Spring onions Help please

[Catherine]

I am having trouble growing spring onions. I have tried in the polytunnel, and in the plot but I have never had a good supply of spring onions. Where am I going wrong? They dont seem to like growing in my garden. Help please? We use lots of these so I want to grow lots of spring onions.

[alan refail]

Hi Catherine

I always aim to have a constant supply of spring onions all year round. The short gaps in late spring and early autum are filled by using immature shallots in spring and perennial onions in autumn.

If you say what varieties you use and how you sow and grow, I'll try to tell you where you're going wrong

Have look at my lengthy post in this thread.

[Johnboy]

Hi Alan,
Suspect that the term "Salad Onion" fits the description better than "Sping Onion". Only a suggestion mind.
JB.

[alan refail]

Hi Johnboy. I usually refer to them as salad/bunching onions. I was obviously following Catherine's words

[Catherine]

Thank you Allan I have read your post and will try your suggestions. I call them Spring Onions which we usually buy for the supermarket as I never have any luck growing them but I think they are also called salad onions.

Ishikura and White Lisbon are the two which I am trying this year cant remember what I tried in previous years.

I use loads as I make lots of couscous, chickpea and mixed bean salads.

[glallotments]

I grow the same varieties and last year had real trouble growing them - the first time they have been so awkward. No problem with germination but then they just didn't seem to grow - in fact some seedlings were left in from early sowing last year (just to see what happened) and they still are only a few centimetres tall. This year I'm trying growing them in a trough.

[alan refail]

Hi again Catherine

I would say that White Lisbon are a waste of time if you want good salad onions. The non-bulbing Allium fistulosum varieties grow much better and stand much longer. I have yet to finish the overwintered ones in the polytunnel, which were sown 9th September last year. I have just planted out four dozen clumps from modules, sown 7 March. They should be ready in about six weeks and will stand, and grow, all summer.

One I do get great success with is Cipollotto da mazzi (just means bunching onion) from SEEDS OF ITALY. £2.25 for 1400 seeds works out at a penny per module of half a dozen seeds.

[Catherine]

Thanks for that Alan I will get a packet and start some off as soon as possible.

[glallotments]

Is your avatar a quince Alan?

[alan refail]

Is your avatar a quince Alan?

Yes

[glallotments]

Thought it looked alike the one we planted last year - Meeches Prolific.