Growing Hydroponic Bunching Onions & Scallions

Hydroponic Bunching Onions/ Scallions
Difficulty Light EC Range pH Range: Time to Harvest
Easy 16hours 1.8 -2.4 5.5 -6.8 10-12 weeks
Nutrient and Health Info - Tons of Vitamin K with respectable amounts of Vitamin C and folate.
Use 1 to 3 seeds in your grow media. The entire bunching onion/scallion is edible, including the root. The white stalks section taste similar to traditional onions, but without the overwhelming strength.

 

Bunching onions and scallions are actually the same thing.  They’re from the allium family, which also includes onions and leaks.  But bunching onions don’t have the large bulb of regular onions at the base, which makes them great for growing in hydroponic net pots.  What bunching onions and scallions do have is a wonderful, mellow, onion-like taste with bright and earthy flavors.  Don’t confuse bunching onions with green onions, which are just immature onions with bulbs that can hinder your ability to grow it in small net pots.

From the green stalk to the white roots, the entire bunching onion is edible.  The white stalks taste similar to traditional onions, but without the overwhelming strength.  And the dark green leaves have a fresh, sweet and grassy flavor.  They are delicious whether raw or cooked.

Scallions are also an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients, including Vitamins B2, K and C, as well as Calcium, Iron and Potassium.

Germination:

Start by adding 1-3 seeds to your growing media.  You can’t plan more if you’d like, and then thin them out as they grow.  Don’t forget to consider germinating your seeds with our Seedling Starter Kit or a Tupperware bowl covered with plastic wrap for the DIYers out there.  However, you can certainly germinate seeds directly in the iHarvest® if you’d like.

Light:

Provide your scallions with the standard 16 hours of artificial light fastest growth.  Your plants need time to rest/sleep as well, so please give them the 8 hours they need.  Too little sleep can lead to less productivity and even disease.  That tip applies to us humans as well, so make sure to get your beauty rest as best you can.

EC Range:

Growing bunching onions or scallions is just like growing chives.  They prefer healthy amounts of nutrients, in the range of 1.8 – 2.4 EC.  They will also grow reasonably well at lower EC’s with lettuce, for example. Our Green Machine nutrients are ideal for growing scallions.

pH Range:

You guessed it.  Keep your pH between 5.5-6.8 for optimal growth.

Time To Harvest:

Scallions will typically be ready for harvest in 10 to 12 weeks.  You can cut them free from your growing media or yank them out.  Because you can eat every part of the scallion, make sure to wash off any areas that may have been sitting in your nutrient solution.

Conclusion:

Scallions provide a wonderful, zesty, fresh and onion-like taste, and are great to eat whether cooked or raw.  Snack on them, add them to salads, soups, stews, and stir-fries, or use them to flavor your steak and chicken meals.  They are simple, tasty, and enjoyable to grow. 

Check Out Our Bunching Onion Recipes!

Let's grow together!