How to grow scallion (green onion)
Family Amaryllidaceae. Hardy to USDA hardiness zone 3a+ (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Full sun to part shade. Ready in 60-80 days.
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Spacing
2-3 in
Days to harvest
60-80 days
Hardiness
Zone 3a+
What growers actually recorded
Loading zone 7b results…
When to plant scallion (green onion)
- Start indoors: ~8 weeks before last frost.
- Transplant out: ~-3 weeks after last frost.
- Direct sow: ~-3 weeks after last frost.
Companion plants for scallion (green onion)
Plant with: Carrot, Lettuce, Tomato.
Avoid near: Bean, Pea.
Common pests & problems
Thrips, onion maggot.
Feeding & fertilizer
N-P-K ratio: Moderate N + high P (5-10-10)
Organic options: Compost + bone meal at planting · Fish emulsion monthly through spring · Stop feeding as bulbs swell
When to feed: Feed through spring leaf growth, then stop once tops start to yellow so bulbs cure hard.
Watch for: Thick, soft necks = too much late nitrogen; bulbs won't store.
N = nitrogen (leaves), P = phosphorus (roots and flowers), K = potassium (fruit and disease resistance). How to read a fertilizer label →
Grower's tip
Sow thickly in a band and harvest by pulling every other plant: the rest fill in the gap.
When to plant scallion (green onion) in your zone
Free month-by-month sowing and transplanting lists, built from frost dates for your USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone.
Soil & water for scallion (green onion)
Soil & pH
6.0-7.0
Loose, fertile, well-drained loam. Shallow-rooted and fast-growing compared to bulbing onions.
Compost lightly; scallions are quick enough that heavy soil prep matters less than consistent moisture.
Watering
1 in / week during bulbing; taper before harvest
Drip; keep foliage dry to prevent purple blotch.
Falling, yellowing tops = pull water and cure.
Knowing when to harvest
- Harvest any time after the stalk reaches pencil thickness, typically 60-80 days from seed.
- Pull whole plants, or cut 1 in above the soil line to allow some varieties to regrow a second flush.
- No bulbing or curing needed; scallions are harvested and used green, unlike storage onions.
Storing & keeping
Refrigerate roots-down in a jar of water, or wrapped loosely in a damp towel, for 1-2 weeks. Freeze chopped for cooked use; texture does not hold fresh.
What to expect
Per plant: 1 stalk per seed
Per sq ft: 16-25 plants per sq ft in dense blocks
Troubleshooting scallion (green onion)
Stalks stay thin and weak
Likely cause: Overcrowding or insufficient nitrogen for a fast-growing crop
What to do: Thin to about 1 in apart and side-dress lightly with a balanced or nitrogen-leaning fertilizer once established.
Bulbing at the base instead of staying straight
Likely cause: Some scallion varieties are just young bulbing onions and will swell if left too long
What to do: Harvest promptly at pencil thickness, or choose a true bunching variety that resists bulbing.
Varieties worth growing
Evergreen Hardy White
A true bunching onion that resists bulbing and overwinters well in mild climates.
Tokyo Long White
Long, straight, mild stalks; fast-growing.
Deep Purple
Purple-tinted stalks for visual interest with the same easy culture.
Growing scallion (green onion) in containers
6-8 in deep container works well; scallions are one of the better allium choices for small pots and windowsill regrowth from kitchen scraps.
Nutrition
Allicin, quercetin, prebiotic fiber.
Common questions
Can I regrow scallions from the root end I'd normally throw away?
Yes. Set the root end in a shallow dish of water or soil and new green growth will regenerate within about a week, though yield and vigor decline after a couple of cycles.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Zone assignment and the 30-year normals behind every cold-hardiness figure.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Frost dates, growing-season length, and the probability bands on both.
- Cornell, UMN, and UC Davis Cooperative Extension crop guides. Spacing, days to maturity, soil pH targets, and per-plant yield ranges.
- USDA FSIS / FDA Produce Safety guidance. Wash, cure, and cold-storage handling numbers.
Ranges are regional guidance, not a promise for your yard. Your own logged results always override the published range.