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What To Sow
Spring onions growing

Photo: Unsplash

Hardy — can tolerate frost

When to plant
spring onions in the UK

Sow a pinch every few weeks and you'll have spring onions all season. Dead easy — one of the best crops for beginners.

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10wto harvest
2cmspacing
5°Cmin soil temp
hardyhardiness
Plan it for your plot

Work out your own dates

Starts from the recommended sow date for your area. Sowed on a different day, or planted out late? Adjust below and the harvest moves with it.

Using the UK-average last frost · 15 April · add your postcode to tune it

Sow18 March
Harvest from27 May

Growing journey

Last frost
Direct sow4w before frost
Harvest6w after frost

10 weeks from sowing to harvest

Get spring onions seeds

Thompson & MorganSarah RavenSuttons

Links may be affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What spring onions need

Sun or partial shade. Any soil. Genuinely unfussy.

Spacing

2cm

2cm between plants · 20cm between rows

Sow thinly in rows and thin to this spacing once seedlings emerge.

the varieties

Varieties worth growing

White Lisbon

common

The dependable one, in every seed catalogue for as long as anyone can remember — quick, reliable and unfussy. Sow a pinch every few weeks and you'll not be without spring onions all season.

in the kitchen

Spring onion pancakes

Chop finely and fold into a simple dough of flour, boiling water and sesame oil, then roll flat and dry-fry in a hot pan until golden and crisp. A Chinese breakfast well worth making your own.

find the seedsThompson & Morgan→Suttons→
White Lisbon— full guide →

Ishikura

uncommon

A Japanese kind that grows long, straight white stems and never forms a bulb. Elegant to look at, clean and mild to taste, and a quiet pleasure to slice evenly.

in the kitchen

Charred spring onions with romesco

Grill whole until charred and soft, serve with a smoky romesco sauce for dipping. The charring brings out sweetness you didn't know spring onions had.

find the seedsThompson & Morgan→Sarah Raven→
Ishikura— full guide →

Apache

uncommon

Red-skinned and mild, with a blush running from bulb to stem. Pretty enough to scatter as a garnish, and good enough to be the main event — a little colour for everything it touches.

in the kitchen

Quick pickle spring onions

Slice on the diagonal, pour over warm rice vinegar with a pinch of sugar and salt. Ready in twenty minutes and brilliant on noodles, rice bowls, or grilled fish.

find the seedsThompson & Morgan→Suttons→
Apache— full guide →

North Holland Blood Red

rare

Deep crimson skin running almost the length of the stem — a heritage Dutch variety grown as much for its colour as for its sweet, mild flavour. It lifts a salad, a stir-fry, a plate, simply by being there.

in the kitchen

Blood red spring onion kimchi

Slice into lengths, toss with gochugaru, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and a pinch of sugar, then pack into a jar and let it ferment for a few days. The crimson deepens, the flavour grows. A quick kimchi, and a beautiful one.

find the seedsThompson & Morgan→Suttons→
North Holland Blood Red— full guide →

When to sow spring onions

Direct sowMarchApril

Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.

Seeds

Where to buy spring onions seeds

Thompson & MorganSarah RavenSuttons

Links may be affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Kit

What you'll need for spring onions

The stuff beginners wish they'd bought sooner.

Module trays (24-cell)Amazon

Each seedling gets its own root space. Less root disturbance when planting out means faster establishment.

More in our equipment guide →

Links go to Amazon. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Get your exact dates

Enter your postcode for personalised planting dates for spring onions.

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