Spring onions are delicate onions that can be eaten raw in salads or used to replace regular onions in recipes when you want a less pungent flavor. They are very similar to green onions and shallots, but unlike these other varieties, spring onions have a distinct bulb. Growing spring onions from bulbs or "cloves" is often easier, but it is also possible to grow them from seeds.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Prepare the Ground
Step 1. Choose an open space in your garden that receives lots of sunlight
Spring onions don't have strict requirements for sunlight, but they do need at least partial sun to grow.
Step 2. Break the ground
Spring onions thrive in soft soils that drain well. Those based on clay or other heavy and dense soils may not be ideal. You can use a shovel to break up the soil the day you sow, or you can do it gradually by raking it every day for several weeks before sowing.
Step 3. Add fertilizer
A generic one should suffice, but you can also use an organic fertilizer if you're concerned about the potential effects of consuming chemicals. Add it to the soil as you loosen it.
Step 4. Check the pH of the soil
Use litmus paper or another test to determine the acidity or base level of your soil. Spring onions need a pH of between 6 and 7.5 to grow.
- Reduce the pH by adding manure or compost.
- Increase the pH by adding lime.
Method 2 of 4: Method 1: Grow from Seed
Step 1. Plant the seeds anytime between March and July
The seeds of spring onions germinate best in mild weather. Wait until the last frost of the season has passed, but don't delay too long, until the hottest days of summer.
Step 2. Dig short shallow rows
They should be no more than 1.5cm deep and spaced at least 10-15cm apart.
Step 3. Place the seeds in the rows
Leave at least 25 mm of space between one and the other so that the spring onions can grow and mature.
Step 4. Lightly cover the seeds with potting soil
Add enough to fill the rows so the seeds are protected from the elements and natural predators, such as birds.
Step 5. Alternatively, spread the seeds all over the lawn without digging
Keep them scattered finely, and rake the soil when finishing. Cover the seeds with 1.5 cm of soil.
Step 6. Continue sowing after each harvest throughout the growing season
You can sow along the same rows or spread the seeds freely.
Step 7. Plant a winter-hardy variety in late summer or early fall, around August or early September
These spring onions take longer to grow, and will be ready for harvest around March or May.
Method 3 of 4: Method 2: Grow from the Bulb
Step 1. Plant the bulbs anytime between spring and early summer
Wait until after the last frost, but before the intense summer heat arrives.
Step 2. Dig a row of small holes spaced at least 25mm apart
Each hole should be large enough to fit a bulb.
Step 3. Prepare the rows as you want
Leave a space of about 10-15 cm between them.
Step 4. Put a bulb in each hole
The attachment of the stem of the bulb must be facing upwards, as the edible green leaves will sprout from there.
Step 5. Add more soil around the bulb to hold it in place
The bulb attachment must remain exposed, because it needs direct sunlight to grow.
Method 4 of 4: Method 3: Daily Care and Harvest
Step 1. Make sure your spring onions are getting plenty of water
If you are experiencing a dry spell, you will need to water your crop often, especially if the soil is particularly dry and arid. Provide water to your spring onions with a watering can or garden hose set on the gentle spray.
If the climate is temperate humid, however, additional irrigation is not necessary
Step 2. Keep the area free from weeds
The more weeds in your garden, the more the spring onions will have to compete with them to get the necessary nutrients and moisture. Stronger spring onions will grow in a weed-free space.
Cut or pull weeds by hand instead of using a chemical herbicide. These substances could affect root growth, and many are unsafe for food consumption
Step 3. Mulch
It retains moisture and prevents the soil from drying out too quickly. It also manages to suffocate many weeds, preventing them from grabbing for nutrients. Apply mulch around the bulbs, but don't cover them.
Step 4. Apply a water soluble liquid fertilizer if needed
Normally, spring onions ripen fairly quickly and vigorously without the need for fertilizer. However, if the weather is particularly dry and doesn't help much, you may need to add fertilizer when watering your hungry spring onions to enrich the soil with nutrients.
Step 5. Protect your plants from pests
Spring onions ripen quickly, so they hardly suffer from pests like other onion varieties. However, if you notice pests, apply an organic pesticide to the infested crop to kill or drive them away.
Step 6. Pay attention to the signs of illness
Spring onions do not suffer from diseases very often, but the root of the bulb may rot or, occasionally, a white rot may grow on the bulb.
If these types of mold develop, remove infected spring onions to prevent the disease from spreading to healthy ones
Step 7. Collect your vegetables when you need them
Spring onions are usually ready to eat when they reach 15 cm in height and about 1.5 cm thick.
You can grow them even more, but you should still harvest them when they reach 25mm in diameter. Otherwise, the flavor may alter and the spring onions will face a greater risk of pest or disease infestation
Step 8. Take out the whole onion
If you sow the spring onions from the bulb, this will have shrunk, since all the energy has gone into the green part of the plant.
Step 9. Remove any rotten areas
Many spring onions planted by the bulb tend to develop a rotten ring at the base of the bulb. In this case, cut this part with a sharp knife or shears when you pull the seedling out of the ground.
