I am all the time on the look out for edibles which are tremendous productive and worthwhile in very small areas. A brand new one (for me, not less than) so as to add to the record is spring onions / scallions. To get a superb harvest they have to be sown shut – try the video under for a extra visible account of my journey with spring onions!
Scallions / spring onions are a wonderful crop to develop in containers at residence. You may come out and choose nonetheless many you want, everytime you need. That is infinitely higher, for my part, than shopping for a bunch from the grocery store. Not solely is the flavour and texture superior, however I typically solely want 2 or 3 for a dish. So, if I purchase them, I not often use a complete bunch in a single go, and the remaining languish within the fridge. After I choose them contemporary, I additionally love how the stalks are a bit squeaky when lower! For us, they’re a vital ingredient in lots of salads and stir fries – so we frequently eat them two or thrice per week.
The advantages of shut spacing
Prior to now, when rising spring onions in containers, I spaced them about 1 – 2 cm (1/2 to 1 inch) aside. They did high quality, and every pot gave just a few bunches. However they weren’t notably productive.
This yr, I believed I’d see if they are going to develop extra productively in a container if sown shut collectively, after which ‘thinned’ (the small ones picked out) as they develop. The primary few pickings appeared and tasted a bit like chives. We added these to salads they usually have been scrumptious. Then got here small, tender spring onions, and eventually a gentle provide of full sized spring onions.
I’m undecided precisely what number of bunches I picked. I took images of every choosing after I had time and remembered, however I do know I missed just a few alongside the best way (together with a number of earlier than 29 June). Listed below are those I photographed. Not unhealthy from one (not very large) pot!
These are the spring onion / scallion harvests from the one small pot over a number of weeks. I photographed most of them after I had time – however there have been just a few I missed.
Right now, practically 20 weeks later, I nonetheless have just a few left! They’ve now have giant tasty, onion bulbs, however thinner and barely much less tender (however nonetheless edible) stems.
Todays’s harvest on 15 September, about 20 weeks after sowing. And nonetheless just a few extra left!
The conclusion? When you like spring onions / scallions, shut sowing may give you a daily provide over many weeks. All in all, a wonderful and productive option to benefit from a small area!
Take a look at the Video
Your Flip
Would love to listen to from you should you already develop spring onions like this – of should you give it a go, please do share your expertise within the feedback. I might even be actually to be taught if there are every other crops you discover are very productive in a single smallish pot?