How to Grow Scallions
Allium fistulosum
Scallions are resilient alliums prized for their mild onion flavor and versatility in salads and stir-fries. Gardeners grow them for quick harvests and continuous yields throughout the cool growing season.
📷 Wikipedia: Allium fistulosumStarting Scallions: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Scallions is not usually started indoors.
Scallions are best direct-sown outdoors rather than started indoors and transplanted.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Sow seeds directly outdoors two to six weeks before your last spring frost date, as they tolerate light cold. Press seeds lightly into the soil at a depth of about half an inch. Germination typically occurs within seven to fourteen days.
Space seedlings one to two inches apart once established to ensure good air circulation. These plants do not require trellising or support structures. Water regularly to keep soil consistently moist but avoid waterlogging. Apply a light layer of mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds, feeding lightly if growth seems slow.
Watch for onion flies and fungal issues like downy mildew; practice crop rotation and good airflow to prevent these. Harvest scallions when they reach maturity, usually sixty to seventy days after sowing. Simply cut the green tops at soil level or pull entire plants if bulbs are needed.
When to Plant Scallions
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | June – July | August – September |
| Zone 2 | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 3 | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 11 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | January – February | February – December |
