Potato onions

[imp]

Does anyone grow these? I am thinking about trying them, but they are sort of pricy when I do find some for sale, so trying to do my homework on them a bit before buying or not.

[PhilaGardener]

I tried several varieties (including KW's Green Mountain) for several years but they didn't do as well for me as expected and I stopped growing them. They don't like wet feet, and I had two back-to-back years of rainy weather (compounded with my clay soils) that really hit all my onions and garlic.

[Tormato]

I had them for many years. And then I had one year of constant rain, and lost them. If I do try them again, I'll try to keep a small stock going in a raised bed that I can cover if necessary.



One thing about potato onions that may, or may, not happen for all growers, a small bulb sown will generally produce a single large bulb, and a single large bulb sown will produce many small bulbs. They can be planted either fall or the next spring, and have exceptional storage quality.

[rxkeith]

i tried them once. planted them in the fall, got a modest harvest the next year, then they just went away the second year. they didn't winter over well at all outside. three to four feet of snow on the ground for mulch during the winter didn't seem to work for them. if i try growing potato onions again, i'll try spring planting from stored bulbs in the house downstairs where it can be in the 40s during the winter.

for me, catawissa walking onions are a no brainer. they keep coming back year after year.



keith

[imp]

Oh, I want some of those as well, LOL, I have a spot planned for both that can a permanent area for them.

[Tormato]

If I lived in Texas, the first onion I'd be looking for is the Tohono O'odham I'itoi.



I'd like to try it, here, with some winter protection.

[imp]

Yes, those as well, but unable to find starts for them now.