2025 GTS Grow Reports- Allium

[Kimzy (Kim)]

Here is a space to share growing information about alliums. Several mixes are offered through the GTS seed collection.
For my growing season I started many types in different patches throughout my garden to try to stave off the rodent pressure. So far some of the bunching onions and leeks ate still surviving while most of the chives are eaten and gone. The rodent has a gourmet eating habit…lol. The leeks and onions are on the left side of the basil.

[Kimzy (Kim)]

I grew out multiplying onions. Not from seed, but they did multiply. They are from the Tohono O’odam nation from the Southwest Sonora desert. They are available thru Native Seed SEARCH in Tucson where many native seeds, desert adapted, are seed banked. Another member of GTS also shared some bulbs for the grow season, and Im grateful to grow them.
I just started pulling the onions so they could dry, then I’ll replant in August, or if they start sprouting. They are mild tasting like a shallot. Lots of history surrounding this allium and it grows well in the sand or mixed compost. Im actively looking for another cultivar that would still be producing seeds, as these do not.

[Kimzy (Kim)]

The original post…I dont know how to link…

@azvegbreeding

I recently became involved in a project here in Tucson, Arizona with Mission Garden dealing with a small-bulbed shallot (I’itoi sivol, < 6 g, dry following harvest) that is grown mostly in kitchen gardens by the indigenous peoples of southern Arizona (Tohono O’odham). Bulbs are typically planted in late summer and are harvested in late May.

The assumption has been that it was brought here by Europeans (perhaps Jesuit missionaries who mostly came from western Europe, late 1600s-), but very few details are recorded and lots is just assumed. Of course, it could also have come here during the Mexican period (early 1800s), or may have been brought by other Europeans after the 1850s into the 1900s? I’ve been tasked with trying to fill in as much as I can of its origin story. It rarely flowers here (32.25◦ N) and when it does, no seed are produced. Also, it does not produce bulbils in the inflorescence.

My best guess is that it is an old small French shallot (Echalote ordinaire), perhaps the variety known as Echalote petite hative de Bagnolet, which had (has?) very small bulbs. Any ideas on possible sources would be most appreciated. I would love to grow this line along with potential source materials and compare their performance. I appreciate the difficulties involved in importing bulbs into the USA. It would be great if source materials could be obtained within the USA, but I’ll import them through APHIS if necessary.

[Hugo (Hugo Morvan)]

I got quite some leeks growing, just slowly landracing into something superadapted. I met someone who gave me seeds for a project he did for leek moth resistance. I never had that, but people not far from me have, so fingers crossed. Mixing it in.
I found some wild ones tasting of garlic. Grow them a bit away from the others, but impressive growth so far and good with weed pressure they are.

Onions i keep trying every year, but snails love them a lot. Those hollow leafs are irrisistable. My walking onions face a lot less problems, but they’re clones.

I got garlic feral, but it’s a small one, people don’t like to cook with it much. Got some bigger ones growing as well, keep adding , but yep, clones. I have for the first time this year TSG, so that’s exciting.

[Kimzy (Kim)]

Can you grow companion herbs with them to see if the moth and caterpillar stay away?

[Hugo (Hugo Morvan)]

never had any. But herbs are everywhere.

[Kimzy (Kim)]

You’re doing everything to make the landrace, wish we could trade seeds soon. Your gardens are wonderful.