Thursday, January 21, 2010

Bunching Onion- A Winter Wonder













Los Angeles is not known for its varying seasons however the cooler nighttime temperatures that start in November combined with fewer hours of sunlight do slow many plants down and they go dormant. One plant that defies the cold weather and continues to thrive is the Japanese Bunching onion or Allium fistulosu. They are also known as 'scallions', 'green onions', or 'spring onions'. However, these names are ambiguous and may also be used to refer to any young green onion stalk. When compared to their shorter and skinnier cousins, chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are an attractive plant -even more so in bloom, but often die back in the cooler weather.

Growing bunching onions is very practical and convenient. They are simple to start from seed as one may be challenged to find the plants anyway. Spacing is important as well as thinning of seedlings as they have a high germination rate and one 6.0 gram packet contains over 2,400 seeds.

They can be harvested at a number of stages, depending on whether you want the tender, early green shoots, or the mature, white flesh of the lower stem. It is advised to not over cook them as they might become bitter.

In most bowls of miso soup this is the traditional green herb added with the seaweed.

Since 1917 The Kitazawa Seed Company based in Oakland, California has responded to the ever increasing demand for Asian vegetable seeds. They sell bulk quantities and have been producing the same traditional individual illustrated packets for almost 100 years. An full catalog is available by mail and they also offer wholesale collections for retail shops.

There are over 250 rare heirloom varieties alone so labeling is essential especially with the more exotic leafy greens in order to recognize Molokhia from Mugwort.


www.kitazawaseed.com/

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