Potato Onions from True Seed

[jayb]

I'm really excited to have received some True Potato Onion seed which I've just sown today. Love potato onions, but I've only ever grown white ones from sets. A few years back I read about red potato onions in the US, although it was an old document and no reference to named varieties. Since then I've been looking for red potato onions, so I'm really chuffed to have been sent a couple of types of seed. Green Mountain Landrace and Dakota Red seeds from Kelly Winterton. I'm thinking I have a small chance of finding a Red keeper

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...eCp5fav4M/edit

[Silverleaf]

Great news! Looking forward to hearing how they do.

[jayb]

Wish I had something to say, but too soon, no matter how many times I check the compost in the day!

Potato Onion by jayb 35, on Flickr

[jayb]

Wish I had something to report!

[Galina]

Its very early days yet! Good luck!

[jayb]

Lol, I know, just being pre excitedly anxious!

[jayb]

This morning, I fancy I can see a hint of a stem breaking through

[Galina]

fingers x'ed

[jayb]

Yayy, some of the Dakota Reds are defo on the way and I think one maybe two of the Green Mountain Landrace

[jayb]

Dakota Red babies

Dakota Red just starting to germinate. by jayb 35, on Flickr

[Galina]

So good to see this photo. Well done

[Silverleaf]

Yay, baby onions!

Interestingly, I mistyped "onions" and my ipad autocorrected it to "nuns". Baby nuns!

[jayb]

Lol there'd be no way to guess 'Baby nuns' are onions!

[jayb]

Yayy so far just over half the Dakota Red have germinated Big Smile here.
Can't believe how quickly they are growing.

Green Mountain mix are throwing some albino seedlings, so I don't hold out much hope for the yellow seedlings and they will likely self terminate. I'm hoping there won't be too many of them.

There are two in the first picture with one regular green sprouting in the middle.

Albino seedlings by jayb 35, on Flickr

Albino Potato Onion seedling by jayb 35, on Flickr

[Galina]

I had some albinos with the Giant Shallot seedlings as well, Also some more yellow ones that are just that - a yellower shade of green, but healthy looking otherwise.

[jayb]

Cheers, good to know. I guess it is the re-mingle of genes. One has already keeled over, run out of food from the seed. Another might make it as it is more yellow but a couple more are very pale.

[jayb]

Dakota Red's germination has so far been over double that of Green Mountain, I wonder how much 'albino gene' might have to do with it?
They are growing on well, can't believe how much they have progressed in what seems a short time.

Potato Onion TS Dakota Red by jayb 35, on Flickr

Potato Onion TS Green Mountain Landrace by jayb 35, on Flickr

Another of the palest Green Mountain has keeled over. I count about 15 green seedlings which is great and should give a nice assortment

[Galina]

What nobody knows is whether the flowering potato onions at Kelly's were in pollen contact with any other variety. We can assume that these onions, which are outbreeders, were to an extent trying to inbreed. I take it for granted that my Red Breton shallots from seed are not as viable as, say onions from a seed packet, because they were largely crossed with each other and as they are close relatives to each other, there will be more genetic problems than with a wide population. Out of all the original seeds, I got just 2 Red Breton shallots. To have about 50 seedlings here now from plants that haven't outcrossed properly, is good in my book.

Your success rate with both varieties is good.