Author Topic: Tips for growing spring onions  (Read 2176 times)

George the Pigman

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 513
  • Birmingham, neutral clay soil
Tips for growing spring onions
« on: July 04, 2020, 19:41:59 »
I have never had any success growing spring onions. They either don't germinate or a few measly plants come up.
Anyone any tips?
I have a pack of White Lisbon seed that I bought lat week.

Deb P

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 4,721
  • Still digging it....
Re: Tips for growing spring onions
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2020, 20:37:40 »
I sow a pinch in large modules then transplant them still in little clumps at the lottie, that seems to work best for me! I get very patchy results if I direct sow....  :dontknow:
If it's not pouring with rain, I'm either in the garden or at the lottie! Probably still there in the rain as well TBH....🥴

http://www.littleoverlaneallotments.org.uk

ancellsfarmer

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,335
  • Plot is London clay, rich in Mesozoic fossils
Re: Tips for growing spring onions
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2020, 22:58:01 »
I have never had any success growing spring onions. They either don't germinate or a few measly plants come up.
Anyone any tips?
I have a pack of White Lisbon seed that I bought lat week.
I sow a pinch in large modules then transplant them still in little clumps at the lottie, that seems to work best for me! I get very patchy results if I direct sow....  :dontknow:
Agree Debs. They need rich soil and a top up feed helps them too. You must keep them moving...
Freelance cultivator qualified within the University of Life.

Obelixx

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,936
  • Vendée, France
Re: Tips for growing spring onions
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2020, 09:32:31 »
The most success I ever had in my last garden was sowing in plugs and then growing on in a window box near the kitchen where I could keep them watered, fed and slug free.  I shall do the same here as it's much hotter and drier and, frankly, the French snails are worse than the Belgian slugs.
Obxx - Vendée France

Tiny Clanger

  • Acre
  • ****
  • Posts: 301
Re: Tips for growing spring onions
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2020, 14:02:56 »
I start the off in trays. They ca take a while to germinate, don't seem to like the cold. Sow thinly then plant them out. I always have very good success rate with white lisbon
I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Plot22

  • Half Acre
  • ***
  • Posts: 188
Re: Tips for growing spring onions
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2020, 14:15:38 »
I have forever struggled with Spring Onions. I was ok when I grew White Lisbon but my wife complained that because they bulb up she did not like them as she said I left them too long before picking them. I changed to the ones that do not bulb up with very poor results. This year I used F1 Guardsman and chitted them on damp kitchen role and then planted them with tweezers into the row. It is the 1st year that I have any success . I know that it flaffing about but it keeps her moderately happy and at least I have some spring onions

galina

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 5,456
  • Johanniskirchen
Re: Tips for growing spring onions
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2020, 08:59:08 »
I never get them to grow like they are in the supermarket either.  But they do overwinter and keep growing and, bulb or no bulb, they are very welcome in the hungry gap next spring.  White Lisbon seems to get through winter ok in a slightly sheltered place.   And when you harvest them in spring, you can always cut above the bulb.

Having said that, I can't see much difference in use between them and my Welsh onions, so you might as well use Welsh onions for the purpose.  At least they are perennial and selfseeding, so need very little maintenance.  :wave:

Tulipa

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,362
Re: Tips for growing spring onions
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2020, 18:46:02 »
Hi George,

Years ago Tim used to post about spring onions and Deb P has mentioned his favourite method :) He also swore by Ishikura spring onion seeds and converted me to them.  I now sow a group of seeds in compost in each of say half a dozen loo roll inners each month and plant them when they have germinated still in the loo roll inner, they produce a bunch of spring onions like you would get in a shop, they do not bulb out but much more are the same as you would buy in a supermarket and being grown in a bunch is enough space for them to get all the nutrients they need and they come out of the ground quite easily in the compost.  I have found this to work really well and 6 bunches lasts me about a month before the next lot are ready but you can do how many works for you.  If you search Tim and Ishikura you will find lots about it on here.

Hope this helps

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal