Well this week my little 'Egyptian Walking' onion also known as a 'Tree Onion' made the long journey from Devon up north to the banks of the Mersey. It is now catching its breath in the greenhouse. As I am not sure whether it has come from being under cover or from the great outdoors, I am erring on the side of caution and will gently reintroduce it to the elements. In case you are wondering about the name the plant sets forth air born bulbils, each one which having the capacity to root and produce another plant ~ hence the walking. Along with it arrived a Japanese wineberry, some shallots and seed potatoes with the most romantic name of BF15. Now if one picked potatoes by name only this surely would remain on the shelf. However it is meant to be a tasty morsel - its parents being Belle de Fontenay and Flava . All these goodies will be making their way to the allotment sooner or later. We paddled our way down there this morning but it is much to wet to do anything other than observe the progress of the new fencing.
The cuttings which have overwintered in the greenhouse seem to have put on a spurt of growth in the last fortnight and are ready repotting. Some of the penstemon cuttings look a bit leggy and in need of pinching out. A task for the forthcoming week.
It still seems as if we are very much in between the seasons here. Some of the snowdrops are now going over and giving way to irises, little daffs and hellebores. I was pleased to see this hellebore open for the very first time earlier this week ~
It is one of the hellebores I bought via Ebay a couple of years ago as a plug plant. It's perhaps more spotty than I would prefer but considering it cost relatively little in hellebore terms, I am more than happy with it. Weather wise though apart from a beautiful mild day on Thursday, which I had the misfortune to observe from a train window, it is still more like winter than spring. There has been a good deal of rain and wind this week but it has been possible though at times to get out and do. Tomorrow there will be the grand ceremony of the switching on of the heated propagator and then all systems go!
The title of this post was inspired by the most catchy ditty of the same name by 'The Bangles', which I will be singing regularly to my onion to encourage it to grow, go forth and walk.
P.S. For Mey who commented on my last post wanting to contact me by email I am unable to reply to you directly. You can contact me at thegreentapestry@googlemail.com
Look forward to hearing from you.
All systems go it is then!
ReplyDeleteFunny time of year down here. We can have some really mild days but inevitably they'll start with a frost.
That onion sounds great. Hope the penstemons bush out nicely.
I'm fed up of saying the same thing over and over again, too wet to dig, our allotments must surely dry out soon. I've lost many things which I was overwintering in the greenhouse, it seems this winter has been just too much for them.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna - I had no idea your little tree onion was going to be so well travelled. My miniscule leek/large spring onion only made it from the veg plot to the kitchen only. I like your hellebore even though it does have spots. They have such a lovely flower
ReplyDeleteThank you for mentioning Walk Like and Egyptian - I will be singing that in my head until bedtime now. :-))
Ronnie
Dear Anna, I do fear that it will be a case of a sudden onslaught of spring and everything will need attention all at the same time. Your Tree Onion sounds most intriguing but I hope that it walks rather than romps as sometimes these little treasures have a tendency to do!!
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ReplyDeleteThat potato does have a very unispriing name, but I hope it tastes nice.
I must plant my own 'walking onions' - thank you for the reminder!
Anna,
ReplyDeleteI've had Egyptian onion for years, and I find their flowering habits fascinating. They're the Carmen Miranda of the flowering onions. You forgot to mention that the bulblets get so top-heavy that the stems fold over and touch the ground. That's how the plant takes its steps around the garden.
Walk like an Egyptian is the perfect title for a post on this (I also like your double Hellebore; and the spots make a nice change). For variety, you might be interested in this fun bluegrass cover of WLAE by The Cleverlys:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=771_1267989693
That hellebore is a wonderful shade of pink. Very Spring-like.
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Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteI love the Hellebore, it's a very pretty and bright colour!
None of my Hellebores have flowered yet (only the one I bought a month ago is, but we don't include that) and I'm quite disappointed tbh.
Looks like they're a plan that just don't like me.
Good luck with the seed-sowing soon!
I sowed a couple of trays last week and Sweet Peas are just starting to sprout.
Hi Anna Dear, I LOVE that hellebore! I look forward to watching your walking onion take shape. Please keep us posted.
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