Allium cepa
Onions are a long-keeping Northeast storage vegetable with a balance of sweetness, sharpness, and sulfurous aroma. Variety and maturity make a real difference: spring onions are green and mild, while cured onions are denser and sweeter.1
Connections
Onion, garlic, and leek share the allium family. When onion tissue is cut or crushed, thiosulfinates and related sulfur compounds shape its pungency and eye-watering effect.2
Further notes
Onion and leek both need a long seedling phase in Maine: Extension lists globe onions at 6–8 weeks indoors and leeks at 10–12 weeks.3
Footnotes
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University of Maine Cooperative Extension, “Food & Nutrition for the Home Gardener,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩
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U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, “Boosting the Nutritional Bounty of Carrots and Onions,” 2022. ↩
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University of Maine Cooperative Extension, “Maine Vegetable Gardening: Keep Your Garden Growing,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩