Karmen Red Onion Sets (Bulbs)

Karmen Red Onion Sets are a vibrant and flavorful addition to your garden, offering stunning deep red bulbs with crisp, white flesh and a mild, slightly sweet flavor. These onion sets are a great choice for gardeners who want tasty green onions early in the growing season and storage onions later in the summer. These medium-sized, globe-shaped onions feature visually striking purple-red skin and white flesh tinged with red, and are versatile, making them perfect for everything from fresh salads and sandwiches to grilling, roasting, or pickling. Their rich color not only adds a pop of beauty to your garden but also enhances the presentation of your culinary creations. This early-maturing variety thrives in a variety of climates, producing reliable, high-yield harvests that are ready to enjoy in no time. Their excellent storage capabilities mean you can savor their fresh, sweet flavor long after the growing season ends. Karmen onions are also packed with nutrients, including antioxidants and vitamins, making them a healthy choice for your meals. Easy to grow and resistant to bolting, these onions are ideal for both novice and experienced gardeners.

About Onion Sets or Bulbs: Onion sets are small starter bulbs specifically for gardening. Onion sets are reliable and easy to grow, they establish quickly, and are easy to plant compared to seeds or transplants. Onion sets are extremely quick, producing mild-tasting green onions in 2-4 weeks. Plant in Fall or early Spring for a bulb harvest in late Summer.

Also Known As: Intermediate Day Onion, Noon Day Onion, Karmen Red Onion Bulbs, Karmen Red Onion Plants, Karmen Onion Sets, Red Karmen Onion Transplants, Karmen Red Sets, Red Karmen Sets, Karmen Red Onion Starts, Karmen Red Onion Seeds.

Plant Name:	Onion, Karmen Red (Intermediate Day)
Latin Name:	Allium cepa
Days to Germinate:	7-14
Days to Harvest:	85 (Spring Planting) - 240 (Fall Planting)
Plant Height:	1 - 2 Feet
Spread:	6 - 12 Inches
Growth Habit:	Bulbous, Intermediate Day
USDA Zones:	3-10
Lifespan:	Biennial
Brand:	TomorrowSeeds
Sunlight:	Full Sun, Partial Shade
Pollination:	Heirloom, Open-Pollinated
GMO:	No
Fungicide-Treated Seeds*:	No
Seeds Packed For**:	2025

*Fungicide-treated seeds protect the seedlings from diseases until they are up and growing. Do not eat treated seeds.
**Seeds are freshly packed for the growing season of the year listed. Seeds are still viable beyond pack date. Store in a cool and dry location such as the refrigerator or basement to best preserve germination rates.

Planting Instructions:

Soil Preparation:

Choose an area with heavy, well-draining soil that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight each day. Remove weeds, large rocks, and litter from the planting area. Leave small weeds and dead grass, they will enrich the soil when turned under. Spade or till the soil 8-12 inches deep. Loosening the soil will help the plant establish strong roots.

Plants grow best in soil with lots of organic matter. You may optionally add fertilizer or organic material such as compost, leaves, or rotted hay to mix into the soil at this point. For small gardens, scatter 2-3 tablespoons of fertilizer evenly and work into the top 2-3 inches of soil for each hill or 2 foot by 2 foot planting area. For larger gardens, scatter 2-3 pounds of a complete fertilizer for each 100 square feet of planting area. Work fertilizer or organic material into the soil and leave the surface smooth.

Form rows of soil beds 4-6 inches high and at least 6 inches apart. This formation of ridges will help with drainage.

Planting:

Day-Length: Onions form bulbs in response to daylight hours. Onion sets are intermediate-day or long-day varieties since short-day varieties do not go dormant and cannot form sets (but can form transplants). Intermediate-day onions are day-neutral and can grow well in a wide range of climates, making them adaptable to different zones.

Onion Set Size: Smaller onion sets, less than 1 inch in diameter, are optimal for growing large onions, because they are less likely to bolt and more likely to focus energy on swelling compared to larger onion sets.

Onions grow best in temperatures between 55F - 75F. They can tolerate cooler temperatures during early growth but require warmer conditions as they develop bulbs. Plant onion sets in the spring as soon as the soil can be worked, about 2-4 weeks before the last frost in spring. Optionally, start onion sets indoors in planting cells 4-6 weeks before the last frost in Spring. Harden off, then transplant outdoors, spacing sets 4 inches apart down rows when the soil has warmed and all danger of frost has passed in Spring. For fall planting to overwinter and harvest in the following spring, direct sow sets outdoors 4-6 weeks before the first expected frost. Applying mulch or fabric, or planting in beds,cold frames, or low tunnels is strongly recommended if overwintering to prevent bolting in the spring.

To plant, make holes 3/4 inch deep and spaced 4 inches apart down the rows of raised beds. Plant 1 onion set per hole, with the tip pointing upwards and roots downwards, and with the pointed tip just showing at the soil surface. Water after planting. You may optionally cover the ground with a black weed-suppressing membrane, and plant onion sets through the slits. Onion sets can also be planted in containers at least 18 inches wide and deep. If growing for green onions, plant only 2 inches apart.

Planting Depth:	3/4 inch
Within-Row Spacing:	4 inches
Between-Row Spacing:	6-12 inches

Care During the Season:

Watering: Water the plants deeply, soaking the soil to a depth of 6-8 inches, once a week. If there is no rainfall or weather is dry and windy, water 2 times a week, but stop watering once the bulbs have swollen in mid-summer.

Weeding: Keeping plants weed-free improves production. If plowing or hoeing, do not dig to deeply to prevent from cutting the feeder roots. Cut off any flower stems as soon as they start to form, otherwise the plant’s energy will go into producing the flower rather than swelling the bulb.

Fertilizing: Once onion plants have 5-6 leaves, you may optionally apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, without letting the fertilizer touch the plants. Use about a 1/2 cup of fertilizer for each 10 feet of onion row. Scatter the fertilizer evenly between the rows around the plants then water the onions. Each leaf on an onion plant forms a ring in the bulb, so more leaves result in more rings and a larger bulb.

Insecticides: Onions have few insect problems, but insecticides may be used to protect plants. Bt-based insecticides and sulfur are organic options that can be used for prevention. Sulfur also has fungicidal properties and helps in controlling many diseases. Before using a pesticide, read the label and follow cautions, warnings and directions.

Diseases: If spots or mold appear, treat plants with an approved fungicide. Neem oil, sulfur, and other fungicides may be used. When using fungicides always follow label directions.

Harvesting:

Onion sets planted in spring can be harvested in mid-summer to early fall, while Onion sets planted in fall are ready to be harvested in summer of the following year. Dry bulb onions are ready to harvest when the main stem gets weak and falls over, and at least half of the leaves brown and die back. Once tops have fully collapsed, stop watering and allow the bulbs to dry in the soil for a few days if the weather is dry. Pull the plants out of the soil and cure the onions by leaving them out in the sun or laying them in a warm, dry, well-ventilated area for 2-3 weeks until the outer skins are papery and the necks are fully dry. Once cured, trim the tops and roots, let them keep drying in baskets or boxes and store them in a cool, dry, airy place. If growing for green onions, harvest as soon as they are pencil sized and until they begin to form bulbs.