How to Grow Green Onions and Chives From Discarded Roots Year Round

Many people enjoy gardening during the summer and growing their own food. Others like growing a smaller selection of vegetables and herbs in an indoor window sill garden. One vegetable that grows well in both indoor and outdoor gardens are chives and green onions. But now, I'll teach you the secret that some of us have know for years ... you never have to buy onions at the store again. How? The next time you use a chive or green onion to cook with, don't throw away the root section. Just regrow it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Water
• A shallow bowl
• At least one green onion root

1. The next time you use a green onion, save the white root section instead of throwing it in the trash. You don't need the entire root section, as long as you save about 1/2" it will still grow.

2. Fill a shallow open container with plain tap water. You want to completely cover the root with water. Do not plant the roots in a sealed container as they will rot.

3. Place the container in a sunny location. The plants don't need direct sunlight so any room that is fairly well lit will work. Although the more sun they receive the faster they will grow.

4. Replace water every few days as it evaporates. As the onions grow, stand them upright by leaning them against the side of the container, so that the top part is not submerged in water.

5. The roots will grow at amazing rate. Sometimes up to a quarter to half inch day. They will grow fine in the water container, but one they are fully grown, you may want to plant them in a small container with soil.

6. The next time you need chives or green onions, simply snip what you need from the green top part of the onion.

Tips & Warnings

• The next time you have green onions that are going bad in your refrigerator, pull them out and plant them. They are still plantable long after they have wilted and undesirable to eat.

Resources

• eHow Home and Garden Topic Guide