Spring onions - a lesson in patience

[sewer rat]

Spring Onions / Scallions, call 'em what you want but I have never been able to grow them in any of the gardens I have had in the past. This year, in the field, sowed them on ridges beside garlic and maincrop onions, no further treatment of any kind other than the odd vain attempt at keeping the ridge tops clear of weeds, and they have been brilliant.

[clckwork]

Hi folks.

I planted some White Lisbon out into the ground some months ago and they are now mostly only about 2" tall and very spindly. Put some into modules in a tray in the greenhouse about 6 weeks ago and they have come on to about a foot tall now. Have now just put them in the ground too so will have to see what happens to them.

John

[Siskin]

Thought it was just me with my spindly spring onions; mine are so tiny you could mistake them for grass or weeds When everything else is just about ready for harvesting in my garden, these onions are just beginning to grow, despite being planted in march

[Headfry]

Mine have started to grow- about 2" tall but the tips of the leaves are yellowing, they dont seem to be growing, if any thing they seem to be 'un' growing .....help please
HF

[Cutecumber]

Keep them on the dry side when they are small. Don't let them sit in wet soil or compost - mine definitely hate the wet.

Try watering (but only when they need it) with quite dilute seaweed solution. Keep that up for a while. I reckon if there's some minor nutrient that they are not getting, this could help. I am assuming, here, that the media they are grown in is fairly ordinary soil or compost with no massive nutrient imbalance. pH, if you can check it, should be neutral to alkaline.

They are certainly slow starters, and apparently won't be rushed in their early stages.

If in doubt, just stop looking at them - it works for me!

[Headfry]

Thanks Cutecumber! will try the seaweed next year. They are just about, growing in soil.
The 'boys' on the plot next door have fantastic spring onions!!!!!

[moggssue]

Maybe then Cutecumber and Headfry spring onions are just shy!!?!

[Cutecumber]

Nope, stubborn. Definitely stubborn.

[veg4681]

I've too have had a very frustrating time with spring onion. I'm on my 4th attempt of trying to grow spring onions and this time I ought to know better.

1st batch I stupidly used the outdated seeds I had in stock so there you go. Wasted too much time waiting for them to come around.

2nd batch, got killed off by the intense heat when I stupidly covered the pot with a clear plastic box.

3rd batch started off on the window sill but they were too 'fragile' that when I tried to transplant them to my veggie bed, they broke...lost my temper and threw away the whole lot.

4th batch, started them off in a pot outside so that they'll be hardened enough but with no intention of transplanting. Will leave them in the pot till they fatten up and ready for eating. Hopefully this time I'll get some spring onions.

Once you've had a successful decent looking spring onion, you leave the bulbs intact, they can grow year after year like a weed, almost.