The Other Onions

Image Gallery Egyptian or walking onions produce bulblets at the tops of tall stems each spring

Most kitchen gardens contain at least one row of onions, usually planted in the spring. Less well-known are the fall-planted onions, including multiplying onions, shallots and bulbing leeks

by Brook Elliott

They offer several advantages over their spring counterparts. Fall-planted onions need to go in the ground when few other garden chores demand to be done. They also tend to be more reliable and productive, less day-length sensitive and less subject to the depravations of pests and diseases than the more-familiar onions of spring.

Other than garlic, these autumn onions mostly fall into the Allium cepa var. aggregatum group, although notable exceptions include bulbing leeks ( A. ampeloprasum ) and the perennial Rakkyo ( A. Chinese ). By and large, all multiply primarily through the formation of new bulbs, which is called vegetative propagation. Most alliums do not produce seed.

Identifying autumn onions can be confusing because the same common name often is used to describe different plants. For instance, potato onions sometimes are called Egyptian onions, which actually are in the top-setting Proliferum group.

To help clear the fog, here's a rundown of various popular types:

TOP-Setting Multiplying Onions.

Also known as Egyptian onions, tree onions, top onions and walking onions, these perennials set small bulblets on top of tall stems, instead of producing underground bulbs or making seed heads. The bulblets measure only 1/2 to 1 inch in length and look like miniature purple-red onions. They often are used for pickling and in vinaigrettes or soups, and they will last several months in storage.

The weight of the bulblet cluster, if left alone, causes the stem to bend, dropping the cluster to the ground, where it roots and sends up new shoots — thus the "walking" sobriquet. To propagate them, simply remove some of the bulblets and plant them where you want new onions to grow.

The `Catawissa' onion is a variant of the Egyptian onion. Its bulblets actually can send out shoots before touching the ground, so that a second and sometimes even a third tier of bulblets are produced.

Bulbing Multiplying Onions. Most commonly known as potato onions, these multipliers also are called ground onions, inground onions and hill onions. Some carry descriptive or varietal names as well, such as `Yellow,' `Red,' `Kentucky Hill' and `Greeley's.'