Errington Heirloom Potato Onion BULBS

Errington Heirloom Potato Onion BULBS - Yellow Multiplier Onion Sets - Allium cepa var. aggregatum

Yellow Multiplier Onion Sets
Allium cepa var. aggregatum

Hardy to Zone 4
Full Sun
Germination Tested N/A

200g per bag

$15.00 CAD

Sale Sold out

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Quantity

This listing is for "Errington Heirloom" potato onion *bulbs* not seeds. Also known as onion sets. Each bulb will multiply into several more onions.

This variety comes from my friend Jenelle of Nanoose Creek Farmhouse, who acquired them from an old farmer in Errington several years ago, and has been growing them ever since! I've started to call them "Errington Heirloom" potato onion since they've been grown in my neighbourhood for a long time.

This variety of potato onion has the best storage qualities out of any variety I've grown. They will stay rock hard when stored indoors at room temp for over a year. They even store incredibly well in sub-optimal conditions, like in a damp greenhouse.

The only tradeoff is that the onions themselves generally don't grow as big as other potato onion varieties I've grown. I am working to grow these out from seed and select for larger size, while retaining their great storage qualities. But that will take several more years.

Bulbs of this variety sold for planting are approximately marble to gumball size (2 to 10 grams).

Potato onions are a perennial multiplying onion, sometimes smaller than regular onions, but their advantages are they are easier to grow and they keep for much longer in storage, up to a year in my experience. Potato onions used to be popular in North American gardens, but fell out of favour eventually, possibly because they could not be mechanically harvested. The only downside to potato onions is the smaller size than regular onions- but their ease of cultivation, storability, and flavour make them totally worth it! I find them much easier to grow than biennial onions. Each bulb will multiply to create 4 to 10 new bulbs, like garlic.

The flavour is excellent. They can be used in place of regular onions in any recipe. They are excellent caramelized with some white wine to deglaze the pan. They also become deliciously jammy when slow roasted in their skins and squeezed out. They can be used peeled and whole in roasts or stews.

HARVESTING:

Harvest when the onion leaves have died back, usually around August. Cure as you would garlic.

STORAGE:

Store as you would regular onions. Room temperature seems just fine, but they need airflow. Store in paper bags or boxes, or mesh bags, not plastic bags or bins.

REPLANTING:

Eat the biggest onions, and save the smallest ones for planting. Smaller bulbs usually multiply into fewer, larger bulbs, which are nicer for eating. (If for some reason you want smaller bulbs, save the biggest bulbs to replant- they usually multiply into many small bulbs.)

You can either replant in fall or spring, if you are in USDA hardiness zone 4 and warmer. Fall planting can encourage flowering, which is good if you want seeds, but it can reduce bulb growth. Also keep in mind that some bulbs will die over winter- about 10-20% in my experience.

Spring planting usually results in less flowering, which can increase bulb size. I've found this variety is unlikely to flower much no matter what you do.

I'd recommend planting some in fall and some in spring to see what works best in your climate, and what you prefer.

In zones 1-3 you'll want to save bulbs indoors over winter to plant in spring.

Growing Instructions

Plant in fall or spring in full sun. Plant about 8-12 inches apart, pushing the bulbs about 1/2 to 2/3 down into the soil. Onions can be heavy feeders, so amend the bed with lots of compost, and you can side dress with more compost and/or give a liquid fertilizer throughout the season. We recommend mulching with straw, like you do with garlic, for insulation and to keep weeds down.

HARVEST AND STORAGE: Cut off flower stalks as they form if you want larger bulbs and no seeds. Harvest bulbs when their tops have flopped over and start to brown, around July or August. You can reduce watering at this time as well. Cure the onions in a shady and well-ventilated spot for a few weeks, then store in a dark, room temperature place until you eat them or replant in the spring. Or just leave some in the ground to see if they will perennialize in your area (they will probably do better if you divide and space them out every couple years).

Eat the biggest onions, and replant the small ones. Generally, if you plant smaller onions, they will multiply into larger, fewer onions. If you plant larger onions, they will multiply into many smaller onions.

Shipping & Returns

By placing an order, customers agree to the shipping policies detailed on this page.

Shipping within Canada

We ship seeds via Canada Post within Canada for $6 to $8 depending on weight.

We ship seeds in Canada via regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-3 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally orders take longer, especially to the Eastern provinces and rural areas.

Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery.

Larger bulbs and plants are usually sent via tracked flat rate box.

Shipping to the US

We require all US shoppers to obtain a Small Seed Lot Import Permit before we can mail your seeds. It's free to apply, and you will likely be granted the permit instantly, although some require additional verification via mail. We appreciate if you can email us your permit as soon as you can after your purchase.

If you do not email us your permit documents after one week, we will refund your order minus a $10 processing charge.

How to apply for your Small Seed Lot Import Permit:

Please follow these instructions carefully so you don't end up with the wrong type of permit!
Go to https://efile.aphis.usda.gov/s/
Select PPQ-587 in the dropdown menu and click "Get Started".
Login and follow the instructions to obtain a permit.
Under the Commodity Type drop down, make sure you select the "Small Lots of Seed". See screenshot below.
It's best to list "Eligible Taxa" instead of listing all the species you'd like to import so you don't need to worry about missing any species you ordered.
Once you receive your permit, promptly email us 2 documents: a copy of your permit and a copy of the yellow/green shipping labels. Tell us which USDA station you want us to send the seeds to. If not mentioned we will choose one. Our email is grow@cicadaseeds.ca
We are not able to send any pepper or tomato seeds, or any live plant materials to the US due to restrictions.

Need help? Contact the APHIS plant permit team at:

EMAIL: plantproducts.permits@usda.gov

PHONE: 877-770-5990

What happens next?

After receiving your documentation, we will mail your seeds to an inspection facility in the US. We will ship via tracked parcel, and you will receive the tracking number when your order has shipped. Orders will be mailed first to a plant inspection facility in the US, then they forward the package on to your address after inspection. Tracking is only available to the inspection facility, not to your address.

The mail and inspection process can take several weeks, depending on how long the inspection takes. Unfortunately we are not able to replace packages that are confiscated or destroyed by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.

Shipping Internationally

International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.

International shipping countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.

This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts: https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/service-alerts.page

Please reach out if your country is not on this list, email us and we will try to arrange an alternate shipping option.