Spring Onions in Liverpool
Allium cepa
Spring onions are fast-growing, mild-flavoured onions grown for their green stems and small bulbs. They are easy to grow and can be sown in succession for a continuous harvest. Hardy varieties can even be sown in late autumn to overwinter for an early spring crop. Spring onions don't take much space and grow well in containers or between slower-growing vegetables.
Growing Guide
Step-by-step instructions for growing Spring Onion
Planting Calendar
Growing Guide for
Change the guide to see different planting timelines and tips.
Guide for sowing spring onions in autumn to overwinter for an early spring harvest.
1 Sow Seeds in Autumn
August to October is a good time to sow a winter-hardy spring onion variety (e.g. 'White Lisbon') for overwintering. Sow seeds about deep in an open, sunny spot. If autumn weather is dry, keep the seed bed moist to encourage germination before winter sets in.
2 Winter Care
As temperatures drop, ensure the bed is weed-free and protect seedlings in extreme cold. If hard frosts or snow are expected, cover the young plants with fleece or a cloche. Good drainage is important over winter to prevent the onions rotting in waterlogged soil.
3 Thin in Spring
When growth resumes in early spring, thin the overwintered seedlings to apart if they are crowded. Thinning in spring will give the remaining onions space to swell before harvest.
4 Harvest
Overwintered spring onions will be ready to harvest in spring, earlier than spring-sown crops. Pull them up from about March to May once they reach a good size. Enjoy them fresh, as their flavour is best straight from the garden.
Related Plants
Explore similar plants you might like
Pumpkin
Pumpkins are vigorous annual vines grown for their large, colourful autumn fruits. They thrive in warm, sunny conditions and produce long, sprawling stems that can easily run several metres. Pumpkins are frost-tender and need a good, rich soil and consistent watering through summer. With enough warmth and space, they reward you with hard-skinned fruits that store well and are ideal for both cooking and seasonal decoration.
Sprouting Broccoli
Sprouting broccoli is a hardy and nutritious vegetable that produces multiple tender spears with small clusters of purple or white buds, offering repeated harvests in late winter and early spring when fresh produce is scarce. It's easy to grow in the UK, thriving in cool conditions and providing vitamins A, C, and folic acid. Unlike standard broccoli, it focuses on side shoots rather than a single large head, extending the picking season for weeks.
Squash
Squash come in summer and winter types, offering versatile fruits from tender courgette-like harvests to hard-skinned varieties that store through winter. They're vigorous plants that love sun and rich soil, producing colourful, flavourful crops perfect for roasting, soups, or stuffing. With trailing or compact options, there's a squash for every garden size.