With Alliums, Eight is the Magic Number

     As soon as your soil crumbles when squeezed together—rather than sticking together like cookie dough—it’s time to plant the alliums: chives, onions, scallions, shallots, and garlic.  Purchase sets (small onions), shallots, and garlic from garden supply centers rather than at the grocery stores to avoid buying a bulbs that have been treated to avoid sprouting.

Chives

Chives  Plant seedlings just like any other perennial; give them plenty of room to grow (a foot away from other plants on all sides).  Grow them as close to the kitchen door as possible for easy access. You can also add chives to a border garden; they are attractive plants with a display of lavender colored spherical flowers (cut these when they fade to keep unwanted chive plants out of the garden).

Onions, potato onions, shallots, and garlic:  The soil should be loosened at least 8” deep and amended with compost before planting.  Plant sets from 6 - 8” apart by making a hole 2” - 3” deep, allowing the set to sit just below the surface and cover it with soil.  Plant sets in rows spaced 8” apart.  When the plants reach a height of—there it is again—8", or the distance between your thumb and outstretched pinkie, side dress with fish or bone meal, and mulch between plants.

Scallions: Scallions are onions that are pulled when the bulbs are just bulging, to be used for their greens; they need less room to develop, so they can be planted 2 – 3” apart.

Potato onions, shallots and garlic may be planted as early as you can work the soil in spring, but the bulbs are better when planted in the fall.  Try growing them this spring, but next year you'll be even more satisfied with the results of fall planting.  Like daffodils, the greenery pushing through in early spring, although anticipated, is always a pleasant surprise.