[hermon]

i grew some spring onions from seed earlier this year and they have come up but when will they be ready? they are too small at the moment but being called "spring" will i have to wait until next spring untill i can eat them?!  :shock:

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Hermon, I think my spring onions took a couple of months to grow.  I put them in before I went to Kent to see my daughter at the end of May, and I'm just eating them now.  Eating them too quickly too, must make room to put some more in!!!  Also I'm trying to pick so as to leave room for them to grow a bit bigger, if they are crowded, they stay tiny and look like chives!!!!

[Oliver]

Her spring onions are pathetic - they take a year to do anything. She planted White Lisbon like it said on the packet. the following year they were big enough to harvest. Despite water. Her shallots and ordinary onions and Long Red Florence (a lovely onion - can be used as a spring onion, a small shallot or a big shallot) are all 'normal'.
I will tell her to try some spring onions again - You say you are going to put some more in now, so she must too. O

[GrannieAnnie]

A year Oliver??  Autumn planted seed are supposed to be ready for harvesting from March, but this is what Mr Fothergill says about White Lisbon:

Spring Onion 'White Lisbon'
The ideal salad onion. Quick growing with a mild flavour.

When to plant outdoors: March to May or Aug to Sept
How to grow outdoors: Sow in March-May for summer and autumn use or Aug-Sept to overwinter in protected sites. Set seeds 0.5in (1.5cm) deep, in rows 6in (15cm) apart. No thinning is necessary, but keep plants well watered, particularly in dry weather. Spring Onions grow on most soils, but do best on well dug and manured ground. They prefer an open sunny position.

Harvest: March to July

But I'm still going to sow some more seed now, with this weather we've been having, hopefully they won't take too long to grow!!!

[Heather_S]

Mine took a year more or less too in containers, tho. The ones currently coming up at the allotment look equally pathetic. Maybe the world is divided by those who can grow spring onions quick and us lowly people who can only grow them slowly

[GrannieAnnie]

Do you think that's why they call them spring onions?  Doesn't matter when you plant them, they only mature in spring? lol

I must admit, last year, not many grew adn they were pathetic, so perhaps they are making up for it this year.  Like I said, they are not huge, but nice!!!

[Beanzie]

The problem with Spring or Salad onions is that they can be slow to germinate. My own preferred method is to sow a pinch of seed in a small 5cm pot (15 pots to a standard seed tray). This way I can water them from the bottom and they germinate quickly. I then plant out the pot's contents as a small block. I find that they mature quickly in about 8 weeks and each "pot" makes a decent bunch of spring onions.

[Oliver]

Thank you Beanzie - that will cheer her up no end. I will get her to do that tomorrow and will keep you posted!  

[John]

That's a great tip, Beanzie - I'll try that one. Thanks
I like North Holland Blood Red spring onions - they're nice as spring onions but if you just leave them they bulb up as well. Excellent 'kick' as well.

[Oliver]

The problem with Spring or Salad onions is that they can be slow to germinate. My own preferred method is to sow a pinch of seed in a small 5cm pot (15 pots to a standard seed tray). This way I can water them from the bottom and they germinate quickly. I then plant out the pot's contents as a small block. I find that they mature quickly in about 8 weeks and each "pot" makes a decent bunch of spring onions.

Thank you Beanzie. She can't believe it! You wrote the above in 4th July. On that very day she sowed some White Lisbon in 9 small pots and they are now as big as chives. It must be something to do with proper watering, because this is what they have had. In the plot it is very erratic - watering cans are not really the answer.

So, will plant them out and report again in about 8 weeks! Thank You. O

[Beanzie]

Thanks John, I'll need to search out your Blood Red onion for that extra bite.

In the past I've used White Lisbon or Guardsman.

[Oliver]

Spring or Salad onions is that they can be slow to germinate.

Humph. Having germinated and grown as big as very small chives, and raised her hopes, they have now settled back to a go slow.  never mind.  they will continue to be monitored!

[Beanzie]

8 weeks Oliver, 8 weeks  

[noshed]

Mine have been rubbish this year too - I'm sure it's lack of water. I'll try the pot method because you can never have too many spring onions in our house.

[BillinPA]

Hi All,
I think the term "Spring Onion" confuses everyone.  The term Spring Onion refers to the picking of an immature onion plant, that has not yet started to bulb up - usually in the "Spring".

If started from seed they will take longer to get to the "Spring Onion" stage.  If started from plants (bought or started indoors) it will take less time to the "Spring" stage and if started from "Sets" (small bulbs bought or wintered over from privious years seed starts) it should take even less time to the "Spring" stage.

Even, regular watering is a must for onions, Spring or otherwise.  Not enough water and they will be stressed, wilt and mature poorly - too much water and they will tend to get root rot, or go all to stem and not bulb up.  They also prefer loose or sandy laom soils.

Also, most onion varieties prefer cooler weather in their developmental stages and tend bolt or die-over in hot dry weather.

I'm impatient - so I usually go for the onion sets (bought) and usually get "Spring onions" within a couple weeks after planting.

Good luck and happy Onion breath to all!!