Harvest Egyptian Walking Onions for 3 different Uses
Egyptian Walking Onions are also known as “tree onions” or winter onions. They have three parts that are harvested for a few different uses making them an amazing economical sustainable food source.
First, Egyptian Walking Onions grow bulbs that are dug up and divide like a shallot which are either eaten or replanted. If replanted they grow a very vigorous new plant that usually develops larger bulbs and plant by harvest time. If eating the Onion bulbs, raw they are similar to a hot onion but when cooked have a very mild delicious almost sweet taste unlike any other onions.
Second, Egyptian Walking Onions grow vigorous large green stems that we harvest most of the year and eat as green onions. This part of the onion has a true delicious onion favor that really compliment fresh salads of all sort. The Onion greens are harvest all year long if a gardener stagger plants starting in the Spring and then keeps some fall planted onions from freezing through the winter. Eating the Onions like green onions is how they are most commonly used.
Lastly, Egyptian Walking Onions develop lots of seed, called bulbils, in early summer. The bulbils are harvested, and replanted for new onion plants. The seed bulbils can be eaten but do have much flavor. However, the seed bulbils make great new plants that grow quickly, and extra seed bulbils can also make great gifts to friends and family that like to garden.
Interesting note though: If the seed bulbils are left alone the purple flowering seed clusters become too heavy for the stem so they fall over and begin rooting a cluster of new plants naturally. This is where they get the name “walking onions.” Over time they will move across your garden plot!
Walking Egyptian Onions are disease resistant and drought hardy, they multiply vigorously but are easy to manage and control. They grow well in zones 3-10 and do not require much care. The best time to plant Egyptian Walking Onions is in the Fall for optimum growth for late Spring harvest. Egyptian Walking Onions are very economical and sustainable food source year after year without having to purchase the plants again. For a little more information check our this information from the university: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/egyptian-walking-onions