Learning how to grow green onions is important as having it saves you time and money in going to the market. Also, leaving it to grow into mature onions benefit you a lot as it’s one of the most common ingredients in making various dishes that you can always change up or experiment with according to your liking.
Green onions are sometimes referred to as scallions or spring onions. These are actually baby onions that are harvested while the leaves are still green, and the bulb hasn’t developed yet. Mature onions are harvested when their leaves dry up and turn brown. Picking off onions while they’re still young allows for a less intense flavor than actual onions, and these green onions are usually utilized to improve the taste of dishes.
Green onions have antioxidants which help with allergies, colds, and sore throat. It also helps lower the risk of getting cancer and heart diseases. It also reduces cholesterol and blood sugar.
How to Grow Green Onions in Water
Learning how to grow green onions in water is extremely easy. Since green onions sold in supermarkets have the roots still attached to them, All you have to do is cut off the parts that you won’t use – the roots and the bulb or the little white part at the end of the stalk – and that’s it.
Get a glass container or a plastic bottle and then fill it with water, only enough to cover up the roots. Place the green onions root-end down on the water.
Set on a windowsill or where it gets the most sunlight, about six to eight hours per day. Remember to always keep the roots moist. You can add water to the glass once it decreases as your growing plant absorbs it. Change the water completely every few days or once the water becomes cloudy or dirty. This would help your plant grow better.
After just a few days, the shoots will begin to emerge from the plant. You can continue doing this process by just cutting off the leaves and leaving the bulb and roots in the glass container but remember that the roots eventually weaken in water.
Regrow Green Onions in Soil
Another method of how to grow green onions is to plant it in soil. If you have a yard or pot, you can choose to regrow green onions in soil, too. There are two ways to do this – from water or directly into the soil.
Growing green onions in water isn’t sustainable if you’re planning to keep having green onions readily available at home. If you transfer it in soil, though, it could give you an almost endless supply of green onions.
Regrowing green onions in soil requires you to have loose, well-draining soil. Although green onions can grow in most types of soil, it grows best in soils that have a pH level of 5.5 – 6.5. The soil always has to be kept moist but not soggy.
If you’re planting green onions in a pot, make sure it has drainage holes so that the soil could drain well and not have stagnant water which could cause your plant to rot. Fill the pot with soil and moisten it before putting in the green onions.
As always, keep it in the sun for about six to eight hours daily. If this isn’t possible, invest in grow lights for your plant, preferably the full spectrum ones. Grow lights mimic the sunlight so that your plant could still get the required amount, especially if you’re living in cooler climates or just simply don’t get enough light where you live.
Remember, if you want onions, you can just leave the plant out to mature fully in moist soil. Harvest your onions once the leaves dry up. Through this, you can have both green onions and onions readily available all the time, depending on what you need for cooking that delicious dinner.
Growing Green Onions in Egg Carton
Growing green onions in egg carton is similar to growing it in water in the sense that it wouldn’t be sustainable. It is a good step towards reducing waste, though.
Instead of throwing out old egg cartons, especially the plastic ones, use them to regrow green onions. All you have to do is burn a hole in them, about the diameter of your green onion stalks. Then, put the stalks inside and close the carton. Keep it filled with water and change it every few days so that you always have clean water to help your green onions grow. Place it in a warm area that gets enough sunlight daily.
You may choose to transplant them into soil eventually, but it’s fine if you don’t, too. Just keep in mind that in growing green onions at home, you’ll be saving yourself a lot of money and trouble in going to the market just to grab a couple of things, especially during the quarantine.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of Korean culture or simply just watch Korean dramas, you’ve probably already seen green onions countless times in their dishes. Koreans love to use green onions as garnish for ramen and chicken, as well as in making kimchi and dumplings. Korean Mukbangs in YouTube also include green onions in a lot of the food that they eat.
Green onions, even when only used as garnish, benefit your health a lot. Just think of this – a dish with green onions is always healthier than a normal dish without it. But again, only eat it in moderation so that it benefits your health instead of harming it.
After learning how to grow green onions, you’ll realize how easy it is to do it on your own, even for a complete beginner, and even without much space at home. Now, you can use green onions to garnish your dinner so that it would look more aesthetically pleasing and more savory when you post it on Instagram. Your #foodstagram feed will thank you. Trust me on this one.
Enjoy your green onion-garnished food and aesthetic glass jar-grown plants!
Read my other post on growing onions and how to have a sustainable garden.
