Green onions (Allium fistulosum) or Scallions are the most popular vegetables. It is the immature onion that is harvested before the bulb matures. Green onion is specifically cultivated for the unique flavors and smell of its stems and bulbs. It can add flavor to dishes and salads. Growing green onion from the seeds is a creative job. It is not difficult to grow green onions from the seed but it takes little care and maintenance. In this article, you will learn about how to grow green onions from seed.
| It is hard to imagine civilization without Onions |
Green onions know-how
| Common Name | Green onion, scallions |
| Botanical Name | Allium fistulosum |
| Family | Amaryllidaceae |
| Genus | Allium |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Plant type | Perennial |
| Origin | Asia |
| Color | Green |
| soil | Sandy loam |
| Planting time | Early spring |
| Harvesting | 60 to 80 days after sowing |
How to Grow Green Onions from seed?
Green onions are also known as scallions. Do you know how bell peppers are important for your health? It is essential to get you to know. scallions are weight loss-friendly vegetables that improve your blood circulation. Always add scallions to your diet. Scallions contain vitamin K. it helps your blood clot and keep your blood strong. Moreover, it contains sulfur and antioxidants that reduce the risk of cancer. Scallions have a white bulb that is not fully developed and green stalks. Therefore, both the white and the green parts are used in recipes and eaten both raw and cooked.
Scallions are a popular ingredient in American and Asian cooking and are often used as a garnish in a variety of recipes. It adds tasty flavors and fragrance to your dishes. It can be grown from seeds and scraps. You can grow green onions in your home or garden. keep reading, in this article, you will learn about the planting of green onions from the seeds.
Varieties of Green Onions
There are several green onions varieties are grown in the world. The most popular varieties are given below.
- Nabechan: This is a Japanese variety known for its flavors.
- Red Beard: It is easy to grow and has purple-red stalks.
- Guardsman: This is the most popular variety of green onions and is ready to harvest after 60 days of planting.
- Tokyo Long White: This is a most flavorful perennial variety with long, slender stalks.
The basic requirement for Planting green onions
It is pretty easy to grow green onions from the seeds. It requires little care and attention. Here is the following step that will help you grow green onions from the seeds.
Sun
Green onion requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight on most days. It can also thrive well in partially shaded locations.
Soil
Green onion requires sandy loam, well-drained, rich in nutrient soil to grow well. Therefore, add organic compost to increase its fertility and drainage. Moreover, it prefers neutral or slightly acidic soil.
Water
Green onions require consistently moist soil. Hence keep watering, before the soil becomes dry. It has a shallow roots system, so regular watering is a must to keep the soil moist. Do not over-water that will lead to rot or other diseases.
Prepare the Site for Plantation
Green onions can be planted either in a garden bed or in a pot indoors. But it should be placed at least 6 hours in sunlight. Therefore, prepare raised bed in your yard and add organic compost to the soil to increase its fertility.
Seed Sowing
Sow green onion seeds directly where they are to grow or into pots of potting soil to transplant later on. Before sowing, mark out a drill about half an inch deep in the soil. Sow the seeds thinly along the rows, cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Water them thoroughly to keep the soil moist. When the seedlings are about one to two inches tall, use shears to thin the seedlings so that there is one scallion every two inches. Provide space between the plants because green onions are heavy feeders. They compete with each other for nutrients. 
Otherwise, you can grow green onions on a plug tray. It is the best option to grow scallions on a plug tray because it keeps the required space between the plants. However, add potting mix into the plug tray and sow the seeds. After sowing, cover the seeds and water them thoroughly. Keep the soil moist until the seeds sprout.
If you plant the seeds in the garden then sow the seeds about ¼ inch deep and space the plants about 2 to 3 feet apart in rows. On the other hand, seedlings require the same distance between the plants. You can transplant the seedlings in larger containers after seedlings appear.
Fertilizer
Green onions are heavy feeders. They take a lot of nutrients to grow well. Therefore, use balanced fertilizers to increase the fertility of the soil. Otherwise, you can use a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen, such as fish emulsion, which will keep them green and growing.
How to plant green onions from the scraps?
It is not difficult to grow green onions from the scraps but it takes a little maintenance. If you want to grow scallions from the scraps or cuttings then the following things you keep in mind before planting.
- Choose healthy cuttings with at least 2 to 3 inches at the bottom of the stems.
- Fill the jar with tap water and put the scraps in water.
- Place the jar near the sunny windowsills.
- Change the water after 3 to 4 days when it turns dark.
- After 3 weeks, you will see new roots development from the base of stems.
- When roots developed the shoots grow upward.
- You can transplant the seedlings when they are easy to handle.
Harvesting of Green Onions
Green onions are mild when they are young. You can start harvesting when the plants reach about 6 to 8 inches tall. You can cut the leaves for cooking. On the other hand, you can harvest the whole plant by pulling it out of the soil. Avoid harvesting, if you are growing green onions as a perennial crop. This will help the plants to become more established and produce a bountiful crop. You can place fresh leaves in the refrigerator for about one week.
How to harvest green onions seeds?
If you want to harvest the green onions seeds, it is quite simple. Avoid cutting the stalks of some plants, until they produce round, fluffy flowers at the top of the plants. When the flowers become mature, carefully snip off the flowers, and put them in the bag to dry. Once the flowers are completely dry, shake the bag to get the seeds loose from the flowers.
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