When to plant Spring Onions in Birmingham

Allium cepa

Spring Onion
Spring Onion · Allium cepa

Spring onions are a fast salad onion for the UK garden. Sow little and often through spring and summer, or sow a winter-hardy variety to pick next spring. They take little space and grow well in pots.

30 cm · Full Sun · Moderate Water

Add to garden

Calibrated to Birmingham · average last frost around 27 Apr

Sow outdoors September, harvest March to May. Typical frost risk October to April.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Sow outdoorsNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNo
HarvestNoNoYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNo

Growing guide

What to do through the growing season

Growing guide for

Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.

Sow a winter-hardy variety in autumn and overwinter it for an early spring harvest.

  1. 01

    Sow Seeds in Autumn

    5 Sept to 25 Sept

    Sow a winter-hardy variety, such as White Lisbon Winter Hardy, from 5th September - 25th September. Sow deep in an open, sunny spot. If the weather is dry, keep the seedbed moist so they germinate before winter.

  2. 02

    Winter Care

    30 Oct to 9 Mar 2028

    Keep the bed weed-free through 30th October - 9th March 2028. Cover with fleece or a cloche in hard frost. The soil must drain well, or plants rot.

  3. 03

    Thin in Spring

    28 Mar to 27 Apr 2028

    When growth resumes, around 28th March - 27th April 2028, thin to apart if the row is crowded.

  4. 04

    Harvest

    9 Mar to 23 May 2028 Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Pull overwintered spring onions from 9th March 2028 once they are pencil-thick. Keep picking through 23rd May 2028. They are ready earlier than spring-sown rows. Use them fresh.

Companion plants

Tap a plant to see why it works (or doesn't) with Spring Onion.

Good companions

Plants to avoid

Why companion planting matters

Companion planting can deter pests, improve pollination, and make better use of space. Some plants confuse pests or attract beneficial insects; others improve soil or offer shade to neighbours that need it.

Spring Onion guides by town

See how Spring Onion timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.