Biker
Biker: 90 days to harvest, 7-10 days to germinate, 4-6 inches between plants, hardy in zones 4-9. Give it full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours) and regular, consistent moisture during growing season water. Because this is a hybrid, seed saved from it will not repeat the parent — plan on fresh seed each year.
Sowing
Direct sow or transplant seedlings, primed seed for faster germination
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular, consistent moisture during growing season
- Soil
- Well-drained loam, fertile soil preferred
- Spacing
- 4-6 inches
- Height
- 1-3 feet
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Green shanks with white base
- Shape
- Long, slender cylindrical shanks
- Flavour
- Mild to peppery allium flavor with tender, crisp shanks characteristic of green onions.
In the kitchen
Fresh garnish, salads, stir-fries, soups, grilling, raw consumption
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Onion flies, thrips, armyworms
- Diseases
- Fusarium basal rot, white rot, botrytis
- Resistance
- Common Rust (Intermediate); Purple Blotch (Intermediate); White Tip (Intermediate)
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — | June – July | September |
| 2 | — | — | May – July | August – September |
| 3 | — | — | May – June | August – October |
| 4 | — | — | April – June | July – October |
| 5 | — | — | April – May | July – November |
| 6 | — | — | April – May | July – November |
| 7 | — | — | March – May | June – November |
| 8 | — | — | March – April | June – December |
| 9 | — | — | February – March | May – December |
| 10 | — | — | January – March | April – December |
| 11 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| 12 | — | — | January – February | March – December |
| 13 | — | — | January – February | March – 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 Biker?
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 Biker suits these too.
- Purple de Lautrec Shallot 90 days
- Red Burgundy Shallot 90 days
- French Gray Shallot 90 days
- Giant Red Beard 90 days
- Megaton 90 days
- Red Baron Shallots 90 days