Scallion / Bunching Onion
Also known as: Green onion · Welsh onion · Allium fistulosum
4 types of scallion / bunching onion
Evergreen Hardy White
65 daysPerennial bunching onion — pure white shanks, hardy to −30°F. Divides forever.
Nabechan
60 daysSweet, mild, tender — the eating scallion. Great raw.
Red Beard
60 daysRed-shanked scallion, gorgeous for market bunches.
Tokyo Long White
70 daysJapanese negi — very long white shanks, prized in ramen and sukiyaki.
When & where
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Direct-sow in dense little rows — you're growing a curtain, not individual plants. Keep evenly moist. Pull whole clumps when pencil-thick, or cut like chives and let regrow. Succession-sow every 3 weeks for a constant supply.
Grower's tip
Perennial types (Welsh onion, He-shi-ko) never bulb — leave a clump in the corner of the bed and harvest for years.
Soil preferences
Loose, well-drained soil — bulbs rot in wet feet.
6.0–7.0
Compost + bone meal or rock phosphate worked into the planting hole.
Watering
Water in at planting, then only during active growth. Let bulbs go dry during dormancy.
Deep watering at the base. Avoid overhead watering after leaves die back.
Overwatered: soft, mushy bulbs at harvest; basal plate rot. Underwatered: small bulbs, thin necks.
Prefers top-watering — Top-water at the soil surface — keep the necks and crowns as dry as possible to prevent basal rot.
Temperature tolerance
60–75°F (15–24°C) during growth
40–60°F (4–15°C)
Hardneck garlic, shallots, and daffodils need a cold winter to bulb properly. Tender bulbs (dahlia, gladiolus) must be lifted in cold zones.
Container growing
Yes — great in containers
8+ in deep, wide enough to space bulbs 2–3× their diameter
Deep pot for tulips and daffodils; shallow bowls for crocus.
Detailed harvesting
For garlic and onion: dig when the bottom 3 leaves brown and top leaves still stand. Loosen with a fork, don't yank. Cure whole plants 2–3 weeks in a warm, airy, shaded spot.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
After curing, trim tops and roots. Store hardneck garlic 4–6 months, softneck 8+ months in a cool (50–60°F), dry, dark spot with airflow. Never in the fridge.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Culinary staple (allium bulbs), cut flowers (tulip, daffodil, lily), forced blooms indoors, or perennial garden color.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Propagate by offset bulblets, not seed — bulbs mature much faster from a clove/bulb than from seed.
Not applicable when replanting clones. Cross-pollinated seed rarely comes true.
Save the biggest, firmest bulbs each year and replant. Over generations you build a locally-adapted strain.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for scallion / bunching onion in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
From your kitchen — grow scallion / bunching onion from what you already have
Grocery scallions regrow indefinitely — one bunch becomes an endless supply.
- 1Cut off the white bases with roots attached (leave 1–2 in of white).
- 2Stand them root-down in a jar with 1 in of water on a sunny windowsill; change water every 2 days.
- 3Green tops regrow within a week. After 2–3 harvests, plant into soil for a stronger crop.
- 4Alternatively, plant directly outdoors 1 in deep, 2 in apart.
Storage: Rotates forever — snip tops, let regrow, snip again.
My Scallion / Bunching Onion notes
Scallion / Bunching Onion seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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