Candy Onion

Overview

• Botanical Name: Allium cepa ‘Candy’ (Hybrid Sweet Onion). 

• Common Name: Candy Onion

• Key Features: Produces large white to pale yellow bulbs with thick rings and mild, sweet flavour. Often described as “sweet but not ultra‑sweet like Vidalia”. 

• Maturity: About 85–105 days from planting, depending on seed or transplant timing. 

• Uses: Excellent fresh eating, salads, mild cooking, and storage onion in suitable conditions.

Light & Site Requirements

• Sunlight: Full sun (6+ hours) is necessary for best bulb development. 

• Soil: Well‑drained, fertile soil enriched with organic matter. Avoid soggy or poorly draining sites. 

• Spacing & Depth: If direct seeding or transplanting, follow specific instructions (for example see 12–16 in row spacing and 3‑4″ spacing in one source). 

Planting & Maintenance

• Start Time: Seed indoors 8‑10 weeks before last frost or direct sow where appropriate. For colder regions, transplanting helps. 

• Watering: Provide consistent moisture until bulbs are well‑formed; approx 1″ of water per week during key growth. Avoid drought stress. 

• Fertilizing: Onions respond to nitrogen‑rich feed early in growing season. Follow fertilizer recommendations to support strong bulb growth. 

• Harvesting: When tops fall over and necks feel soft/dry, harvest in dry weather. Cure bulbs in warm, ventilated area for storage. 

• Storage: Once cured, bulbs can store for months if kept in cool, dry conditions.

Northern/Garden‑Centre Considerations (Canadian Prairie/Zone 4‑5)

• While Candy Onion is a vegetable (not perennial), for your garden‑centre you can highlight suitability for colder‑climate annual production. Many growers in cooler regions successfully grow this variety. 

• Ensure soil warms and drains well early in season — onions develop best with early rapid growth. Cold/compacted soils will slow bulb size.

• Choose a site with full sun and good airflow; amend heavy clay soils to improve drainage and root development.