Scallions
are vegetables of
various Allium onion species. Scallions have a milder taste
than most onions. Their close relatives include
the garlic, shallot, leek, chive, and chinese
onion.
Although the bulbs of
many Allium species are used as food, the defining
characteristic of scallion species is that they lack a fully
developed bulb. In common with all Allium species,
scallions have hollow, tubular green leaves, growing directly from
the bulb. These leaves are used as a vegetable; they are eaten either
raw or cooked. The leaves are often chopped into other dishes, in the
manner of onions or garlic.Also known as scallions or green onions,
spring onions are in fact very young onions, harvested before the
bulb has had a chance to swell.
Prepare
a planting bed.
Choose
a spot in your yard or garden that gets full sun and has soil that
drains well. Till the dirt to a depth of 12 inches and work in
compost, blood meal or another organic material to enrich the soil
with nutrients. This will ensure that the green onions grow strong
and healthy, and continue to produce shoots throughout the growing
season.
-
Be sure rocks, sticks and weeds are cleared away before you till and
work the soil.
-
You can till the soil using a garden rake if you're working with a
small patch. For a bigger area, buy or rent a soil tiller to make the
job easier.
-
If you just want a few green onions, you can prepare a pot with a
compost-rich potting soil instead of planting them in the ground.
Plant
the seeds or sets
As
soon as the soil is workable, about four weeks before the last frost,
it's time to plant the seeds or sets you have ready. If you have
seeds, sow them thickly about 1/2 inch deep in rows spaced 1 foot
(0.3 m) apart. If you have sets, plant them root-side down 2
inches apart and 1 inch deep, in rows 1 foot (0.3 m) apart.
Water the garden bed thoroughly.
-
The onion seeds will germinate when the soil is anywhere between 65
to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (18.33 to 30 degrees Celsius). It may take
up to a month for onion seeds to germinate.
-
If you live in a cold climate with a late spring, you can start the
seeds indoors about eight weeks before the last frost. Plant the
seeds in peat seed starter pots and keep them well-watered. Put them
in a warm, sunny room to during the germination period. When the
ground outside is warm enough to work with, transplant the seedlings
to the garden or a larger pot.
Thin
the plants if necessary
When
the first green shoots begin poking up, determine whether to thin
them to give them each a bit more room. Green onions grow well in
bunches, but for best results the mature plants should be spaced 2 to
3 inches apart. Take a look at your garden bed and remove weaker
seedlings if necessary.
Mulch between the seedlings
Cover
the soil around the seedlings with grass clippings, pine straw or
fine pieces of bark. This will prevent weeds from growing and keep
the soil evenly moist.
-
If you're growing your green onions in a pot, you can skip this step,
since weeds won't be an issue and you can more easily control the
moisture level.
Keep
them well watered
Green
onions need evenly moist soil throughout the growing season. Provide
the onion plants with about 1 inch of water per week. For optimal
plant growth, the soil does not need to be soggy, but it should be
moist. Water the garden bed every few days, or when it begins to look
dry and dusty.
-
Another way to determine whether the onions need watering is to test
the soil conditions. Insert your finger, up to the second knuckle, in
the soil close to where the plant is. If you feel that the soil is
dry, water it. If you think the soil is wet enough, don't worry about
watering, and repeat the test again in a few days. If your area has
received rain recently, you may not need to water.
Harvest
the green onions when they have matured
After
three to four weeks, the green shoots will be 6 to 8 inches long and
ready to eat. Harvest them by pulling the entire plant from the
ground. The plant will not yet have formed a bulb. Both the white and
green parts of the onion are flavorful.
-
If you want to let some of the plants mature into storage onions,
simply leave them in the ground. The bottom of the plants will begin
to form a bulb, which will be ready for harvest in the fall.
-
If you only want to use the green part of the onions, and not the
white part close to the roots, you can use a pair of scissors to
simply cut off the green tops. Leave an inch or two of growth. The
onions will continue to grow, and you can harvest the greens again
once they're 6 to 8 inches long. Note that they will become
stronger-tasting as the plant matures.
