RED BUNCHING ONION Seeds
Botanical Name: Allium fistulosum
Red Bunching Onion is a visually striking and versatile variety producing slender green stalks with vivid red-purple bases. With a mild onion flavour and excellent cold tolerance, this bunching onion is ideal for harvesting at multiple stages—whether as baby spring onions or full bunches. It grows quickly and is well suited to both open garden beds and containers, thriving in full sun with consistently moist soil.
Why Grow Red Bunching Onion?
- Vibrant red-purple stems add colour and crunch to your dishes
- Mild flavour perfect for raw use or light cooking
- Cold-tolerant and great for shoulder seasons
- Quick-growing and suitable for small spaces
- Can be harvested progressively as needed
Growing Instructions
- Sow direct or raise in trays and transplant carefully.
- Choose a sunny location with well-drained, fertile soil.
- Keep soil moist throughout the growing period.
- Thin seedlings to improve airflow and bulb development.
- Mulch around plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Plant Details:
- Plant Type: Perennial bunching onion (grown as an annual)
- Plant Height: 30–45 cm
Sowing Information:
- Germination: 10–14 days
- Depth: Sow 1–2 cm deep
- Position: Full sun
- Sow Where: Direct in garden beds or start in trays for transplanting
- Soil Type: Well-drained, fertile soil enriched with compost (pH 6–7)
- Spacing: 10–15 cm between plants, rows 20–30 cm apart
When to Sow Red Bunching Onion in New Zealand:
| NZ Region | Sowing Window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North Island – Upper (e.g. Auckland, Bay of Plenty) |
March – May August – October |
Sow in cooler months. Keep soil moist for best results. |
| North Island – Lower (e.g. Wellington, Taranaki) |
March – May August – October |
Performs well in full sun. Protect young seedlings from drying winds. |
| South Island – Northern (e.g. Nelson, Marlborough) |
February – April August – September |
Ideal for late summer and early spring sowing. Avoid overly wet beds. |
| South Island – Central & Southern (e.g. Canterbury, Otago) |
September – November | Sow after frosts pass. Provide mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. |
Growing Tips for New Zealand Gardeners:
- Sow in clumps or rows depending on garden layout and harvest goals.
- Feed with a balanced organic fertiliser to support healthy stem growth.
- For continuous supply, sow every 4–6 weeks in mild conditions.
- Harvest individual stems for ongoing use or full clumps once mature.
Harvest:
Harvest in 60–90 days. Begin picking when stalks are vibrant, crisp, and around pencil-thickness. Earlier harvests give milder flavour and tender stalks.
