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jenjenoh_gw

source for bottle onion seed

jenjenoh
17 years ago

I was wondering if anyone knew of a source for bottle onion seed. I first read about them on this board. It sounds like something I would love to try as I really love unusual veggies.

I did find a post about them on mother earth news. Someone was offering them for $2 a pound plus postage. When I looked closer though, I discovered the article was from 2003! If all else fails, I may try writing to him and seeing if he still grows them.

Also if anyone knows a place that sells heritage sweet multiplier onions, please let me know. Territorial seeds is sold out for the year.

Jen

Comments (10)

  • paquebot
    17 years ago

    JenJen, I know someone who has a few pounds of Heritage Sweet bulbs. He dug up one cluster and it had 208 bulbs! Just planted some back a couple weeks ago and they are all up about 3"! He just sent 4 ounces to Missouri last week. They are probably up already! He hasn't made a GW offer yet since he was waiting for cooler weather for mailing.

    Martin, the "He" above!

  • jenjenoh
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    LOL.
    I will have to keep an eye out for "his" GW posting.
    Wow that's amazing that you got so many from one cluster. I had no idea they grew so well. Definitely sounds like something I want to grow. Our family uses a lot of onions.
    Jen

  • gardenlad
    17 years ago

    Jen, take a closer look at that MEN article. Those aren't seeds being offered, they're sets---from Jeptha Yoder, who is the source we've discussed here in the past.

    Problem is the postage, nowadays, is more than the cost of the sets. Last batch I bought, two years ago, cost me almost $6 for a half pound, by the time they were delivered.

  • jenjenoh
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for pointing that out. I hadn't realized they were sets but I guess that isn't a problem. Those would just be allowed to bolt and set seed, right? Has anyone gotten sets from him recently? I don't want to write to him if he is no longer offering them.
    Jennifer

  • Warthog7
    17 years ago

    They should yield small clusters of bulbs if they survive. My fisrt year they did rather poorly with only 2 out of that first $6 half pound surviving. The following year each cluster yielded about 40 onions.

    And Yes I am back.

    Wart

  • coho
    17 years ago

    Jen, The only time I ordered, I got nearly 200 tiny sets. All that I planted did quite well. If you like unusual onions, I don't think you will be disappionted, even with the S&H costs. I know I wasn't.
    Here, the bottle onions don't bolt. You have to replant the bulbs to make seed. We had a somewhat unusual season and most of the seed I got was tiny and likely not viable. Much too hot, too early. Even Martin's Heirloom Garlic partly cooked in the ground before matureing.
    Not sure what kind of onions Warthog is talking about. When replanted, one bottle onion will divide into 2 to 4 seed stalks and one bulb to replant next season.
    Heritage Sweet White will also divide in the ground and give you 2 to 4 nice smallish bulbs. You will get lots of top sets to plant and I think these are best for green onions.

  • jenjenoh
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks so much for your reply. I think I will write to him today and see what his current cost is.
    Jen

  • jenjenoh
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    I heard back from Jeptha Yoder yesterday. The current pricing for the bottle onion sets is $4 a pound plus $4 for shipping if anyone is interested. Yes it is a bit high but I do enjoy growing unusual veggies in my garden. So I figure I will give them a try. Just thought I would post in case anyone else was interested in ordering from him.

    For anyone who has grown these, the sets get put out in the spring like regular onions, right?

    Jen

  • gardenlad
    17 years ago

    That's correct, Jen. You plant them in the spring, as early as the ground can be worked.

    By me (90 minutes south of Cincy) that means March. Your mileage may vary.

    You can also fall plant them to encourage bolting. But, as Coho indicates, it's better to grow them out one year, then replant some of the bulbs to produce seed.

  • jolj
    11 years ago

    Why are they called "Bottle onion".
    Does anyone have Jeptha Yoder email.

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