Tokyo Long White Scallion
ABOUT THE PLANT
Description: These Japanese scallions are 16"–18" long, with white, leek-like stalks and bluish-green tops. They are slender, mild, extremely tasty, and grow well throughout the United States. They’re heat-tolerant plants, ideal for summer and fall harvests. Mature in 65-100 days.
Origin: The first known record of green onions comes from Mesopotamia. Tokyo scallions are a Japanese heirloom onion.
Usage: The scallions are great on fresh veggie platters; or you can slice them, juicy tops and all into salads, soups, stews, and stir-fry dishes.
Interesting facts: You can regrow scallions. Simply put multiple cut ends (with rootlets attached) in a jar or dish and cover them with water. Then put the jar in your sunniest window, keep them wet and wait for a week or so. When you have enough, trim off the portion you want to use.
HOW TO GROW
General requirements: Bunching onions, or scallions, can grow in nearly any kind of soil, but loamy, well-drained soil is best. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. The foliage will also benefit with sprayings. Use a thick layer of mulch to keep weeds down and the soil moist. Apply liquid fish fertilizer every few weeks. They thrive in temperatures between 55°F - 80°F and require a minimum of 6 hours of full sun. Scallions can be planted throughout the spring and again in mid to late summer for a fall harvest.
In the garden: Bunching onions grow best in bunches. To achieve this, broadcast seeds heavily in the garden or sow about 10 per hole 1 inch deep. Alternatively, sow seeds ½ inch deep, 2-3 inches apart in rows,12 inches apart.
Bunching onions, or scallions, also can be grown like leeks to blanch the stalks. Blanching produces a longer white stalk that is more flavorful than the green portions. You will need to mound soil up to near the top of the shooting stalks as they grow. Over the first month of growth, bury four to six inches of the green portion to create a longer white stalk.
In containers: Scallions are ideal for containers because of their shallow roots and plant size. The containers must have good drainage and be placed in a sunny location. Use potting soil and plant in bunches, 10 seeds per hole 1 inch deep, holes 3-4 inches apart. Water consistently to keep the soil from drying out. It is also good to spray the greens. Provide fertilizer several times during the growing season using a liquid fish emulsion.
Transplanting: Start seeds indoors about five to six weeks before the last frost date for your area. Broadcast seeds in flats filled with potting soil and cover them with ½ inch of soil. Try to keep them at a temperature of 60 to70°F and keep the soil moist. Place them in a location that will get 6-8 hours of light. When plants are 3 or 4 inches tall and all danger of frost has passed, transplant them to the garden leaving a few inches of space between each.
HARVESTING
Plant: Harvest when the green stalks are 12 inches tall or longer. If growing in rows in your garden use a fork to lift the soil and loosen the bulbs from the soil. If in bunches, you can collect the onions by pulling the bunch by hand. Immediately after harvesting, rinse the roots clear of dirt and make sure the stalks are clean. Trim off a portion of the green end and put the onions in the refrigerator where they will keep for about five days. It’s best to use green onions right away.
Seeds: Like all onions, scallions are biennials, meaning they flower in the 2nd year. Let a few plants over-winter in the garden. Mulching them will help them survive. The following spring, they will restart growth eventually bolting and sending up a flowering stalk. When the flower head starts to dry, cut it off and allow it to dry completely in a well-ventilated area. Shake the flowerheads into a bag or container to collect the seeds. Store in a cool, dark, dry place.
FAST FACTS
Common name: Welsh onion, spring onion, scallion, bunching onion
Latin name: Allium fistulosum
Growth habit:
Life cycle: Biennial but grown as an annual.
USDA Zones: 3-10
Seeds per ounce: Approximately 7000
