How to Plant Walking Onions

Plant walking onion bulbils no more than 1 inch deep in a sunny, permanent spot, then water them while they establish. You can also start them in containers or trays, or expand an existing patch by dividing rooted clumps.

What Walking Onions Are

Walking onions, also called Egyptian walking onions, tree onions, and topset onions, are perennial onions that produce clusters of small bulbs at the tips of their stems. These miniature onions are called bulbils or topsets, and they are the usual planting material.

The plants “walk” when the weight of a topset cluster bends its stem toward the ground. Bulbils that touch the soil can root, creating new plants beside the original clump. Established plants also multiply underground.

Look for hollow onion leaves and topset-bearing stalks that can reach 2 feet tall. Unlike ordinary bulb onions grown for a single harvest, walking onions can remain in a permanent bed, supplying greens and planting stock over successive seasons.

How to Plant Walking Onion Bulbils

First, identify what you have so you handle it correctly.

Planting Material	How to Recognize It	Best Planting Approach
Individual topset bulbils	Firm miniature onions taken from the top of a stem	Plant directly in the garden, a container, or a starter tray
An attached topset cluster	Several small bulbs joined together at the stem tip	Separate the bulbils or plant the cluster intact
A rooted plant or underground clump	Onion bases with attached roots, often with leaves	Replant as a rooted plant rather than treating it as a dry topset

Step 1: Choose Mature Bulbils and a Planting Time

Select firm bulbils. Mature topsets look like miniature onions with developed skins. The supporting stalk often browns and dries as the cluster matures. Avoid bulbs that are soft or visibly rotten.
Plant in fall or spring. Fall is a convenient planting season for mature topsets; spring planting also works once the ground is workable. There is no need to start them indoors first.
Store only if necessary. Mature bulbils can be stored for a few months before planting. Keep them cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight, and discard any that soften during storage.

Keep the bulbils’ protective skins intact. If you received a leafy plant with roots attached, replant it promptly rather than putting it into dry storage with dormant topsets.

Step 2: Choose a Permanent, Sunny Site

Choose full sun. A permanent vegetable-bed edge or a dedicated perennial patch makes it easier to leave the onions undisturbed.
Check drainage. Avoid a spot where water collects and remains around the bulbs. For a consistently wet garden, a freely draining container is a better starting point.
Clear competing weeds. Remove weeds and their roots, then loosen the planting surface enough to make shallow holes without forcing the bulbils into hard soil.

Walking onions are hardy in USDA zones 3a–9b. They can tolerate temperatures down to –24°F, making outdoor overwintering practical. An exposed pot provides less root insulation than an in-ground bed, so do not assume a container will offer the same winter protection.

Leave access around the patch for picking greens and collecting topsets. A spot that is easy to reach is also easier to keep from spreading into neighboring crops.

Step 3: Separate and Plant the Bulbils

Gently break bulbils away from the cluster. You do not have to separate every bulb: an intact cluster can grow successfully, too.
Set individual bulbils 4 to 5 inches apart. Place the root end down and the pointed growing tip up when you can distinguish them.
Plant no more than 1 inch deep. Cover lightly and firm the soil enough to hold each bulbil in place.

This shallow planting depth, spacing, and option to plant intact clusters follow UW–Madison Extension’s walking onion guidance. There is no need to dig a deep planting hole as you might for a large ornamental bulb.

Separated bulbils are convenient when you want an orderly patch. Intact clusters save handling, but they begin as a group of plants rather than a single onion.

Step 4: Water and Let Shoots Emerge

Water the planting thoroughly. Settle the soil around the bulbs without leaving them in standing water.
Provide about 1 inch of water per week while plants establish. Let the soil dry between waterings.
Leave mulch off newly planted bulbils until shoots emerge. This may help the planting become established.
Watch for fresh leaves. Continue keeping competing weeds out while the small plants develop roots.

Do not judge success solely by how quickly a shoot appears. Bulbil condition, planting season, and growing conditions affect emergence. Firm bulbs and developing green shoots are more useful signs than a promised sprouting deadline.

Growing Walking Onions in Containers and Trays

Containers can hold a permanent planting. Starter trays are temporary homes for bulbils that you intend to transplant.

Planting a Permanent Container

Choose a container 12–14 inches deep or deeper, with ample drainage holes.
Fill it with container potting mix rather than dense soil dug from the garden.
Plant bulbils no more than 1 inch deep and 4 to 5 inches apart.
Water until excess water runs from the drainage holes, then let the pot drain freely.
Place the container in full sun. Check the mix regularly and water when it begins to dry, rather than allowing the root zone to become completely dry or remain saturated.

Keep the drainage holes open and empty any saucer that holds standing water. As the clump expands, divide it rather than allowing the container to become packed with onion bases.

A pot makes the root system easier to contain, but it does not automatically stop the plant from walking. Topsets can still bend over the rim or drop into nearby soil.

Starting Bulbils in Cell Trays

Fill the cells with potting mix and moisten it.
Press a bulbil into each cell, fully beneath the potting mix and up to ½ inch deep.
Water gently and place the tray in a sheltered outdoor location with good light.
Keep the mix moist while roots and shoots develop.
Transplant when the roots hold the plug together and the plant is actively growing.

For transplanting into a garden bed, space the plugs a few inches apart. Firm around the root balls and water them in. Provide about 1 inch of water per week while the transplants establish.

Tray starting is useful when you want to keep track of small bulbils or hold them while preparing a bed. It is an option, not a requirement for successful planting.

Dividing Established Walking Onion Clumps

Spring is the best time to divide established clumps. Division lets you relieve crowding, move part of a patch, or share plants without waiting for new topsets.

Lift the clump carefully. Loosen the soil around it before lifting, preserving as many roots as possible.
Separate rooted sections. Gently pull the clump apart so each division retains a firm onion base and attached roots. Do not strip the plants down to bare, rootless bulbs.
Replant at the previous soil level. Spread the roots into the planting hole without folding them into a tight bundle. Keep the emerging leaves above the soil.
Firm and water. Close air pockets around the roots, then water thoroughly.
Maintain establishment moisture. Supply about 1 inch of water per week while the divisions settle in.

Leave room around each division for additional shoots rather than packing large clumps tightly together. Fresh growth is the sign that the moved plants are resuming normal growth.

If you receive a rooted clump outside the ideal division season, give it a growing home promptly. A container can hold it while you decide on a permanent location.

Harvesting Walking Onions

Keep part of the patch growing if you want an ongoing supply of both food and planting stock.

Walking onion leaves, underground bulbs, and topsets are edible, but harvesting each one has a different effect on the planting.

Picking Greens and Bulbs

Let newly planted bulbils establish before taking a substantial harvest. Leaving their early leaves intact gives the plants more opportunity to build roots and reserves.

Once plants are growing strongly, pick individual tender leaves for use like green onions or chives. Take leaves from several plants rather than repeatedly stripping the same small clump.

You can also dig an onion or a section of the clump for its strongly flavored underground bulb. That removes the harvested plant, so leave rooted plants behind if you want the patch to continue.

Mature topsets can be eaten or saved for propagation. Reserve some bulbils before using the rest in the kitchen.

Refreshing Tough Summer Foliage

Summer leaves can become thicker and sturdier than the tender spring growth. On an established plant, cut the leaves back to 1 inch above the ground to encourage fresh foliage.

Keep any topset-bearing stalks you intend to save. After cutting, allow the new leaves to grow before harvesting heavily again; this is a foliage refresh, not a reason to keep the plant continually cropped short.

Checking Establishment and Keeping the Patch Contained

A successful planting develops fresh hollow leaves and becomes anchored as roots grow. Check for:

New green growth rather than progressively collapsing leaves.
Firm onion bases rather than soft, rotting tissue.
Plants that remain settled in place during gentle watering.

Do not dig up healthy-looking plants just to inspect their roots. Visible growth is usually enough confirmation.

Walking onions may die back and look scruffy over winter, then send up new shoots very early in spring. Seasonal browning alone does not mean the planting has failed. Likewise, do not expect every newly planted bulbil to produce an impressive topset stalk immediately; plants left in place can produce topsets the following year.

To keep the patch within its intended boundary, collect mature topsets before they fall and root. Remove unwanted young bulbil-grown plants while they are easy to lift.

Walking onions spread readily, but their two routes of expansion are visible: new growth at the base and new plants from fallen topsets. Managing both is more effective than only cutting back leaves.

Once fresh growth confirms establishment, mark the patch as a permanent planting so it is not accidentally dug over during the next bed preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Grow Walking Onions From Cuttings in Water?

Detached leaf cuttings will not grow into complete walking onion plants. A piece that retains the onion’s basal plate and roots may regrow greens in water, but that is different from rooting a leaf. For a lasting planting, use topset bulbils or rooted divisions in soil or potting mix.

Can Walking Onions Grow Near Black Walnut Trees?

Yes, walking onions can grow near black walnut trees. Their juglone tolerance does not remove the effects of shade or competition from tree roots. Walking onions are not susceptible to juglone, according to UW–Madison Extension, so they can be planted near black walnut trees. They still need a sunny location; juglone tolerance does not remove the effects of shade or competition from tree roots.

Will Walking Onions Produce Large Storage Onions?

No. Their underground bulbs are only slightly enlarged from the stem and are about 1 inch long, rather than forming the large bulbs associated with standard storage onions. Grow walking onions primarily for tender greens, small strongly flavored bulbs, and edible or replantable topsets.

How can you recognize a walking onion while it is growing?

A growing walking onion has hollow leaves and a tall stalk topped by a cluster of bulbils instead of flowers. The stalk can reach 2 feet, while the bulbils enlarge and develop reddish-brown skins as they mature.

In which USDA hardiness zones can you grow walking onions?

Walking onions are hardy in USDA Zones 3a through 9b. In winter, the plants may die back, but new green shoots emerge very early in spring.

Can you grow Egyptian walking onions from seeds?

No, Egyptian walking onions do not make seeds. They produce small bulblets instead, and you can plant those to start more plants.