Clear Dawn

Family: Amaryllidaceae Vegetable

Clear Dawn yellow onions bring a bright, sunlit sweetness with a crisp, juicy bite and a clean, aromatic finish.

At maturity, the bulbs develop a smooth, golden skin that slips easily into storage-ready layers, while the interior stays firm and finely textured for reliable performance. Grow Clear Dawn for bold flavor in fresh salads, savory roasts, and golden-brown sauces—an everyday yellow onion with a luminous presence from garden to table.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Bulbing

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Feb 28th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Apr 18th
Harvest Begins	Jul 17th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	90
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Bulbing
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	35
Harden Off (days)	7

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Clear Dawn is built for cooks who want the yellow-onion sweet without losing structure—the bite stays crisp, not flabby, even once dressed. Slice it thin for salad crunch, then let it carry color and aroma into caramelized edges and glossy pan sauces.

Best Uses

thin slices for salads and raw toppings where it stays snappy
caramelize until glossy and golden for sweet, mellow spoonability
roast alongside meats to turn starchy edges jammy and browned
use in golden-brown sauces and gravies for aromatic body without cloudiness

Flavor Profile

bright, sunlit sweetness crisp, juicy snap clean aromatic onion finish firm, finely textured interior

Kitchen Pairings

butter thyme black pepper beef or pork sherry vinegar Gruyère

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I manage thrips or downy mildew on Allium cepa (onions) during cool-to-mild weather?

Inspect onion leaves weekly for silvery streaks and tiny thrips, and check leaf bases for fuzzy gray growth typical of downy mildew. Remove and destroy badly infected leaves early, then improve airflow by spacing plants and avoiding overhead watering. If pressure persists, use an onion-safe fungicide for downy mildew and a targeted insecticidal soap or spinosad for thrips, following the label exactly to protect pollinators and the edible crop.

How often should I water Allium cepa during bulbing (mid-summer) to prevent split or soft bulbs?

During active bulbing, keep soil consistently evenly moist but not soggy—aim for about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week, split into 1–2 sessions depending on heat. Let the top 1 inch of soil dry slightly between waterings, because waterlogged beds promote rot. Once the tops start to fall over and bulbs enlarge, gradually reduce watering to help skins dry and bulbs store longer.

What signs show Allium cepa is ready to harvest at about 90 days?

Harvest when bulbs reach full size and the necks begin to soften—look for 50–75% of tops down (bent or fallen) while the outer skins are dry and papery. Lift on a dry day and let bulbs cure in a warm, airy spot with good airflow for 1–2 weeks, keeping bulbs off wet ground. If you harvest too early (few toppled leaves), skins won’t set well and storage life drops.