Potato Onions v Shallots

[veggiechicken]

How many to a pot, Frosty?
Maybe mine would do better with a bit of special attention, rather than in the ground, being ignored.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

One to a pot

[veggiechicken]

One to a pot

Do they grow that much? Any special compost/treatment?
.............starts looking for 50 pots.................

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Whatever compost you have lying about. Not much happens until April ish then I suddenly notice more bulbs forming, by September(ish) I have about 12 bulbs. I generally neglect them, only water if they are going bone dry and only feed them (if I remember) with seaweed extract. If your bulbs are really teeny why not pop 2 or 3 to a pot?

[veggiechicken]

Okey dokey - I'll do a few pots and see if I can grow something usable
Thanks Frosty

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

No probs, if you still get a rubbish crop next year then I can send you some bulbs - see if that helps

[bazzaboy]

Just to revive this thread again with a quick tale and 2 dim questions... Two years ago I hadn't heard of "potato onions" so when I did first come across them (on GYO, where else...?) I asked a local gardening guru who hadn't heard of them either and was so annoyed he went off and got some and gave me 6 to shut me up! I planted them on the allotment (fairly heavy clay) and not much happened though I was able to repay guru's six and have a few spare. This year I planted the spare ones in much sandier lighter troughs and got a good return from the resulting "nests", so my original 6, 2 years on, are now about 100 varying from grape size to golf-ball size. I'll replant some of them soon, first dim question is based on the old rumour that small shallot sets result in larger shallots and large shallot sets result in smaller shallots.... Is that true? Which potato onions best to plant to get largest possible.... start with the larger ones or the smaller ones?
The second dim question relates to shallots not potato onions. If I'm using some of last year's shallot crop as sets this year do I peel and split the shallots into cloves (like garlic but usually with only 2 or 3 cloves in the case of shallots) or plant the whole thing? And to get best shallots (for local show) do I start with the largest sets or smaller ones?

[Guest]

I don't know about shallots, but with potato onions I heard if you plant small ones you get large ones, if you plant large ones you get clusters- I have not found this true. I always get clusters and they are more fussed about growing conditions etc not the size of onion they started of with.

[bazzaboy]

Having googled around opinion seems to vary about size so I suspect there's not yet an answer worthy of a "theory"..... However came across very extensive articles on potato onions by Kelly Winterton who dealt with every aspect and had dissected one to explain how the multiplier effect works… There’s clearly an identifiable kernel for each new onion (see pic) that will develop, in this case into 5 new onions.....

The full articles (over 100 pages on potato onions!) are at: http://docs.google.com/document/d/1j...hl=en_US&pli=1
http://docs.google.com/document/d/1y...v4M/edit?pli=1

[veggiechicken]

Wotcha bazza

The links don't work and I don't know how to fix it. but Goggling for "Kelly Winterton" brings them up.

[bazzaboy]

Happy New Year VC! That's a pain isn't it but glad you found them.... a book on potato onions, what everyone needs for the New Year!

Later:
I've replaced the links and they seem to work ok now....... Please test. b.

Tested and they do , VC

[Sustainableveg]

Hi guys. Has anyone on this side of the pond got decent potato onions (ie, one or more in the nest over 2 inches)? Nobody in the states will send me them and the last lot I got on ebay all bolted. For any perennial veg nuts out there I can trade: daubenton kale, taunton deane kale (awesome plant and i'm pretty sure is a synonym of the purple tree collard), nine star perennial broccoli (from cuttings), poireau perpetuel (perennial sweet leeks). Or im willing to pay cash if necessary. I'm also interested in kurrat leeks if anyone has that.

[veggiechicken]

Sustainableveg,
There are guidelines on asking for seeds/plants on this forum at http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...nce_76437.html
In particular, you should be a member for more than one month (you have) and have made more than 50 posts (you haven't).
Once you have made 50 posts, come back and ask again.
Meanwhile, I wish you luck with your search. I've never seen a large potato onion

[Sustainableveg]

That's a horrible rule, but I apologise for breaking it inadvertently.

[veggiechicken]

It was introduced following a vote by members to ensure that the generosity of members was not abused by newcomers.
As an active member of the forum its easy to generate 50 posts. Give it a try and see how you get on!