|
TREE ONION
GROWING INFORMATION
©
Frances Michaels
COMMON NAMES:
walking
onions, Egyptian onions, topset
onions
BOTANICAL NAME:
Allium cepa
var. proliferum
FAMILY:
Alliaceae, the
onion family
PLANT DESCRIPTION
Tree onions produce up to
6-10 tender, juicy, mild onions at the base of the
plant;
and a stiff stem with
6-8
bulbils, or little onions, at the top. A biennial,
it will self-propagate by folding it's stem to the
ground so that the bulbils plant themselves. It is
the most cold-hardy of all the onions and survives
frozen ground.
USES
The
top bulbils are used for pickling. The base bulb is
a tender, juicy salad onion. Tree onions will keep
for up to 12 months.
PLANTING
Plant
May to December
in a sunny, well-drained position. Plant in late spring in cooler
areas. Soil is best
prepared a few months before planting. For a good
crop, tree onions require a rich, loam soil. Avoid
using manure, as too high a nitrogen content will
reduce the keeping quality of the tree onions. Check
the pH and add lime to correct acidity. Plant tree onions 3 cm deep. Space bulbs 15-20
cm apart.
HARVEST
Harvest
the tree onions when the stalks dry, gather the
bulbils and plant out straight away. Spread the
bulbs on a wire screen in a cool, well-ventilated
shelter to dry. Store in a cool, dry place or hang
up in open weave bags.
Sorry, not currently available
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Green Harvest
No part of this website may be reproduced
without permission of the owner
|
|