[needssomehelp]

can anyone tell me what onions are real eye watering strong onions like i remember as a kid, i havent had a really strong onion from the supermarket of years, and now i have my lottie i thought id grow my own,  the plot neighbour gave me a few last week and they were great, but he only took his plot on last november and was given the sets so dont know what ones they were.  thanks in advance x  xlisa

[Sharonx]

Every onion type I have grown has been eye watering, & I mean proper bulging red eyes, even the spring onions   
Now, I don't know if this is because they are grown as onions should be & commerial ones just don't have much kick or whether it is the chicken pellets that I use. My FIL swears that using them makes onions really strong.
Someone may have a different view but I am sure that that ever you grow will beat anything you can buy in the shops 

[Aidy]

Grew Turbo for the first time this year, they are pretty good at making grown men cry.

[savbo]

I seem to remember hearing that cold weather makes onions hotter, which is why Spanish onions are quite mild and sweet... anyone else reckon that's part of it?

M

[bigben]

I have grown sturon and a winter type of white onion, both were much stronger than the ones grown in the shop. I think another answer suggested this. Perhaps the shop bought ones are grown simply for size at the cost of taste?

[8doubles]

If you want a really strong flavour go for shallots , some varieties are really fierce.

[mumofstig]

and yet for the kitchen, I thought shallots were supposed to be milder

[8doubles]

and yet for the kitchen, I thought shallots were supposed to be milder

A lot of the large white shallots seem to lack bite but some of the smaller purple fella`s are very strong.  Too strong for even the most avid raw onion eater.

[mumofstig]

OK now I know 

[bigben]

A lot of the large white shallots seem to lack bite but some of the smaller purple fella`s are very strong.  Too strong for even the most avid raw onion eater.

This year for the first time I pickled some of my shallots with a dried habanero chilli in with them - they are fantastic -better than any shop bought pickled onions I have ever had. Just when you get over the hit of the shallot the chilli heat kicks in and lasts!

quote clarified

[FERDY]

'Because high potash levels reduce the sulphur uptake, which is what causes the strong flavour of onions, if you use low potash fertilizer you will get smaller but tastier onions eventually.'

[gypsy]

I want some nice sweet mild onions for salads, I had some smashing spring onions but the silver moon and red onions that I have grown are far too strong, the silver moon were in the ground over winter so had the severe frost but the red ones were not planted until spring and are still tear jerking