[pbs] Two onion notes
Jim McKenney
jimmckenney at jimmckenney.com
Thu Jun 4 17:22:13 EDT 2009
Allium obliiquum is blooming now, and again this year I want to mention it,
if only to encourage others to champion this cool plant. Its usually
described as a yellow flowering onion, and while thats literally true, the
yellow is a very pale yellow. And I dont grow it for its flower color. I
grow it because it is, in effect, a miniature hard-neck garlic. Hard neck
garlics, traditionally called Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon
(ophioscorodon means snake garlic) , produce very ornamental curled,
curving scapes. There are worth space in the garden for that alone. Little
Allium obliquum brings the same effect in a somewhat smaller plant. Mine are
about two feet high.
Now on to another favorite, this one unfortunately to be discussed in the
past tense. For several years now Ive mentioned that Allium caeruleum seems
to require a dry summer under our conditions. Its one of the least
expensive flowering onions, and one of the most ornamental, yet Ive never
seen broad masses of it naturalized in local garden. And for years I
covered my plants against summer rain. By last summer my plants had
multiplied into the hundreds from a start with perhaps two dozen. Last
year, in an experimental mood, I did not cover them. This year they are not
there. Im tempted to go on in the sadder but wiser theme, but Ill stop
here.
Onions have great powers. Fro another example, read Dead rat story here:
http://mcwort.blogspot.com/
Jim McKenney
jimmckenney at jimmckenney.com
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871º North, 77.09829º West, USDA zone
7
My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com
BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/
Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS
Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org
Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org
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