[Zeedman]

I grow two small but very hardy multiplier onions. One is yellow, given to me by Hmong gardeners about 10 years ago. It forms clusters of 3-8 bulbs. I don't have much stock for those yet, since they were nearly lost when my garden flooded in 2014, and I am still rebuilding their numbers.

The other onion showed up as a sport in my hardy yellow multipliers about 6-7 years ago, and has slightly smaller bulbs (about 1") with pinkish skins & light purple flesh. I named it Hmong Pink, after the source for the yellow multipliers. They have proven to be more tolerant of wet soil, and had much better survival in 2014 than the yellow multipliers. They may have originated from a Catawissa seedling, which would explain the hardiness, and the flesh color. They form nests of 4-10 small onions depending upon: the size planted; when planted (spring or fall); and the weather. The foliage is very delicate, 6-8" tall & about twice the width of chives... they are wonderful grown in pots for winter green onions.

This onion is both very winter hardy & long storing, so it can be Spring or Fall planted in my Northern Zone 5 climate. I still have a bag which I keep as a backup to the Fall planting, and the bulbs (harvested last August) show no sign of shrinkage. I could send out a few samples, PM me if interested.

Incidentally, when I plant multipliers in the Fall, I get more & larger bulbs than I do if Spring planted. If planted in Summer (during long days) the clusters will divide heavily, but produce only tiny bulbs, or none at all. Only Fall planted bulbs will flower, and even then not every year.

I have been reading of Kelly Winterton's potato onion program for several years now, and will probably order seeds next year... perhaps to cross with mine.