what are these bulbs??

[pigeonseed]

I should take a picture, but perhaps you know the answer without looking.

The grass on my allotment has lots of what look like small yellowish bulbs (though I doubt they are) when you dig it up. Whenever I see drawings or photos of couch grass it never has any of these small bulbs on it.

So what kind of grass is this? Does anyone else it? I know it might not matter what kind it is, but I'd like to know if the grass can regrow from these 'bulbs' or not, so I know how scrupulous to be about disposing of them.  

[Palustris]

There is a grass called Onion grass. This has small bulbs, but it is easy to tell if it is this as they actually smell of onion. The Variegated one is normally grown, the straight green one is a thundering nuisance, as hard to eradicate as couch.

[w00dy]

Not chives?

[pigeonseed]

Not chives?

No - I wish! I love chives.

No this is definitely grass, and sadly it doesn't even smell of onion. It covers all the plot which was not covered by brambles. So it looks like a bog-standard sort of grass.

[Palustris]

Chives do not actually have bulbs as such, only swollen bases to the leaves. Onion grass is the only one I know of with bulbs. The smell is on the bulbs and is not that strong.

[pigeonseed]

It's definitely not onion grass, if you mean this one
http://www.weeds.asn.au/weeds/txts/oniongr.html
which seems to be from the iris family, and have flowers on it.

But googling that, I also came across this, which I'm sure is what I've got: onion couch. (Photo from www.blackthornarable.co.uk)


According to this description, it doesn't spread well by seed, which is good news!
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=63

[Palustris]

That is exactly what I have always known as Onion grass. So, we were both right then. Might not spread by seeds, but boy does it spread from the bulbs!

[pigeonseed]

I wondered whether that's what you were thinking of - thanks so much for putting me onto the oniony part of its name.

I'll have a sniff next time I'm at the allotment!

It seems that people used to eat them, thousands of years ago. They'd have a feast at my plot.

Thanks for your help!!

[Unwashed]

How about tiger nuts.