Crops › Scallion
How to grow Scallion
in the US
Sow March to September, plant out October, harvest May to November. About 60 days from seed to plate. You can sow it this month.
Shown for zone 6. Zone table further down.
Scallions are a real gem for any gardener, easy to grow and proper quick to harvest. They don't take up much space either, so even if you've only got a small backyard, you can still enjoy fresh, home-grown flavor. They're part of the allium family, like onions, but you use the whole plant, not just the bulb.
Sowing
The GrowMore CookMore app has all the specific timings for your USDA zone, but generally, you're looking at sowing from early spring right through to late summer, sometimes even into fall depending on where you are. Get those seeds in about half an inch deep, then thin them out to an inch apart once they're up. You can start them indoors on a windowsill for an early crop or just pop them straight into the ground. A little succession sowing every few weeks means you'll have a continuous supply all season, which is just brilliant.
Growing on
If you started your scallions indoors, you'll want to prick them out into individual pots once they're big enough to handle. Give them a few days outside to harden off before planting them out in their final spot once the last frost has passed. Space them about 4 to 6 inches apart in rows about a foot apart. They're really quite happy in containers too, especially if you're short on space or just want them close to the kitchen door.
Looking after it
Scallions aren't too demanding, which is why they're so easy. Just keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry spells, otherwise, they can get a bit tough. They don't need a lot of feeding, but a good layer of mulch around them will help keep the weeds down and hold that moisture in. You know, just general good practice for your plot.
What goes wrong
Like most alliums, scallions can sometimes get bothered by onion maggots, thrips, and onion root maggots, which can be a real nuisance. Downy mildew can also pop up, especially in damp conditions. Good crop rotation and making sure your plants have enough air circulation can help a lot. Keep an eye out and deal with any issues early, that's what I always say.
Harvest
You'll be chuffed to bits with how quickly these grow, usually ready to pick in about 60 days from sowing. Just wait until they're about pencil-thick. You can snip off what you need with scissors, and they'll often regrow for another harvest, or you can pull the whole plant up. Store any extra in the fridge; they don't keep for ages, so use them fresh as much as you can.
To be honest, I always try to plant a few scallions near my carrots and lettuce. People say it helps keep the carrot flies away, and every little bit helps, doesn't it?
Dates for your plot
Type your zone and the plant-out advice shifts to your frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Evergreen Hardy White Evergreen Hardy White variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. This one's proper hardy, perfect for getting an early start indoors before the weather warms up. | No club votes yet |
| Ishikura Ishikura variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. A cracking choice for direct sowing outdoors, giving you those long, straight white stems. | No club votes yet |
| Parade Parade variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. Get this one going undercover to beat the chill and enjoy a good, uniform harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Deep Purple Deep Purple variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. This one gives you a lovely splash of color in the garden and on the plate, great for starting indoors. | No club votes yet |
| White Lisbon White Lisbon variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. A classic choice for direct sowing, known for its quick growth and mild taste. | No club votes yet |
| Guardsman Guardsman variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. This variety is brilliant if you're growing undercover, giving you sturdy, upright plants. | No club votes yet |
| Nabechan Nabechan variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. A good one for starting indoors, it produces lovely, tender stems with a great flavor. | No club votes yet |
| Tokyo Long White Tokyo Long White variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. This one's a proper sturdy variety for outdoor growing, known for its long, crisp white shanks. | No club votes yet |
| Warrior Warrior variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. If you're looking for something to grow undercover, this variety stands up well and gives a good harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Nebula Nebula variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. Another great choice for starting indoors, this one offers a nice, mild taste and good vigor. | No club votes yet |
| Kincho Kincho variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. A strong performer for direct sowing outdoors, producing uniform, high-quality scallions. | No club votes yet |
| Summer Isle Summer Isle variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. This one's quite versatile for growing undercover, giving you a steady supply through the season. | No club votes yet |
| Performer Performer variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. True to its name, this one performs well when started indoors, giving you a dependable yield. | No club votes yet |
| Red Beard Red Beard variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. This red-tinted variety is a good outdoor grower, adding a bit of color and a lovely mild onion flavor. | No club votes yet |
| Welsh Onion Welsh Onion variety of Onion (Bunching/Scallion), reliable performer. This perennial type is brilliant if you grow it undercover, letting you harvest year after year. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Scallion seeds
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Sowing by USDA zone
| Zone | Sow / plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April to July | June to September |
| Zone 4 | April to August | June to October |
| Zone 5 | March to August | May to October |
| Zone 6 | March to September | May to November |
| Zone 7 | February to September | April to November |
| Zone 8 | February to October | April to December |
| Zone 9 | January to November | March to December |
| Zone 10 | September to May | February to December |
Cook the harvest
A Shanghai street-food classic — plain wheat noodles dressed in a deeply caramelized, almost jammy scallion oil spiked with soy sauce and a touch of sugar. The long, slow cooking of scallions in oil transforms them from sharp and raw to sweet, silky, and intensely savory. One of the most satisfying ten-ingredient dishes in the world.
35 min · easyCrispy, flaky, savory Chinese-American scallion pancakes made from a simple unleavened dough that's rolled, coiled, and pan-fried to produce layers that shatter at the edges and stay chewy in the middle. Generous amounts of sliced scallion are layered into every fold for fragrant, oniony bites throughout. Serve hot with a soy-ginger dipping sauce.
50 min · mediumTender, silky salmon fillets steamed or pan-seared and finished with a classic Chinese-American aromatic finish — a generous pour of sizzling hot oil over fresh scallions and ginger that cooks the aromatics on contact, releasing an extraordinary fragrance. The technique is simple but the result is deeply impressive and on the table in under 20 minutes.
20 min · easyCrispy, flaky, utterly addictive Chinese street-food pancakes layered with sesame oil and a generous amount of fresh scallions. The laminated dough technique creates dozens of thin, shatteringly crisp layers that release puffs of scallion-sesame steam when you bite in. Serve with a simple soy dipping sauce and watch them disappear from the plate.
50 min · mediumWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: carrots, beets, tomatoes, lettuce, brassicas
Questions people ask
When do you sow Scallion in the US?
Sow Scallion from March to September in zone 6, earlier or later by zone. Plant out October, after the last frost.
How long does Scallion take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 60 days, with the harvest May to November.
Which Scallion varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Evergreen Hardy White, Ishikura, Parade, Deep Purple and more.
Track your Scallion from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.