Looking for a way to save money, reduce waste, and always have fresh spring onions on hand? Growing your own is the answer. It’s incredibly easy, doesn’t require much space in your kitchen, and you can keep them going indefinitely—perfect for anyone who loves cooking with fresh herbs but doesn’t want to constantly pop to the shops.
The best thing about spring onions, or green onions, is that you can regrow them from kitchen scraps. We’ll take you through the simple steps of learning to grow your own in the kitchen – you don’t even need to don the gardening gloves.
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What you’ll need to grow an endless supply of spring onions
- A jar or glass (a simple drinking glass or old coffee jar will do)
- Fresh green onions (even the root ends will work)
- Water
- A sunny windowsill or bright spot
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Growing spring onions in your kitchen, step-by-step
Once you’ve got what you need to grow your own spring onions, here’s what you’ll need to do.
Step 1: Save the roots
After using spring onions in your cooking, don’t toss the roots. Instead, chop them off, leaving around 3-5 cm of the white root end.
Step 2: Place in water
Stick the root ends in a glass with just enough water to cover them. You’ll see new shoots starting to sprout in no time.
Step 3: Find a sunny spot
Place your jar on a sunny windowsill, where the onions can get plenty of natural light. Green onions need around 4–6 hours of sunlight a day to thrive.
Step 4: Change the water
Refresh the water every 2-3 days to keep it clean and avoid any bad smells. Clean water is key for healthy regrowth!
Step 5: Harvest when ready
In about a week, you’ll start to see the green shoots coming up. Once they’re tall enough, you can snip off the greens as needed. They’ll keep growing back, so you won’t have to buy more!
You can check out this handy guide on regrowing green onions.
Images: Pexels
Trouble with regrowing spring onions? Here’s what to watch out for
Sometimes things don’t always go to plan, so here’s what to keep an eye on:
Too much sunlight: Green onions love light, but too much direct sun can cause the leaves to burn. If you notice wilting or yellowing, try moving them to a spot with indirect sunlight.
Dirty water: Stagnant, old water can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Change the water every few days to keep things fresh. If you can, use filtered water to avoid chemicals that might harm the roots.
Space to grow: Don’t crowd your onions! If you’re growing a few, make sure they have enough room for the roots to spread out, or they won’t grow as well.
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Feature Image: Freepik
