edenhana

Spring Onion

Quick, low-maintenance allium good for successive small sowings through most of the year.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
5cm
Harvest
Ready in 60-70 days
Difficulty
beginner
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
Multiple bunches per sowing
Cost to grow
~$5 NZD
Grocery value
~$20 NZD
Companion plants
Carrots, Lettuce, Tomatoes
Plants to avoid nearby
Beans, Peas
Common diseases
White rot
Common pests
Thrips

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: January-April and August-December. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: February-April and September-November. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast and Christchurch / Canterbury: February-March and September-November. In Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: February and September-November.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & sowing

    • Quick to germinate; good for successive small sowings through most of the year, unlike most other alliums
    • Sow fine seed shallowly and keep the row consistently moist until shoots appear

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Thin seedlings if sown thickly; the fine, grass-like growth is easily crowded out by weeds early on
    • Needs a full-sun position to establish strongly, since upright growth doesn't compete well in shade

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Thrips can cause silvery streaking on leaves, especially in warm, dry conditions
    • White rot can affect the base of plants in wet or poorly drained soil

  4. Harvest60-70 days from sowing

    • Pull as needed, leaving others to size up for successive picking across multiple bunches
    • White rot can still affect the base of bulbs left too long in wet soil, so lift promptly once ready

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