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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: Macy on November 30, 2009, 09:38:39

Title: Potato Onions
Post by: Macy on November 30, 2009, 09:38:39
My potato onion sets have arrived, but without much detail. Should I plant them now (if it ever drys out) or leave it until the spring? I haven't got many so don't really want to chance it. I'm 240m above sea level, but they'll be going into a raised bed (if that makes any difference). Can anyone advise? Thanks
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: lightyears on November 30, 2009, 11:41:11
i keep hearing about these, were did you get them from? google reveals nothing  ???
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: shaun01 on November 30, 2009, 11:54:31
lmfao  ;D
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: gardentg44 on November 30, 2009, 13:15:14
just had a google,they resemble shallots aparently ???
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: Macy on November 30, 2009, 13:38:42
The supplier (Irish Seed Savers) came back to me, either autumn/ now or spring planting apparently, so the similarities with shallots continue. They're supposed to seperate like shallots, giving you mild onions with good storage properties. Most of what I found on google related to the US, so not sure they'll be as prolific or to the sizes (3-4 inch) quoted this side of the atlantic.
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: shaun01 on November 30, 2009, 16:39:21
if it looks like a shallot grows like a shallot tastes like a shallot   ??? why not just grow shallots plus they are not frost tolerant and have been know to poison some animals (dogs) read this
/www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Allium+cepa+aggregatum
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: chriscross1966 on December 01, 2009, 00:13:54
Quote from: shaun01 on November 30, 2009, 16:39:21
if it looks like a shallot grows like a shallot tastes like a shallot   ??? why not just grow shallots plus they are not frost tolerant and have been know to poison some animals (dogs) read this
/www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Allium+cepa+aggregatum

Because it isn't a shallot and I already have two sorts of shallot and an onion that I grow so it resembles shallot..... if any dog ate a significant chunk of my crops, dying from onion poisoning is unlikely to be its biggest issue left to face...

chrisc
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: Unwashed on December 01, 2009, 07:56:28
Regular onions are toxic for dogs.
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: chriscross1966 on December 01, 2009, 08:51:36
Quote from: Unwashed on December 01, 2009, 07:56:28
Regular onions are toxic for dogs.

Yep, specially if the mangy mutt eats MY onions :D
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: delboy on December 01, 2009, 11:26:31
Contrary to popular belief, dogs are not stupid.

They don't eat onions unless cooked and in something meaty.

Any other type of dog is probably a wolf.
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: Macy on December 02, 2009, 10:53:40
I had hoped to get them in yesterday, but too wet (again). Do you grow them crisscross? How do you find them?
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: chriscross1966 on December 02, 2009, 14:00:59
Quote from: Macy on December 02, 2009, 10:53:40
I had hoped to get them in yesterday, but too wet (again). Do you grow them crisscross? How do you find them?

I used to grow them years ago but didn't ahve a plot for a long time.... from memory they're as hardy as the other aggregatums (the welsh and/or russian cluster onions etc) so generally no problem with leaving them in through the winter.... they tend to display a bi-annual growth habit whereby you plant little onions and get big onions, then plant big onions and get lots of small onions....

chrisc
Title: Re: Potato Onions
Post by: Macy on December 02, 2009, 14:37:02
Thanks. I had read that about planting size, but now at least I have the technical term.