Skip to main content
Time to plant your Japanese onions
Gardening with MAT COWARD

ONE of the most useful vegetables you can sow at this time of year is overwintering onions, also known as Japanese onions, because that’s where the original cultivars were bred. 

They are bulb onions — similar to, though generally a bit smaller than, familiar maincrop types — but they’re winter hardy and need less light than summer varieties.

Sown in August, planted out in September, they’ll be ready for eating early next summer. 

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
Kew Gardens
Gardening / 7 August 2026
7 August 2026

MAT COWARD says the heatwave is a testing time for gardeners — but he has some tips

Crocus flowers
Gardening / 10 July 2026
10 July 2026

More expensive by weight than gold, saffron is surprisingly simple to grow. MAT COWARD explains

Savoy Italian cabbage. Photo: Goldlocki/CC
Gardening / 2 January 2026
2 January 2026

MAT COWARD takes a look at some of the options for keen gardeners as we enter 2026

(L to R) Flowering parsnip in its second year; Oven baked parsnip with honey and mustard / Pics (L to R): Pic: Skogkatten/CC Takeaway/CC
Gardening / 6 December 2025
6 December 2025

Commiserations if you failed this year, MAT COWARD offers six points which, if followed religiously, will ensure you succeed next year