Kitchen Garden Forum

Having recently had a go at oriental cooking (and had some good results) I would like to have a steady supply of spring onions this season. I always have a problem with them in that I sow them in spring and by autumn I might have a row of small ones if I'm lucky. Why are they so slow?

We use closely spaced ordinary ones like Bedfordshire Champion as, like you, we find White Lisbon a waste of space.

Hi Pongeroon

Once you know how, it is possible to have a constant supply of bunching onions (I prefer to avoid the term "spring" as it gives a wrong impression, as you have found).

Bunching onions on demand 365 days a year are one of the things my wife claims are why she loves me so , along with a year-round supply of rocket, green salads and flat-leaf parsley.

Before I describe my method, I must admit to growing them in the polytunnel now, though the method worked perfectly well outdoors for ten years.

Firstly, there are two species of "spring" onions:
Allium cepa which is the same as normal western bulbing onions, and
Allium fistulosum which is the oriental "bunching" onion which never forms a bulb

Most of the onions with “western” names (e.g. White Lisbon) are Allium cepa, the ones to look for are the ones with “oriental” names. Some very good varieties are:

Ishikura (widely available)
Long White Tokyo
Hikari
Kujo Green

I used to sow White Lisbon direct and get the sort of crop you describe. When I came across Japanese about 25 years ago, I decided this was a waste of rather more expensive seed. So module sowing was the answer – and so it was very good germination, no thinning, no loss due to overcrowding.

I use modules about an inch square and one and a half deep; fill with multipurpose compost, dib a hole in each about a third to half an inch deep and sow about six seeds in each module. When the onions are about four inches high (and it takes a good while to reach that size) I plant each module entire, without splitting, about four inches apart.

To get a year-round crop, I usually do three sowings: early-mid March; mid May; late August. The first sowing is rather slow to come to planting size, but is ready for eating in the summer, the last sowing is OK in the tunnel, but might suffer outdoors.
For outdoors I would suggest module sowing in March (under cover if possible), late April, June and/or July.

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Afterthought:

Another widely available Japanese variety is Summer Isle (despite its name)

A good cheaper variety is Cipollotto da mazzi (literally bunching onion) from Seeds of Italy.

Thanks Geoff and Alan

Who would have thought it would be so difficult?

pongeroon wrote:Thanks Geoff and Alan

Who would have thought it would be so difficult?

Very easy when you get used to it and into your stride

I can certainly recommend Ishikura which I have used since finding White Lisbon impossible to grow. I do sow Ishikura in spring but they then stand well into the following winter without growing too large, but I have never tried to keep them going throughout the year.

I've grown the "bunching" onions for years. 25 years ago I was given a bunch by a friend and every year since then I've split them up, replanted and perpetuated them, and they are one of the most useful vegetables I've got in the garden. But strangely, I've never ever seen the seed or the plants sold in garden centres or elsewhere, so I dread losing my stock plants. Luckily so far they seem to have survived all the ice and snow we've had. I've no idea what variety they are, but as long as they just keep coming, I'm happy to remain in ignorance, although I really would like to know.

Hi Primrose

I suspect what you call your "bunching onions" are Allium cepa perutile. I also like to keep these going as a useful standby. You will not find the seeds as the plants do not flower - plants are available on-line from some herb suppliers.
They are not the same as the "bunching onions" I referred to, which are Allium fistulosum

Alan certainly seems to know his onions.

At home here we always save a few shallots back to plant late in a succession and then "murder" them young in lieu of Spring Onions.

At work I struggle with any Spring Onions but seem to get on better with Shimonita..

Clive.

I grow the BC to go with salad rather than Chinese, are these bunching onions just a good for that?
Why is White Lisbon the standard salad onion when it seems none of us can grow it successfully? Is it another of these strains that has deteriorated over the years?

You kindly send me some of your bunching onions about three years ago, Primrose, and they are doing fine. I use them as spring onions but also in lieu of ordinary onions when last year's crop is finished and the overwintering ones not quite ready yet. They do spread nicely, too!

Monika - delighted to know that a little bit of Bucks is still nicely thriving and established in another part of the country!