Sometimes, I just want to grow onions that are literally called Walla Walla. Don’t mind me if I do.

So let’s meet the extended Allium family; the spicy, teary-eyed relatives you know, the ancient ones you didn’t expect, and the perennial oddballs that keep coming back.

The Long History of Onions

Onions are among the oldest cultivated vegetables in the world. Archaeological evidence shows they were grown in Central Asia and the Middle East over 5,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptians adored them: onions were buried with pharaohs, symbolizing eternal life thanks to their endless rings. The Greeks trained athletes on diets full of onions, while the Romans believed onions improved strength and courage.

By the Middle Ages, onions were so valuable in Europe that they were used to pay rent and even given as wedding gifts. (Romantic, right? “Honey, I got you… onions.”)

Garlic, leeks, and chives share similar pedigrees, all part of the Allium family, which includes over 900 species worldwide. Today, we mostly lean on a few supermarket staples, but the family tree is much richer.

The Classics: Bulbing Alliums

• Yellow Onion: The global workhorse. Strong flavor, long storage.
• Red Onion: Likely originating from the Meditarranean. Sweeter, milder and beautiful raw in salads. Though less storable.
• White onion: Popular in Latin American cooking for centuries. Sharper, spicier, but with shorter shelf life.
• Shallots: Brought to Europe by Crusaders from the Middle East. Cluster-forming, sweet and subtle.
• Cipollini Onions: From Italy, bred for their high sugar content.

The Perennial Oddballs

• Welsh Onion (Allium fistulosum): Despite the name, this perennial comes from China, cultivated there for over 1,000 years. Never bulbs, just keeps giving green shoots every spring.
• Egyptian Walking Onion (Allium x proliferum): A medieval European curiosity, this hybrid reproduces via little bulbs that topple over and ‘walk’ across your garden.
• Chives (Allium Schoenoprasum): Native to both Europe and Asia, chives have been harvested since the Middle Ages. Their purple pompoms attract pollinators while you snip the leaves.
• Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum): Cultivated since ancient Egypt and Rome, leeks are mild and just awesome.

The Surprise Alliums

Not everything onion-y looks like an onion!

• Scallions / Spring Onions (young Allium cepa): Harvested before bulbing, these are basically teenage onions. Tender, mild, and fast-growing. Many people don’t realize they’re just “unfinished onions.” 
• Garlic: Traced back over 4,000 years, used in medicine and rituals. Egyptians fed it to pyramid builders for strength.
• Ornamental Alliums: Those tall garden fireworks with purple globe flowers? Still onions. They were first popularized in Victorian ornamental gardens.

Why do onions make us cry?

It’s all chemistry.

1. Cutting an onion breaks its cells
2. Those cells release an enzyme called alliinase
3. Alliinase reacts with sulfur compounds (absorbed from the soil) to produce ‘syn-Propanethial-S-Oxide’ (a volatile gas). Perfect word for when you’re playing Hangman.
4. That volatile gas drifts upward, stinging your eyes. Your tear glands release water to flush it out.

Cooking, chilling or soaking onions in water before chopping can reduce that reaction! But in short: onions evolved chemical tear gas to discourage predators.

Which makes me suddenly realize that I’m the predator here. Chopping through their defenses every evening. Now I feel kinda bad for the fam. 

Why plant diverse Alliums?

Each variety in the Allium family brings its own flavor to the table, from the fiery kick of white onions to the candy-like sweetness of Cipollini. By mixing annuals with perennials, you can enjoy harvests almost all year round. 

Growing heirloom varieties also means you’re keeping history alive in your garden, connecting directly to thousands of years of food culture! It’s not just about the kitchen either; ornamental Alliums draw in pollinators, while diversity in your beds makes your crops more resilient and less likely to be wiped out by disease.

Planting Now (September–October)

This is the perfect time to:

• Plant garlic cloves for harvest next summer.
• Plant shallot sets for gourmet bulbs by midsummer.
• Put in overwintering onion sets for an early summer harvest.
• Establish perennial Alliums like Welsh onions and walking onions.

Wanna know more about how to plant them? Check out this piece by Erin on** how to grow amazing Alliums,** full of practical tips to get your onion patch thriving.

Final Thought

The Allium family is ancient and diverse. From the reliable yellow onion to the flamboyant red, the wandering Egyptian, and the delicate chive, this clan has shaped kitchens and cultures for millennia. Planting a few new varieties this autumn means you’ll not only expand your harvest, you’ll also be growing a slice of history, resilience, and flavor that goes far beyond the supermarket net bag.

Like always, be mindful of the plants you eat. They’ve developed defenses, strategies, and quirks to make it this far. In their own way, they’re survivors, and a life, no matter how small, deserves respect.

Why Cold-Hardy Veggies?

Cold-hardy vegetables are a special group of plants that can handle chilly temperatures and even a touch of frost. These tough veggies are perfect for planting in the fall and winter, allowing you to extend your growing season and enjoy homegrown goodness even when the weather isn’t exactly balmy. Use the Planter App to identify cold hardy veggies that can handle a light frost or in some cases even a freeze!

Our Top 10 Picks for Your Winter Garden

Kale

This leafy green superstar is packed with nutrients and comes in a variety of colors and textures. Kale prefers well-drained soil and a spot with plenty of sunshine. Give it regular waterings, and you’ll be enjoying delicious salads and smoothies all winter long.

Varieties: ‘Lacinato’ (Dinosaur Kale): This variety has dark blue-green leaves with a savoyed (ruffled) texture. It’s known for its slightly sweeter flavor compared to other kales.

‘Red Russian’ Kale: This variety has red stems and purplish-green leaves with a milder, sweeter flavor. It’s also very ornamental!

‘Winterbor’ Kale: This variety is extremely cold-hardy, as the name suggests, and can tolerate temperatures down to -10°F. It has a slightly sweeter and more tender texture than other kales.

Spinach

Another nutritional powerhouse, spinach is a fast-growing cool-season crop. Like kale, it prefers full sun and well-drained soil. You can start harvesting baby spinach leaves in just a few weeks!

Varieties:

‘Bloomsdale Long Standing’ Spinach: A classic variety that’s slow to bolt (go to seed) and produces large, dark green leaves.

‘Space’ Spinach: This variety is resistant to downy mildew and produces baby spinach leaves that are perfect for salads.

‘Tyee’ Spinach: This variety is known for its high yields and resistance to bolting, making it a great choice for the Southeast.

Radishes

These little root vegetables are super easy to grow and add a peppery crunch to salads and sandwiches. Radishes prefer loose, sandy soil and mature in about a month.

Varieties:

‘Cherry Belle’ Radish: A popular variety that matures quickly (in about 22 days) and produces round, red roots with a crisp texture and mild flavor.

‘French Breakfast’ Radish: This variety has elongated, red roots with white tips and a slightly spicy flavor.

‘White Icicle’ Radish: This variety has long, white roots with a crisp texture and mild flavor. It’s also slower to bolt than other radishes.

Carrots

Believe it or not, carrots actually sweeten in flavor when grown in cool weather. Choose a variety with short roots for best results in the winter garden. Make sure your soil is loose and free of rocks to allow for proper root development.

Varieties:

‘Danvers Half Long’ Carrot: A classic variety that’s well-suited for heavy soils and produces medium-length, sweet roots.

‘Little Finger’ Carrot: This variety is perfect for the Southeast’s shorter growing season, as it matures quickly and produces small, tender roots.

‘Paris Market’ Carrot: This variety produces round, bite-sized roots that are perfect for snacking or roasting.

Lettuce

Enjoy fresh salads all winter long by planting cold-hardy lettuce varieties. Loose-leaf lettuce is a great option for beginners, as it can be harvested continuously. Provide your lettuce with partial shade and consistent moisture.

Varieties:

‘Black Seeded Simpson’ Lettuce: A popular loose-leaf variety with bright green, ruffled leaves and a mild flavor.

‘Winter Density’ Lettuce: This romaine lettuce variety is cold-hardy and can tolerate some frost. It has crisp, dark green leaves.

‘Red Sails’ Lettuce: This loose-leaf variety has beautiful red leaves with a mild flavor and adds a pop of color to salads.

Onions

Onions are a kitchen staple, and many varieties can be planted in the fall for a spring harvest. Choose onion sets or transplants for easiest planting. Onions need full sun and well-drained soil. Short-day onions grow best in mild winter climates, such as zone 7 or warmer.

Varieties:

‘Yellow Granex’ Onion (Vidalia): This variety is a favorite in the Southeast and produces large, sweet onions.

‘Red Creole’ Onion: This variety is known for its pungent flavor and beautiful red color.

‘White Bermuda’ Onion: This variety produces large, mild onions that are great for slicing.

Garlic

Plant garlic cloves in the fall, and you’ll be rewarded with flavorful bulbs in the spring. Garlic prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Don’t forget to mulch around your garlic plants to help retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Varieties:

‘Silverskin’ Garlic: This softneck variety is well-suited for the Southeast and produces large bulbs with a strong flavor.

‘Inchelium Red’ Garlic: This hardneck variety is known for its rich, complex flavor and beautiful purple stripes.

‘Spanish Roja’ Garlic: This hardneck variety is known for its robust flavor and long storage life.

Turnips

Both the roots and greens of turnips are edible, making them a versatile addition to your winter garden. Turnips prefer full sun and loose, fertile soil. They’re also relatively fast-growing, maturing in about two months.

Varieties:

‘Purple Top White Globe’ Turnip: A classic variety with a purple top and white flesh. It has a mild, sweet flavor.

‘Hakurei’ Turnip: This Japanese variety has a sweet, delicate flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked.

‘Seven Top’ Turnip: This variety is grown primarily for its greens, which have a mild, spinach-like flavor.

Peas

Enjoy sweet, tender peas by planting them in the fall. Choose a variety that’s specifically bred for cool weather. Peas need full sun and something to climb on, like a trellis or fence.

Varieties:

‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’ Pea: This snow pea variety is cold-tolerant and produces sweet, edible pods.

‘Wando’ Pea: This garden pea variety is heat- and cold-tolerant, making it a good choice for the Southeast.

‘Maestro’ Pea: This shelling pea variety is known for its high yields and sweet flavor.

Swiss Chard

This colorful leafy green is a close relative of spinach and beets. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals and can be used in a variety of dishes. Swiss chard prefers full sun and fertile, well-drained soil.

Varieties:

‘Bright Lights’ Swiss Chard: This variety has colorful stems in shades of red, pink, orange, and yellow, making it a beautiful addition to the garden.

‘Lucullus’ Swiss Chard: This variety has white stems and dark green leaves with a slightly savoyed texture.

‘Rhubarb Chard’ Swiss Chard: This variety has red stems and green leaves with a slightly tart flavor.

Additional Tips for Winter Gardening

Even though these veggies are tough, they can still use a little extra TLC during the colder months. Here are a few tips to help your winter garden thrive:

• Frost Protection: While these veggies can handle some cold, a hard frost can still damage them. If a freeze is predicted, protect your plants by covering them with a row cover or blanket overnight.
• Water Wisely: Plants need less water in the winter, so don’t over do it. Water deeply but less frequently, and make sure the soil has good drainage to prevent soggy roots.
• Feed Your Soil: Healthy soil means healthy plants! Amend your soil with compost or other organic matter to provide nutrients and improve drainage.
• Sunlight is Key: Even in winter, most vegetables need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Choose a sunny spot for your garden, and be mindful of shadows cast by buildings or trees.

Ready to enjoy fresh, homegrown veggies all winter long? By planting these cold-hardy varieties now, you can extend your harvest and savor the flavors of the season. Imagine the satisfaction of serving up a salad made with ingredients you grew yourself, even in the depths of winter!

Don’t forget to download the Planter App for more winter gardening tips, tricks, and personalized advice. Happy growing!

What Should Pets Eat?

There are debates about the “right” diet for cats and dogs. In the wild, dogs are omnivores.  They eat meat, of course, but they also eat the stomachs of animals, which are usually full of fermenting plant material. Cats’ stomachs are very acidic, so they can survive primarily on meat.  However, plant fiber can help feed the bacteria in cats’ stomachs.  Some people feed their pets kibble, some choose wet food, some cook their pet’s meals from scratch, and some feed pets raw food. Ultimately, the choice is up to you, but if you want to give your pets some home-grown treats or you hope to enhance their health, sharing your garden bounty is a good way to do so. 

It’s important to note that animals’ bodies digest and process some plants differently than us, and sometimes the wrong food can be harmful. Start with a small amount when giving your pet a new food for the first time. If you are feeding your pets packaged dried fruit, be sure xylitol isn’t used as a sweetener because it is toxic to animals. PetMD.com is a good place to find out which fruits and vegetables are safe for cats.  The American Kennel Club has good information regarding dogs.  It’s always a good idea to check with your pet’s vet before introducing new foods, especially if they have health concerns.

Dogs

Some dogs love fruit and veggies, and some want nothing to do with them! If your dog wants nothing to do with fresh veggies, you can try cooking them and adding them to your dog’s food.  Fruit and veg can be an excellent way to add fiber to your pet’s diet, which can be lacking in kibble.

According to the AKC, here are some safe fruit and vegetables for dogs (not a complete list): 

• Apples- make sure they don’t eat too many seeds
• Bananas- try blending up frozen bananas and peanut butter for a dog smoothie
• Blueberries- frozen blueberries are a nice treat on a hot day!
• Blackberries
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots- carrots make a good chew toy (supervise your pet so they don’t choke)
• Celery
• Cranberries- know any dogs who like them?
• Cucumbers
• Green beans- cooked green beans are a hit with a lot of dogs
• Ginger- technically an herb, but good for upset digestive systems
• Peaches
• Pears
• Peas
• Pumpkin-a great base for homemade dog treats and pumpkin seeds have essential fatty acids 
• Raspberries
• Ripe tomatoes- small amounts of ripe tomatoes are okay
• Strawberries
• Watermelon

Fruit and vegetables to avoid:

• Asparagus- difficult for dogs to digest properly
• Avocado
• Cherries- the pits, stems, and leaves can cause problems
• Chives
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Green tomatoes
• Leeks
• Onions

According to the AKC, citrus and spinach are potentially safe but it’s better to avoid them. Dogs should only be fed cooked potatoes in small amounts, and they should never be fed green potatoes. Dogs shouldn’t eat green tomatoes or any part of a tomato plant.

Cats

Cats don’t have sweet taste receptors, so most don’t like fruit. Most cats will pick a platter of tuna over a pile of green beans, but if you have a cat with a sophisticated palette, you can try some snacks from the garden. If your cat won’t try fresh produce, you can dehydrate the fruit or veggies, then powder them, and sprinkle a little on their food. And of course, cats (and dogs) usually love catnip!

Safe fruit and vegetables according to PetMD (not a complete list):

• Apples
• Asparagus
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Broccoli
• Cantaloupe
• Cranberries
• Cucumber
• Ginger- an herb that’s good for upset digestive systems 
• Pear
• Peas
• Peppers
• Pumpkin
• Raspberries
• Ripe tomatoes

Fruit and vegetables to avoid:

• Chives
• Citrus
• Garlic
• Green tomatoes
• Leeks
• Onions
• Rhubarb

The same applies to potatoes for cats and dogs: cook potatoes before serving and never feed them green potatoes.  Cats can have tiny pieces of ripe tomatoes. They should never eat green tomatoes or any other part of a tomato plant.

Other Pets: 

Birds:

Birds can and should eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. This website is a good resource for learning more about what is safe. Avoid garlic, onions, avocados, and head lettuce varieties that are high in water content. 

Gerbils and Hamsters:

Be mindful of the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that hamsters and gerbils eat. Too many snacks high in water content can cause gastrointestinal distress. Keep your serving sizes small. These pets can safely enjoy apples, bananas, berries, lettuce, kale, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and more!  

Rabbits:

These veggie lovers will eat almost every plant in a garden! However, rabbits are not recommended to eat onions, leeks, garlic, raw potatoes, or iceberg lettuce. Dark and leafy lettuce is okay. 

Fish: 

I was surprised to learn that pet fish can eat treats from the garden. You might want to research all of the things that different types of fish can eat, but some produce fish can eat (according to research online, I am not a fish expert) are cucumber, lettuce, carrots, pieces of pumpkin, apples, pears, berries, and zucchini.  Word on the internet says to avoid oranges and watermelon.

Peter, the creator of Planter, gives his fish red lettuce that has bolted. They love it!

Next time you’re out harvesting, see if anything sparks your pet’s interest.  Their favorite garden treat might surprise you!

‘Curry’ is actually a loose, catch-all term that doesn’t properly refer to any specific dish. In its originating culture, each dish would have its own unique name. That being said, many dishes that could be loosely grouped as ‘curry-style’ dishes can be created using many of the same core plants in the garden. Let’s explore some potential ways to plan a culinary curry garden in Planter!

Curry garden base plan

Our sample curry garden base plan starts with a standard 4’ x 8’ garden in Planter. We’ve filled the garden with uber-versatile plants that form the backbone of many great curry dishes:

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Cilantro
• Hot peppers
• Tomatoes
• Onions

Garlic and cooking onions were placed on the outside because they are slow growers and need to be harvested by pulling or forking them out of the soil. Two hot pepper plants might not seem like a lot, but they’ll likely be prolific enough to provide your family with ample chili harvests (of course if you’re major spice lovers feel free to add more!) While cilantro is associated with cuisines from some of the hotter parts of the world, it actually can’t take the heat all that well and has a tendency to bolt. Because of this, you might want to plan to plant your cilantro in successions.

Roma tomatoes were chosen because they are a nice meaty tomato that work well for cooking. Ginger is kept in containers because a) it grows slowly and needs to be started indoors well in advance if you live in a cooler climate and b) the containers can be moved and positioned around the garden so the plants receive dappled sun- ginger loves the heat but not direct, scorching sunlight.

When choosing locations for the plants in your own plan, be sure to position them so they’ll be easily accessible for harvesting and where they won’t shade each other out unintentionally. This base plan is just a starting point that you can adapt to your unique garden conditions.

If you happen to have some more space to play with in your garden, consider branching out into some specific cuisines:

Thai curry garden plan

Thai food is vibrant and features an array of different veggies. To prepare some tasty Thai dishes, the following plants were added to the base plan:

• Peas
• Eggplant
• Carrots
• Lemongrass
• Thai basil
• Thai mint
• Peanuts
• Dwarf lime

The Thai curry garden plan incorporates most of the plants from the base curry garden plan and adds on from there. The serrano chiles were swapped for Thai chiles, and more garlic and onions were added. Lemongrass is a staple ingredient in many Thai dishes- its included in a container so it can be started early indoors and easily transitioned outside. Mint was also added in a container to prevent it from spreading and taking over the entire garden! Basil plays more nicely so it can be incorporated right into the garden bed. If possible, try to find Thai varieties of mint and basil for a more authentic flavor.

For something slightly more adventurous peanuts and a dwarf lime were added to the plan- these ingredients are often incorporated in Thai dishes or used as accompaniments. Peanuts can grow well even in somewhat northern climates as long as you select an appropriate variety and ensure they are planted with enough time to mature. Limes on the other hand are frost sensitive, but dwarf varieties can be grown as container plants that can be brought inside over winter. If overwintering a lime tree seems like too much work, forgo it and plant something else instead- just be sure not to fill the middle of the garden space with plants that will be hard to reach.

Indian curry garden plan

The Indian curry garden plan also works off the same base curry garden plan, but includes some unique ingredients favored in Indian cooking:

• Turmeric
• Cauliflower
• Potatoes
• Okra
• Kidney beans
• Mustard
• Spinach

Turmeric is a plant that spreads and grows by rhizomes, similar to ginger. Since turmeric isn’t available in Planter (yet!) one workaround is to create a custom variety of ginger and name it turmeric (turmeric isn’t technically a ginger variety but this is just a quick fix). Like ginger, turmeric is grown in pots so it can be started well in advance and moved around in the garden to capture the perfect balance of sun and shade.

Cauliflower and potatoes are included in the plan as core ingredients in the popular and delicious dish ‘aloo gobi’. Okra is added as the key component of ‘bhindi masala’, and the kidney beans can be used to prepare delicious ‘rajma’. With drying beans you’ll want to have several plants to get a yield that is substantial enough to make bean-based dishes. Rounding out the list we have spinach and mustard- spinach can be used to make a mouth-watering ‘saag paneer’ and along with mustard greens (and other mixed greens) can be used to create delicious ‘saag’ curries. And if your mustard bolts and goes to seed no worries- mustard seed is also a key spice in many Indian dishes!

We hope these curry garden plans have provided some inspiration to plan a fun and practical cuisine-themed garden! Having all the veggies at hand to create a whole range of dishes will help you make the best use of your garden produce in the kitchen. Planter makes it easy and fun to explore garden design possibilities to compliment your culinary adventures!

Kale

Kale is truly an incredible plant. Not only is it astoundingly cold-hardy, once established it can grow through almost anything you can throw at it. Kale is a top low-maintenance plant pick because you plant it once and enjoy continuous harvests all season long (assuming you are harvesting it for larger, individual leaves). To harvest kale just snap off the lowest, largest leaves as close as possible to the stem, making sure to leave the top of the plant and several upper leaves intact. When harvested this way, kale can keep on producing well into fall and even winter…You might even find it grows back again the following year!

Chard

Like kale, chard is another season-long powerhouse producer. Chard is also cold hardy, so you can sow seeds early in the season when the planting schedule is not as intense! Chard has a spinach-like flavor and a similar texture when cooked, but unlike spinach chard is amazingly resistant to bolting. Chard leaves remain tasty and sweet all season long, even through the blazing heat of summer. Chard is harvested similarly to kale- cut off the largest, lower leaves as close to the base of the plant as possible.

Green onions

Green onions* are one of the least-fussy plants you can grow. They germinate readily, require minimal fertilizer, and can even tolerate a slight drought (emphasis on slight). Green onions are significantly less tricky to grow than bulbing onions, and there’s no curing process involved - you simply pull them out, wash them up and store them in the fridge. Green onions also ‘hold’ well in the garden - that is, you don’t have to harvest them all at a super-precise time. They’re happy to keep on growing until you need them (although eventually you might end up with some humongous green onions!)

*Note: green onions are a variety of onions in Planter!

Zucchini

Zucchini* makes the list of low-maintenance plants because of how hyper-productive it is! Growing just one or two zucchini plants could easily provide enough zucchini for your family (and you might even be giving it away!) Zucchini plants tend to be on the larger side but there are compact container varieties available that can help save space in the garden. With zucchini the only time-sensitive task is harvesting - it’s important to harvest the zucchinis before they get too large so the plant will keep on producing! Zucchini plants can produce all season long, although at some point they might succumb to pest and disease pressure. Rather than spending time battling pests and disease it may be more efficient to start a couple of back-up seedlings, timing them to reach maturity in the mid-late season. 

* Note: zucchini is a variety of squash in Planter!

Bush beans

While beans are a popular garden plant, for a low-maintenance bean harvest bush beans are the way to go. Bush bean varieties, as the name suggests, have a bushing growth habit which means they don’t require a trellis or support structure to grow and produce a harvest. Pole bean varieties in contrast are vining plants that do need a structure to climb on. Bush beans are also relatively easy to harvest since you don’t need to reach around a trellis. And, since bean plants fix nitrogen from the air (with the help of soil bacteria), you can skip the fertilizing routine for beans!

Herbs (not technically a plant)

‘Herbs’ is a bit of a catch-all, but truly they can be some of the easiest plants to grow. Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and oregano thrive in poor soil (soil low in nutrients) and actually prefer to dry out between waterings! Some herbs are also perennials- depending on the variety and your hardiness zone they can come back year after year without the need to re-plant. Then there are herbs such as mint and dill which are infamously easy to grow because they self-seed prolifically (and mint also spreads by rhizomes). Grow mint and dill in containers otherwise they grow so readily that they can turn into garden weeds!

Dwarf cherry tomatoes

Tomatoes can arguably be one of the most maintenance-intensive crops, depending on the variety, but dwarf cherry tomato varieties are easy-peasy. They are small, well-behaved little plants that produce prolifically without a need for trellising. They do not require much pruning - only to remove damaged or yellowing leaves and leaves touching the soil. Plus they grow well in containers- so weeding is minimized and you can keep them within reach for easy mealtime harvesting (or a quick garden snack!)

Incorporate these low-maintenance plants into your veggie garden this season to enjoy maximum harvests with minimal effort!

Onions (and Shallots)

Onions- the allium family namesake- can be harvested as ‘bulbing onions’ (including what we think of as yellow onions, white onions, and red onions) or as ‘bunching onions’ which are onions grown for their green tops.

To grow bulbing onions, it’s critical to determine whether to grow ‘long-day’ onions, ‘short-day’ onions, or ‘intermediate-day’ (‘day neutral’) onions. This depends on where you live and how many hours of daylight your garden receives in the summer:

• Short-day onions form the best bulbs in southern regions with 11-12 hours of sunlight each day
• Intermediate-day onions work well in regions that receive 12-14 hours sunlight
• Long-day onions will form bulbs in northern regions with 14 or more hours of sunlight (note shallots are typically grown as long-day onions)

Be sure to research bulbing onion varieties that are best suited for your area.

Onions can be grown from ‘sets’ which are small bulbs sold in bags, ‘starts’ which are small pre-started onion plants, or from seed. Sets are easy to work with but they may not produce bulbs as large as onions grown from starts and seeds. Starts are also easy to grow, however if you’re comfortable starting seeds indoors give onion seeds a try!

Onions can be planted outdoors before your last frost date, once the soil is workable. They should be planted about 1-1.5” deep into loose soil that will allow the bulbs to expand. Some gardeners advocate “spooning” onions - scooping some soil out from around the bulb to encourage it to grow outwards. This is not necessary, but if you have the time go for it!

Onions are ready to harvest once the leaves start to flop over. Pull the onions out of the ground, snip off the leaves and roots, gently wipe off any surface dirt, and allow them to dry for two weeks before storing.

Chives

If you’re looking for the easiest allium to grow, be sure to plant some chives! Chives are hardy perennial herbs that will keep coming back year after year. Chives can be grown from seeds or purchased as transplants. Or, if you have a neighbor growing chives, ask if you could divide them and take a small clump to plant!

Chives are best planted in spring, as they flourish in cooler temperatures- you may find their growth stalls in the summer only to come back again in fall. They like loose, well draining soil and while they are drought-tolerant, they do best with consistent moisture. To harvest chives, simply use garden snips to trim off some leaves near the base of the plant. Chives have a mild onion flavor- similar to green onion but more delicate. Later in spring chives will produce beautiful flower blooms- these are edible too and have the same subtle onion-y flavor!

Leeks

Leeks tend to be an expensive gourmet ingredient, but you can grow them in your garden for next to nothing! They are surprisingly easy to grow and have a very unique, gentle onion flavor. Like onions, leeks can be grown from seeds or starts. Leeks with long white stems are prized in the kitchen-  the green parts are usually discarded or used for soup stock. To get the desirable white stems they need to be ‘blanched’ - that is covered and protected from the sun. There are a few ways to achieve this: one is by using a tool called a dibber to make holes 6” deep in the soil - into which you can insert young leek plants. Mulch or dry soil can also be hilled up around the leek stems, or cardboard tubes can be used.

One thing to keep in mind is leeks can take a very long time to grow- be sure to plant them with enough time to mature and plan your garden space accordingly.

Garlic

If you enjoy cooking with garlic it is absolutely worthwhile to add garlic to your garden- the flavor of home-grown garlic is incomparable! For best results garlic should be planted in the fall within two weeks of your first frost date. In a pinch garlic can also be planted once the soil is workable in spring, just be aware that the bulbs will not grow as large. When it comes to choosing garlic varieties it’s important to look for varieties that are adapted to your region. ‘Softneck’ garlic varieties tend to be grown in warmer climates where ‘hardneck’ varieties tend to be grown in colder climates, as they require a prolonged period of cold temperatures (although this can be replicated in the fridge if you are growing in a warm climate or planting in spring). There is also ‘elephant garlic’ which is technically a leek even though it forms bulbs like garlic.

When planting garlic be sure to separate the bulbs into individual cloves, but leave the papery skins on each clove. Plant with the pointed end up/flat end down. How deep to plant your garlic depends on where you live - in colder climates it can be beneficial to plant your garlic up to 4” deep to protect it from winter chill, but in less extreme climates 2-3” is sufficient. Garlic can also be mulched to help protect it over the winter- if using mulch you may not need to plant quite as deep.

Garlic will emerge and start to grow in springtime. Hardneck garlic will shoot up a curly stem with a flower bud on top called a ‘scape’. Garlic scapes should be removed when they start to curl, to allow the plant to focus energy on bulb development. Garlic scapes are delicious and can be used in any recipe that calls for garlic!

Garlic is ready to harvest once several of its leaves start to wither and die. In some cases garlic can be pulled directly from the soil and in other cases a pitchfork might be in order! Cut off the leaves and roots, gently wipe off any surface dirt, and allow them to dry for two weeks before storing.

While tomatoes, peppers, and other summer favorites often take center stage in the garden, be sure to save space for alliums- they’re the ultimate low effort, high reward crop!

Motivation

In past years, I’ve had troubles getting all the components of salsa to grow well. In 2020, I had a bumper crop of tomatoes and peppers, but no onions. That worked out fine, since onions are rather inexpensive to buy at the grocery store. In contrast, in 2021, the only thing that grew well were the onions! The tomatoes suffered due to excessive rain. And the peppers never took off due to poor-quality soil; I built 2 new raised beds and filled each with bags of raised-bed garden soil from Home Depot. Due to the amount of soil, I had to take two trips from the store and it turns out that the second batch of soil was no good, while the first batch (same brand) was excellent.

Valuable lesson learned: even with bagged soil, it’s still worthwhile to get the soil tested. I didn’t realize that the soil was bad until the following year.

Starting the Seeds

In the past I’ve done pretty well starting my tomato plants from seed, so I decided to go that route again. I chose the classic Amish Paste tomato variety. This year, I also decided to grow peppers from seed! I chose two great varieties, King Arthur Hybrid Bell Peppers and Garden Salsa Hybrid Hot Peppers.

I started the tomato and pepper seeds on my workbench with a red-blue grow light. I put about 3 seeds in each container, assuming some of them wouldn’t germinate.

After a few weeks, seedlings emerge!

5 weeks after sowing, I realize that I started the seeds way too early…again (I can’t resist the gardening itch in the middle of winter 😅). At this stage there’s still more than 2 months until I can safely transplant them.

6 weeks after sowing, I started moving the tomatoes into gallon jug containers to encourage better root growth:

8 weeks after sowing, just before transplanting. The tomatoes had gotten so large I had to use their cages to keep them from falling over. I put them on a cart and wheeled them inside the basement door when it got too cold:

On the plus side, the peppers grew really well throughout this entire process. I did transplant them into larger containers mid-way through, but they never grew “leggy” as I feared.

Onion time!

While the tomatoes and peppers were growing inside, it was time to plant the onions outside. Onions are fairly resistant to frost, so it’s safe to plant them before your frost date. I like to use starter onions from Dixondale Farms. Starter onions look like green onions and give your crop a head-start, which is very useful for growers like me in colder climates. This year I chose Walla Walla, Red River, and Highlander onions. Using Planter’s useful spacing info, I started by putting 4 onions in each square foot. But rules are meant to be broken, and after realizing I received several dozen extra onions I managed to fit about 6 onions per square.

In the garden, finally!

Once the chance of frost was mostly gone, it was time to transplant the tomatoes and peppers into their final spots in the garden! I planted corn, beans, and squash (aka the “Three Sisters”) next to the tomatoes. The idea is that the squash will cover the ground, keeping weeds at bay. And the corn and tomato cages will act as a trellis for the beans. In the end, all the beans and squash did was provide snacks for the rabbits 🐰.

I intercropped the peppers with the onions, since they’re good companion plants.

Intercropping also reduces weeds, since the onions shade out much of the ground.

Harvest time!

I was able to make a good deal of fresh salsa from the garden this year! The limiting factor, surprisingly, were the tomatoes. They just weren’t as productive as I had hoped. I did get a decent amount of tomatoes from them, but nowhere near the 2020 yield. My guess is that they were too lanky and overgrown when they were first transplanted. Starting the seeds later in the spring would have resulted in better-supported, healthier plants.

In contrast, the peppers continue to produce heaps of delicious sweet and spicy peppers. Likewise, the onions that were in the pepper bed did really well! I harvested them in mid-August after their stems started falling over. I then laid down some straw to keep the weeds at bay. Once the onions were gone, the peppers received a bit more sunlight which is probably why they’re doing so well now. However, the onions in the raised garden bed with the poor-quality soil did not do well. I’m hoping to rejuvenate the soil in that bed this fall.

I also tried to grow cilantro from seed in the garden, but it didn’t germinate. Later in the summer I tried growing some indoors and it germinated without a problem, which I then transplanted into the garden.

Lessons learned and plans for next season

1. Don’t start tomatoes too early.
2. Test garden soil, even if it comes from a bag.
3. Start cilantro from seed indoors. Or purchase from a nursery.
4. Give the peppers more of a head start, so they’re taller than the onions when they’re transplanted.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my salsa garden adventure! Last but not least, here’s my simple fresh salsa recipe:

Peter’s Fresh Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 medium tomatoes (1.5 cups), chopped
• 1 green bell pepper (¼ cup) , chopped
• 1 small onion (¼ cup), chopped
• 1 jalapeño or garden salsa pepper, chopped (if you like it spicy!)
• 1 Tbsp cilantro, minced
• 2 tsp lime juice
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Have you ever tie-dyed with your family or friends? It’s a fun and creative activity, and many synthetic dye kits are available on the market! However, there are several good reasons to try dying with plants; put simply, natural dyes are more eco-friendly than those on the market. You reduce your ecological footprint every time you choose to reduce your packaging waste or avoid introducing chemicals to the water system; choosing homemade alternatives is a great way to do both!

Food coloring, too, has been fostering more concern lately - some colors more so than others. Specifically, red dye #40 has been banned in the UK as it’s derived from petroleum. Food colorings are also theorized due to testing to promote hyperactivity in children, though that’s still being tested. Regardless, as before, natural dyes are far safer to consume and use than these petroleum-based dyes, and you can make them yourself at home!

If you’d like to read more about artificial food dyes, here is a resource from the Center for Science in the Public Interest:

https://www.cspinet.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/resource/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdf

How Do I Get Started?

Below are many plants you can use for specific colors! For best results, try mixing a few or testing out small batches to see what gets the color you’re looking for! Also, individual variations in plants (like avocados) will cause variations in the dye color; no two marigolds will create the same color dye, so it’s best to do big batches if you think you’re going to need the dye for more than one thing!

Red/Pink: Cherries, roses, beets, avocado pits/skins, red onion, strawberries, raspberries

Yellow/Orange: Onion skins, carrots, turmeric, saffron, celery leaves, paprika, marigold, sunflower petals

Blue/Purple: Black beans, blueberries, elderberries, red cabbage + baking soda, basil, Huckleberry, blackberry, sweet potato

Green: Grass, spinach, artichoke, mint, lilacs, matcha

Brown: coffee, tea, cocoa

Black: Activated charcoal (not exactly a garden product, but still a good natural dye!)

Some Things to Keep In Mind:

When making dye at home, keep in mind that natural coloring will create lighter, pastel shades as opposed to artificial vibrant colors. For a more vibrant color, make the base as concentrated as possible. Also, natural food colorings of course come from real food ingredients; the dye may have a small bit of that flavor left, depending on the ingredients used. Organic produce will be better for your dyeing needs as well, as added chemicals could mess with the mixture you create.

Some dye’s ingredients will interact with temperatures or ingredients to make different colors. For example, avocado scraps will make pink dye when steeped at low temperatures but brown if boiled. Red cabbage will make blue dyes if baking soda is added. If you do research into what ingredients you have, you could make a wide variety of dyes!

If you’re looking to dye eggs for easter, you’ll want to go with the clothing dye instructions below!

How to Make Natural Clothing Dye:

Some dyes will need specific different temperatures or ingredients to affect the color (for example, avocado scraps will make pink dye when steeped at low temperatures but brown if boiled). Here are the basic instructions:

When using plant products for dying, it’s recommended that you use an equal weight of scraps as the weight of what you’re planning to dye. To dye a shirt, you’ll need a lot more light ingredients like onion skins, for example, than beets. Put your ingredients (chopped up) into a saucepan or pot with enough water to cover it all, and bring it to a boil before leaving it to simmer until you get the color you like. 40 minutes is a good length of time for this, but for vibrant and strong colors you should let it simmer for a few hours. Turn off the heat and leave your dye to cool overnight if you can, and when you’re finished waiting you can throw the scraps into compost and you’ve got your natural dye, ready to go!

To dye your fabrics, start by washing them; wet clothing will take the dye more easily, and be easier to twist for tie-dye. Tie the clothes if you’d like, before soaking them in your vat of dye and leaving it overnight for best results. Wash out the colored clothes with cold water, untie them, and hang them out to dry.

Make sure to wash dyed fabrics with cold water to keep them looking vibrant.If you’re dissatisfied with the dying results, warm washes with strong detergent should get the fabric back to fresh and new!

How to Make Natural Food Dye:

There are two basic ways to make food dyes; from powdered ingredients, or by making a concentrated liquid.

You can make powdered ingredients out of your fruits or vegetables by freeze-dying them and then putting them in a food processor. These powders are often easier to use as they dissolve without much fuss and are more concentrated. Making powder at home might leave you with clumpy results depending on the ingredients, but they can be dissolved in a little bit of liquid to smooth them out.

The liquid method can be done by juicing your produce, pureeing and straining, or steeping some in water, depending on the ingredient choice. You will have to reduce the liquid by cooking it down to make as concentrated a color as possible, typically down to a fraction of a cup.

Once the colorings are made, you can use them in whatever you please! Add slowly and in small amounts to ensure the desired color and vibrance, just like any other food dyes. Icings and frostings are a good use for these, as well as baked goods, though the heat may affect the color. You can also use them as edible paints!

Your newly made food coloring can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Happy coloring, gardeners!

Even though summer can get hectic, don’t forget to take a step back from the to-do list to plan your fall garden. While the tomatoes are ripening and the peppers are plumping, it’s time to be thinking about which seeds to sow and seedlings to transplant for fall harvests.

Why plant a fall garden?

As your first frost date approaches, you can still plant cool season crops as they can tolerate a frost or even a freeze. In some ways, fall crops can be easier to grow than spring crops as the ground is readily workable and temperatures drop into the ranges that cool-season crops prefer rather than getting hotter. Cool-season crops can sometimes struggle to germinate in high heat though, so if you are planting from seed you may want to consider starting indoors or setting up some shade cloth. Above all, make sure the soil is kept consistently moist until the plants start to take off.

Another advantage of planting cool season crops in fall is that some of them, such as carrots, parsnips, beets, cabbage, and kale, will actually sweeten up after enduring a frost!

What plants can I grow in fall?

Most cool season crops will grow well in fall, so long as they are started with enough time to reach maturity. These include:

Brassicas: brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale do very well growing into fall as they are generally quite frost-tolerant, and their flavor improves with the frost. These crops do take some time to reach maturity though, roughly 60-80 days or more from seeding to harvest depending on the plant and variety, so be sure to start seeds in time or buy transplants from a garden center.

Lettuces and leafy greens: lettuces and leafy greens such as spinach, chard, and arugula are rock stars in a fall garden. They grow quickly and can be harvested repeatedly until the cold weather finally knocks them out. In most cases the leafy greens are not as frost resistant as brassicas, so you may want to consider protecting them with a hoop house or some floating row cover, to help extend the harvests once chilly weather sets in.

Root vegetables: root vegetables are great candidates for a fall garden. Radishes are especially quick to mature and can be planted well into fall. Others such as parsnips, carrots, and beets take longer, so again be sure they have enough time left in the season to mature. Root crops often don’t transplant well, so buying seedlings from the garden center may not be a viable option.

Garlic and shallots: unlike the other fall crops that are planted in summer and grow into fall, garlic and shallots are planted in late fall for harvesting next season. While they don’t need to go in the ground now, you will still want to be thinking about where to plant them when the time comes and ordering sets soon to be sure they will arrive in time for planting.

When should I plant my fall garden?

To sort out when to get your seeds started and your transplants planted out for your fall garden, look for Cool season plants in Planter:

Then, look at the number of days needed for Germination and the number of days from Sprout to Harvest for that plant. Work backwards from your first frost date to determine when you need to plant to ensure there is still enough time for the plant to mature and produce a harvest. While frost-tolerant plants can keep growing past your first frost date, it is good to get your fall crops planted with a bit of extra time in case of slower growth or extreme weather conditions.

There is a lot to tend to in the garden in the midst of summer, but it’s also time to plan ahead and start planting for fall. Planter makes it easy to figure out which crops can be planted for a fall harvest, so you can spend more time getting out in the garden!