Bandit
Bandit is a heirloom allium. Germination takes 10-14 days and fruit ripens from about day 120. Skin runs to dark blue-green. Water need is regular, consistent moisture. Suits zones 4-9.
Sowing
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, or direct sow in early spring
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular, consistent moisture
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile loam
- Spacing
- 4-6 inches
- Height
- 1-3 feet
- Season
- Warm season annual
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Dark blue-green
- Shape
- Upright, linear leaves with thick shank
- Flavour
- Mild to moderately strong onion-garlic flavor with a clean profile.
In the kitchen
Cooking, seasoning, fresh use, soups, stews
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Onion maggots, thrips, cutworms
- Diseases
- Pink root, fusarium basal rot, downy mildew
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — | June – July | October – September |
| 2 | — | — | May – July | September |
| 3 | — | — | May – June | September – October |
| 4 | — | — | April – June | August – October |
| 5 | — | — | April – May | August – November |
| 6 | — | — | April – May | August – November |
| 7 | — | — | March – May | July – November |
| 8 | — | — | March – April | July – December |
| 9 | — | — | February – March | June – December |
| 10 | — | — | January – March | May – December |
| 11 | — | — | January – February | April – December |
| 12 | — | — | January – February | April – December |
| 13 | — | — | January – February | April – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 40
- Protein (g)
- 1.1
- Fat (g)
- 0.1
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 9.34
- Fibre (g)
- 1.7
- Sugars (g)
- 4.24
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 0
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 7.4
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.02
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 0.4
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.12
- Folate (µg)
- 19
- Calcium (mg)
- 23
- Iron (mg)
- 0.21
- Magnesium (mg)
- 10
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 29
- Potassium (mg)
- 146
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.17
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.5
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Bandit?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other alliums with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Bandit suits these too.
- Giant Musselburgh 120 days
- Purple Top Walla Walla 125 days
- Walla Walla Sweet Onion 125 days
- Yellow Granex Onion 110 days
- Innovator 110 days
- Yellow Sweet Spanish Onion 110 days