Garden calendar for the kitchen garden - vegetables and herbs. See what to plant right now and for next month.

Growing Spring onions, also Scallions, Bunching onions

(allium cepa)

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
						P	P	P

(Best months for planting Spring onions in Australia - sub-tropical regions)

P = Plant direct in garden where they are to grow.

Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 20°C. (Show °F/in)
Space plants: close together
Harvest in 8-12 weeks.
Compatible with: Lemon Balm, Borage, Carrots, Beets, Silverbeet, Lettuce, Amaranth
Avoid growing with: Peas, Beans

Spring onions

Can be grown from 'sets' ie seedlings brought on earlier. Spring onions are young onions grown close together and harvested before fully mature.

Do not like to be too dry. Best in a sheltered, sunny spot. If you are growing onions from seed, you can use the 'thinnings' as spring onions

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Spring onions

Can be eaten raw in salads. Often used chopped and sprinkled on Asian stir-fry.

Your comments and tips

13 Nov 11, Tracey in Melbourne (Australia - temperate climate): Hi Jim, Spring onions are grown from seed, not a seed onion (I assume you mean onion set?). I notice that the Gardenate guide says to sow Aug through October in Temperate regions, but my experience (Melbourne) is that they can be sown pretty much all year round (obviously they grow faster in warmer conditions). I just put in some more seeds the other day. One thing worth knowing is that onion seed doesn't store very well, so if you have an old packet you might get poor germination.
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07 Nov 11, jim (Australia - temperate climate): do ya grow a spring onion from an seeding onion and do i just put it straight in the ground and what do u neeed to do to grow it ?
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05 Mar 11, patricia (Australia - temperate climate): how do you know when to harvest spring onions
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11 Mar 11, Katherine (Australia - temperate climate): Harvest when the leaves are tall, upright, and green. You're only eating the portion of the plant you see above the soil, so when that looks like something you want to eat, snip it off and eat it. There's no need to dig up the whole plant, just cut leaves from the outside.
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12 Jan 11, paul (Australia - sub-tropical climate): I've had good result in getting spring onions to germinate from seed in spring autumn & winter but NOT summer. I have come to the conclusion that the Newcastle NSW summer is just too hot for them
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04 Dec 10, (Australia - temperate climate): How long does it take for a spring onions?
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01 Nov 10, Cynthia (Australia - temperate climate): Put a packet of spring onions through a cold wash by mistake in a pocket. Left them on top of the w. machine a few days - they all sprouted in the packet.
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01 Nov 10, John (Australia - temperate climate): Last week I planted out some spring onion seedlings and within a few days something appears to be eating them from the top down. It almost appears as though they have been cut with a knife or scissors. Anyone help?
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27 Aug 10, Frank Romano (Australia - cool/mountain climate): Hi Late last year I found a listing on your website of a seed distrbutor that had some fabulous seeds that I wanted to buy for this year, i never got around to it and wwould like to now buy some seeds. I have looked and cannot find the link anymore on your webpage, Can you tell me who they are and how do i get in contact with them, hoping you can help Regards Frank
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03 Oct 10, John Bee (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Try eden seeds. Just google it as this site won't elt me put their website. They specialise in good quality Australian seeds. John BEE
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See planting calendar for these countries and climate zones

Australia - arid, Australia - cool/mountain, Australia - sub-tropical, Australia - temperate, Australia - tropical, New Zealand - cool/mountain, New Zealand - sub-tropical, New Zealand - temperate, South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical, South Africa - Humid sub-tropical, South Africa - Semi-arid, South Africa - Summer rainfall, United Kingdom - cool/temperate, United Kingdom - warm/temperate, USA - Central West Coast, USA - Maritime Northwest, USA - Mid-Atlantic, USA - North East, USA - South East and Gulf States, USA - South West, USA - Upper Midwest

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.

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