Vidalia Sweet Onion Facts - Morris Farms (2024)

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Vidalia Sweet Onion Facts - Morris Farms? ›

A Vidalia onion is a type of sweet onion. It has a mild flavor, a uniquely flat shape, and a relatively high sugar content. The soil in Vidalia, Georgia has an unusually low amount of sulfur — that's why this variety is more sweet than sharp. It doesn't have the pungent, intensely acidic flavor of other onions.

A Vidalia onion is a type of sweet onion. It has a mild flavor, a uniquely flat shape, and a relatively high sugar content. The soil in Vidalia, Georgia has an unusually low amount of sulfur — that's why this variety is more sweet than sharp. It doesn't have the pungent, intensely acidic flavor of other onions.

Today, Bland Farms is the largest producer of the Vidalia sweet onion volume annually.

The sweet flavor is due to the low amount of sulfur in the soil in which the onions are grown. It can be called a Vidalia only if it's grown in one of 20 counties designated by the the Vidalia Onion Act of 1986. The Vidalia onion was named Georgia's official state vegetable in 1990.

Arguably Georgia's most famous agricultural product, the sweet Vidalia Onion has its roots deep in Tattnall County's soil with more than half the annual crop coming from our county and the nation's largest grower, packer and shipper of sweet onions headquartered in Glennville.

Because it is not as pungent in flavor, the Vidalia onion is a great nutrient-dense food to incorporate into the diets of both adults and kids alike. Onions are packed with antioxidants! Vitamin C supports the immune system by decreasing inflammation and fighting off free radicals that harm immune function.

Vidalias are grown from the seed of a short-day yellow granex onion that was actually discovered in Texas. But it's the low sulfur in Georgia's sandy soil that is said to give the onions grown there a distinctive sweetness. The region's climate is also an integral part of the Vidalia onion's success.

A Vidalia onion bulb breaks through the surface of the sandy Georgia soil. In about 6 - 9 weeks, this onion will be ready for harvest. It's the sandy loam soils in the region that help to create the sweet flavor. In a few short weeks, these onions will be ready for use in your favorite recipes.

There are many other types of sweet onions available, including Walla-Walla (after the city in Washington State) and Texas Sweets, and these can easily be used in any recipe calling for Vidalia Onions. For big sweet onion flavor, you can find Texas sweet onions for sale at Pittman & Davis.

Want Vidalia Onions delivered to your door? The thirteen counties include: Toombs (where we're located), Tattnall, Treutlen, Bacon, Bulloch, Candler, Evans, Appling, Jeff Davis, Wheeler, Telfair, Montgomery, & Emanuel. And the portions of these seven counties: Laurens, Screven, Jenkins, Wayne, Dodge, Long, & Pierce.

What is the sweet onion capital of the world? ›

The crop is named for the community of Vidalia, which is located in Toombs County and known as the "Sweet Onion Capital of the World."

The sweet onion was designated as the Texas state vegetable on May 7, 1997.

The distinct weather, seed, and soil content is what helps give the Vidalia its signature taste. The sweet flavor is due to the low amount of sulfur found in the soil of the Vidalia region where they are grown, and they have a higher sugar and water content.

The key to preserving Vidalias is to keep them cool, dry, and separated. When stored properly, our Vidalias can last as long as 1-2 months on the counter, or 3-6 months when placed into refrigerator veggie bin (mentioned below).

The Vidalia sweet onion, declared the official state vegetable in 1990, is perhaps the greatest agricultural success story in Georgia's history. Mose Coleman, a Toombs County farmer, is believed to have been the first grower of the now popular commodity.

Sweet onions, like Maui and Vidalia, are technically white onions - but they have a much higher sugar content, and a lower sulphur content, so they don't have that sharp bite to them. They often have a limited season, from spring to summer, so it's always great to pick up a few when they're available.

The Vidalia Onion is certainly unique in all the world. The sugar content of this onion is comparable to that of an apple, or a bottle of cola. It's a mild, succulent onion that is delicious raw on hamburgers, sliced alongside your steak, in a garden salad, or just eaten raw.

The best way to preserve Vidalia onions and other sweet onions: Store them in a place that's cool and dry and keep the onions separated. You can store your Vidalias in the refrigerator, wrapping each in a paper towel. Treated that way, they can last up to a year.

The Vidalia stands out for having an oblong shape, where most onions are round. It's also less pungent than other onions, and for that reason it's enjoyed raw, in salads, sliced thin on sandwiches, pickled, made into vinaigrette and served as a garnish for roasted meats.