Q: I’ve seen onion sets for sale in the garden centers. Can you really grow your own onions with these? Are they any good?

A: We usually plant at least one bag’s worth of onions every fall. We’ll plant them 3 or 4 inches apart. After a few weeks, they are big enough to use as green onions (scallions), so we’ll pull out every other one when we need a few for a recipe. This works better than my usual practice of buying green onions from the grocery store, putting them in the fridge, then forgetting about them. Several weeks later, I’ll go on that terrifying journey of discovery known as “cleaning the fridge” and discover them, melted and icky, at the bottom of the produce drawer.

Once the onions have grown to about an inch thick, they can still be used as green onions, but they are not as tender and are starting to develop a stronger flavor. They can be left in the ground until late spring. When the tops have died back and the bulbs heave out of the ground, they are ready to harvest. Pull them out and let them dry (cure) in a cool dry place until they are ready to use.

Most of our home-grown onions are stronger than the store-bought ones. I’m not sure if this is because of the growing conditions or curing time.

FYI – garlic and shallots can be grown in a similar way. You can use grocery store garlic or shallots and simply separate the cloves and plant them about 2 inches deep, 6 inches apart, with the pointy side up. The green tops can be used like onion tops, but they will be stronger in flavor.

Related links

It’s persimmon season — what to know to grow and harvest them
What to do in the garden in Southern California’s fall weather
Which pumpkins to eat and which to use for decor

My column on persimmons generated quite a lot of interest, including a request for my husband’s favorite persimmon cookie recipe. We found this gem in the Fannie Farmer Cookbook and have enjoyed it for many years.

Persimmon Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

1 cup vegetable shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 cup peeled and chopped persimmon (or persimmon pulp)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

2 cups rolled oats

Spice Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350F and line some cookie sheets with parchment. Combine shortening and sugars and beat until thoroughly blended. Add egg and beat well, then beat in persimmon pulp. Stir and toss together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Add to the first mixture and beat until completely mixed. Stir in walnuts, raisins, and oats. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets and bake until cookies are puffed and slightly browned (10-15 minutes). Allow to cool, then drizzle with spice glaze.

Spice Glaze: combine 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and stir until completely mixed.

Have questions? Email [email protected].

Looking for more gardening tips? Here’s how to contact the Master Gardener program in your area.

Los Angeles County

[email protected]; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

[email protected]; 949-809-9760; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

[email protected]; 951-683-6491 ext. 231; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

[email protected]; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu/

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