<Alt Text 1 of 4> [Author's Note: The Onion here is a 'Yellow of Parma', a dry storage onion, that counts as a Yellow Onion and thus a Common Onion. Normally they don't have multiple growing points like this.] Onion, Nodding (Allium cernuum) – Nodding Onions are essentially a wild form of Onion native to the Americas and as such there isn’t much about it being used in companion planting. Onion, Ornamental (Allium species) – Oranmental Onions are considered inedible and are bred for extra-showy flowers and unique foliage. It can be assumed they offer similar virtues as the Common Onion. <Alt Text 1 of 4>

<Alt Text 2 of 4> [Author's Note: These two are Elephant Garlic Bulbs. They were planted a bit high to show off the shape of the bulb in contrast to regular Garlic. The one on the right has pushed itself out of the soil demonstrating the force of cellular elongation in the roots. Since Elephant garlic is more of a perennial I'm not sure it's roots count as advenitious like other members of the Allium family.] Onion, Pregnant (Allium cepa variety aggregatum) – Also known as Mother Onions or Multiplier Onions, preganant Onions are very similar to Common Onions with one major difference, they produce offsets far more frequently. They provide the same benefits as Common Onions. Onion, Wild (Allium canadense) – Wild Onions are hard to tell apart from Wild Garlic (A. vinale), look for a fibrous coat on the central bulb, no offset bulbels and leaves that appear near the base of the flowering stem. Presumably the same rules apply here as with Wild garlic. <Alt Text 2 of 4>

<Alt Text 3 of 4> [Author's Note: Here is the Garlic, it's of an unknown variety given to me as seed garlic almost a decade ago by another farmer who's arthritis had gotten so bad they could no longer tend their fields. Unofficially I call it "Jerimiah's Strain", named after that farmer. It's a softneck type and the cloves and by extension the bulbs can be huge at times. I have not undertaken any serious selection efforts because I don't dare mess with the flavor and pungency.] Ramps (Allium tricoccum) – Ramps are that Carolina staple food that is eaten up in the mountains where if you eat too much the aroma gets in your sweat. The companion Planting options are all woodland plants because this too is a woodland plant Shallots (Allium cepa variety aggregatum) – Shallots are often compared to Green Onions because of how they are sometimes used in cooking. Shallots are milder than Green Onions and fit in better with recipes that call for onion but need not be overpowered by onion flavor. They follow the same companion planting rules as Common Onions. <Alt Text 3 of 4>

<Alt Text 4 of 4> [Author's Note: This is a store-bought red onion that I've had sitting partly in water to encourage roots and shoots. I wanted to have a red one for when I did a video on youtube covering growing onions I'd have a red one and a yellow one. Red onions are just a variety of the Common Onion, along with sweet onions.] We have now covered the members of the Allium family that you are most likely to encounter when considering your planting plans for your garden this year. As I noted before Onions are space efficient, good at attracting pollinators and resistant to critters such as deer. They pair well the cabbage family and a few other vegetables and fruits and of course they aren’t that hard to grow. In the next episode we start on the Asters and after that the mountain of mints. <Alt Text 4 of 4>

The Wild Harvest Digest: March 2026, #1 (p2)

Good Morning Neighbors,

This month's TWHD had to be broken up into two parts due to character limits, so here's the second half with some extras information that didn't fit. #Allium #Onion #Farm #Companion_Planting