Bunching Onion Red Beard

🌱 Sowing: In Trays vs. Direct

✍️ In Trays (Recommended for better control)

• When: All year round in most climates, best in early spring to autumn.
• Why: Starting in trays gives you better control over spacing, watering, and weed management—especially helpful for such fine seeds.
• How:
  • Sow seeds 5 mm deep in seed-raising mix.
  • Keep moist but not soggy.
  • Germination takes 7–14 days.
  • Transplant when seedlings are 10–15 cm tall. You can plant them in clumps (3–5 seedlings) or spaced 2–3 cm apart in rows 15 cm apart.

✍️ Direct Sowing

• When: Spring through early autumn in mild climates.
• How:
  • Prepare a fine seedbed—bunching onion seeds are tiny!
  • Sow shallowly (3 mm deep), lightly cover and water gently.
  • Thin to 2–3 cm apart once seedlings establish.

💡 Tip: In cooler regions, protect early sowings with a cloche or row cover.

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🌞 Soil & Position

• Soil: Light, free-draining soil rich in compost. Avoid heavy clay or waterlogged spots. A neutral to slightly alkaline pH (6.0–7.5) is ideal.
• Position: Full sun preferred, but will tolerate part shade—especially in warmer climates.
• Prep: Work compost or aged manure into the bed beforehand. Avoid soils recently used for garlic or onions to prevent disease build-up.

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🌿 Care & Maintenance

• Watering: Keep soil consistently moist but not wet. Avoid letting it dry out completely, especially during early growth.
• Feeding: Side-dress with compost or a weak liquid feed every 3–4 weeks for lush green growth.
• Mulching: Light mulch (like straw or sugarcane) helps retain moisture and suppress weeds.
• Weeding: Keep beds weed-free—bunching onions don’t compete well with aggressive weeds early on.

💬 “In my own patch, I often tuck them between rows of slower crops like carrots or kale—gives me a quick harvest and keeps the soil working.”

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🌼 Companion Planting Guide

Bunching onions are excellent team players in the garden:

✅ Best Companions:

• Carrots – They help deter carrot fly.
• Beetroot – Similar growth rate and root structure.
• Lettuce – Quick growers that benefit from pest deterrence.
• Cabbage family – Repels cabbage moths and aphids.

🚫 Avoid Planting With:

• Beans & Peas – They don’t get along well; onions can stunt legumes’ growth.

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✂️ Harvesting

• When to harvest: Around 60–90 days from sowing, depending on the variety and season. You can pull them earlier for milder, thinner stems or wait for fatter stalks.
• How: Gently loosen soil and pull the whole plant, or just snip the green tops and let the plant regrow if it’s a perennial variety.
• Succession sowing: Every few weeks will keep a steady supply coming.

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🛠️ Common Issues & Fixes

Issue	Symptoms	Fix
Poor germination	Patchy or no seedlings	Keep soil moist, use fresh seed, sow shallowly
Yellowing tips	Nutrient deficiency or inconsistent watering	Side-dress with compost or liquid seaweed feed
Bulbing instead of clumping	Wrong variety (bulbing onion)	Use true bunching onion seeds (e.g. Allium fistulosum)
Thrips or aphids	Twisted leaves, silvery streaks	Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap, encourage ladybugs
Rust (fungal disease)	Orange spots on leaves	Improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, remove infected leaves

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🌾 Seed Saving Guide

Bunching onions are biennial to perennial, and can be left in the ground for seed saving once mature. Here’s how:

How to Save Seeds:

1. Let them flower: Leave a few healthy clumps to overwinter. In their second year, they’ll send up tall, pretty allium flowers.
2. Pollination: They’re mostly open-pollinated and bee-friendly. To keep varieties pure, isolate 100m from other onion types if saving seed.
3. Seed Maturity: Wait until seed heads dry out and turn brown. Heads will become papery and seeds black and firm.
4. Harvest: Cut stalks and place upside down in a paper bag to catch drying seeds.
5. Storage: Clean and dry seeds thoroughly. Store in a cool, dark place in an airtight container. Label with date—viability lasts 2–3 years.

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🌸 Final Thoughts

Bunching onions are one of those easy-going crops that reward you again and again. Whether you’re after quick greens for salads or long-term clumps that just keep giving, they’re a great fit for almost every garden style—from balcony pots to big kitchen gardens.

If you’re just getting started, don’t overthink it—sprinkle, water, and watch. And if you’ve grown them before, maybe this season’s the time to try a new variety or save some seed.

🌼 “A little row of bunching onions tucked along the edge of the bed is one of my garden staples. They quietly do their thing, filling gaps, flavouring meals, and keeping pests at bay. Simple, reliable, and always welcome.”

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