Potato Onion

[HowSwedeItIs]

I have some 'Potato Onion' seeds that I ordered a while ago and I was wondering if anybody had any experience with them. From what I've read they seem to be similar to multiplier onions, possibly the same but maybe a little bit bigger?


Probably a little late in starting them but I've just sown them into little trays, I'll at least get some bulbs I can replant next year I'm hoping. Seems like most people just buy sets but this is the only way I could get my hands on this variety.

[pitw]

Let me know how these turn out please. Sounds interesting.

[Red Bullets]

I always planted bulb/potato onions in the garden after may long weekend. In central Alberta after May 20 is supposedly frost free so the garden never went in before then. Used to plant three 15 to 20 foot rows and get 100 lbs for the root cellar.

Here's a good chart by farmers almanac that a person can look up all the towns in Alberta for reference. Nice grow charts for each area.

http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/AB

[HowSwedeItIs]

Originally Posted by pitw

Let me know how these turn out please. Sounds interesting.

Will do- I saved about half of the seeds, but I hear they aren't viable for long, so we'll see how it goes

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

I always planted bulb/potato onions in the garden after may long weekend. In central Alberta after May 20 is supposedly frost free so the garden never went in before then. Used to plant three 15 to 20 foot rows and get 100 lbs for the root cellar.

Here's a good chart by farmers almanac that a person can look up all the towns in Alberta for reference. Nice grow charts for each area.

http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/AB

Good to know Red, thanks for the link. That's a lot of onions! Did you guys braid them or store them in boxes?

[pitw]

We just hang ours in a bag. Onion bags work real good.LOL

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by HowSwedeItIs

Will do- I saved about half of the seeds, but I hear they aren't viable for long, so we'll see how it goes

Good to know Red, thanks for the link. That's a lot of onions! Did you guys braid them or store them in boxes?

We used to grow a 3/4 acre garden. Didn't buy any vegetables at the store.
We grew, harvested, stored, pickled, blanched, froze lots for the year. A couple hundred hills of potatoes, a hundred heads of cabbage, and abundances of all the rest.

We put the onions on a tarp in the shade for a few days to dry and "harden", taken in at night, then into mesh bags stored in the dark cool potato bin. Braided bulbs a few times too but too many to hang.

[josey]

What's the secret to cabbage? I haven't had luck with any.

[Lornce]

Back to the original posters question. I had Potato Onions for years. They taste a lot like shallots and multiply from a main bulb. I had the yellow variety. They end up about 2" or so. They do store rally well for winter.

[13mileranch]

Originally Posted by josey

What's the secret to cabbage? I haven't had luck with any.

One thing we do is use row covers well into the Summer. Helps keep the bugs off them.

Those potato onions sound interesting. I'm going to look into trying some. Thanks for posting OP.

[HowSwedeItIs]

Well sounds like I'll have to get some onion bags! I have heard that too about those mesh/gauzy row covers, if the moths can't lay their eggs you won't get the worms. Also you won't cook your cabbages like with the plastic ones. Glad to hear that they store well, not worth much as a self-perpetuating onion if too many of them die over the winter. I located some other seeds from a particularly interesting variety (big onions) will take a while to get here but I'll let you guys know

[Lornce]

Let me know how the big seeds turn out. always looking for another variety.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by josey

What's the secret to cabbage? I haven't had luck with any.

Start with young plants already and put in the ground 24" to 32" apart. Gently water each plant daily until they take in a couple days. There can be problems with cutworms cutting the roots. Cutworms are in some deep loam soils. I tried planting the plants inside of cardboard tubes, like from toilet paper, and never had problems with the cutworms. I would dust with cabbage dust for the cabbage butterflies if needed.

If you plant certain plants around the cabbage it helps to keep the butterflies and insects away too. This webpage has the companion plants listed.
http://www.harvesttotable.com/2009/0...errent_plants/

[Lornce]

We use Marigolds as a natural insect repellent for soft veggies like cabbage. Look nice too.

[josey]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Start with young plants already and put in the ground 24" to 32" apart. Gently water each plant daily until they take in a couple days. There can be problems with cutworms cutting the roots. Cutworms are in some deep loam soils. I tried planting the plants inside of cardboard tubes, like from toilet paper, and never had problems with the cutworms. I would dust with cabbage dust for the cabbage butterflies if needed.

If you plant certain plants around the cabbage it helps to keep the butterflies and insects away too. This webpage has the companion plants listed.
http://www.harvesttotable.com/2009/0...errent_plants/

Originally Posted by Lornce

We use Marigolds as a natural insect repellent for soft veggies like cabbage. Look nice too.

Thanks! I will look for plants then. I have a ton of marigold seeds anyways (I use them too) and will make sure I plant them around the cabbages.

[HowSwedeItIs]

Resurrecting this thread for the new growing season!

Unfortunately I started the seeds too late to get viable bulbs. Sorry Pitw I should have messaged you. I ordered some more seeds from a new source (Mr. Kelly Winterton) and will hopefully get a chance to start them in the next few days so that they are transplant ready in mid May. The variety I am trying this year is called "Green Mountain Multiplier", sounds like people really like it. Lots of genetic diversity in the seeds

[Fish along]

I will be watching for this thread in the future, need some help .

[Digger1]

Originally Posted by 13mileranch

One thing we do is use row covers well into the Summer. Helps keep the bugs off them.

Those potato onions sound interesting. I'm going to look into trying some. Thanks for posting OP.

We lost all our cabbage to moths last year, even with marigolds between them. Gonna try row covers this year, methinks.

[HowSwedeItIs]

Originally Posted by Fish along

I will be watching for this thread in the future, need some help .

Are you still looking for seeds? I have a list of Canadian sources for all sorts of vegetables that do well here

Originally Posted by Digger1

We lost all our cabbage to moths last year, even with marigolds between them. Gonna try row covers this year, methinks.

I think row covers would work well, if you have drip tape or irrigation lines you would be able to water without lifting the cover all of the time. I put mine on a little too late, I lifted up the cover after a week to water the cabbages and there were little gold/black beetles all over them chewing holes

[Fish along]

Originally Posted by HowSwedeItIs

Are you still looking for seeds? I have a list of Canadian sources for all sorts of vegetables that do well here



I think row covers would work well, if you have drip tape or irrigation lines you would be able to water without lifting the cover all of the time. I put mine on a little too late, I lifted up the cover after a week to water the cabbages and there were little gold/black beetles all over them chewing holes

Yes those sources would be good to know,thanks. I've been planting yellow onions for years never heard of potato onions, also do you know of any rutabagas that grow well and taste good for our Alberta soil? I've tried several different kinds ,always woody,no taste ,finally threw in the towel, also the damn white butterflies drive ya crazy.

[HowSwedeItIs]

Originally Posted by Fish along

Yes those sources would be good to know,thanks. I've been planting yellow onions for years never heard of potato onions, also do you know of any rutabagas that grow well and taste good for our Alberta soil? I've tried several different kinds ,always woody,no taste ,finally threw in the towel, also the damn white butterflies drive ya crazy.

Heritage Harvest Seeds out of Carman, Manitoba (https://www.heritageharvestseed.com) grows under conditions pretty similar to most of AB, they have a ton of old heirloom vegetables. I don't know anybody personally that grows their own rutabagas, but HH has a couple varieties it looks like. The only ones I can find online are all described as "good keepers" so I wonder if that means they get woody

Potato Onions are a little smaller than your regular onion, they form little 'nests' or bunches like a potato. If you save a bulb over the winter you can plant it again in the spring, and it'll form a new nest. Otherwise saving your own onion seed is a real pain