Growing Spring Onions or ScallionsTake your pick when growing spring onions... you can call them any of the popular names such as Scallions, Salad Onions or Green Onions.
Information on growing spring onions is often overlooked by many gardening books. However, they are one of the easiest vegetables to grow in your backyard and can be used in a variety of recipes, especially salads. That is why spring onions are also popularly known as Salad onions or Scallions. Spring onions can not only provide their own unique taste but can act as a substitute for onions if you have run out of stock. The advantage of growing spring onions in your garden means there's no worry that scallions bought in the market simply don't last more than a few days if you don't make use of them. Wouldn't it just be nice to go and pluck these from your backyard when you need them without having to worry about them rotting? Conditions: As with the rest of the members of the onion family, scallions or spring onions grow best in well-drained soil with a pH value ranging between 6.3 and 6.8. Clay soils must be rectified by mixing in adequate amounts of rotting compost or peat and sand to increase its friability and provide adequate moisture with good drainage. Planting: When growing spring onions, they can just as easily be planted indoors in a pot as outdoors in a patch. The best time to plant them is in end of spring in mid June in northern hemisphere and December in southern hemisphere. Drill holes that are about 1.5cm deep and place your seed in it. Gently cover it with fine soil. Maintain a space of at least 5cm (2”) between seeds. If you're growing scallions in rows then the distance between each row shouldn't be less than 15cm (6"). Tending: Keep an eye on your seeds to ensure that they get enough water whenever you notice the soil is dry. However, be careful as you don't want to waterlog them. That can result in very large and weak spring onions. Watch over them with an eagle eye for about 6-7 weeks. This is especially important because the seeds need time to establish themselves firmly in the soil by means of strong roots. Keep the patch weed free. Harvesting: Harvesting time can come by as early as two months after planting. You can use scissors to cut the leaves working from the outside to the inside (but not demolishing or using up the entire plant). These can be used as garnish or added to salads or stews for flavor. The earlier you harvest your scallions the more delicate the taste you can enjoy. If you want to harvest the entire bulb then make it a point to use a fork to dig around the plant to keep from damaging it inadvertently. Pick out each bulb from any bunches that might be a bunch of individual bulbs clumped together, and dry them out naturally in the sun. When that's done you can either separate them for storage or store them just as they are, only separating them when it's time to use them in the kitchen. Put them in a mesh holder and cure them by airing them out in a dark and cool room. Make use of your best specimens to replant. Now you are an expert on growing spring onions, scallions, salad onions or green onions, check out more herbs to grow: Growing Herbs Return to top: Growing Spring Onions or Scallions
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