Green Mountain Potato Onion Seeds
2024
Planting Seeds
The winter of 2023-2024 seed planting was a disappointment, and it was 100% my fault - I over-watered the seedlings. Lesson learned: use a moisture meter to determine how much water is needed, not my finger. I use a moisture meter in the gardens during summer, but it was packed away for winter and I decided I didn't need it ... big mistake!
Backyard Larder UK
1/18/2024 - I traded with Backyard Larder from the UK for some of her potato onion seeds. She has Polish, Irish and French potato onions, saying, "I do have some potato onion seed. Not really sure of the origin of the plants that produced it...I've [also] had Green Mountain genetics in the mix at some point."
She did mention that she's "always had low rates of germination."
It will be interesting to grow these out to see what they produce.
Seeds were planted in basement 1/24/2024 (Planting 4B) - "B" is all of the January 2024 plantings.
Planting 4B - Sowed 1/24/2024
1/31/24 - after one week four teeny tiny spouts have emerged.
2/7/24 - two weeks. So far, not very promising.
By mid-February all sprouts had died.
Idyllwild USA - Green Mountain Seeds
1/12/2024 - I originally asked Idyllwild for 100 seeds and today I was gifted with thousands of seeds. They traded me for 20 of my 2020 SESE yellow potato onion clone bulbs and basil seed.
A number of years ago Idyllwild purchased green mountain seeds from Andy Hahn. Andy originally received his seed from Kelly Winterton.
These open-pollinated seeds are many seed-bulb-seed growing cycles down from Winterton's plants.
Idyllwild has a short growing season so I'm looking forward to seeing what the seeds produce. They were planted in the basement January 24, 2024 (Planting 3B).
Planting 3B - Sowed 1/24/2024
1/31/24 - germination after one week
2/7/24 - two weeks. Trimmed to three inches after this photo
I noticed these were drying out (when in reality they were too wet) so I watered them, and watered them, and ended up drowning them. Complete failure. Luckily, I have more seed in the freezer and will try again next winter for the 2025 season.
Kelly Winterton USA - Green Mountain "Landrace" Seeds
12/26/2023 Green Mountain "Landrace" Potato Onion True Seeds arrived today from Kelly Winterton, the originator of the Green Mountain variety. Each packet has "about" 40 seeds for $3 USD per packet or 7-1/2 cents per seed.
I planted 40 in the basement, December 29, 2023 (Planting 2A) and 40 more January 24, 2024 (Planting 2B).
Planting 2A & 2B - Sowed 12/29/2023 & 1/24/2024
1/14/2024 - Planting 2A - 16 days after planting, 20 seeds have germinated out of 40-ish (roughly 50% germination). Honestly, they aren't very strong seedlings.
1/18/2024 - Three weeks and the majority of the seedlings look like they won't make it. I'll keep coaxing and tending to them.
1/24/2024 - Since there are only 5 or 6 viable seedlings, today I trimmed them down and sowed the second batch of Winterton seeds in the same space.
2/15/2024 - they all died off.
1/31/24 - a few new sprouts after one week. First planting (larger sprouts) are not doing well.
2/7/24 - two weeks. At this point I'm guessing I will not have any seedlings strong enough to transplant, but I'm remaining hopeful.
2/15/24 - they all died.
Caleb Warnock’s Seed Renaissance USA - Green Mountain Seeds
8/7/2023 Green Mountain Potato Onion seeds arrived today from “Caleb’s Seed Renaissance” $26 USD for a quantity of ten. Since the package says “60 seeds” and a handwritten “10x” I am guessing it is 600 seeds or 4.3 cents per seed.
Caleb Warmock originally received Green Mountain seeds from Kelly Winterton, grew them out, replanted those bulbs, and Caleb is now selling seeds from his own crop.
I planted 300-ish in the basement, December 29, 2023 (Planting 1A) and 300 more January 24, 2024 (Planting 1B).
Planting 1A - Sowed 12/29/2023
1/3/2024 - Planting 1A - five days after the December 29, 2023 planting of 300-ish seeds in a 10x20 tray in the basement.
1/14/2024 - 16 days after planting. I will count how many germinated while I'm transplanting this spring.
1/18/2024 - 3 weeks and seedlings are just over three inches tall. I will trim them down next week.
1/24/2024 - Seedlings were 4-5" (10-13 cm) tall so I gave them their first trim down to about 2-1/2" (6 cm). Once a week I will trim them until it is time to transplant.
1/24/2024 - Video of Seed Renaissance planting.
2/7/24 - five weeks. Photo taken prior to second trim.
3/9/2024 - I over-watered these and they started to die, so I transplanted them.
3/22/2024 - I transplanted them too late. A couple may survive, but I learned a valuable lesson ... use a moisture meter to measure how much water is needed, not my finger.
Full Sky Farm Seeds USA - Green Mountain Seeds
100 seeds purchase 10/3/2022 for $18USA ($0.18/seed). Seed packets were not photographed.
2023/05/20 These Green Mountain Potato Onion Seeds from Full Sky Farm were started five months too late during May 2023 - 50 started; 10 germinated/sprouted.
2023/07/16 Of the ten seeds that germinated/sprouted, these five survived and are three inches tall, and were transplanted into pots.
2023/08/02 One seedling is doing very well, and another is okay. Three are stagnant.
2023/08/11 I almost culled the three stagnant seedlings today, but decided to give them one last chance.
2023/08/30 Update: all three dried up and died on their own.
2023/09/18 Two did well. The bulb on the left and was planted outside October 17, 2023. The one of the right which did not bulb was placed in the basement for the duration of winter.
2023/12/02 The one that did not bulb is now splitting in the basement. Curious to see if I will get two bulbs or two green onions.
If they do not bulb I will cull this plant.
See the two very different outcomes of two Green Mountain potato onions that were started from seed in the pics above.