How to grow spring onions

Frost-hardy · Onion family

When to sow and plant

No sourced time window

Based on: average for Germany, last frost 19 April, safe from 6 May

Where the dates come from

The weeks come from our sources; the dates use the average frost in Germany. Enter a German postcode to get dates for your area.

We don’t have a sourced value for this yet.

Good and bad neighbours

Good neighbours · 1

CarrotStudy· B
Carrots grown with Welsh onions had less carrot fly damage and higher yields in a trial.
B: Hint from one study
Carrot

Crop rotation

After the onion family, leave the bed free of it for at least 4 years.

The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.
Example: grown here in 2026, again from 2031.

At a glance

Family: Onion family (Amaryllidaceae)
Frost: Hardy, tolerates frost
Spacing (row × plant): 30–46 × 3 cm (12–18 × 1 in)
Plants per m²: 111.1
Per square foot (30 × 30 cm): 16 plants
Harvest: After 65–75 days from sowing

Questions and answers

How far apart should I plant spring onions?

30–46 × 3 cm (12–18 × 1 in) (row × plant), according to Cornell Home Gardening: Growing Guide Onions.

What grows well next to spring onions?

Carrot: Good neighbour (B).

How long a break do spring onions need in the same bed?

After the onion family, leave the bed free of it for at least 4 years. The same species should go back to the same spot after a break of 3 years at the earliest.

Sources

Show 7 sources

Retrieved on 23 October 2026. Facts in our own words, one source per value.