Pearl Onion

Allium cepa 'Pearl'

vegetable

Tiny pearl-like white onions typically 1 inch or smaller at harvest. The classic onion for pickling in jars, creamed pearl onions at holiday dinners, and as a garnish in cocktails and stews. Very mild, sweet flavor in a compact package. Grow them fresh from the garden for far superior flavor compared to frozen pearl onions.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Carrot — Classic mutual deterrence pairing
• Lettuce — Compatible shallow-root companion; efficient bed use
• Tomato — Onion deters aphids around tomato plants
• Strawberry — Onion border deters slugs and aphids near strawberry plants

❌ Keep away from

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Onion maggot →

  Row cover from planting; rotate crops; avoid fresh manure

• Thrips →

  Reflective mulch; spinosad spray if severe

• White rot →

  8-year rotation if detected; certified clean sets only

• Botrytis neck rot →

  Cure thoroughly; store only fully dry bulbs

🌾 Harvest & storage

Harvest when bulbs reach 3/4 to 1 inch diameter and tops begin to yellow, typically 70 to 90 days. For pickling, harvest at 3/4 inch for the best jar fit. Cure briefly (1 to 2 weeks) in a warm dry spot. To peel pearl onions easily, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water — the skins slip off easily.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Good source of vitamin C, quercetin, and potassium. Despite their small size, pearl onions contain similar concentrations of onion flavonoids and sulfur compounds as larger varieties. Classic holiday preparation with cream sauce adds significant calories, but the onions themselves are low-calorie.