Hayward here (though now we're retired we spend a lot of time in Baja - no veggies there - just cactus!) First year garden at this location. I was late getting started because I had to till, bring in soil amendments, till, bring in sand and till some more - still not totally happy with the soil, but ran out of patience. First seedlings didn't get planted out until May 10th - but I ate my first squash yesterday (had to borrow a male flower from my neighbor to pollinate it)and will have bush beans and beet tops within a week. Tomatoes (17 varieties, 22 plants)are full of blossoms and seem to be setting fruit, as are the various cukes, peppers and eggplants. Snap peas are flowering, as are the potatoes (will pinch them off tomorrow), green onions are over a foot tall and Elephant garlic is similar. Have various lettuces growing in a Flowerhouse Seedhouse, along with some Chinese Cabbage. Multiple melons, mostly musk type, went in the ground today. Gonna try to train the little devils to climb - the cukes caught on quite quickly. Winter squash (Dumpling, Delicata, Spaghetti & Butternut) goes in tomorrow. So far the only 'dud' was the English Peas, they went in right before the 3 day heatwave last month and got crisped - got about 3 peas off each vine and they never got above 6 inches tall. Of course, since then we have had no heat at all and cold winds every day (which is why the melons only just graduated from the Seedhouse). From here on, it's just a daily battle between me and the multitude of bugs that want to beat me to the harvest and I am determined they will not win!

I would love some walking onions! I have lots of tomato seeds and some other stuff that isn't listed on my trade page yet. What perennial flowers are you wanting? I have several options depending on what you are looking for. E-mail me if you think we may be able to work something out! Thanks

"I've ditched the bunching onions. For some reason they just always come along all weeny and small..." Sunnibel, you must have one of the smaller bunching onions, like the variety "Four Seasons". It is very hardy & multiplies like chives, but has very small scallions - only 10" long or so, and about pencil width or smaller. Some of the larger varieties can be seen in the photo below: Onion trials These onions were part of a nine-variety trial of bunching onions (garlic was in the blank spots). Those in the foreground are "Franz" and "Stevenson", heirlooms from an SSE member. They are both very vigorous, and virtually indistinguishable. The clump in the background is "Welsh". Close-up of "Welsh" (note quarter in foreground) The rest of the trial was grown on another site, and unfortunately, no photos were taken. The photos are of first-year plants started early from seed. The second part of the trial was to test for winter hardiness, and the degree of multiplication. Large-stemmed varieties (like "Welsh") had heavy winter kill in my Zone 5 location, and multiplied very little if at all. Smaller-stemmed varieties ("Franz", "Stevenson", "Four Seasons") were much hardier, and had virtually no winter loss. They also multiplied extensively, splitting the first year, and again in the Spring. They form clumps very quickly. The majority of the plants were eaten, given away, or destroyed after the trial. I did keep a few plants, though. The thing is... they were moved, and I can't positively identify the varieties. I have a clump of either "Franz" or "Stevenson". If you would like to try them, PM me through my member page, I'll send some plants when the weather warms.

Carol I hesitate to judge a variety of any species on one season especially here. The pink/purple or whatever you want to call it Bronze D' Amposti is the best overall non white/yellow I've grown especially for a milder onion. Like I said I have seeds for a supposed to be large red super sweet onion from Australia I will try to grow next year. First we will have to see if the seeds germinate. If it does well and any bolt which I can't imagine them not doing I will save some seeds next summer. I purchased the Bronze D' Amposta seeds from Baker Creek. Johnny's sells seeds for the Red Bull but says it if for latitudes 43-65. Mine is 37 but in the past it did well here. Can't remember if I grew it one or two seasons. The only place I see Stockton Red seeds listed are at Seeds of Change. I have never ordered from them but may order a few of them for comparison purposes. I don't remember ever growing them before. Dawn I had very similar issues with Red Candy Apple . Basically I feel I could go at least a year and not add anything to my soil and produce a good crop of most veggies. I do add at least something to the garden every year. I shred and add all the leaves along with manure and alfalfa compost. And on the onions and garlic I usually add extra. I just can't believe that it is the soils fault that Red Candy Apple won't size up here. I feel it is more weather related. I think some onion varieties are like varieties of other crops. They don't tolerate the heat and wind very well. I expected the SE CO varieties to do at least decent here as they were developed in this area. Was somewhat surprised at how well the Bronze D' Amposta did though. I haven't measured any bulbs from the garden yet that went over 5 inches but several very close. I think at least 2 of the 4 left in the garden will go over 5 inches in diameter. I also had more conformity in size this year. Jay