Growing Egyptian Onions, The Perennial Onion
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How to Grow Egyptian Onions, The Perennial Onion
How would you like to plant onions and have them return year after year? The Egyptian onion will do just that and you'll have green onions to cut early in the spring when other plants aren't ready to harvest yet. You can continue cutting them throughout the spring.
Read more so you can learn how to grow these easy onions.
Read more so you can learn how to grow these easy onions.
How Are Egyptian Onions Different?
Egyptian Onions Have Many Names
There are many names that these onions have been given that you may recognize. Many people refer to them as tree onions, top-sets, or multipliers.The onions are a native to the United States.
They are different from regular onions because they set small bulbs at the top of the plant instead of growing a bulb in the ground. They don't form flower heads that turn to seed like the globe onions. The plant is to be eaten as a green onion early in the spring. The bulblets can be picked off the top of the plant later and planted and you will always have an everlasting supply of these tasty plants. These vegetables are hardy in Zones 3-10.
They are different from regular onions because they set small bulbs at the top of the plant instead of growing a bulb in the ground. They don't form flower heads that turn to seed like the globe onions. The plant is to be eaten as a green onion early in the spring. The bulblets can be picked off the top of the plant later and planted and you will always have an everlasting supply of these tasty plants. These vegetables are hardy in Zones 3-10.
How to Plant and Harvest
Planting
Fall is the best time to plant the bulbs. If a friend is sharing a plant, these can be planted anytime. Plant the tiny bulbs as soon as they arrive if possible. If not, store them in a cool dry place until planting.
Planting should be done in a fertile well drained soil. If you have sandy soil ,mix in some organic matter. Each tiny bulb should be planted individually.
How to Harvest
Don't pull the plant like you would regular onions. Instead, Just cut off the top and leave the root in the ground to produce another green onion. Eventually, in late spring they will become tough and inedible. Leave the root in the ground to produce the bulblets that you will plant later in the ground.
Fall Care
Replant the tiny bulbs that the plant has produced in the spot where you'd like new onions next year.
Fall is the best time to plant the bulbs. If a friend is sharing a plant, these can be planted anytime. Plant the tiny bulbs as soon as they arrive if possible. If not, store them in a cool dry place until planting.
Planting should be done in a fertile well drained soil. If you have sandy soil ,mix in some organic matter. Each tiny bulb should be planted individually.
How to Harvest
Don't pull the plant like you would regular onions. Instead, Just cut off the top and leave the root in the ground to produce another green onion. Eventually, in late spring they will become tough and inedible. Leave the root in the ground to produce the bulblets that you will plant later in the ground.
Fall Care
Replant the tiny bulbs that the plant has produced in the spot where you'd like new onions next year.
Where to Find the Onions
My original plants came from an elderly great aunt of my husband's. The bulbs are a little hard to find, but there are a few places online where you can purchase them. The bulbs are only sold in the fall. I couldn't find any of the major seed suppliers that carried them.
Other ideas are to join Garden Web online. Gardeners exchange plants there. This can be a lot of fun, because some of the gardeners have unusual plants to exchange. I tried trading one summer and everyone wanted my coneflowers that grew like weeds in my garden. In return, I traded for hostas and daylily varieties that I didn't already have.
If you are lucky your local greenhouse may carry the plants or the bulbs. Just ask.
Other ideas are to join Garden Web online. Gardeners exchange plants there. This can be a lot of fun, because some of the gardeners have unusual plants to exchange. I tried trading one summer and everyone wanted my coneflowers that grew like weeds in my garden. In return, I traded for hostas and daylily varieties that I didn't already have.
If you are lucky your local greenhouse may carry the plants or the bulbs. Just ask.
How To Use The Onions
These onions will be the first thing you can pick in your garden in the Spring. They make tasty green onions. Use the bulbs that set on the plant later for soups, stew, potato salad or anything you'd use onions for other than slicing. The onions that set on the top of the plant are small, but work well in cooking. Use them just like you would a pearl onion. They make especially good pickled onions.
Don't forget to leave enough bulbs for your onions next year. Give them a helping hand in the fall if you'd like.
Don't forget to share the onions with friends.
Don't forget to leave enough bulbs for your onions next year. Give them a helping hand in the fall if you'd like.
Don't forget to share the onions with friends.
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Just for Gardeners
Recipe for Using Egyptian Onions
Cheese Dip
Cheese Dip
16 oz cream cheese
2 bunches green onions
Chopped with tops
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 14 oz. jar salad olives, drained
1. Mix the cream cheese with onions and chopped olives until smooth.
2. Add mayonnaise.
3. Refrigerate overnight and serve on crackers or bread triangles.
16 oz cream cheese
2 bunches green onions
Chopped with tops
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 14 oz. jar salad olives, drained
1. Mix the cream cheese with onions and chopped olives until smooth.
2. Add mayonnaise.
3. Refrigerate overnight and serve on crackers or bread triangles.
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hlkljgk Apr 4, 2011 @ 2:36 pm | delete
- nothing like planting perennial vegetables. :)
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Daylily
Apr 4, 2011 @ 2:38 pm | delete
- I love perennial flowers too. That way you don't have to replant or buy new ones every year.
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by Daylily
Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies and I've been growing flowers and vegetables since I was a young child. I hope to be able to share the knowled... more »
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