I don't grow Red Creoles, but they are old timers. Probably missing a lot of the upgrades that breeders have made over the years. That said I get an occasional double and this year I got a couple that grew like multipliers. Dozen or so pearl size bulbs on one plant. Shock like a severe freeze just before bulbing is triggered is usually associated with bolting but could also damage the plant and cause the doubling problem. Even insect or mechanical damage to the terminal bud can cause abnormal growth. The multiplier occurred with the 2020 crop of White Phantom. Great white onion and have kept since harvest in late May. Starting to sprout now.

Thank you. A serious freeze in February, which is maybe a month before bulbing, is exactly what happened. Yes, Red Creoles are old timers, but in looking for short-day storage onions, I'm pretty much reduced to them. I wish the breeders would work harder on that. A little odd that the 1015s showed no doubling at all, but maybe half of the Red Creoles did. It will be interesting to see what happens this winter which, largely because of the El Nina year, is likely to be warmer than usual. Maybe no freezes at all.