When to plant Spring Onions in Cambridge
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
Calibrated to Cambridge · average last frost around 7 May
| Activity | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Harvest | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
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.
01
Sow Seeds in Autumn
25 Aug to 14 SeptSow a winter-hardy variety, such as White Lisbon Winter Hardy, from 25th August - 14th September. Sow deep in an open, sunny spot. If the weather is dry, keep the seedbed moist so they germinate before winter.
02
Winter Care
19 Oct to 26 Feb 2028Keep the bed weed-free through 19th October - 26th February 2028. Cover with fleece or a cloche in hard frost. The soil must drain well, or plants rot.
03
Thin in Spring
7 Apr to 7 May 2028When growth resumes, around 7th April - 7th May 2028, thin to apart if the row is crowded.
04
Harvest
26 Feb to 12 May 2028 Dates as each sowing reaches this stagePull overwintered spring onions from 26th February 2028 once they are pencil-thick. Keep picking through 12th 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.
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Calabrese
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Spring Onion guides by town
See how Spring Onion timing shifts in other towns with different frost dates.