Plant library · Vegetables
Allium fistulosum
Scallion is a fast bunching onion grown for green tops rather than bulb production. At roughly 14 inches tall, its upright, narrow form slips easily into the edges of vegetable beds, between larger crops, or into containers. It is perennial in suitable conditions, so reserve a small, reachable strip if you intend to keep a planting in place beyond one season. Harvest begins about 60 days from planting and can continue from late spring into fall.
Use scallions as a close-planted vertical accent where a full-sized vegetable would occupy too much ground. A sunny bed edge beside a path makes pulling individual plants simple without stepping into cultivated soil; a narrow container also keeps the planting compact and accessible. Place it around carrots, lettuce, strawberries, or tomatoes when those combinations suit the rest of the plan. Keep it out of the same close planting zone as beans, snow peas, and sugar snap peas.
Plant scallions 3 inches apart, center to center, to create a dense, narrow row or band. Each plant reaches about 4 inches wide at maturity, so leaves may overlap slightly at this spacing while the planting remains slim in plan view. Give the row a path-side edge or an open side for harvesting, rather than burying it behind broad-leaved crops. For a longer run, keep adjacent rows 12 to 18 inches apart for weeding and access.[1]
Set scallions in full sun, where they can receive regular moisture through the root zone. Use soil that drains well while staying evenly moist; avoid letting the bed swing between prolonged dryness and saturation. In containers, use a pot with drainage and place it where watering can be done consistently.[1][2]
Direct sow as soon as the soil can be worked, or transplant young plants for an earlier start. Keep the planting weeded carefully while scallions are small, since nearby weeds can quickly occupy their narrow growing space. Pull plants once they reach usable size, working from the outside of a row so the remaining plants keep an even, tidy stand.[1]
A tightly planted scallion row needs frequent early attention: weeds are easiest to remove before the plants knit into a dense strip. Leave enough room to reach the soil with fingers or a small hand tool, especially alongside a path or container rim. Avoid waterlogged positions, which can lead to rot in onion-family plantings.[1][2]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.