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Allium fistulosum

Winter Onion

Common names: Winter Scallion, Leek Onion, Spring Onion

Winter Onion

This description was machine-translated.

Description

The winter onion does not form a thick bulb; instead it provides mild, tube‑shaped scallion stems throughout the year. It is extremely hardy, remaining green under snow when fresh flavor is scarce. As a perennial, it reliably regrows after cutting.

Care instructions

Sow in spring or August directly into a sunny bed; the seed will overwinter for an early spring harvest. Keep the bed weed‑free and water moderately. Trim the tubes just above the soil surface if needed, the plant will regrow from the base and can be divided after several years.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 6–78.0

Soil type

humus-rich, well-drained, loamy

LightFull sun
HardinessHardy
Crop rotationAlliums
Water needMedium

Feeding

Light feeder

Companion planting

Good neighbors

carrot family (Apiaceae)

Umbellifers and alliums confuse each other's pests (carrot fly, onion fly).

For example celery rootDillParsleyCarrot fennelCorianderCelery (Stalk Celery) and 18 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

rose family (Rosaceae)

You can plant garlic and chives under strawberries and roses; their scent repels aphids and other pests.

For example AppleRaspberryClimbing rosePearAroniaBlackberry and 52 more species in the catalogue

Source: Bio-Gärtnerei Mixed Culture Practice

Rather not

legume family (Fabaceae)

particularly well established

Allium species inhibit the nitrogen‑fixing rhizobia of legumes through their root exudates, which slows their growth.

For example Pole beanBroad beanMarker peaSugar peaRed beanLima bean and 29 more species in the catalogue

Source: basic crop‑rotation rule

nightshade family (Solanaceae)

Onions slow down the growth of nightshade family plants next to potatoes and tomatoes; the classic crop-rotation rule also applies in the bed side by side.

For example TomatoSweet pepperCocktail tomatoEggplantCape gooseberryChili and 8 more species in the catalogue

Source: basic crop-rotation rule

Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.

Some of these explanations were machine-translated.

Diseases & pests

1 relevant

From the knowledge base, automatically linked by affected species. How to spot and prevent them is covered in full in the lexicon.

PesthighApr–Sep
Onion fly

Delia antiqua

The onion fly (Delia antiqua) lays its eggs on the leaf sheaths of young onion plants, and the larvae then tunnel into the bulb, the neck and the roots.

More on Onion fly

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