Perennial Onions Never Go To Seed

2013 - Volume #37, Issue #4, Page #29

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“These onions taste like the ones I remember.”
  Stanley Jobe hears that all the time about the Family Heirloom Onions he grows and sells from his Roans Prairie, Texas, farm.
  “They have a sweet but spicy taste and the flavor holds up in cooking,” Jobe says. “They’re good in stir fry and Cajun dishes.”
  The multiplier onion variety dates back more than 100 years to family friends who were Cajun and lived in Louisiana. The onions reproduce from bulbs and never go to seed. In the South, they’re planted in August about 6 in. apart and are ready to eat by late fall. For onions to eat the following year, he leaves some in the ground until June or July, then harvests them and hangs them to cure. In August, some of the bulbs can be replanted. Though they can be left in the ground year-round, the bulbs get smaller and smaller, Jobe says.
  Jobe and his wife, Jill, have nearly 4 acres of land that they rotate to plant onion bulbs in August. It’s very labor intensive, and he’s been trying to have equipment made with no success so far. The onions are planted by hand, and Jobe cultivates every 3 or 4 weeks, plus does hand weeding. He’s considering using pre and post-emergent herbicides to control weeds in the future. The onions need plenty of water to grow, which has been a challenge in the drought area. At harvest time, he loosens the soil with a shovel, pulls the onions and lets them dry a couple of days before hanging them upside down inside.
  He has sold bulbs to customers as far north as Illinois and Washington, where he recommends planting the bulbs in the spring after the ground thaws. With good water and soil they can grow to maturity in 10 months. But they can be harvested as early as 60 days and used like scallions.
  “If planted in potassium and calcium-rich soils they become round bulbs. Other soils produce smaller bulbs,” Jobe says.
  Though the onions are labeled for Zone 5 or higher, Jobe says he thinks they will grow in colder zones.
  “Save a 10-ft. row and you’ll have plenty to plant,” he says. Each bulb typically multiplies up to 8 or more bulbs.
  He sells 7 oz. of onion bulbs for $13 and 16 oz. for $18, including shipping. A 7-oz. bag has between 25 and 40 bulbs, depending on the size.
  Jobe sells the bulbs wholesale to local stores and through his website - through September or until his supply runs out.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Stanley Jobe, Jobe Gardens, P.O. Box 36, Roans Prairie, Texas 77875 (ph 936 874-3023; stanley.jobe@gmail.com; www.jobegardens.com).

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Perennial Onions Never Go To Seed CROPS Miscellaneous “These onions taste like the ones I remember ” Stanley Jobe hears that all the time about the Family Heirloom Onions he grows and sells from his Roans Prairie Texas farm “They have a sweet but spicy taste and the flavor holds up in cooking ” Jobe says “They’re good in stir fry and Cajun dishes ” The multiplier onion variety dates back more than 100 years to family friends who were Cajun and lived in Louisiana The onions reproduce from bulbs and never go to seed In the South they’re planted in August about 6 in apart and are ready to eat by late fall For onions to eat the following year he leaves some in the ground until June or July then harvests them and hangs them to cure In August some of the bulbs can be replanted Though they can be left in the ground year-round the bulbs get smaller and smaller Jobe says Jobe and his wife Jill have nearly 4 acres of land that they rotate to plant onion bulbs in August It’s very labor intensive and he’s been trying to have equipment made with no success so far The onions are planted by hand and Jobe cultivates every 3 or 4 weeks plus does hand weeding He’s considering using pre and post-emergent herbicides to control weeds in the future The onions need plenty of water to grow which has been a challenge in the drought area At harvest time he loosens the soil with a shovel pulls the onions and lets them dry a couple of days before hanging them upside down inside He has sold bulbs to customers as far north as Illinois and Washington where he recommends planting the bulbs in the spring after the ground thaws With good water and soil they can grow to maturity in 10 months But they can be harvested as early as 60 days and used like scallions “If planted in potassium and calcium-rich soils they become round bulbs Other soils produce smaller bulbs ” Jobe says Though the onions are labeled for Zone 5 or higher Jobe says he thinks they will grow in colder zones “Save a 10-ft row and you’ll have plenty to plant ” he says Each bulb typically multiplies up to 8 or more bulbs He sells 7 oz of onion bulbs for $13 and 16 oz for $18 including shipping A 7-oz bag has between 25 and 40 bulbs depending on the size Jobe sells the bulbs wholesale to local stores and through his website - through September or until his supply runs out Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Stanley Jobe Jobe Gardens P O Box 36 Roans Prairie Texas 77875 ph 936 874-3023; stanley jobe@gmail com; www jobegardens com

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