Alliums

Introduction

Commonly grown alliums include onions, shallots, leeks, garlic and chives. I have always attempted to grow these after cucurbits, rather than after potatoes as they are root crops, in the same way that potatoes are.

Onions

Onions can be grown either from seed or sets- small bulbs. They can be either overwintered or sown in spring. I have grown the variety "Sturon" from sets and "Bedforshire Champion" from seed. I have met with limited success, mainly due to not keeping onion beds weed free. Spring sown sets can be planted from late February onwards, 7.5-15cm (3-6inches) apart. Leaves sprout within three weeks and plants should be kept weed free and watered weekly in dry weather. Harvest takes place from late July onwards. To grow from seed, onions are germinated in trays of John Innes No.1 compost and then picked out into "heavier" compost before transplanting into their growing position. Seed grown onions can be grown later than set grown onions. For both methods, once leaves start to bend over in midsummer, stop watering and harvest once bulbs are visible. If posible, tie the leaves together into a rope and allow to dry. If dried well and stored somewhere frost free, onions will last until the following spring.

Leeks

Leeks are a favourite winter vegetable and are grown from seed as for seed onions. When transplanting, the roots (beard) and leaves (flag) are trimmed and the young leek dropped into a deep, 25mm (1 inch) across hole so that only 25-50mm (1-2 inches) of flag show. Leeks require water weekly until they have filled the hole they were planted in. After this they will grow happily until ready for harvest after the first frost, until next April.

Garlic

Garlic is grown from Autumn until the early summer of the following year. Disease-free bulbs can be bought from garden centres and horticultural suppliers. Cloves are broken off and planted 50-75mm (2-3 inches) deep. Shoots show within two months of planting, except in the hardest of winters. Plants should be kept weed free the next spring and only watered in really dry spells- garlic is a mediterranean vegetable. Leaves may start to die back as early as late May and the bulbs should be lifted and dried as for onions.

Chives

Chives are generally grown as perennials, unlike most other alliums. They can be grown properly from seed; however my clump was grown by planting the leftovers of a supermarket "living herbs" tray. Crop by cutting off stems as required, feed when cropping. To propagate, divide clumps in the late autumn and early winter as required.