Published: Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009
Sow edible allium now for a savory summer harvest
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closeQ: What suggestions might be offered for growing allium on the Central Coast?
— Leroy Davis, SLO
A: Among the many wonderful things about life on the Central Coast are our mild winters, which allow gardening all year long. As gardeners pick the last of our summer produce we ponder the many choices of crops to plant in our newly vacant beds.
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GOT A GARDENING QUESTION?
Contact the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners at 781-5939 on Monday and Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m.; at 473-7190 in Arroyo Grande from 10 a.m. to noon; and at 434-4105 on Wednesday in Templeton from 9 a.m. to noon. Visit the UCCE Master Gardeners Web site at groups. ucanr.org/slomg/or e-mail mgsanluisobispo@ucdavis.edu.
Everyone close to me is painfully aware that I’m a special fan of the edible members of the allium family, which includes onions, garlic, shallots and leeks. Not only do they add a special flavor and aroma to foods, but they have numerous health benefits and are relatively easy to grow. Plants of this group have been important since the days of Ancient Egypt, and they deserve space in our fall and winter gardens.
Vegetables of the allium family, with the exception of leeks, can be planted by seed (if one is very patient), sets, bulbs or transplants. Each should be planted in well-amended, well-prepared soil, and should be kept moist and free of weeds.
Each allium variety requires a specific number of daylight hours, which varies by location. In general, sets and late varieties of onion are not recommended in our area. We should sow seeds or transplants in October for June harvest. Soft-neck garlic varieties are best adapted to our warmer climate. A few choices would be “Kettle River Giant” “Red Toch,” and “Applegate.”
Typical pests include onion maggots, onion thrips, fungi, and nematodes.
Fall planting yields crops ready to harvest in early summer. Most should be harvested when the tops begin to die back. Leeks are ready for harvest when they are 1 inch in diameter. Since they are
all easily damaged, it is important to dig up entire bulbs rather than pulling them. Most are ready to eat immediately; some do well left in the garden, protected by their stems, to cure for a few days before storing. All are a delicious addition to our menus.
For more information and suggestions, contact the Master Gardeners. As we develop our demonstration garden we will be increasingly able to report on which varieties do best in our area.
SUZANNE PAISLEY, COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE IPM PROGRAM
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