How To Harvest Spring Onions
With any vegetable, it is important to harvest the crop in the right way and at the right time to get the best from your plants. Gardener Tom Cole shows how to get the most from your spring onions.
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You will need
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Step 1:
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When to harvest
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Spring onions can be harvested continuously through late spring, through summer and into autumn. To ensure a continuous harvest of crop, replant a new batch every three weeks through spring and summer. Each crop is ready for harvest once it has reached approximately 45cm in height, as they start to lose their flavour after this. Spring onions differ from bulb onions in that they must be eaten whilst still young.
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Step 2:
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Harvesting
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Lift the selected plants from the soil using a hand fork. Come in at the side of the plants with the fork at an angle, and lift them from the ground. Lightly shake the roots and remove any remaining soil. The plants should be roughly pencil thick towards the base, which would normally take 10 to 12 weeks to achieve.
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Step 3:
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Storage
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Spring onions should be eaten as swiftly as possible once harvested, preferably within a day. This will ensure optimum flavour and texture. Dice any small ones you have accidentally removed like you would chives.
