Onion

Basic Information

Seed Number

103

Seed Name

Onion

Variety

White Lisbon Bunching

Category

Vegetable

Plant Family

Amaryllidaceae

Plant Type

Bunching/green onion (Allium cepa)

Planting Method

Direct Sow or Transplant

Seed Status

In Seed Bank

Created

2026-08-14 00:50:34

Updated

2026-08-19 15:35:29

Planting Information

Start Planting Date

Mar 15

Last Recommended Planting Date

Sep 1

Plantable Months

March, April, May, June, July, August, September

Indoor Start

Mar 1 – Mar 31

Direct Sow

Mar 15 – Sep 1

Transplant

Apr 15 – Jun 15

Indoor Start Weeks Before Frost

Not recorded

Transplant Weeks After Frost

Not recorded

Germination Days

7–14 days

Harvest/Maturity

60–100 days

Succession Planting

21 days

Growing Conditions

Ideal Soil Temperature

50-75°F

Planting Depth

1/4 in

Plant Spacing

1-2 in

Row Spacing

12-18 in

Thin-To Spacing

1-2 in

Sun Requirements

Full sun

Water Needs

About 1 in/week; maintain steady moisture for tender, mild stems

Soil Preference

Fertile, loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter; approximately pH 6.0-7.0

Minimum Container Size

6-8 in deep

Plant Height

12-14 in

Perennial/Biennial Status

Biennial

Container Friendly

Yes

Trellis/Support Needed

No

Frost Tolerant

Yes

Heat Tolerant

No

Drought Tolerant

No

Pollinator Friendly

Yes

Medicinal

No

Garden Uses

Companion Planting

Storage

Seed Source/Brand

MSU Extension; Detroit frost dates; Almanac Detroit

Packet Year

Not recorded

Quantity Notes

Not recorded

Purchase Date

Not recorded

Expiration Year

Not recorded

Storage Box

Not recorded

Container

Not recorded

Envelope

Not recorded

Row

Not recorded

Slot

Not recorded

Storage Notes

Not recorded

Notes

Original Planting Method: Start indoors or direct sow bunching types
Outdoor / Direct Sow / Transplant Window: Apr 1 – May 15; Aug 15 – Sep 10 for bunching onions
Days to Harvest / Bloom: 60–120 days
Pollinator Friendly: Flowers support pollinators if allowed to bloom
Medicinal / Herbal Use: Culinary/medicinal tradition
Succession / Reusable Notes: Bulbing onions need an early start; bunching onions are more flexible.
Zone 6B Notes: Ailsa Craig is a long-day onion; start early indoors for best bulbs.
Companion Plants: Carrots, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, brassicas, strawberries, chamomile, beets
Avoid Planting Near / Watch Outs: Beans, peas
Sources: MSU Extension: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/garden_planning_calendar | Detroit frost dates: https://www.ufseeds.com/vegetable-planting-calendar-detroit-michigan.html | Almanac Detroit: https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar/MI/Detroit

[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT START]]
Zone 6B: White Lisbon can be direct sown repeatedly from early spring through late summer for a continuing supply of scallions. It is relatively insensitive to day length because it is harvested primarily for stems rather than full bulbs.
Germination: Keep shallowly planted seed consistently moist. Bunching onions can also be started in clusters indoors and transplanted.
Harvest: Harvest when stems reach useful scallion size, generally before substantial bulb development. Pull whole plants and trim roots and tops as needed.
Seed Saving: Allium cepa is biennial and flowers after cold exposure. It crosses readily with other flowering A. cepa onions.
Special Care: Succession sow every 3-4 weeks for continuous harvest. White Lisbon is crisp, mild and traditionally used as a green onion.
Research Source: Burpee — https://www.burpee.com/bunching-onion-white-lisbon-prod001142.html — 60-100 day maturity, direct-sow method, full sun, 12-14 inch height and 1-inch stem/bulb size
Research Source: Johnny's Selected Seeds — https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/vegetables/onions/bunching-onions-key-growing-information.html — cluster transplanting, row spacing and bunching-onion production methods
[[RESEARCH ENRICHMENT END]]