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Old May 14, 2016   #55
Kazedwards
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Kansas City, MO
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeedman View Post
Unfortunately, no. None of those is Fleener's. I have grown, or are growing, many of those. Caudell, Comstock, and Knox (I have abreviated all of those names) were the three topsets I lost to flooding; all are similar to Catawissa. Neither have I observed Fleener's growing in their perennial allium plot during my annual visits... and I have been looking for it. If SSE had white bulbed multiplying onions other than McCullars, they were either dormant (and hidden) or had already been dug.

The onion listed as Fleener's in the Yearbook is an imposter, as verified by myself, and the original source (IA AR W). It appears to be McCullar's, or something very similar.

I concur with Kaz's description of the differences between McCullar's and Fleener's. I would add that for me, the topsets of Fleener's were larger, and slightly flattened. Fleener's also seemed to be less winter hardy than McCullar's, I lost a few the first year... then lost them all to voles the second year.

It is worth pointing out that McCullar's is not a bad onion. The clump in my perennial garden forms nearly round, white bulbs about 1" across. That soil is not the best, so I Fall planted a few topsets along with my garlic, in much more fertile soil. This was the result:

The bulbils in the lower left are similar to what I planted. They grew not only fairly good sized bulbs, but larger topsets - in the first year - than what I planted! I tested those bulbs for storage life, though, and while they don't deteriorate as fast as Catawissa, none of them made it to Spring.

I have a larger planting of McCullar's currently growing in my garlic bed, I hope to test their culinary qualities this year.


Zeedman, are those your McCullar's White? The ones I have much more green. The bulbils will get that size but only if they are well spaced. Here are a few pics of mine.

This is them last year at the end of May.


This is of a divided nest.


And the bulbils or topsets rather. The bigger ones are from a plant that has more room. Big difference.


The coloring on the topsets are different. Also are your making topsets right now?
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