Topic: Know your onions!

[Palustris]

Some of the Alliums flowering at present in the garden.

[Tenuse]

beautiful, I really love alliums, but I struggle to get them to survive the winter in my claggy soil and have to buy them new every year!!

Ten x

[Jesse]

They look very pretty. I have recently bought some off Ebay, called NECTAROSCORDUM (relative to the allium) and AFLATUNENSE. Haven't tried growing them before but they look so pretty I couldn't resist giving it a bash. Any tips for success Palustris?

[Palustris]

Treat them both like any other Mediterranean plant, which is what those 2 are. They like well drained soil and full sun. Both will rot away in Winter if they get too soggy. If you mark their position, you could always treat them like Tulips and dig them up and dry store over Winter.

[Jesse]

Thanks Palustris, think I will take your advice and lift them over winter. I've got clay soil and although I have worked really hard this year digging in coarse grit to get it free draining I wouldn't like to take the risk of losing them to the dreaded rot.