I know there are lots of pros and cons when it comes to social media (especially with all that's been going on lately), but I like to think I have a lovely group of friends on there that I chat to (important when you work alone), and share ideas and interests.
One online friend sent me some unusual alliums for me to plant. He knows I do talks on unusual edibles and enjoy growing them, so it was really kind of him.
The first (above) is Minogue multiplier leeks. Apparently you can eat it like a leek (it's quite small) but the bulb is really tasty and crunchy.
The second was Egyptian walking onions. I'm fairly sure I grew these in our first house, but I can't really remember what they're like. The bulbs are said to have a "hot" taste. They grow with bulbs on top that then weight the plant down and where they land they sprout and grow again.
I won't put too much until I've grown them both and can then report back! Always fun growing a few more things and I love learning to cook and eat them.
Has anyone grown these or any other unusual Alliums?
I harvest lots of walking onions every fall and plant them everywhere, even in the greenhouse. There are some in flowerpots on indoor windowsills as well. I look forward to the chopped greens in salads and scrambled eggs, and when they get a good size and there are lots of them...they are dehydrated to add to my soup mix.
ReplyDeleteDo they compete well with other plants and weeds then? If they do that's the type of plant I need in my garden! Do you dehydrate the bulbs or the greens?
DeleteI grow multiplier onions and have for many years. Besides not having to buy new sets every year, they have fewer problems than globe onions in my location. Some people call them "potato onions" although I have no idea why because they are nothing like a potato. The only draw-back is that they tend to be small, so it takes a bit more work to peel and chop a bunch.
ReplyDeleteI used to have Egyptian Walking Onions, but I think they didn't make it one year and that was that. Maybe I should try them again.
I hadn't heard of multiplier leeks, so I'll have to see if I can find some of those. Perpetual alliums are well worth it, I think.
What you guys call mulitplier onions we call shallots I think. I lvoe them, they keep so much better than onions. We have them roasted as a veg with a sunday meal sometimes. I agree, I want things I plant once and just have to look after (with minimal care in my garden!)
DeleteKev, I have grown Egyptian Walking Onions for years. If I can grow them with my bad technique, anyone can. Like Leigh, I had thought they had not made it this year, but when I was cleaning up the garden, I found some residual bulbs which are now doing their thing.
ReplyDeleteMultiplier leeks sound amazing. Growing them from seeds is always a dicey business for me.
If the leeks do well I'll send you some bulbs when I've built them up a bit.
DeleteI grow many alliums and garlic. Each has particular flavors and uses.
ReplyDeleteThe 'walking onions' are excellent in a perennial garden. Like your first commenter, I plant them in different spots and will sometimes dig up the whole bed and process them. They are wonderful in spring; some of the first edibles to accompany dandelion greens and mustard greens. You need to learn when to let them be; they have a period when they throw their seed shoot. That seed stem turns the bulb into a hard, inedible root. However, once you cut the seed stem (after the bulbils have developed), the onion reawakens and makes a new, delicious bulb and fresh greens. So spring and fall green onions! Before the seed stem forms (in May where I live), I thin my bed and chop and dry the excess onions. Nice to have in winter. If you leave the root and just cut the green part, over time the roots can become an inch or more in diameter and good to eat. The bulbils can be chopped like shallots but I prefer to plant them on and pass them to others. The bigger the bulb from a few years of growth, the bigger the bulbils. I used to separate all the bulbils but now I plant out some of the whole heads as well (bury it an inch deep). This results in a lovely clump of green onions that grow quite large and do not throw seed heads. These are my source of green onions in summer. I have not had a problem with 'hot taste' using them as described. I think you'll love them.
Thank you! that is such a brilliant description of growing them it gives me a good head start. How do they compete with weeds and other plants? I have some big barrels coming I plant to cut up for low cost planters so might put some in there with other perennial veg.
DeleteF used to grow those aerial onions in NZ but has never seen them here. Now she know what to call them here I expect they will be making an appearance i our Englush garden.
ReplyDeleteIf things do well here, remind me and I'll send some over to you.
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