A little larger than chives and closely related to the common onion, the bunching onion (Allium fistulosum) is grown for its delicate, finely flavoured leaves: raw in mixed salads, or cooked into sauces and omelettes. Its root system is so shallow that any container will hold enough soil, provided you give it full sun and reasonably rich ground.
| Name | Allium fistulosum |
|---|---|
| Family | Alliaceae |
| Type | Herbs and spices, perennial |
| Height | 8 to 20 inches (20 to 50 cm) |
| Exposure | Full sun |
| Soil | Rich enough |
| Harvest | Late spring to mid-autumn |
Easy to grow, it is part of the same family as garlic, onion or shallot.
Prepare for sowing directly in the plot starting from the month of March, when the worst of the winter colds are over, or wait for the end of April or even May.
Upon sowing, it is beneficial to amend your soil with compost or soil mix in order to spur the plant’s growth.
An excellent advantage of spring onion is that the root system is very shallow. Any container, even an old, leaking bird bath, will hold enough soil for it to thrive!
Bunching onion can be started from seed or simply split from an established clump, and the date you choose decides how long the picking lasts. Here are the options the article describes, side by side.
| Method | When | What it gives |
|---|---|---|
| Direct sowing in the plot | Early spring, once the worst colds are over, or mid to late spring | The main crop, sown where it is to grow |
| Staged sowing | Mid-spring to midsummer | Picking spread out until mid-autumn |
| Leaf harvest | From three months after sowing, throughout growth | Leaves for salads, sauces and omelettes |
Sowing little and often is what keeps a bunch on the kitchen table right through to mid-autumn.
Very closely related to common onion, both through its appearance and through its delicate and fine taste, bunching onion is a fabulous herb that is easy to grow. It’s a bit larger than chives.
It is called Welsh onion in some regions, but various species exist that are either “white” or “common red”.
It’s a very healthy spice to add to your menu. For instance, this allium even bolsters chances of resisting cancer.
Harvest the leaves throughout the entire growing phase of the plant (as early as 3 months after sowing).
To harvest white bunching onion as long as possible, stage the sowing in time, from April to July.
