Spring  onions are very easy to grow and they do not need deep soil. because of this, winter crops can be grown in a greenhouse for harvest all year round. For summer harvest, sow between February and April, but be mindful of late frosts like this year.

I am sowing my Spring onions indoors to start with as it says on the packet, to keep them healthy and frost free.

My Spring Onion Diary

13th April 2013 – Day 1 - I have planted a couple of individual seeds in each pot in moist compost about 1 cm deep as it says on the packet and labelling on a white potting stick. The conservatory is giving it the warm, light conditions that it needs. I am watering every couple of days as it is very sunny at the moment, but only to make the soil damp, not saturated.

21st April 2013 – Day 8 – I am pleased to see that one or two seedlings have appeared in many of the pots in the tray. I am watering them directly into the pots every other day, but now they have sprouted, I will put the water into the tray holding it. 

27th April 2013 – Day 14 - The seedlings are doing really well and are about 6cm in height, a little taller than my onions. They are definitely far too fragile at the moment to plant out or repot, so I will see what they are like in another week as they are at roughly the same stage as the onions. 

6th May 2013 – Day 23 - What a difference in thickness and strength. I think they are ready to split and plant out along with the onions in the same lovely sunny location in well rained, fine soil. I made a small trench about 3 inches deep and rows about 20 cm apart and spread some compost in the bottom.  Then I took each pot and split the two in each to plant out, covering the roots over carefully with the soil. I set the hose to a gentle sprinkle to water them and will have to water them regularly in this warm, sunny weather.