Potato Onion Seeds
Potato Onion Seeds - Allium cepa var. aggregatum - Andy's Green Mountain Multiplier Mix
Andy's Green Mountain Multiplier Mix
- Hardy to Zone 4
Full Sun
- Germination Tested November 22, 2024: 95%
- Approximately 70 seeds per packet
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Potato onions are a perennial multiplying onion, slightly 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.
Plant these seeds once, then keep some of the onions for replanting next year. In their first year, these seeds will grow into a single onion. Harvest them once the tops die back around August. Store them inside over winter. Eat the biggest onions, and replant the smallest ones in spring. Generally, if you plant larger onions, they will multiply into many smaller onions. If you plant smaller onions, they will multiply into larger, fewer onions.
If you want to produce seeds, leave the onions in the ground overwinter, and they are more likely to flower. Many potato onion varieties only flower very rarely (if you can find them for sale at all!), so can only be propagated by replanting the onions. This variety is nice because many of them flower readily, which enables you to quickly establish a large patch of onions.
This seed mix is a base of the Andy's Green Mountain Multiplier "variety", which is a cross between Green Mountain Multiplier (bred by Kelly Winterton of Utah) and a Yellow Potato Onion (cross made by Andy Hahn in Colorado). The resulting seeds are diverse- a range of colours, sizes (some as large as a grocery store onion in their first year!), and traits. Last year I also allowed some beautiful red Lorient bulbs to flower (this variety is a hybrid), as well as a local yellow variety I've been calling Errington Heirloom. The resulting mix has even more colour and diversity than before! Each seed in this mix could result in a new potato onion variety.
We need more backyard breeders developing vegetable varieties that are regionally-adapted. There's been a huge loss of diversity in heirloom potato onion varieties over the years. Let's bring it back!! Simply save onions from your favourite plants for planting again next year, multiply it over the years- and you've got your own variety.
Some traits I am focussing on in different breeding lines include larger and more numerous onions per plant, long storage, winter hardiness, and seldom-flowering.
Hardy to zone 4 if you want to leave the bulbs in the ground over winter to perennialize. Can probably be grown in colder zones if you make sure to bring all the bulbs inside for winter, which most growers do anyway.
Growing Instructions
Growing Instructions
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
We ship seeds via Canada Post within Canada for $6 to $8 depending on weight, United States for $12, and Internationally for $20*. Live plants and large bulbs can only be shipped within Canada.
Any shipping overages will be refunded.
Shipping in Canada
We ship seeds in Canada via regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-2 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order. Larger bulbs and plants are sent via tracked flat rate box.
Shipping to the US
We ship all US orders via regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-2 weeks to arrive.
In our experience shipping seeds over several years, most small orders will make it across the border without issues, but occasionally they will be held at US Customs.
It is the buyer's responsibility to ensure that seeds or bulbils are allowed to be sent to your region. We are not able to replace packages that are confiscated or destroyed by customs in your country.
Shipping Internationally
International orders are usually shipped via untracked packet. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held of confiscated by customs.
International shipping countries include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. 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.
If you have any issues with your order, please contact us within 60 days and we will do our best to make it right.
*Shipping fees listed here are in Canadian dollars.
Ecologically Grown
Ecologically Grown
Seeds are grown ecologically without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
I’m delighted with my potato onion harvest, and I’m excited to replant some of the bulbs later his month. I’m so pleased that in addition to planting my favourite bulbs for 2025, I also want more seeds so that I can grow a fresh crop of genetically unique multipliers.
Thanks so much for the on-going advice on these plants. They, along with your Welsh onions, are set to become the staples that make my family self-sufficient in onion production.
The package of potato onion seeds arrived in good condition. I will not find out if these seeds are viable and have germinated when plant them in early spring.
I am hopeful on good results
Thank you
VERY GOOD PACKAGE AND FAST SHIPPING
Shipping très rapide beau produit
waiting for warmer weather to plant outside.