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So it’s come to my attention that a lot of people didn’t know anything about green onions. When you buy them in the store they have their bulbs and roots attached. Most just snip them down to the roots and toss the root and bulb in the trash. When they need more they just buy another bunch at the market.
Um, why? Seriously why do this? I mean you are given the bulb and roots intact. Why not just grow your own?
I’ve been doing this for years and have done it both indoors (in just a jar of water that I change regularly) and then when the weather breaks, in a pot outside.
Cutting The Green Onion for Water Growth
Cut the onion back to where the roots, bulb, and 1″ of the white part is preserved.
Going all the way to the bulb may cause the onion to not regrow
What prompted this is a TKW Family member asked how they can preserve green onions as she got a boatload of ’em and didn’t want them to go bad before she could use them all. I gave her the instructions on how to flash freeze the snipped onions and then that all she needs to do to keep getting more is just stick the roots and remaining bulbs in freshwater. These grow pretty fast too. Just change the water every few days, snip off what you need, and watch them regrow!
Green Onion Growing Tips
Change the water every 2-3 days.
If the outer sheath becomes slimy (this will happen), gently peel it off.
If the roots get too long and start to ball up snip them back to about 1″ long
Planting Green Onions
I tend to regrow mine for 3 full growths in water and plant them in soil.
I found that by the 5th regrow the bulbs and roots can get slimy to the point it’s too hard to clean them.
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I plant them in full sun, roots in the dirt (though I suspect you knew that part). Yes, I had them in pots on my porch before and as long as they have water they are good.
First time trying this. I’m so excited! I’m a great ‘pit’ gardener. Veggies, fruits, flowers etc. Now I’ll be a great gardener in water. LoL.
Thank you so much.
You’re top notch! 👍💚
hi, i’ve started storing my green onions in a jar in the window with a little water a couple weeks ago. Finally growing! But now I notice a clear slime (almost like aloe vera) inside the onion tubes. What is this? Is it normal? the onions I buy at the store don’t have thick liquid inside, so this weirds me out. Any thoughts?
That’s totally normal. That’s just the gel the onions emit when growing. Have you ever cut into a thicker one and it oozed out a liquidy type gel? That’s all that is. What I do is just rinse it off, change the water and it’s good to go.
Hello, how long does it last? Do I ever need to worry about replanting them with newer bulbs, since I suspect that nutrient from the roots will not last because it’s not seed?
I’ve only had them “stop” growing in water after the 3rd or 4th snipping. That’s typically the time I transfer them to dirt. Did you change the water regularly and also not use scalding hot or freezing water? You didn’t submerge them either, correct. Just the roots and base were in the water? I’m assuming you did a single snip, changed the water as directed and waited. They typically grow in a week after the first snipping and 1-3 water changes.
Hello, my parents have been growing them right by the window with sunlight and changing the water every three days. The issue is that all of the tips have been turning a yellowish-white color and when we touch them it’s solid. Are we doing something wrong or are they supposed to turn hard and white at the tops?
I’ve had that happen too. I will snip off that part and it typically is fine after that. I’ll regrow mine in water for 3-5 times then plant in soil for long term/next year growing outside.
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