Purplette
Purplette: 60 days to harvest, 7-14 days to germinate, 1-2 inches between plants, pH 6.0-7.0, hardy in zones 5-10. Fruit runs to about 1-1.5 inches diameter, pearl onion size. Give it full sun (6+ hours) and 1 inch per week, consistent light moisture water. It will crop in a container.
Sowing
Direct sow in spring when soil is workable, or start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- 1 inch per week, consistent light moisture
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile soil with good organic matter
- Soil pH
- 6.0-7.0
- Spacing
- 1-2 inches
- Height
- 12-18 inches
- Season
- Cool season
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Deep purple-red skin with white flesh tinged purple
- Size
- 1-1.5 inches diameter, pearl onion size
- Shape
- Small, round globe shape
- Flavour
- Sweet, mild, and crisp with minimal bite
In the kitchen
Perfect for pickling, cocktail garnishes, roasting whole, and gourmet presentations. Excellent in stir-fries.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Onion thrips, aphids, cutworms
- Diseases
- Purple blotch, downy mildew, neck rot
- Resistance
- Good general disease resistance
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — | June – July | August – September |
| 2 | — | — | May – July | July – September |
| 3 | — | — | May – June | July – October |
| 4 | — | — | April – June | June – October |
| 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| 6 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| 7 | — | — | March – May | May – November |
| 8 | — | — | March – April | May – December |
| 9 | — | — | February – March | April – December |
| 10 | — | — | January – March | March – December |
| 11 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| 12 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| 13 | — | — | January – February | February – 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 Purplette?
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 Purplette suits these too.
- Evergreen White Bunching Onion 60 days
- White Lisbon Bunching Onion 60 days
- Evergreen Hardy White 65 days
- Japanese Bunching Onions 65 days
- Dash 50 days
- Common Chives 75 days