Rossa Lunga di Tropea Onion - Calabrese Heirloom Torpedo Onion

This listing is for 1/16 oz. seed of Rossa Lunga di Tropea Onion.  100% non-genetically modified seed.  These are our extra FEDCO seeds from this season.  We buy in small bulk lots, use what's needed for family, friends, and small co-ops, then sell the remainder at a substantial discount for other growers.  All seed lots have been tested for viability.  This variety has been trialed from several sources to ensure the selection of the best strain.  100% success in the northeast.  All extra seeds are professionally packaged and labeled.  Free USPS First Class shipping to the lower 48.

Click here to see our complete seed inventory.

From FEDCO:

Allium cepa.  110 days to maturity.  Open-pollinated.  The famous Italian heirloom torpedo onion whose name means ‘Long Red of Tropea.’  In Calabria near the southern tip of Italy, Tropea is the site of a famous onion festival every August.  Elongated like torpedos, these thin-skinned glossy maroon bulbs with lighter interiors are easily sliced into even rings.  Sweet, mild, and delicious for fall enjoyment. Plants died back in the first week of October and will finish earlier if started indoors on March 1.  Excellent bunched fresh for a farmers market in midsummer.  Chefs love them for grilling or braising.  Intermediate to a long day for middle latitudes: 35–48° (Great for northern growers).

After a conversation with a friend about Calzone di Cipolla, it was suggested that I try growing Rossa Lunga di Tropea.  He couldn't say enough good things about this beauty and after he stated you can eat a good one like an apple I was hooked.  This is the first time we are trying onions on the farm and we'll be starting these indoors during the last week of Feb/first week of March.  We'll be sharing with our Sicilian neighbors and can't wait to hear the comments about Calabrese onions... lol.  In any event, these torpedo-shaped onions are supposed to be very sweet and we can't wait to find out.  Grazie, Giuseppe!  I'll update this listing with pics as they grow.  Pics in the listing are from our supplier and used with permission.  Good luck!

Culture: Set seedlings out 1-2" deep and 6-8" apart in shallow trenches, 1-2" between rows.  Onions survive light frosts.  After half the onion tops fall, push over the remainder and harvest within a week.  Field-cure in the sun about 10 days until dry, covering with a tarp in wet weather.  In the event of extreme heat or prolonged damp conditions, we recommend sheltered curing in a well-ventilated barn or greenhouse.  Curing is essential for long storage.  Store cured onions in mesh sacks in a cool dry well-ventilated place, periodically removing sprouting or rotting bulbs.  In spring, put your remaining onions in the fridge to extend storage until your new crop is ready.

Onions are triggered to form bulbs in response to day length.  Day length differs depending on latitude, so different onion varieties were developed to have different day-length needs.  In the north, the earlier onions are set out, the more chance they have to make top growth while the days are lengthening.  High fertility and steady water are crucial for large onions.  Side dressing is recommended.  After summer solstice they begin bulbing.

Shipping and Combined Shipping

NYCfigs ships on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

We never 'pass the savings' of expensive shipping charges to the customer and always ship as economically as possible.  Sometimes this becomes a juggling act between cost-of-goods vs. cost-of-container vs. shipment size vs. shipping cost vs. margins.  With combined shipping, it's all in the packing and we'll always find the most inexpensive shipping method available.  But there are times when it's impossible to ship economically and we'll always let you know before paying.  The shipping for all items sold by NYCfigs will combine automatically with all other items purchased from NYCfigs.  Items that ship free can't be discounted.  In the rare instance of excess shipping charges, NYCfigs will refund after the invoice is paid.  This ensures your items are received in a timely manner.