A new type of spring onion. It does not form bulbs, yet stays white and very straight. Can be harvested pencil-thin or thinner, yet left till it's grown as thick as a mature carrot. Because it has such a long harvesting period, you rarely waste any and unlike normal types there is not the need to be sowing every three weeks for a continuous crop.

Sow outdoors late winter/early spring just as soon as the ground is workable. Sow thinly in an open sunny site 2cm (1in) deep in 30cm (12in) wide rows.

Thin out when 5cm (2in) high to 2½ cm (1in) apart. After six to eight weeks, thin plants still further so that those remaining are 10-15cm (4-6in) apart.

The thinnings make tasty additions to a salad. Hoe and hand-weed as soon as the seedlings emerge. Mature plants can be pulled in the autumn and used in a similar fashion to leeks.