Topic: Potato Onions

[Jayb]

I've seen Green Mountain potato onions mentioned a couple of times on A4A 
I sowed some on 5th April, germination is quite staggered and once through they are growing well. But I have several yellow and albino ones anyone else had the same?
Really looking forward to growing these

[amphibian]

Where do people source the seeds or bulbs - I'm after these?

[Tee Gee]

Where do people source the seeds or bulbs - I'm after these?

I got half a dozen bulbs from Gavin Conway a couple of years ago and they soon multiplied but sadly you are a bit late  to get some from me now because I have started the ones I saved into growth.

Ask me again around Sept/Oct and if I my crops is a success I might have some to pass on...Tg

[Jayb]

I had the Green Mountain landrace seeds from Kelly Winterton. In the past I've had Potato onions from http://www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk/.

[LonghornGardens]

I have grown a few different potato onions, but those Green Mountain Multipliers that Mr. Winterton created are by far the best. 

If you grow out some of his seeds they will not be the exact same.  There will be some variations.  Some may end up being better, but so far I have not found any better than the originals. 

It is worth trying the seeds if you can not source the bulbs in my opinion.   

[galina]

I have grown a few different potato onions, but those Green Mountain Multipliers that Mr. Winterton created are by far the best. 

If you grow out some of his seeds they will not be the exact same.  There will be some variations.  Some may end up being better, but so far I have not found any better than the originals. 

It is worth trying the seeds if you can not source the bulbs in my opinion.

in what way are they the best, please?  Did you start with onions or with seeds?  How large are your onions?  How many off one planted bulb?  How long have you been growing them?  Are yours also whitish looking with a bit of green?  Sorry for all the questions, but I am sure, there are several others who are also interested in your answers.   

[Jayb]

I have grown a few different potato onions, but those Green Mountain Multipliers that Mr. Winterton created are by far the best. 

If you grow out some of his seeds they will not be the exact same.  There will be some variations.  Some may end up being better, but so far I have not found any better than the originals. 

It is worth trying the seeds if you can not source the bulbs in my opinion.   

Hi LonghornGardens, I'm pleased to read you rate Green Mountain Multipliers so well. It's a shame but I think bulbs would be very difficult to get in the UK. I'm really happy to have the chance of growing his Green Mountain  Landrace from seed though. I'm interested to see see the diversity and choose those that grow and taste the best here. Look forward to hearing more about them.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've got some sprouting in a pot, but it's going to be a couple of years before I've got seed to share. Mine came from a source in Australia.

[LonghornGardens]

They get a lot bigger than the other potato onions.  One of my main complaints from growing potato onions is that they are rather small.  These however grow to an acceptable size.  That is the primary reason I think they are the best.  They taste the same to me as the more common yellow potato onion.

I started with bulbs and I believe splitting into five to seven new bulbs is about average.   You asked how long I have been growing them and this year is the fifth year, but I took a year off from growing them in that time span.

They start out white with a little green and the outside wrap turns yellow in storage.

Kelly has a real nice little web page with pictures and more details.  I am on my phone or I would provide you a link.

[Jayb]

Yes getting hopefully bigger bulbs, than the ones I've grown previously, is one of my aims. Some of the pictures Kelly Winterton has of his first year bulbs from seed look very big and even when they split they are of a good size. Nice to read they have done well for you and size is improved 

I love the white green colour combination, but have looked for ages for red potato onions. Kelly also very kindly sent me some Dakota Red seed which I hope may will give some interesting selections and I'm looking forward to comparing them with Green Mountain.

I hope this is the link you intended, great information.
https://sites.google.com/site/kellysgarden/potato-onions

[Jayb]

I've got some sprouting in a pot, but it's going to be a couple of years before I've got seed to share. Mine came from a source in Australia.

Any yellow/albino seedlings?

[galina]

They get a lot bigger than the other potato onions.  One of my main complaints from growing potato onions is that they are rather small.  These however grow to an acceptable size.  That is the primary reason I think they are the best.  They taste the same to me as the more common yellow potato onion.

I started with bulbs and I believe splitting into five to seven new bulbs is about average.   You asked how long I have been growing them and this year is the fifth year, but I took a year off from growing them in that time span.

They start out white with a little green and the outside wrap turns yellow in storage.

Kelly has a real nice little web page with pictures and more details.  I am on my phone or I would provide you a link.

Very interesting, thankyou LonghornGardens. 

Many years ago I was given seed named 'Giant Shallot' and I have only just found out from a mention of Kelly's potato onions here and subsequent reading of his blogs, that what I have is very similar.

If you are interested, here is a write-up of my 'adventures' with shallots/potato onions:
http://www.growingfoodsavingseeds.co.uk/forum/breeding-and-genetics/new-channel/1902-giant-shallots

Yes size does matter in the kitchen.  Do I interpret you correctly that you are getting the same sizes and numbers as you got when you first grew vegetatively after the start from seed?  In my case, both size and numbers of vegetatively reproduced 'shallots' (after initially growing from a seed gift) are increasing and have increased steadily over the years.  I was really surprised to find a plant this spring that is developing a nest of 9 onions!  Never had that many.  And the size of the onions has also increased over the years. 

This year I am also growing Red Breton shallots from seed that I have taken from my own plants and I am looking forward to comparing notes with everybody who is growing Kelly's potato onions from seed.  My first batch was from the USA, but with the name of 'Red Breton' there is a suggestion, they might hail from Brittany originally.

In parallel I am currently growing Red Florence onions as if they were shallots (following a comment that they are a shallot - perhaps).  Last year they all flowered, I separated the cluster and (don't have my notes in front of me) I had about 5 'shallots' from one large onion, fewer from smaller onions.  The largest onions produced the most in a cluster.  They are a bit behind the Giant Red Bretons in the garden right now and I can't yet see how many splits I have this year, but there are at least 3. 

Like others I am coming to the conclusion from my own experiments that onions, potato onions and shallots are really all the same - allium cepa - and that non-flowering shallots are only non-flowering because they were propagated vegetatively (and planted in spring rather than autumn) over many years.  All Red Breton Giant shallots flowered in the early years, now only about half flower for me (I cut off  the scapes and storage is not affected).  Kelly writes the same in his blog from his experience with potato onions.

I expect all UK growers of Kelly's seed will see not only diversity in what they grow from seed in the first generation, but also further favourable adaptation over the years, like I have seen with the Red Breton Giant shallots.  Comparing notes over the coming years will be interesting.    

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's well worth reading Kelly's potato onion booklet:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jnqst7-9YfWFovhqjARtcZZVJC0TPzKsow_5mdAwnyA/edit

I don't think I've got any seedlings which are deficient in chlorophyll, but I can have a look in a bit when I get to the allotment. I get these with all sorts of veg, and don't take much notice as they don't last long.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've had a look at my seedlings; definitely no chlorophyll deficiency. There's none in my Welsh onions either, and the everlasting onions haven't come up.

[Jayb]

Thanks Robert, I guess it is just this batch then. I have around 9 out of 27 of the ones that have germinated. Perhaps different generations if yours came from Australia.

[Jayb]

If you are interested, here is a write-up of my 'adventures' with shallots/potato onions:
http://www.growingfoodsavingseeds.co.uk/forum/breeding-and-genetics/new-channel/1902-giant-shallots   
I expect all UK growers of Kelly's seed will see not only diversity in what they grow from seed in the first generation, but also further favourable adaptation over the years, like I have seen with the Red Breton Giant shallots.  Comparing notes over the coming years will be interesting.

Yes, I hope they do as well as the Giant shallots have for you.

[Jayb]

My Green Mountain seedlings are making progress. Pretty much all the yellow ones have died, just one or two yellowy - greens still struggling on.

[Jayb]

Dakota Red are doing well, starting to look like little onions 

[Jayb]

Not very big yet but coming along, hopefully they will get big enough to store for next. I'm looking forward to seeing what colours the bulbs are 

[Robert_Brenchley]

My Green Mountain are still small, but growing fast. The fox dug some up, but there are still a fair few survivors. Next year I'll plant them earlier. Meanwhile I've got buds on white and yellow potato onion and the odd shallot.