How to Grow Egyptian Walking Onions in Pots and Raised Beds

Egyptian Walking Onions make an enjoyable addition to the culinary landscape, adding an unusual flair and offering something different than standard onion varieties. These unusual onions look similar to scallions while offering unique flavor profiles.

As they’re both cold and heat hardy, surviving USDA planting zones 3-9 without seed production for reproduction, watermelons make an ideal crop for cold climates like Vermont.

Location

Egyptian walking onions are low-maintenance additions to any vegetable garden or landscape, as they self-seed themselves year after year and thrive with minimal care required from you. Plus, they’re edible–making for an appetizing alternative to green onions or scallions in dishes!

Egyptian walking onions flourish best in well-draining soil. A rich potting mix or amending existing soil with compost to improve aeration may be used; heavy clay soils may require additional sand or perlite for better drainage. An organic fertilizer early in the growing season should also be applied in order to promote strong root and leaf development; adding mulch made of leaves or straw helps regulate temperatures while simultaneously suppressing weeds.

Instead of producing seeds, Egyptian onion plants produce small bulblets on top of their greens known as topsets. Their weight causes their stalks to bend over and replant themselves causing “walking onions” to be called by some people. Topset bulbs typically produce modest-sized greens and onions during their first year while second year bulbs tend to produce much larger greens and onions for harvesting as greens, scallions or onions which can then be used in salads, soups, casseroles or as garnishes!

Soil Preparation

As with other root vegetables, walking onions thrive best when planted in loose, rich soil that drains well. For optimal results, amend the planting area with organic material and compost. Make sure to break up clumps of clay or heavy, sandy areas in preparation of planting as adding organic matter increases its nutrient levels.

Perennial plants known as Egyptian walking onions (Allium x proliferum) are frequently called tree onions or top-setting onions, but their Latin name Allium x proliferum gives more accurate descriptions. Their sets (small onion bulbs) grow heavy enough that they bend over and touch the ground, where their roots take hold and produce new onions.

The new onions will continue to thrive and this process can be repeated the following year. Green onion shoots may be harvested as scallions or for their milder flavor in soups, stews, roasts and salads; their smaller bulbs at the top can even be pickled for a tasty snack or garnish!

Watering

Egyptian Walking Onions (Allium x proliferum) are an intriguing perennial vegetable with an intriguing growth habit and numerous culinary uses. Easy to maintain and growing conditions allow them to flourish easily.

These plants don’t produce seeds but instead produce small bulblets on stalks that grow heavy enough to bend downward and contact the ground where they root and form new onions – hence their nickname – “walking onions”. As these bulbs spread across a garden they self-propagate by rooting at each step they take, thus becoming self-sufficient producers over time.

These onions thrive best in full sun but can tolerate some shade. Additionally, they require well-draining soil that can be achieved by adding compost or other organic matter to the planting area and thrive best when acidity levels range between slightly acidic to neutral soil conditions are achieved.

Low growing profiles make these onions great companion plants for other vegetables and herbs, particularly crops that must be harvested in spring like lettuce, spinach, kale and carrots. Furthermore, they tolerate juglone which enables planting near walnut trees as part of a food forest; however they should not be planted with brassicas such as cabbage and kale as these are vulnerable to onion thrips disease.

Fertilization

Egyptian Walking Onions are an easy, low-maintenance way to add some variety and beauty to any garden. As perennial plants that return year after year, Egyptian Walking Onions make for great choices whether newcomers to gardening are on board or experienced gardeners are seeking something different.

As they’re generally hardy plants that tolerate most soil conditions, and thrive in full sun. A regular watering schedule should keep them looking their best; mulching or other organic practices might also help retain moisture and minimize weed growth.

Fertilization is essential to cultivating vibrant leaves and bulbs, but beware not to overfeed your soil with chemical fertilizers that contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (such as fish emulsion or manure). A gentle organic product with these elements such as fish emulsion or manure is ideal.

Egyptian onions differ from conventional varieties in that they don’t produce seeds but rather form small bulblets called topsets at the top of their stems, known as topsets. As these bulbs mature and weigh down more heavily, they bend over and touch the ground, eventually rooting and self-propagating into a “walking” pattern across gardens or containers. Their green onions can then be eaten raw as scallions for adding mild onion flavors to soups, stews and casseroles or pickled.

Harvesting

Egyptian walking onions provide an easy and low-maintenance way to add an exotic culinary element to meals, with reliable harvests and unusual growth habits year after year. Plus, their tolerance of black walnut tree toxins means you can plant near them without fear of damage!

Egyptian walking onions get their distinct growth pattern from clusters of small bulblets known as top-sets that form at the ends of each stalk. As these top-sets mature and become heavy with age, they bend over onto the ground where their roots sprout new onion bulbs that can then be harvested as edible tops for soups, salads or roasts, pickled as snacks or condiments or left alone to naturally spread throughout your garden – though to prevent overcrowding, division should take place every few years to keep these “walkers”.