Spring onions: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
When and how do you sow spring onions outdoors?
Sow spring onions as the soil starts to warm, at a time suited to your cultivar. The name may refer to young Allium cepa onions or to Allium fistulosum. Check the packet, particularly before a sowing intended to overwinter: cold tolerance differs between types.
Choose a sunny, well-drained, weed-free site. Prepare a fine surface and make shallow drills about 1 cm deep, roughly 15–20 cm apart. Scatter seeds thinly, cover with fine soil and firm lightly. Water gently to moisten the row without washing seeds away.
Maintain even moisture during emergence and mark rows so the first fine leaves are recognisable. Thin if overcrowded, adjusting to the size you want; a few centimetres between plants can suit a young crop. There is no need to impose the spacing of large storage onions. Weed by hand close to seedlings to protect roots. You can stagger small batches while the season and cultivar allow enough growth. This does not guarantee year-round harvests in every climate. Keep each batch labelled so you can follow development rather than relying only on the sowing date.
When and how do you transplant spring onions?
How to care for this plant
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Weed
Remove weeds around young bulbs, especially if they shade them. Close to the plants, weed by hand to protect the roots and avoid damaging the bulbs.
When and how do you harvest spring onions?
