When to plant Spring Onions in the UK

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
Sow outdoors August to September, harvest March to May.
ActivityJanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Sow outdoorsNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesNoNoNo
HarvestNoNoYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNoNoNo

UK averages · set your town for dates worked out from your local frost records · how dates are worked out

Growing guide

What to do through the growing season

Dates for your town

Set your town to see planting windows worked out from local frost history, not a generic UK calendar.

Growing guide for the UK

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

    late August to mid-September UK average · set your town for your exact dates

    Sow a winter-hardy variety, such as White Lisbon Winter Hardy, from late August to mid-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

    late October to early March UK average · set your town for your exact dates

    Keep the bed weed-free through late October to early March. Cover with fleece or a cloche in hard frost. The soil must drain well, or plants rot.

  3. 03

    Thin in Spring

    early April to early May UK average · set your town for your exact dates

    When growth resumes, around early April to early May, thin to apart if the row is crowded.

  4. 04

    Harvest

    early March to mid-May UK average · set your town for your exact dates Dates as each sowing reaches this stage

    Pull overwintered spring onions from early March once they are pencil-thick. Keep picking through mid-May. 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.