How to grow Green Onion
Updated October 2026
Green onions, also called scallions or bunching onions, are among the easiest crops to grow: slim, mild onions harvested for their white shanks and green tops before any bulb forms. They are hardy, grow in as little as five hours of sun, and can be sown most of the year in mild areas. True bunching onions (Allium fistulosum) never form bulbs and regrow after cutting.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Green Onion
Not to be confused with: Bunching onions (Allium fistulosum) never form a bulb. Any young bulb onion pulled early can also be eaten as a green onion. Chives are a separate perennial herb with thin, hollow leaves.
Where to plant
Grow green onions in loose, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun, though they will grow with as little as five hours of direct sun a day. Keep the bed weeded, as onions compete poorly with weeds.
Green onions are hardy and handle heavy spring frosts. Rotate them away from beds where onions, garlic or leeks had white rot.
- Florida and the Gulf South: sow from fall through early spring. In Central and South Florida, almost any month from September to March.
- Texas and the Desert Southwest: sow in late winter to spring and again from late summer.
- California: sow in late winter to spring and again in fall.
- Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains: sow in early spring and again in September.
- Northeast, Midwest, Mountain West, Northern Plains and the Pacific Northwest: sow as soon as the soil can be worked in spring and again in late summer. Hardy bunching onions often overwinter.
- Hawaii: sow through most of the year. Alaska: sow in May or June.
Choosing a variety
Bunching onion varieties such as Evergreen Hardy White, White Spear and Parade stay slim, never bulb, and are the best choice for repeat harvests. You can also use thinnings from bulb onion rows, or plant onion sets close together and pull them young.
How to plant
- Sow seed thickly 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep and cover lightly with fine soil, in rows about 12 inches apart or in a block.
- Keep the surface moist until the grass-like seedlings emerge, about 7 to 14 days.
- Thin to about 2 inches apart; the thinnings are your first green onions.
- For a faster start, plant sets 1 inch deep with the pointed end up, or start seed indoors about 8 weeks before planting out.
- Sow a short row every few weeks for a steady supply.
Watering and feeding
Keep the soil evenly moist; onions have shallow roots, and dry soil makes the stems tough and hot.
Onions have a high need for nutrients. Work compost or fertilizer into the bed before sowing and side-dress lightly with nitrogen if the tops are pale.
Harvesting
Pull green onions when they are about pencil thick, roughly 1/4 inch across, or larger if you like. Loosen the soil first so the stems do not snap.
For bunching types, you can instead cut the leaves an inch or two above the soil and let the roots regrow for several more cuts. Store green onions wrapped in a damp towel in the fridge for about a week.
Growing in pots
Green onions grow well in pots and window boxes at least 6 inches deep. Sow thickly and cut as needed. The white root ends of store-bought green onions will also regrow leaves for a while in a pot or a glass of water.
Using it
Slice green onions raw over salads, tacos, noodles, soups and eggs, or cook them in stir-fries, pancakes and grilled whole. The white part is stronger; the green tops are milder.
Companion planting
Green onions are slim and quick, so they fit between many other crops. Keep them apart from peas and beans.
Good companions
- Carrot A classic pairing of slim crops that share a bed well.
- Lettuce A cool-season crop that fits between rows of onions.
- Tomato Green onions fit around the base of tomato plants without competing much.
Keep apart
Avoid planting these close to green onion.
- Bush Beans Onion-family crops are traditionally said to hold back beans; grow them in separate beds.
- Peas Traditionally kept apart from onion-family crops for the same reason.
Pests and diseases
Thrips and onion maggots are the main pests. Good drainage and rotation keep diseases down.
Pests to watch for
- Thrips Silvery streaks and flecks on the leaves, worst in hot, dry weather.
- Onion maggot Wilting, yellowing seedlings with small white maggots in the base, mainly in the North in cool, wet springs; cover with row cover.
Diseases to watch for
- Downy mildew Pale, elongated patches on leaves with gray-violet fuzz in cool, damp weather.
- White rot Leaves yellow and collapse, with white fluffy growth and tiny black specks at the base. Do not grow onion-family crops in that bed again.
Common questions
What is the difference between green onions, scallions and spring onions?
In the US, green onions and scallions mean the same thing: slim onions harvested before a bulb forms. Spring onions usually have a small bulb starting at the base. True bunching onions never form a bulb.
Do green onions grow back after cutting?
Bunching onions do. Cut the leaves an inch or two above the soil and leave the roots, and they regrow for several more harvests. Pulled onions do not regrow unless you replant the root ends.
When should I harvest green onions?
When they are about pencil thick, roughly 1/4 inch across, usually 60 to 80 days from seed. They can be pulled larger if you like a stronger flavor.
Can I regrow green onions from the store?
Yes, for a while. Stand the white root ends in a glass of water or plant them in a pot, and new green tops will grow. Planted in soil, they last longer.
When should I plant green onions?
In early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, and again in late summer. In Florida and the Gulf South, sow from fall through early spring. Choose your region at the top of the page for the months.
Sources we checked: University of Maryland Extension: Onions; University of Minnesota Extension: Growing scallions in home gardens; UC Cooperative Extension: Green onions; Johnny's Selected Seeds: White Spear bunching onion.
More guides for green onion
Loading sow calendar…