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Bunching onions (also called scallions or spring onions) are a versatile allium grown for their slender white bases and tender green tops. 'White Spear' is prized for its clean white shanks, mild flavour, and uniform appearance, making it excellent for fresh use in salads, stir-fries, and as a garnish. Gardeners grow bunching onions for continuous harvests over a long season and their ease of cultivation.

Seeds germinate best at soil temperatures of 50–70°F and typically emerge in 7–10 days. They require light for germination, so surface-sow or press into the soil without covering deeply. No pre-treatment is needed.

Direct sow seeds outdoors in early spring (late February to March in Maryland) or in late summer for fall harvest. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep in rows 6–12 inches apart, thinning seedlings to 2–3 inches apart once they reach 2 inches tall. For continuous harvests, make succession sowings every 2–3 weeks. Bunching onions can also be started indoors 4–6 weeks before the last spring frost and transplanted when 3–4 inches tall.

Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged; aim for about 1 inch of water per week through rainfall or irrigation. Bunching onions are light feeders; a balanced fertilizer applied every 3–4 weeks or a side-dressing of compost mid-season supports steady growth. They rarely need staking and are generally pest and disease resistant, though watch for onion maggots in wet springs and ensure good drainage to prevent rot.

Begin harvesting individual outer leaves or entire plants 50–60 days after sowing once they reach pencil thickness (about 6–8 inches tall). For continuous harvest, pick outer leaves, leaving the centre to regrow, or pull entire plants as needed. Bunching onions are best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to 2 weeks. They do not store as long as bulbing onions.