Green onions, also called scallions or spring onions, are versatile members of the Allium family known for their mild flavor and bright green stalks. They are accommodating vegetables for home gardeners, thriving easily in small containers or on a sunny windowsill. Growing them at home ensures a continuous supply for cooking, minimizes food waste, and makes them an ideal choice for beginners.
Deciding How to Start Your Onions
Home growers have three primary methods to begin cultivating green onions, each offering a different timeline to harvest. Starting from seed is the slowest approach, requiring planting seeds about one-quarter inch deep in soil and waiting three to six months for the plants to mature. This method provides the widest choice of specific varieties but demands patience as the plants develop.
A faster option is to use “sets,” which are small, partially grown bulbs planted directly into the soil about one inch deep, with the pointed end facing upward. Sets mature quicker than seeds, offering a harvest in a shorter timeframe. The most popular and easiest method for continuous home production involves regrowing the white root ends from store-bought scraps.
To regrow from scraps, cut the green stalks one to two inches above the root line, leaving the white base and attached roots intact. Place these root ends in a small jar or glass with about an inch of water, ensuring the cut tops remain above the waterline. New green shoots will rapidly emerge within a few days, providing a quick and immediate harvest.
Essential Requirements for Growth
Providing the correct environment is necessary for successful growth, regardless of the starting method. Green onions require a significant amount of light, needing a minimum of six to eight hours of direct or bright, indirect sunlight daily. A south-facing windowsill is the ideal indoor location to maximize light exposure. If natural light is insufficient, supplemental grow lights can be used for 14 to 16 hours daily to support healthy growth.
The choice of growing medium impacts care and long-term viability, with soil offering a more sustainable environment. When planting in soil, choose a container at least six inches deep with drainage holes, filled with a well-draining, loamy potting mix. This depth allows the shallow root system to establish. While growing exclusively in water is possible for short-term, rapid regrowth, the plant will eventually weaken without the nutrients soil provides.
Routine Care and Troubleshooting
Once established, green onions require consistent maintenance, focusing on proper hydration and nutrient supply. For plants in soil, the growing medium should be kept consistently moist but never waterlogged, which can lead to root rot. Allowing the top half-inch of soil to dry slightly between waterings prevents over-saturation. If growing in water, the liquid should be refreshed every few days to prevent stagnation and bacteria accumulation, which can cause the base to become mushy and smelly.
Green onions are not heavy feeders, but a weak application of a balanced liquid fertilizer every few weeks supports continuous leaf production, especially in containers. Yellowing tips on the green stalks are a common sign of water stress or nutrient deficiency, indicating a need for more consistent moisture or a light fertilizer application. Indoor pests are minimal, but small infestations like aphids can be managed by wiping the leaves clean.
Harvesting Techniques for Regrowth
The capacity for continuous regrowth depends on a specific harvesting technique. To ensure the plant keeps producing new leaves, the green stalk must be cut approximately one inch above the white root base. This action leaves the plant’s basal plate and root structure intact, allowing it to rapidly regenerate a new stalk.
Cutting the stalk at this height stimulates the plant to sprout again from the center, often yielding a fresh harvest in one to two weeks. By only removing the desired amount of green growth and leaving the root system undisturbed, the home gardener can have an almost endless supply from the same initial planting. This method allows for multiple harvests before production naturally slows down or ceases.