Survival Monkey Forums

At the end of last years typical gardening season, we just kept on gardening throughout all of WINTER! Yep, our first cheaply built greenhouse was soooooooooooo worth it as it kept us with lots of fresh healthful greens to eat all winter long.

***Refer to GREENHOUSE FOR UNDER $25 THREAD for more information***(BELOW LINKY)

http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7484

This year we have decided to try growing "EGYPTIAN WALKING ONIONS" as they are prolific & multiply with bulbils instead of being like your typical biennial onion which gives seed every other year. Now we think that this type of onion would be a lot easier to multiply & a perfect survival food to grow in the SURVIVALIST GARDEN! ; )

Here's a neat photograph which I happened upon on-line and wanted to share.

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/ ABOUT TOP SETTING ONIONS/EGYPTIAN WALKING ONIONS /

Top-set onions, tree onions, or walking onions are various names used to describe a family of very hardy perennial, multiplying, top setting onions. They produce table ready green onions (scallions) from top or bottom sets. They produce small bulblets on the end of the stalks in the second year of the plant's growth. Some varieties produce a second clump of top-sets out of the first cluster of sets. This type is often referred to as a tree onion because of these branching characteristics. These could possibly be used in flower arrangements. As the weight of the bulbs increases the plant stalks fall to the ground, which may be as much as two feet from the parent plant.
The bulbs waste no time in putting down roots. This is why these varieties are sometimes referred to as a walking onion. If you do not want the plant to spread throughout your garden, the top-sets should be harvested. The flavor of these top-sets is somewhat spicy. They are delicious pickled. In
addition to producing top-sets, the parent plant divides at the base producing an abundant supply of green scallions for salads, gazpacho and other soups or casseroles. When harvesting, always be sure to leave at least one onion in the ground so the plant will continue to multiply and keep you
supplied with onions for a lifetime.

/ History of the Onion /

Onion was highly respected in the Ancient Egyptian civilization. Infact, the
well-known “Sham EL Neseem” festival, where fish and onions are eaten is the
celebration of the coming spring to the Egyptians.This custom of eating very
highly salted (rotten) fish, with massive quantities of onion and spring
onions certainly has carried on to our present day by the Egyptians.The
botanical name for onion is Allium Cepa. Its common name is garden onion.
Its arabic name is Basal. It is a plant in which we wonder where to place
it; with spices or with vegetables.
For over 4000 years, Onions have been used for eating and for medical
purposes. It was cultviated by the Egyptians around 3200 BC but must have
been domesticated earlier, and is thought to have been derived from a wild
species found in the mountains of Central Asia. Egyptians numbered over
8000 onion-alleviated ailments. They were fed together with garlic to
workers building pyramids and were found in the tomb of King Tut.

The esteemed Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed Onions as a diuretic,
wound healer and pneumonia fighter.

Onions are noted in the Bible as one of the foods most longed for by the
Israelites after leaving Egypt for the Promised Land.

The HOLY QURAN narrates the story of the Israelites longing for Onions and
asking Moses to pray to GOD asking for onions and other plants. Moses told
them to “go down to Egypt”, where they can find all what they had longed
for, inspite they had much better food from God.

Onions have been enjoyed by most cultures throughout history. Onions were
commonly grown in the Middle Ages throughout Europe. Christopher Columbus
brought Onions with him to the Americas. Their popularity quickly spread
among native American cultures.

During World War II, Russian soldiers applied Onions to battle wounds as an
antiseptic. And throughout the Ages, there have been countless folk remedies
that have ascribed their curative powers to Onions, such as putting a sliced
Onion under your pillow to fight off insomnia.

The parts used are the bulb. The familiar and popular onion is a bulb of
Allium cepa, a low growing plant. Botanists classify it in either the lily
family or the amaryllis family. Onions and shallots are closely related to
leeks, chives, garlic and Chinese chives. All these belong to the genus
Allium and have the characteristic onion smell, caused by alkyl sulphides.

Fresh onions are pungent and have a sharp bite. Cooked onions lose this heat
and develop a rich sweetness. This sweet taste is mostly appreciated by
barbecuing onions on charcoal. They generally have a papery outer skin over
a fleshy, layered core.

There are different types of onion (Allium cepa). Bulb onions Multiplier
onions Shallot (most of the types in the markets are Allium cepa) Potato
onion Tree onions or Egyptian onions.

Tree onions, also commonly called top onions or Egyptian onions, are a
strong-growing onion with a bunch of bulblets where a normal onion would
have flowers. In some varieties these bulblets will sprout and grow while
still on the original stalk, which may bend down under the weight of the new
growth, giving rise to the name, walking onion.

The constituents of onion contain only traces (0.01%) of essential oil,
which mostly consists of sulfur compounds. Onions contain two substances
that give them most of it beneficial properties: sulfur and quercetin - both
being strong antioxidants. They each have been shown to help neutralize the
free radicals in the body, and protect the membranes of the body's cells
from damage. Quercetin is also found in tea, but in much lower quantities.
Interestingly, white Onions contain very little quercetin, so it's better to
use the yellow and red varieties. One small onion cooked without salt
contains .8 grams protein and 1.3 grams of fiber. It also contains the
minerals Potassium , Phosphorus, Calcium ,Magnesium, Sodium and
Selenium.
Also contains small amounts of iron, manganese, copper and zinc.

Onions have a very peculiar phenomenon, it makes you cry while cutting it.
This is caused by breaking the onion cells while slicing. Onion cells have
two sections, one with enzymes called allinases, the other with sulfides .

The enzymes break down the sulfides and generate sulfenic acids. Sulfenic
acid is unstable and decomposes into a volatile gas called
syn-ropanethial-S-oxide. The gas then dissipates through the air and
eventually reaches the eye, where it will react with the water to form a
mild solution of sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid irritates the nerve
endings in the eyes, making them sting. The tear glands then produce tears
in response to this irritation, to dilute and flush out the irritant.

Different species of onions will release different amounts of sulfenic
acids, thus some will cause more tear formation and irritation than others.

The uses of onions are primarily in cooking, as it is the most abundant
ingredient in most dishes. However, there are some medicinal uses of onion.

/ Medicinal Uses /

Onion is used as a diuretic, expectorant and antiseptic. Onions are highly
recommended for people trying to prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer, and
infections. They appear to be at least somewhat effective against colds,
heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases and contain antiinflammatory,
anticholesterol, and anticancer components.

Onions contain many active compounds that appear to inhibit the growth of
cancerous cells, help combat heart disease, inhibit strokes, lower blood
pressure & cholesterol, and stimulate the immune system. Alliums are also
antibacterial and anti-fungal, so they can relieve stomach upset & other
gastrointestinal disorders. As with Garlic, Onions help prevent thrombosis
and reduce hypertension, according to the American Heart Association. The
natural constituents of yellow or white Onions can raise HDL cholesterol
over time.

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Here's some more info.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_onion

and a great source where we bought ours from (below)

http://www.organic-growers.com/bfarm/Plants/Egyptian_onions.htm

...btw, she's currently having a SALE!

Other than that, I've had a very nice day at home on the farm, working in the greenhouse & etc. Sometime ago I started a bunch of tomato starts indoors near the southside window and they are getting HUGE!!!! Here's a photo to share of some of my smaller tomato plants.

Some already have "flowers" & will be a great headstart in the garden.... can't wait to start eating fresh TOMATOS ~ YIPPEE!!!!

Have a beautiful day, wherever you are!

Sincerely,

~Wildernessgal~

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