# How to Divide Egyptian Walking Onion Clumps For Stronger Plants and Bigger Bulbs

- Link: https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/
- Published: 2026-09-14T15:22:28-05:00
- Author: Bert Swope

Egyptian Walking Onions (Allium fistulosum) initially appear just like regular onion
plants in spring, but by mid- to late summer something extraordinary takes place:
their leaves become long, feathery stalks.

Starting to produce topsets! Also known as tree onions or top-set onions, these 
baby onions are hardy and come back year after year.

## Thin Out Crowded Clumps

Growing walking onions in containers allows gardeners to control soil conditions,
spacing and movement of the plants while protecting them from gophers, slugs and
other soil pests which could otherwise threaten them in the ground. Furthermore,
walking onions can be grown in locations which might otherwise not suit perennial
vegetables or crops needing shade such as beans, squash or tomatoes.

As Egyptian Walking Onions begin to produce their true leaves in spring, it may 
appear overcrowded. To best protect them from overcrowded seedlings competing for
limited water and nutrients, thinning out should occur once their second set of 
leaves appear more identifiable than seed-leaves (cotyledons) that preceded them.
Any hesitation may result in stunted growth that inhibits flowering altogether.

Walking onion seeds and bulbs should be planted in loose, well-draining soil with
either neutral or slightly acidic pH levels, with high organic content such as potting
mix with an increase of perlite or sand for enhanced drainage and aeration. Early
season fertilization with balanced low nitrogen fertilizers promotes root and bulb
development while mulching with straw or leaves regulates temperature while suppressing
weeds – onions are heavy feeders who require consistent moisture but should never
overwatered.

## Harvest Topsets

Egyptian Walking Onions are perennial, so as you cultivate them you should harvest
some topsets (or bulblets) to replant next year. As these hardy plants self-sow 
their own seeds, the perennial bulblets harvested now will create new onions both
above and below ground next season.

Topsets (also called onion sets or bulbils) of Egyptian Walking Onions form at the
top of its leaf stalk, sometimes described as having “candlestick” qualities due
to how their bulblets appear like tall, taper candles on top. As these topsets mature
they become heavier until eventually tipping over onto the ground where they root
themselves and produce new onion plants.

Harvest the topsets from an Egyptian Walking Onion plant between mid and late summer
and fall to help control its size, as this will allow energy from its plant to go
toward producing larger bulbs underground. You can enjoy eating its green tops, 
as well as its hollow inside (which resembles that of shallot), or you could plant
more clumps around your garden which will eventually form small shallot-like onions
over time.

## Harvest Bulbs in the Ground

Egyptian walking onion sets planted in spring tend to produce only small topsets
that can be harvested when mature, though harvesting more may increase next year’s
green harvesting potential.

As topsets get bigger, their weight may cause them to droop down towards the ground
and they’ll take root there and form Egyptian Walking Onions plants right where 
they landed.

These little plants will continue to multiply year after year and form ever-expanding
clumps, eventually flowering if given enough sunlight or where plants have been 
divided and replanted twice or more in two or more years.

These perennials are hardy in zones 3-9. Preferring full sun to partial shade conditions,
they require well-drained soil with plenty of rich, light-colored garden loam that’s
neither too sandy nor clay-like, for optimal success. A light winter mulch helps
minimize root damage caused by freezing and thawing cycles while regular light fertilization,
particularly spring and fall cycles, is recommended. When flowers have faded and
yellowed before harvesting – leaving this foliage on will feed the bulbs for next
year’s bloom!

## Replant

Growing Egyptian Walking Onions (Allium x proliferum) can be both rewarding and 
sustainable way to enjoy this perennial vegetable. Also referred to as tree onions,
Welsh onions or winter onions, these fascinating plants earn their name from their
unique ability to walk across garden beds – creating clusters of small bulblets 
at the topstem that eventually fall and touch the ground, rooting and developing
into new plants if left to their own devices; potentially moving up to 3 feet annually!

Crowded Egyptian Walking Onions tend to produce smaller topsets and fewer bulbs 
in the ground than well-divided clumps, so even though mature plants can produce
small shallot-like onions this first season, it’s wiser to thin out and divide your
plantings every spring or fall in order to prevent overcrowding.

Start with high-quality Egyptian Walking Onion bulbs and prepare the planting site
accordingly for maximum harvest success. Egyptian Walking Onions prefer well-draining
soil with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8, adding organic matter like compost can improve
drainage and fertility while mulching helps retain moisture while suppressing weeds.
When selecting containers for planting purposes make sure there are ample drainage
holes.

### Share this:

 * [  Print ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/#print?share=print)
 * [More](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/#)

 * [[
 * [Share on Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/share)
 * [  Email ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20How%20to%20Divide%20Egyptian%20Walking%20Onion%20Clumps%20For%20Stronger%20Plants%20and%20Bigger%20Bulbs&body=https%3A%2F%2Flifeandwork.blog%2Fhow-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs%2F&share=email)
 * [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
 * [  Telegram ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/?share=telegram)
 * [  WhatsApp ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/?share=jetpack-whatsapp)
 * [  Reddit ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/?share=reddit)
 * [  Threads ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/?share=threads)
 * [  Mastodon ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/?share=mastodon)
 * [  Nextdoor ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/?share=nextdoor)
 * [Post](https://x.com/share)
 * [  Bluesky ](https://lifeandwork.blog/how-to-divide-egyptian-walking-onion-clumps-for-stronger-plants-and-bigger-bulbs/?share=bluesky)

### _Related_