Comments on: onions and garlic, in frugal perpetuity http://awaytogarden.com/onions-and-garlic-in-frugal-perpetuity Gardening information and inspiration from Margaret Roach Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:19:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Marideth Sisco http://awaytogarden.com/onions-and-garlic-in-frugal-perpetuity/comment-page-1#comment-12040 Marideth Sisco Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:37:01 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=1608#comment-12040 So glad to hear you're taking an interest in potato onions! They're fun, and tasty, and very entertaining to grow. There's a supplier closer to you, and it's where I got my starts after losing them in a long-drawn-out move to a home in the country (the termites got there first). I don't have her address at hand, but you can find her by Googling "Maine Potato Lady." Hers was the best price, and they arrived clean, plentiful and just at the right time. FYI Judy, spring onions are a different allium, a top-setting onion also called a walking or Egyptian onion. Little bulblets form at the top of the greens, keel over and root, and form new clusters of scallions. Multipliers form multiple bulbs, much like shallots, but larger. So glad to hear you’re taking an interest in potato onions! They’re fun, and tasty, and very entertaining to grow. There’s a supplier closer to you, and it’s where I got my starts after losing them in a long-drawn-out move to a home in the country (the termites got there first). I don’t have her address at hand, but you can find her by Googling “Maine Potato Lady.” Hers was the best price, and they arrived clean, plentiful and just at the right time.
FYI Judy, spring onions are a different allium, a top-setting onion also called a walking or Egyptian onion. Little bulblets form at the top of the greens, keel over and root, and form new clusters of scallions. Multipliers form multiple bulbs, much like shallots, but larger.

]]> By: Judy http://awaytogarden.com/onions-and-garlic-in-frugal-perpetuity/comment-page-1#comment-12033 Judy Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:01:50 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=1608#comment-12033 My dad always grew what he called "spring onions". I've always thought these were probably the same thing as multipliers, Egyptian or "walking" onions. He brought a start to Kansas in 1944 and they're now going strong in one end of one of my raised beds. We only eat them as scallions, and only in spring (although I've often pulled some young ones up in late February if we have a warm spell.) They get tough and strong as it gets hotter. This time of year I clean out the bed, pulling out all the dried, brown stalks and scatter the small bulblets that form at the top of the stalk. I've given them away both as the bulblets and as starts of mature plants that I have dug. They seem to take off either way. My dad always grew what he called “spring onions”. I’ve always thought these were probably the same thing as multipliers, Egyptian or “walking” onions. He brought a start to Kansas in 1944 and they’re now going strong in one end of one of my raised beds.
We only eat them as scallions, and only in spring (although I’ve often pulled some young ones up in late February if we have a warm spell.) They get tough and strong as it gets hotter.
This time of year I clean out the bed, pulling out all the dried, brown stalks and scatter the small bulblets that form at the top of the stalk. I’ve given them away both as the bulblets and as starts of mature plants that I have dug. They seem to take off either way.

]]> By: Margaret http://awaytogarden.com/onions-and-garlic-in-frugal-perpetuity/comment-page-1#comment-12030 Margaret Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:48:00 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=1608#comment-12030 Welcome, Barbara. Thank you for the kind words. If you want to email me we can discuss. The address is awaytogarden @ gmail dot com (obviously not all the spaces, but you get the idea). :) Welcome, Barbara. Thank you for the kind words. If you want to email me we can discuss. The address is awaytogarden @ gmail dot com (obviously not all the spaces, but you get the idea). :)

]]> By: barbara Maleonskie http://awaytogarden.com/onions-and-garlic-in-frugal-perpetuity/comment-page-1#comment-12029 barbara Maleonskie Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:39:56 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=1608#comment-12029 This is such a fun interesting website. Can you direct me to any of these great gardeners who would come and talk and educate our garden club in Red Hook, Ny. We would love to have you if you're out there. Many thanks, Barbara This is such a fun interesting website. Can you direct me to any of these great gardeners who would come and
talk and educate our garden club in Red Hook, Ny. We would love to have you if you’re out there. Many thanks,
Barbara

]]> By: margaret http://awaytogarden.com/onions-and-garlic-in-frugal-perpetuity/comment-page-1#comment-9139 margaret Fri, 29 May 2009 10:40:21 +0000 http://awaytogarden.com/?p=1608#comment-9139 Welcome, Karen. Generally what we call "scallions" are grown for those two or three inches of white shank down near the base; not to be confused with the green top of a regular onion, which won't have that (because it's meant to create a big bulbs down below). They are the same plant genetically, Allium cepa just like a bulbing onion, but just selected for their inclination to make that shank I think (and not bulb). They are meant to be grown in successive batches, planted regularly, so you always have tender "green onions" (as they are also called) to use. Most onions, including these, will overwinter in many areas, as you have seen, but I think allowing them to grow and grow defeats the young, tender nature of the desired crop, no? If you want to save seed for next year you will need some to set flowers, but basically the idea is to plant enough at regular intervals so you use up each crop when it's young and tender. So make successive sowings. Does that make any sense? Welcome, Karen. Generally what we call “scallions” are grown for those two or three inches of white shank down near the base; not to be confused with the green top of a regular onion, which won’t have that (because it’s meant to create a big bulbs down below). They are the same plant genetically, Allium cepa just like a bulbing onion, but just selected for their inclination to make that shank I think (and not bulb). They are meant to be grown in successive batches, planted regularly, so you always have tender “green onions” (as they are also called) to use.

Most onions, including these, will overwinter in many areas, as you have seen, but I think allowing them to grow and grow defeats the young, tender nature of the desired crop, no? If you want to save seed for next year you will need some to set flowers, but basically the idea is to plant enough at regular intervals so you use up each crop when it’s young and tender. So make successive sowings. Does that make any sense?

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