Carol Stein grows it
Allium fistulosum is the botanical name for green onions, which are also called spring onions because spring is when they’re at their peak of goodness. You may see these perennial plants called bunching onions as well.
The allium family also includes shallots, leeks, and white, yellow and red onions.
Green onion slips are available in garden centers between now and early March. Transplant onion slips into well-draining garden soil or into eight inch or larger containers filled with fresh potting soil. Allow about an inch between the plants. Set them deep enough so that the white part is below soil level.
Sprinkle an organic, slow-release fertilizer around the plants a couple of weeks after transplanting. Keep the soil evenly moist until the roots become established, then provide an inch of water each week.
You can harvest green onions when the tops are 8 to 10 inches tall. If clumps begin to form, gently separate them and replant some of the onions for later harvest.
If you want to start green onions from seed, I like the one called White Lisbon Bunching Onion. Seeds can be sown in containers or empty garden spots when soil temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. Sow the seeds a scant quarter-inch deep and press the soil down before watering them in. Germination takes about 10 days.
When the sprouts are three inches tall, sprinkle slow-release fertilizer or a thin layer of compost on top of the soil and water well. Provide an inch of water each week. Pull any weeds that might compete for nutrients and moisture.
As they mature, thin the onions until each plant has an inch of growing room. Don’t discard the ones you pull – they’re tender and tasty. The entire crop will fully mature six to eight weeks after germination.
Debbie Moose cooks it
The terms green onion and scallion are often used interchangeably. Scallion is both the name of the branch of the onion family to which green onions belong and the name of a variety within it.
Because it’s all in the family, green onions are great in any recipes that call for scallions, although scallions taste a bit milder. The entire green onion is edible, with the white part having a milder flavor than the dark green end. The dark green part can have a strong garlicky flavor – and I love that about it. I’ve found that the fresher the green onions, the more garlic-like flavor the tops have.
Make sure green onions have crisp, bright green tops and firm white bases. Store them in plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper for up to five days. Don’t wash them or trim any roots until you’re ready to use them. They’re great either raw or cooked.
The combination of green onions, garlic and lemon make this one of my go-to dinner recipes. Serve it with rice or pasta to soak up every drop of the sauce.
Reach Carol Stein
and Debbie Moose at tastefulgarden@hotmail.com.
For a printable copy of the recipe, click the link:
