Green Onions are also called Scallions, Spring Onions, Salad Onions, etc. they fit in well as companion plants and are fast growers. Green onions can be planted in early spring or in the fall to over winter for the next spring. Green onions are perfect companions for other vegetables, like carrots, that can also be over wintered. There compact plant size makes them great for container gardening but they also do well in raised beds or in ground gardens. Plant them in early spring and you can have a continuous amount of green onions for harvesting, if you sow seeds regularly throughout the season.
Sow green onion seeds in fall or early spring in slightly acidic soil that is located in full sun. Plant the seeds very shallowly about a ¼ in. deep and apart. Once the plants start to come in, move them so they are about 2 – 3 in. apart. Rows should be 4 –6 in. apart. Keep the area weed free and water a few times a week to prevent bolting. After a few months you should have some green onions that are ready to harvest!
After about 2.5 months you should be able to harvest the whole plants. Wait until they are about the size of a pencil, 6 – 8 in. tall. Pull up the largest ones, while leaving the rest to grow more. Wash them well and let the air dry. You can also harvest only the stems by trimming them as desired for cooking. Continue sowing seeds every month to have a continuous amount of green onion stems to harvest. Store them in the refrigerator or the freezer.
Bacterial and Neck Rot are fungal or bacterial diseases that arise from an improperly preformed curing or storing process. Bacterial rot will cause yellowing through the neck, causing water-soaked and soft spots. Neck Rot causes sunken necks, with soft spots, and a gray mold will appear. Both of these rots are caused from excess moisture. Keep the onions as dry as possible and stored in the correct temperatures.
Downey Mildew is caused by a fungus that causes a purple-brown mold to develop in irregular shaped patches. These patches are tiny mold spores produced by the fungus, and this disease is very common in wet or humid weather. Severely affected leaves collapse and die in a few days. Downy mildew overwinters in soil and debris and is spread by the wind. To prevent, practice crop rotation, and use fungicides regularly in highly susceptible areas.
Leaf blight often called, “blast,” is a disease common in eastern and mid-western states. The disease causes leaf spotting and tip dieback, adversely affecting the maturity and quality of the bulbs. White lesions with a green halo appear on the leaves. The lesions center eventually collapses and turns tan. Leaf blight is caused by a fungus that overwinters in crop debris and in onion cull piles. Spores are produced in late spring and summer, and are spread by wind. Cool wet summers provide the perfect conditions for leaf blight. To prevent, destroy cull piles, crop rotate, and use fungicides.
Purple blotch is a disease caused by a fungus that affects the tops and bulbs of onion plants. The disease is more common in the Midwest. The fungus overwinters in crop debris and is spread by wind and rain in the spring. Tan spots will appear on leaves that will sink and expand at a rapid pace up and down the plant. Eventually, the tops of the plant will collapse. Crop rotation and protective fungicides are the best prevention of purple blotch.
Onion Smut is very common. Dark brown streaks appear up and down the leaves with a blister appearance. Spores develop within the blisters and become sooty. The leaves will twist and fall prematurely. Bulbs are more likely to end up with soft rot issues in storage. Smut is spread in the soil to seeds and grows with the plant over time. Infection is unlikely in temperatures over 80 F. For prevention, start with onion sets that are disease free.
Cutworms cut stems of plants off at their base and they love a new transplant. Coffee grounds, egg shells, and diatomaceous earth are helpful when spread around plant bases and stems. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or another natural insecticide can be used in extreme cases. You can hand pick them at night every few days to lower their numbers.
Onion Maggots are more severe in northern states. Adults are like tiny house houseflies. They lay eggs in the soil near seeds or seedlings and the larvae feed on the new plants. This can cause death of a small seedling. Once plants are established, maggots are not as likely to cause plant death. Use of insecticides regularly and covering onions with mesh netting can help prevent onion maggots.
Thrips are tiny thin flying insects that like to suck and feed on plants, and lay eggs on leaves. It is possible for them to spread viruses so it’s important to look out for them. A few treatments of insecticidal soap can stop smaller infestations. Keeping plants covered with insect drapes and sticky traps are helpful preventatives.
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