Rakkyo Onion Plants

Rakkyo onions (Allium rakkyo) are small, mild, and sweet onions commonly used in Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and other Asian cuisine. These crunchy bulbs are often pickled, offering a tangy, flavorful side dish to meals, or enjoyed fresh as a garnish, or in salads.  Bulbs are white, size of bulbs are about 1-2 inch diameter (refer to the photo).  Leaves smell like garlic chives, and bulbs smell like mild garlic, onion and leek.  Leaves can be used as an herb for garnish.

Growing Instructions:

• Cold stratification is not required to germinate or grow!
• Plant bulbs or plant starts in well-drained soil in full sun.
• Space plants 3-4 inches apart for optimal growth.
• Water regularly, but avoid over-watering to prevent rot.
• Thrives in cooler temperatures (50°F to 75°F)
• Can be planted outdoor in zone 9 and 10 in the winter. Other colder zones that freezes will need to store bulbs or keep plant starts indoor with grow light until the last day of frost has passed.
• Growing indoors: Use LED grow lights or fluorescent lights with full-spectrum range to promote healthy growth and bulb formation.  Place lights about 6-12 inches above the plants, and keep them on for 12-16 hours daily.  Adjust the light intensity or distance as the plants grow.
• Takes 4-6 months to reach full bulb maturity.

• Best time to harvest is when leaves turn yellow and plant falls over

• Harvest timing: 
  • Spring planting: plant early spring and harvest by late summer or early fall.
  • Fall planting: plant in fall in mild winter climate, harvest late spring or early summer.
    
• Storing bulbs:
  • keep bulbs in cool dry spaces 40°F to 50°F.  This is usually your unheated indoor spaces, pantry, closet, basement or garage.
• To propagate:
  • Can grow from seed, but it's not the ideal way to propagate.  Best to divide the plants or plant bulbs to allow them to multiply over time.

What you will be receiving:
1 pot of Rakkyo Onion starter plants.  Each pot contains minimum of 5 plants.  Take plants out to separate and plant each 3-4 inches apart.