How to Grow Green Onions from a Regular Onion Without Planting

When I was a child, my grandma always had a huge vegetable garden she tended to everyday in the summer. However, she also grew some plants year round right on the window sill of her kitchen window. One plant that she seemed to always have growing was onions. It's so simple anyone can do it and all you need is an onion and glass jar.

Start by peeling the skin from the onion. It can be any type of onion - white, yellow, large, medium, etc. Place it on top of a glass or plastic jar. It's better if it's clear and see through. If the onion is too small to rest on top of the jar, stick 3 or 4 toothpicks into the sides of the onion and then place it on the jar so the toothpicks rest on the top and hold the onion in place. You'll want the root side of the onion down. Fill the jar with water all the way to the top so the bottom of the onion is resting in the water. The onion will rot if it's submerged so don't get it in too far.

Now all you have to do is wait. Place the jar in a sunny window and in a few weeks you'll see the roots growing downwards into the water. Check the water level often and make sure the roots are always in water. Within a few weeks of planting you'll see green onions sprouting from the top of the onion bulb. Use scissors to cut off the top of the plant and use the green onions in cooking. Make sure you leave about half an inch on the bulb so it will continue to grow. By doing it this way, you can get alot of green onion out of that single original onion.

Not only is this a great way to grow your own green onions to save money, but it's also a great lesson for kids. They can see the roots growing downwards as the green shoots grow upward.