Spring Onions
Introduction
Spring onions, or salad onions, are the fast maturing option for an early onion harvest. They are sown to be eaten fresh in salads and provide a delicious bite. They go beautifully with sliced tomatoes, olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt.
Spring onion varieties mature in 8 to 12 weeks.
Planting
- Sow 1cm deep in drills and cover with fine compost
- Seeds should be spaced approximately 1 cm apart (there is no need to thin seedlings)
Harvesting
- Approximately two months from sowing to harvest
- Sow seed in succession every 2 to 3 weeks to have a regular supply throughout the summer
(inside)
(outside)
(fresh)
(stored)
= jar, 
= freeze, 
= store
Varieties
Spring onion varieties differ in colour and speed of growth. Some varieties have a milder flavour than others.
In general, all varieties are fast growing compared to traditional onions, and are ideal for growing in small spaces between other crops. They can be successfully grown in pots and containers.
The easy way for a gardener to organise their growing and discover gardening ideas.
Growing
Sowing spring onions in succession will allow picking from mid-year to the start of autumn, and there are even varieties that can be sown late summer to overwinter to produce an early spring harvest.
A little patience is sometimes needed after sowing the seeds. If the weather is cool, it is not uncommon for it to take several weeks for the seedlings to appear.
After germination, the soil should be kept moist throughout the growing cycle and the growing bed kept weed free.
Gently rubbing away the top soil around the base of the spring onions will reveal the size of the bulb beneath the ground, and show whether the crop is ready for picking.