When to plant Spring Onions in Nottingham

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 Nottingham · average last frost around 20 Apr

Sow outdoors September to October, harvest March to May. Typical frost risk November to April.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Sow outdoorsNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesNoNo
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

    13 Sept to 3 Oct

    Sow a winter-hardy variety, such as White Lisbon Winter Hardy, from 13th September - 3rd October. 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

    7 Nov to 17 Mar 2028

    Keep the bed weed-free through 7th November - 17th March 2028. Cover with fleece or a cloche in hard frost. The soil must drain well, or plants rot.

  3. 03

    Thin in Spring

    21 Mar to 20 Apr 2028

    When growth resumes, around 21st March - 20th April 2028, thin to apart if the row is crowded.

  4. 04

    Harvest

    17 Mar to 31 May 2028 Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Pull overwintered spring onions from 17th March 2028 once they are pencil-thick. Keep picking through 31st 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.