[sion01]

Can anybody help.I read in an old gardening book about the potato onion.You planted it in spring and in the autumn when the foliage died down you dug up lots of little onions ,I have asked countles so called experts and no one has heard of it.
Was it a dream or did I really read about it

[Yorkie]

Hi sion01 and welcome to the site 

Sorry haven't heard about this but others may be along with more inspiration 

[sunshineband]

New shoot knows about them!!

She kindly sent me a few spare ones to try this spring and I am hoping for good things 

Apparently they grow new onions under the ground in the way that potato tubers gro new potatoes and they are not squashed up together like shallots.

That's all I know 

[New shoot]

Hi sion01  I have a few sets I could spare so pm me if you want them. Alternatively if you want a few, I got my original stock from poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk

You plant them in the spring and they do develop as a cluster like a shallot, but a bit deeper down. They produce mini round onions rather than the long thin shapes shallots make.  They also come true year on year so you can save your own seed.

 

[sunshineband]

...as if by magic New Shoot appears 

Nice one 

[New shoot]

my talents are mysterious and many 

[sunshineband]

 

[DavidT]

They are not shallots planted at a depth of one inch rather than on the surface, are they?

[hillbilly]

These sound so interesting 
Any pics anyone?

[New shoot]

These sound so interesting 
Any pics anyone?

eeeeerrrrrrr - they do look a lot like shallots planted a bit deep when growing and I could do you a pic of the bulbs I'm saving for next year, but they just look kind of like a small onion 

I read about them in a Helligan veg garden book and wanted to try them. The main attraction for me was the seed saving option, but we ate a few this year and they were much more shallotty than oniony.

[DavidT]

I think it`s most likely shallots, but could be garlic.

[New shoot]

I think it`s most likely shallots, but could be garlic.

Ok so I'm easily impressed     

[sunshineband]

Mine do look like onions -- little round, oniony , you know the sort of thing 


and their name makes me think they are, well, onions 

[mumofstig]

they are part of the Allium cepa aggregatum group (like shallots and chives) but are a distinct variation, as are Egyptian and 'walking' onions

[DavidT]

they are part of the Allium cepa aggregatum group (like shallots and chives) but are a distinct variation, as are Egyptian and 'walking' onions

Are we talking Welsh or Russian onions?