Old fashioned onions?

[thelostguide]

As a child, an elderly relative used to grow onions with huge white bulbs and huge green onion type tops. The tops always stood up until harvest. I have tried this with ordinary onion sets, but before they really develop any bulb of any real consequence, the tops fall over. Is there a secret to these gigantic green onions with large white bulbs?

thelostguide

[Newt]

Hi Thelostguide,

It sounds like your elderly relative grew a multiplier onion (aka potato onion). I also suspect they could have been heirloom and not the hybrids of today. From this site which has heirloom seeds and bulbs. Look on page 48 on the right for: YELLOW POTATO ONION (YELLOW MULTIPLIER, HILL ONION, MOTHER ONION, PREGNANT ONION). The hourglass symbol means it's an heirloom.
http://www.southernexposure.com/libr...009Catalog.pdf

Here's more sites that sells heirloom seeds and/or onion sets.
http://rareseeds.com/seeds/Onion
http://www.localharvest.org/yellow-p...heirloom-C6205

Is there any way you can find out if they were brought here from another country and which one? Just knowing they were white will help your search. You can try searching google with terms such as:
heirloom white onion
heirloom large white onion

and if you suspect they are from a particular country, add that too.

Newt

[thelostguide]

It sounds like the potatoe onions may be the ones I remember. I ordered some from the source you suggested. I guess they only ship in fall so it will be awhile till I see if they are the ones. Meantime my wife and I need to build some raised beds and see what we can grow in far northern Wisconsin. May your harvest be bountful!
Mike & Margie Blankenheim

[Newt]

Mike and Margie, you are so very welcome! I sure hope those are the onions you remember from your childhood.

I also edited your post and removed your email addy from public view. I realize you had a space there, so I hope you don't mind.

Newt