digit; I like to use American Flag Leeks, they are a very long season crop 120-150 day. I start them inside from seed and transplant like an onion then I thin like scallions all summer,and harvest after frost. They are mild and do not bulb so they must be cut and froze to store. Like you I use any onion I plant from seed or sets when they are young Tokyo,Candy,White Lisbon,Copra,cheap store sets?

Curt~

The weird thing about 'sets' is that they make the cycle from seed-to-seed three years instead of two, presuming one can keep the second-year plants from bolting. Many do bolt, but many don't. It's kind of interesting. Are onions really a biennial? I'm not so sure.

I only use topsetters for scallions, as you know, because it is unbeatably easy.

All summer, Curt? I don't see why not!

I really hadn't thought of using my leeks early . . . I get so intent on "pumping them up" so that I've got something BIG for the winter.

PNBrown, I have thought and thought about growing my own sets. My suspicion is that only very superior keepers, or very superior keeping facilities are going to get you thru winter with such tiny bulbs. Also, as you point out, the sets don't usually flower. That may be a variety characteristic.

And yet, the opportunity to buy seed for those varieties often grown for sets might take some research. I do see that Southern Exposure Seed Exchange has Ebenezer seed.

Back to the idea of a long-season scallion harvest: I keep onion sets in the produce drawer of the fridge for a couple of months so as to stagger their planting. But mostly, I have seed starting going on late in the growing season. There's always the risk that I will not water something in a small container BUT if I set it right where I can see it - a container holding starter mix and onion seed always seems to pop up green and growing. It only takes a little patience to separate the tiny seedlings and get them transplanted out.

Onions tolerate a good deal of shade and the last couple of years, I've been able to have scallions right thru the growing season from seed started plants. Getting afternoon shade seems like a good idea here.

digitS'

I actually find separating and planting out onion seedlings to be a bit tedious. I put out about a hundred yesterday, so it's fresh in my mind. I think it's because I subconsciously compare the cultivation of seed-grown to topsetters. It's an unfair comparison, of course, since the end produce is very different in the case of basal bulbs.

i've been wanting to find a nice red scallion. Now it looks like i can maybe just grow a long day red onion? Shazam!

I've had really good luck with the Egyptian or Walking Onions as "scallions" They are perennial, easy to increase, they do this themselves, and they have a nice mild flavor. In fact, this years patch is more than double what it was last year so there is going to be some serious scallion eating going on!

Steve

I also grow the Egyptian or Walking Onions as "scallions", a perennial. The only different is that I cut at ground level, not pull out, the scallions. This way, the onions will grow back, just like chive.

Chaff

I grow hardy white bunching onion for scallion use. Sow in the fall. Once they're at good hight, start cutting them and use them as scallion. They will continue to grow until they're too thick or too spicy to use as scallion. So one planting lasts about 6 month for our climate.

Haven't grown any summer type. Like others said, chive is a substitute but not the same. I've always wanted to try Egyptian onion but my usual online or local shopping source do not carry them.