Egyptian walking onions

 

Simone Boyd is the owner of the online veggie seed shop, Heirloom Naturally.

As Simone discusses in the videos below, Egyptian walking onions (Allium × proliferum) are unique because, as well as growing normal shallot-like onions underground, they also grow miniature onions at the tops of their stalks (see photo)! As these miniature onions, called bulblets, grow, the stalk bends under their weight until the bulblets touch the ground some distance from the parent plant. They then (with a bit of luck) take root and create new plants. Or you can cut them off and plant them yourself. They average, say, 4 bulblets per stalk, so the number of plants can quickly multiply. They are both fun and easy to grow.

It is pretty obvious why these onions are called walking, but why Egyptian?

You don’t know? Ok, here is another question for you: what was The Bangles’ greatest hit?

In the video above, Simone’s three main planting tips are:

  • Don’t separate out the bulblets.
  • Orient the bunch of bulblets such that the maximum number of pointy ends are upwards.
  • Plant around 20cm apart.

  2 Responses to “Egyptian walking onions”

  1. Do you separate the bulbils when planting similar to planting garlic cloves? I noticed in your video there was a cluster of large onions in the soil.
    Thanks Louise

    • Hi Louise
      It is not necessary to separate the cluster at planting. As you noticed they will grow happily when planted within their cluster. Happy growing!
      Regards Simone Boyd.

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