Curious about growing spring onions? These delightful additions to salads and stir fries are a breeze to cultivate. Gardening specialists reveal that it's still an ideal time to plant for this season.
Spring onions are great for beginner gardeners and can thrive in pots, making them perfect for container gardening.
Differences Between Scallions, Green Onions, and Spring Onions
Before diving into spring onion cultivation, let's clarify our terms. Scallions and green onions refer to the same small, slender plants with straight green tops, reaching about 12in/30cm tall, sporting a white root end.
Spring onions have similar green tops but develop a white bulb at the base, which enlarges as they mature. While all parts are edible, many prefer to remove the outer layer and roots before consumption.
Planting Spring Onions
Here's how to plant spring onions from seeds directly in your garden.
First, ensure the soil is free from weeds, as spring onion seedlings may resemble grassy weeds.
Loosen any clumps and rake the soil until it's fine.
Sow seeds in drills 1-2cm deep with 10cm spacing between rows to easily distinguish between weeds and seedlings as they sprout.
Gardening expert Chris Bonnett advises, 'Sow seeds thinly, ideally from March to September.'
Thin out seedlings to maintain a spacing of about 2.5cm between them. Don't discard thinnings; they can enhance salads, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Are Spring Onions Simple to Cultivate?
Spring onions are straightforward to grow and maintain. Chris Bonnett explains, 'They adapt well to any well-drained soil and thrive in sunny spots. Water them sparingly, only during dry spells, and consider mulching to retain moisture.'
Optimal Growing Methods for Spring Onions
For best results, plant seeds directly in your vegetable patch, where they'll largely care for themselves. However, many garden centers offer spring onions in trays or as plug plants suitable for planting or container growing.
If seeded from early spring to early summer, you can expect to harvest tender spring onions in about eight weeks. Later sowings can overwinter, producing larger onions by spring.
Growing Spring Onions in Containers
Chris Bonnett notes that spring onions are ideal for container gardening: 'You can grow them in pots on a sunny windowsill, ensuring the pots have proper drainage.'
Good drainage is crucial, whether indoors or outdoors, to prevent fungal issues like onion downy mildew, which can damage bulbs in overly damp conditions.
Regrowing Spring Onions from Scraps
Yes, you can regrow spring onions from the roots of harvested or purchased ones, as long as they have roots intact.
To do this:
Cut about 1 inch / 2.5cm from the root end and place it in a shallow pot of water, with the stem above the water line. In just a few days, you'll see new growth sprouting from the top. You can then plant the sprouted roots in soil, covering the roots while leaving the new growth exposed.
Recommended Varieties
Chris Bonnett suggests several spring onion varieties. His favorite, White Lisbon, is a traditional type that grows quickly and can be sown throughout summer.
Don McCulley from Swallowtail Garden Seeds recommends Evergreen White Bunching, a unique type that produces clusters of 12 to 16-inch tall slender white stalks with bright green tops. This variety is quite resilient and can be planted in fall or early spring for a late spring/early summer harvest. They're delicious in salads, baked potatoes, or grilled.
