Overview

Discover the joy of growing your own sustainable food source with these Egyptian Walking Onion sets. Often called Tree Onions or Multiplier Onions, these fascinating perennials are a must-have for any gardener looking for low-maintenance, high-yield crops. Unlike traditional onions that need to be replanted annually, the perennial onions produce bulbils at the top of their stalks, which eventually weigh the stalk down to the ground, taking ‘steps’ to root and start new plants. This natural propagation method creates a self-sustaining patch that expands year after year, providing a continuous supply of green onions, small bulbs, and edible bulbils. These 50 sets are ready to plant and establish quickly, making them an excellent addition to your edible landscape.

The Egyptian Walking Onion (Allium × proliferum) is a hardy, adaptable plant that offers culinary versatility. Its distinctive growth habit and robust flavor make it a favorite for gardeners of all experience levels. Whether you’re looking to enhance your culinary creations or simply enjoy the unique growth cycle of a truly remarkable plant, these multiplier onions are an ideal choice.

Key Benefits

Embrace the numerous advantages of incorporating egyptian walking onion sets into your garden. Their unique characteristics provide both ease of care and abundant harvests:

• Continuous Harvest: These perennial onions multiply year after year, providing fresh green tops, bulbs, and bulbils without the need for annual replanting. Enjoy a steady supply of flavorful onions throughout many seasons.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, Egyptian Walking Onions require minimal care. They are known for their resilience and ability to thrive with little intervention, making them perfect for busy gardeners.
• Versatile Culinary Use: All parts of the plant are edible – the green tops can be used like scallions, the underground bulbs are similar to shallots, and the aerial bulbils offer a pungent, garlicky onion flavor perfect for pickling or cooking.
• Hardy and Adaptable: These plants are incredibly cold-resistant and can withstand harsh winters, making them suitable for a wide range of USDA zones (2-9). They adapt well to various climates, from temperate to sub-tropical.
• Unique Growth Habit: The distinctive ‘walking’ propagation process is not only fascinating to observe but also naturally expands your onion patch over time, creating a bountiful harvest with ease.
• Soil Improvement: Like many alliums, they can help deter pests in the garden and contribute to soil health, making them excellent companion plants.
• Fast Growing: With proper conditions, these onions establish quickly and provide a fast-growing source of fresh produce for your kitchen.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Egyptian Walking Onion sets is remarkably straightforward, making them an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. These resilient plants thrive with minimal fuss. For optimal growth, plant your walking onion cultivation in a location that receives full sun to medium sun, ideally at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. While they can tolerate some partial shade, abundant sunlight encourages stronger growth and more prolific bulbil production.

When it comes to soil, Egyptian Walking Onions are not particularly picky but prefer well-draining soil. They can adapt to most soil types, including chalk, clay, loam, peat, saline, sand, and silt, with a neutral pH. Good drainage is crucial to prevent rot, so avoid heavy, waterlogged areas. Water regularly to keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells, but allow the top inch or two to dry out between waterings. These onions are drought-resistant once established but will perform best with consistent moisture.

These perennial onions are incredibly cold hardy, tolerating harsh winters and thriving in USDA zones 2-9. They are ready to plant in early spring or fall. Fertilization is generally not heavily required; however, incorporating some compost or a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil at planting time can give them a good start. Minimal pest or disease issues are common, but ensure good air circulation to prevent fungal problems. Harvest greens as needed, and allow the top sets to mature and ‘walk’ to expand your patch naturally.

Size & Details

This package contains 50 high-quality tree onion bulbs or sets, ready for immediate planting. Each set is a small, immature bulb or bulbil with the potential to grow into a robust perennial onion plant. These onions exhibit a clumping growth habit and will multiply each year, expanding their presence in your garden. They are fast-growing plants, providing edible greens and bulbils throughout the growing season. While individual plant height varies, they typically reach 12-24 inches tall, with the top sets forming on sturdy stalks. The edible parts include greens, bulbs, and bulbils, offering a continuous harvest. Planting time is flexible, as they are hardy and can be planted when the ground is workable in spring or fall.

Expect vibrant green foliage and a unique architectural element in your garden as the topsets develop. The color of the bulbs and greens can range from beige, brown, and white to various shades of green, with multicolor bulbils. These are excellent for establishing a permanent onion patch that requires little effort once rooted.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these Egyptian Walking Onions get? A: The green stalks typically grow 12-24 inches tall, with the bulbils forming at the top. The underground bulbs remain relatively small, similar to shallots, while the aerial bulbils are pea to marble-sized.
• Q: Are these an indoor or outdoor plant? A: While they can be started indoors, Egyptian Walking Onion sets are primarily an outdoor plant. They thrive in garden beds and are extremely cold hardy, making them suitable for year-round outdoor growth in most climates.
• Q: How much sunlight do these onions need? A: They prefer full sun to medium sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day for the best growth and bulbil production. They can tolerate partial shade but may produce less.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, multiplier onions are considered very easy to cultivate. They are resilient, require minimal care once established, and are known for their ability to thrive with little intervention, making them great for beginners.
• Q: What condition will the Egyptian Walking Onion sets arrive in? A: Your 50 egyptian walking onion sets will arrive as dormant bulbs or bulbils, ready for planting. They are carefully packaged to ensure they reach you in optimal condition for successful establishment.
• Q: Can I use Egyptian Walking Onions in cooking? A: Absolutely! All parts are edible. The green tops can be used like scallions in salads or stir-fries, the underground bulbs can be used similarly to shallots, and the bulbils have a stronger, garlicky onion flavor, great for pickling or roasting.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these perennial onions? A: The best time to plant these hardy onions is in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, or in the fall a few weeks before the first hard freeze. This allows them to establish roots before extreme temperatures.
• Q: Will they survive winter in my zone? A: Yes, these perennial onions are incredibly cold hardy and are suitable for USDA zones 2-9. They are known to withstand harsh winters and will re-emerge in the spring.
• Q: What type of soil do Egyptian Walking Onions prefer? A: While adaptable to most soil types, they prefer well-draining soil with a neutral pH. Avoid heavy clay soils that retain too much water, as this can lead to rot.
• Q: How often should I water my walking onions? A: Water regularly to keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry periods. However, allow the top layer of soil to dry out slightly between waterings to prevent overwatering.