Italian Red Torpedo Onion
Italian Red Torpedo Onion is a heirloom allium variety (Allium cepa 'Italian Red Torpedo'). Harvest begins around day 95-110; seed germinates in 7-14 days. Set plants 4-5 inches apart. Grow in soil pH 6.0-7.0, zones 5-10, full sun (6+ hours). Plants reach 12-18 inches. It will crop in a container.
Sowing
Direct seed in early spring or start indoors 8-10 weeks before transplanting. Plant sets in early spring.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- 1 inch per week, reduce watering as harvest approaches
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil with good organic content
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 4-5 inches
- Height
- 12-18 inches
- Season
- Cool season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Deep red-purple skin with white flesh and purple rings
- Size
- 3-4 inches long, 2-3 inches wide
- Shape
- Elongated torpedo or bottle shape
- Flavour
- Medium-hot when raw, sweet and mild when cooked
In the kitchen
Excellent for grilling, roasting, red onion rings, fresh in salads and sandwiches. Beautiful color for cooking.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Onion thrips, onion fly, wireworms
- Diseases
- Neck rot, downy mildew, bacterial soft rot
- Resistance
- Moderate resistance to common onion diseases
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 | August – 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, 4 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 Italian Red Torpedo Onion?
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 Italian Red Torpedo Onion suits these too.
- Jumper 95 days
- Red Baron Shallots 90 days
- French Gray Shallot 90 days
- Megaton 90 days
- Red Burgundy Onion 100 days
- Biker 90 days