How To Grow Spring Onions In Garden?

by Mark Joseph
how to grow spring onions

Spring onions are fast-growing crops. The guide is all about how to grow spring onions. They belong from the family of onions. It does not have a big bulb on the bottom. The crop has green leaves on the top with a white stem. They grow in bunches and can be grown throughout the years. Most of us confuse them with scallions. They are not the same. Spring onions have a pungent taste in comparison to scallions. But the taste is milder than any other onion type.

The best time for growing the spring onions is in summer. You can enjoy this vegetable in salads as you can eat them raw. They give a crunch to it. When eaten raw, your taste buds will have a touch of spiciness. But when you cook them, the taste changes to sweet, and it becomes tender. This vegetable is also known as a companion plant. It has a nice scent. You can grow these with other vegetables or herbs to cover their smell. Also, it helps to confuse the insects for which they leave the place. This way, you can save other vegetables from getting destroyed by the insects.

Steps on how to grow spring onions

How to grow spring onions? It is not a difficult task. Many gardening books do not even cover this vegetable as they are very easy to grow. Anyone can grow them in garden or lawn. There are different methods you can follow.

Location

This plant needs a lot of sunlight. You need to find a place where the plants will receive abundant sunlight. It is good if there is little shade as there are chances the plant may get burned due to too much direct heat.  Also, an excellent drainage facility is needed. This will help by not stocking excess water around the vegetable. If the area is flooded with water, then the vegetable may start to rot. This may lead to a complete waste of both your time and resources.

Preparing the soil

Spring onions grow almost anywhere. After selecting your location, you should start to prepare the soil. It is important that you break the soil in which you are growing the vegetable. They need loosened soil that helps them to drain minerals and water in them. It is best to avoid clay-based or dense or heavy soil. They may not grow in a proper way. The day you are going to sow the onions, break the soil with a trowel. Also, you can do this by raking the place for a few weeks before planting.

How to grow the spring onions in the best way is to add fertilizers? This vegetable needs rich soil. You can use general fertilizer, but it is wise to use organic ones. The organic ones will help you with not contaminating your garden with chemicals. Also, general fertilizers might have side-effects, which may turn harmful for your health. Put the fertilizer inside while digging the soil to break it.

It is important to check the pH of the soil. To grow in a proper way, the spring onions need a pH within the range of 6 to 7.5. If not maintained, then the plants will get damaged. There are many soil testing kits in the market which you can use to test the soil. Or you can use a litmus paper to check how much acidic the alkaline based the soil is. If the soil is alkaline, you can always increase the pH by putting some lime. And if the soil is acidic, you can always decrease the pH by digging in more compost or manure.

how to grow onions

Method 1:

You can grow from the seeds. The best time for sowing the seed is from March to July. At that time, the climate is moderate. Not too cold or not too hot. This is the best time for the seed to germinate in a proper manner. Wait till the winter is around the end, and summer is just starting. Do not wait too long as the climate will be hotter afterward. When the time is appropriate, dig the ground but not more than 1/2 inch (1.5 centimeters) deep. The space between each digging should be 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) apart. Try creating rows.

Place the seeds inside. Then cover them with soil. The soil should be placed loosely. It helps to protect the plants from insects and birds. If you do not want to go through the digging process, you can always scatter the seeds over the soil. After this, you rake them before covering with soil. If you want to grow on a different season, then sow seeds that support the winter season. The process is the same, but these seeds will take a longer time to grow.

Method 2:

Growing from sets is another method you can follow. You may plant your sets around March to July, depending on the climate condition. The climate must be moderate, not too cold or hot. When the time is right, dig small holes. The space between each hole should be 1 inch, which is 2.5 centimeters apart. The small holes should be big enough to put a single bulb inside. You can do rows. The row should have a space between 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters).

Put the bulb in each hole. You should place the head of the bulb upwards. It is important to place it in the right way. This is because the stems will grow upwards from the head. The stems are the part that you will eat. After placing the bulb, put some extra soil around it. This helps the plant to hold its position. You should not cover the head part as it needs sunlight to grow. If covered, it will not receive any sunlight. And after some time, the plant will die.

how to grow onions in garden

Caring and harvesting tips

  • You may water them when the soil is dry and cracked. You do not need extra watering if the climate is moderate as they can absorb water from the ground.
  • Always stay aware of weeds. The vegetable may find it difficult to compete with weeds. Clear the area that has weeds. It will help the vegetables to grow in a strong way.
  • You can use a mulch to keep the ground moist. It will not dry in summer. Also, it prevents the weed from getting close to the plants. Avoid covering the plants with mulch. Place the mulch around them.
  • You can always use liquid fertilizers for providing better nutrients to the plants.
  • Check the plants to see whether they are having pest problems or not. You may apply organic pesticides to get rid of them.
  • As soon as the spring onions reach 6 inches, you can start to harvest them. But do not pick them before that.
  • If you have planted by sets, the bulbs will shrink in the time of harvesting.
  • There are chances that the bulbs may decay. Cut the decayed part and after harvesting and throw it away.

Final words

After reading the article, it must have become easier for you to understand how to grow spring onions. They are tasty, crispy vegetables that you can use almost in any dining time. If you do not have a garden, you can plant them in pots using the above techniques with a slight variation. You can do kitchen gardening, which makes your kitchen look gorgeous. Also, you will always have fresh spring onions which are ready for cooking.

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