Green onions (Allium fistulosum L.) are plants native to Southeast Asia, particularly China and Japan, that have long been used in cooking and traditional medicine. Cultivating green onions is relatively easy, beginning with the selection of high-quality seeds, planting in fertile soil with adequate sunlight, and regular care such as watering and fertilizing.
This plant also requires periodic pest and disease control to grow optimally and produce fresh, high-quality leaves. Interested in trying out the cultivation of this easy and beneficial plant? Let’s explore practical methods and tips for successfully growing green onions, from seed selection to care, so that your plants grow lush and provide benefits in both the kitchen and for your health!
1. Choosing the Right Variety
To start growing green onions, the first thing to consider is selecting the right variety. One excellent choice is Blaze F1, known for its resistance to wilt and purple blotch diseases, as well as its ability to adapt well to medium to high-altitude areas.
This variety also has a growth rate of up to 75% with seed purity reaching 99%. Another option is BD 2458, which is resistant to pests and diseases and can grow in various soil types.
If you’re looking for a variety resistant to extreme weather, TM Plaza is a suitable choice. With these options, you can select the one that best fits the environmental conditions where you plan to grow your green onions.ย
2. Preparation of Green Onion Seedlings

Green onions can be propagated in two ways: from seeds and from offsets. If using seeds, prepare a bed that is 100-120 cm wide, depending on the size of your land. Loosen the soil to a depth of 30 cm, mix in 2 kg of manure, then sow the seeds in cross rows, 1 cm deep, with a distance of up to 10 cm between the rows.
Cover the seeds with wet burlap until they germinate and water daily. Within a month, the seedlings will grow to 10-15 cm and will be ready to transplant to the main field at the age of 2 months.
Another method is to use offsets. Choose healthy green onion clumps that are 2.5 months old and pest-free. Dig up the clump, remove the old leaves and soil, then separate into smaller clumps containing 1-3 offsets.
Trim some of the leaves, store the seedlings in a moist, shaded place for 5-7 days, and then plant them. Both methods are easy and suitable for beginners who want to grow green onions in their garden.
3. Land Preparation

Soil preparation for green onion cultivation is quite simple and environmentally friendly. The first step is to clear the land of weeds or shrubs using a hoe or plow to a depth of 30-40 cm.
Next, add 10-15 tons of manure per hectare to enrich the soil. After that, create beds that are 0.6-1 meter wide, with small ditches 20-30 cm wide in between to facilitate irrigation.
If the soil has a pH below 6.5, add 1-2 tons of dolomite lime per hectare. Mix the lime into the soil to a depth of 30 cm to improve the soil pH, making it more suitable for green onion growth. This process not only supports plant growth but also maintains soil health in the long term!
4. Planting Green Onions

Planting green onions is surprisingly simple! Seedlings that are ready for planting are usually 2 months old and 10-15 cm tall. The best time to plant is at the beginning of the rainy or dry season. The steps are as follows: create planting holes spaced 20 x 20 cm apart and about 10 cm deep.
Before planting, soak the seedlings in a fungicide solution for 10-15 minutes to protect them from diseases. Then, place the seedlings into the prepared holes, and compact the soil around the base of the seedling or its roots to ensure the plant stands firm.
5. Thinning
Thinning is an important step in green onion cultivation to ensure optimal growth. This activity involves replacing dead or unhealthy plants with fresh, high-quality seedlings.
Thinning should be done from day one to the tenth day after planting, preferably in the morning or evening when the temperature is cooler to help the seedlings adapt well. By thinning correctly, you can create a green onion garden that grows evenly, healthily, and more productively.
6. Watering

Watering green onions requires special attention to maintain their quality and growth. The water used should be clean, free from waste or harmful chemicals, to prevent damaging the plants.
Ideally, watering should be done once a week, but it can be adjusted based on soil conditions and plant needs, especially during hot weather or when the soil appears to be drying out. Make sure the water is absorbed into the soil properly without creating puddles, so the roots get enough nutrients without the risk of rotting.
7. Weeding
Weeding involves cleaning weeds or wild plants that grow around the green onions. Weeds that have been removed should be buried in the soil as organic matter, which will enrich soil fertility.
If you find damaged green onion plants within seven days after weeding, immediately pull them out and discard them with other weeds, then bury them in a designated area to prevent the spread of infection.
Weeding is usually done every 3-4 weeks and often combined with hilling, which is the process of loosening the soil, to ensure the plants receive optimal nutrients and remain healthy. With this simple step, your green onion harvest can be more abundant!
8. Fertilizing

Fertilizing green onions can be done using organic or inorganic fertilizers to support their growth. One effective method is using NPK 25:7:7 fertilizer by mixing 4 kg of fertilizer into 200 liters of water.
This solution is applied at a rate of 200 ml per plant at 21 days after planting (DAP) and repeated weekly. With the right and consistent fertilization, the plants will grow lush, producing green, fresh, and high-quality green onions.
9. Pests and Diseases of Green Onions
Like other plants, green onions are susceptible to several pests and diseases that can hinder their growth. Common pests include onion worms or armyworms (Spodoptera exiqua), cutworms (Agrotis ipsilon), and thrips or jumping lice (Thrips tabaci).
Diseases can also be problematic, such as purple blotch (Alternaria porri), downy mildew or powdery mildew (Peronospora destructor), neck rot (Botrytis allii), and anthracnose (Colletotrichum gleosporioides). Proper management of pests and diseases is essential to ensure an optimal green onion harvest.
10. Harvesting

Green onions can be harvested when the plants are about 2.5 months old, marked by 7-10 offsets per clump and some leaves beginning to yellow. The harvesting process is done by digging up the entire clump using a hoe or spade.
Harvesting should be done in the morning or evening to preserve the plant’s freshness. After harvesting, clean the green onions from the soil and wash them with running water.
For storage, tie the stems and leaves together with raffia twine, with each bundle weighing around 25 kg. To keep them fresh, sort the green onions by stem size and leaf length, and store them at a temperature of 0.8-1.4ยฐC to maintain their quality before they are marketed.