I like to mix up some green onions, Gulden’s mustard, and mayo with the leftover turkey/chicken for yummy sandwich fixings after Thanksgiving. So as I was chopping the green onions, I remembered a tip my friend Wendy taught me: Make your green onions last a long time by chopping them and putting them in water (or into a pot of dirt).
I like to put them in the water as the kids can watch how fast the roots and the green onions grow! Plus, it’s easy to pull out what you need again and chop, chop, chop!
So… chop off the green onion…
Then put the roots in water. My friend used a shot glass for her small amount of green onions. Since I had a bunch of green onions, I used a small jar. Then watch because in just a few days…
Bam! Your kids are amazed.
Updated Tip: Make sure you change the water daily! And after the first time of watching it grow again and using it, I’d suggest planting it in dirt to let it fully regrow the third time. A great science lesson for kids!
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WE use a ton of green onions around here… I never knew this trick! Will have to try it next time!
It really is fun to watch them grow so fast. I think your kiddos would love it.
Cool! it’s like mowing your lawn, but you can eat it!
Ha! The kids will love hearing that!
I’ll be buying green onions just to do this. Kidlet will love this.
You know, it’s crazy, because I tried this, and it only seemed to work once. AFter I rechoppedd them, they never grew back. DO you do anything special?
Hmm. Did you chop it even closer to the root the second time? It doesn’t grow back indefinitely but it does grow back a few. Maybe put the roots in dirt if they’re growing slow?
This did not work for me. I put the onions in a jar of water and all that happened was the outer peel just receded. Maybe I will try again.
Sorry, it didn’t work for you. I’m going to add to change the water daily, but it’s always worked for me.
Does it need to be put in the fridge while waiting for it to grow?
No, I put in next to my kitchen window. I would, however, change the water daily.
does anyone know how close to the root can you chop it?
Anywhere on the white part should do it. Thanks for stopping by!
I love this idea! I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
I like to secure my green onions bottoms with a rubber band (usually, the one that came with the onions), so that they will stay upright. They regrown a couple of times, but I never thought about planting them in dirt. I will be doing this with the green onions I bought today!
The rubber band idea is a great tip!
Hi, Fun Mom,
I love this post! It is a great tip for science for a homeschoolers or anyone (like me) who loves growing things!! I have a link-up on Wednesday, and I would like to invite you to join in. It is called ‘Encourage One Another’. I like your blog so much and think it would encourage others. I’m at Deeprootsathome.com starting at MN tonight (hopefully)! Thank you for considering this
I’ve done that 3 years ago and even planted them on the ground. every year after the snows melt, it grows back. I don’t have to buy green onions.
I saw this on Pinterest a while back and totally wondered if it works!! Glad to know it does…I make egg salad a lot and green onions are so good in it.
Thanks for sharing!
Wow. And frugal too! Two for the price of one (almost).
I’m confused a bit. If you’re replanting it, you don’t get to eat it, right? I love the idea of doing it just to see it, but, if you’re putting the (white part of the) onion in the water or dirt, you can’t eat it.
I know you can eat some of the green part, but when I use green onions, it’s the white part that I use most and maybe a bit of the green.
You’re right – if you like eating the white part it doesn’t really work for you. I like the white part, but my family does not, so people who do this just snip off the green portions. It’s still a fun thing for the kiddos to see happen… I think it will work with even just a small amount of the root still there.
[...] small, easy, new ideas and make it happen. I saw here that you can take your green onion ends and stick them in a bowl with some water. The onions will [...]
I tried this a few years back in dirt with just the tip of the white and roots. I had it in a planter inside. It didn’t work but maybe I did something wrong. I do like the white parts, so maybe this won’t work for me, but I think I will try it anyway. The kids and I always have something growing on the window sill.
Hello,
This works with garlic also. But I leave the garlic in the dark till it grows to a inch then bring it to the light. Also I cut my onions right where the white turned green. Put it in water so its almost covered but NOT covered the top. And peel off the outter “film”
I love this idea!! Kids or no, this is wonderful. I love green onions and this would be a great thing to do to add to the life of the green onion.
Whenever the ground is thawed I replant onion roots. I chop off just a little area above the roots when cutting onions and plant them in my garden. In a couple months I have onions again. This looks really fun for the kids! Great reusing idea and it’s visually interesting