive :)

Bet you got 'em from Dixondale didn't ya!!? If so, you should be getting some good plants! I know I have in the past!

Yes, sir! I placed my order for the Southern Belle reds yesterday from Dixondale. I'm looking forward to harvesting lots of onions this summer :)

Is there anything special I should consider adding to the raised bed they're going in? Right now there's a covercrop of red clover growing on it; I figure I'll turn that under a week or two before the plants are scheduled to arrive. Any tips, hints or "family secrets" for growing big, sweet onions would be appreciated!

well, not knowing your ground conditions I'd say what you already probably know...loose friable soil, the more humus the better, don't set them in too deep (unless you're striving for green onions), and side dress them 3 to 4 wks after they are set out. And of course keep them well watered. (If ya make yer onions mad, yer onions will make you sad. This translates as...they want water...if ya don't give em what they want they may get mad. In return, lack of water makes them produce the chemical that protects them, and the same one that makes our eyes water, making us "sad", as in teary eyed.) Even long-term storage onions can be grown properly in the home/market garden that is not as pungent as the onions in a grocery store...and it's so wonderful to grow them like that! A goal to strive for!
(PS..I also ordered some stuff from Dixondale, will let youknow when it comes in!)