TIPS ON GROWING SCALLIONS AND CHIVES IN THE TROPICS
Growing onions naturally in the tropics can be a real challenge, so here’s some tips we’ve learned on how to grow onions. Onions originated in the arid near East and were introduced into the neotropics by early settlers from Europe. Like garlic, the onions are not well adapted to hot, humid conditions, which causes them to rot at the bulb. We’ve worked around the issue by planting bulbing onions in pots or containers around the home or in greenhouse conditions. By controlling the watering of the soils, so they dry out before the next watering helps them to thrive. While trying many varieties of onions, we discovered green bunching onions or bunching scallions. This variety was originally from the region of the Nile. Although it doesn’t form a large bulb, it is adapted well to our hot climate, and like chives they form multiple offshoots which can be replanted. This is a great advantage since we need less seeds and produce more onions!
It’s just a matter of adjusting to fresh onion leaves for the salad instead of a onion bulb. The slender bulbs of green bunching onions can also be used for making omelets and other vegetable dishes.
If you don’t have access to green bunching onion seeds, here’s another trick that works great for growing quick onion greens from pots or containers. Since every onion bulb has the potential to grow into a new plant, we can take advantage of this by purchasing the smallest dried onions in the market. Usually they practically give them away to you. Take your new treasure home and plant 2-3 of the tiny bulbs with the tips up in 10-12” pots with a fertile compost and soil mix. In no time at all you’ll be harvesting young scallion leaves for your salad.
Medicinal Uses: Scallions and onions, just as garlic have been used for centuries as both food and medicine; eating fresh scallions is a good way to prevent health problems. It has been proven effective in reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol, and is known to be a strong antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agent. Onion juice has been shown to inhibit numerous harmful microbes and fungi, including Candida albicans. Traditionally fresh onion juice has been used for treating upper respiratory infections, including pneumonia, coughs, sore throats and bronchitis. Thrush or yeast infections are also treated with onion juice. Recent research demonstrates that onion juice is beneficial in aiding asthma, arthritis, cancer, circulatory problems, colds, flu, infections, insomnia, liver disease, sinusitis, ulcers, and yeast infections.
For treating coughs, colds and flu blend or extract the juice of several scallions, strain and mix 15-30ml of honey in a clean glass container. This is an excellent home remedy for treating children, since the honey hides the pungent taste of the onion juice. Dosage: 1-6 tablespoons per day. You will also find that blending scallions and orange juice together provides a helpful health drink.
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