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Yes, you can plant a sprouted onion!
So, you have an onion or two that you bought from the grocery store, that have now sprouted in the pantry. And you're wondering, "Can I plant these sprouted onions and regrow a new, fresh onion?"
In short the answer is, YES! You can plant a sprouted onion and grow a new one. Actually, usually you can get three new onions from one sprouted onion!
But, you can't just plant the sprouted onion in the ground. You'll need to do a little bit of prep work first. Don't worry, it's not hard at all.
I'll show you how.
So, grab your sprouted onion and let's go!
★ Steps to Plant a Sprouted Onion ★
Here's how to regrow a sprouted onion in just 7 steps from preparing your sprouted onion to harvesting and storing your newly grown onions! Easy enough for a beginner gardener to pull off.
Step 1
Peel the sprouted onion.
Peel off the "meat" of the onion, layer by layer, down to the center.
Chances are some of the outer layers will be soft and may be starting to rot if your onion has started sprouting. If not, you can still eat the outer layers of onion so don't toss them!
You want to peel all the way down until you get to just the clump of green sprouts.
I don't use a special tool for this. I just peel the layers off with my hands.
Step 2
Separate sprouts.
Once you get to the center of your onion, you'll want to carefully separate the green sprouts into individual plants.
Peel away any final layers of onion skin to reveal the separate plants if needed.
Usually each sprouted onion will contain three separate plants! Sometimes less, sometimes more. It's a fun little surprise to see how many you will get.
Step 3
Separate each onion plant.
Carefully cut apart each spout, at the root, with a serrated kitchen knife.
Ensure that each sprout has some roots attached.
Step 4
Plant your onion sprouts.
Your onion sprouts will survive for up to 3 weeks before you need to plant them. You do not need to store them in water or soak them before planting. Do store them in a cool dry place though to prevent them from rotting.
Where to Plant Your Onions
You will need to plant your onion sprouts in full sun.
Onions require a lot of light. 12 or more hours of direct sunlight is necessary. So find a sunny spot in your yard, with loose soil, and plant your seedling spouts.
How Deep to Bury Your Onion Plants
Onion plants don't need to be buried very deep. You should plant the seedlings just 1" into the ground and space them at least 4" apart so the bulbs have room to grow.
Note: Planted onion sprouts will take about 3 weeks to look perky.
Step 5
Care for your onion plants.
Continue to water and weed around your onion plants. Fertilize as needed.
Onion plants prefer to be watered in cycles rather than every day. So you can water them about once a week unless the soil and plants start to visibly look too dry. Avoid overwatering as this can rot your onion bulbs.
Fertilize if your soil is not very rich.
Onions grow best in fertilized, well-drained, somewhat acidic soil. You can use organic (manure, compost, etc.) or store-bought fertilizer to ensure your soil has the nutrients it needs to nourish your onion to its fullest potential. Read more about how to test your soil for acidity.
Note: You do not want your onion plant to flower. If it does, the bolting process has started and the bulb will not continue to grow. You'll want to harvest a plant that has begun the bolting process whether it has a flower or not. You can still use the onion bulb, it may just be small. Sometimes due to changes in temperature, an onion plant will flower prematurely. This can happen just as a fluke too so it's best to plant multiple onion sprouts for better odds of scoring a full-grown onion!
Step 6
Harvest your onions.
How Long to Let Onions Grow Before Harvesting
Your onions should grow for about 3 months to reach optimum size which is when the bulb reaches the size of a baseball. You will be able to see the top of the onion as it grows and can get a good idea of its size without digging it up.
If your onion does not flower then you can let it grow up until the first frost.*
How to Harvest your Onions
Harvest by pulling the onion out of the ground and then brushing them to remove dirt.
Do not wash your onions.
Do not rinse your onions to clean them off. You want to keep the onions dry to avoid rot. Allow them to dry then you can brush away any dirt.
Storing Harvested Onions
If you're ready to eat your onion, go ahead! They are ready to eat as soon as you pull them out of the ground. If you want to store them for later, read on.
Step 7
Cure your onions for storage.
This is important if you have a large harvest of onions that you won't use right away.
So, if you plan to store your onions for any length of time, then you'll want to cure them first. Curing is easy. It's essentially just drying out the onion and letting its skin become it's protective "container."
You can "cure" your onion for long-term storage by letting them sit in a warm place (75-80˚F) to dry up. You can hang them or place them in a wire basket or mesh bag with good airflow so all sides dry evenly. Trapped moisture may lead to rot so make sure all sides of the onion get exposure to air either by rotating the onion or hanging each onion individually. Some people lay them out in the garden and rotate them so all sides get a chance to dry out.
The green tops will dry up and the outside layer of skin will firm up. When the stems are completely dry, they are cured. Depending on the size and type of onion, it can take 2-6 weeks to completely cure the onion.
Storage After Curing
Once cured store your onions in a cool, dry place. Cured onions, depending on the type and size, can be stored for as long as 10 months!
And if your onion begins to sprout before you get to use it... you now know what to do! Use that sprouted onion to grow more onions!
★ Tips & FAQs ★
Can onions be planted indoors?
Onion plants rely on insects to be pollinated. However, when you're re-growing an onion from another onion that has sprouted, that plant has already been pollinated. So you can regrow it indoors.
Onions require a substantial amount of sunlight to thrive. They need 12+ hours of direct sunlight. Onions to not grow well in shade or even in indirect light. So if growing onions indoors, you will need to use a grow light to provide enough quality light to meet their needs.
When should I plant my onion sprouts?
This depends where you live. Generally, spring is when you will want to plant. You will want to make sure that the temperature does not drop below 28°F (-2°C). You can keep your onion sprouts indoors for up to 6 weeks before transplanting to the ground if needed.
Note: The ideal soil temperature for onions is 50°F (10˚C) and above.
Can I plant any color onion?
Yes, you can regrow any color onion that has sprouted! White, yellow, or red.
★ Recipes You'll Love ★
Once you've grown new onions, try making some yummy food with them!
Browse all my easy recipes to get ideas for what to make with your garden fresh onions!
Browse all my recipes and Pin your favorites for later.
★ More to Grow ★
Did you know you can also regrow a sprouted potato?
Learn how to plant a potato that has sprouted!
★ Pin This Article for Later ★
Hover over this image and click the red button to Pin this tutorial for later!
dale says
i wrap my onions in wet socks a couple hours before I plant them.
Chris says
Can onions be left in the ground even after the first frost?
I planted the Little Onion bulbs last year and then harvested them as I needed. Surprisingly I had two onions come up in the spring where these were planted last year. I am in zone 4-5.
Angela G. says
Onions can withstand a light frost. Onions are quite hardy and can tolerate temperatures down to around 20°F (-6°C) depending on the variety. You can use mulch, row covers or frost blankets to add an extra layer of protection against frost.
PRISCILLA says
Great, thanks. My first try. Fingers crossed. It was the Winter solstice yesterday on S. AFRICA! Sunshine today, expecting rain.next few days.
Angela G. says
Best of luck to you!!
Bear says
I just planted my sprouted 'onion' in the ground 6 weeks ago and its grown rapidly even though its only in partial sun, as its in shade after one o' clock and its now days away from flowering. Its been nowhere near 100 days or three months since planting so do i cut the buds off the plant and leave it to get bigger???, Im 70 years old and confused.
Please Advise. Mr Bear
Angela G. says
Hi Mr. Bear, Once an onion plant has bolted, the bulb (the onion) will stop growing. So, best to dig it up and see what you got. You may just end up with a small onion but you can still use it to eat.
Danita says
What about the green tops, are they edible? Are they essentially green onions?
Angela G. says
Yes! The green tops are edible. So is the onion flower, actually. The greens from the top of an immature onion bulb are known as spring onions, or green onions.
Marquita says
I’m just wondering at what point in the year can these sprouted onions be planted outside? Before or after last frost? Thanks!
Ginger says
You may have your answer already but since no one has responded to you the only thing I see to answer you is this...
The article says...
FAQ: When should I plant my onion sprouts?
This depends where you live. Generally, spring is when you will want to plant. You will want to make sure that the temperature does not drop below 28°F (-2°C). You can keep your onion sprouts indoors for up to 6 weeks before transplanting to the ground if needed.
Note: The ideal soil temperature for onions is 50°F (10˚C) and above.
Yvette says
Once the night time temperatures is above 25 degrees.
Barbie says
After the last frost and after the low temps are more than 28°.
Jim Sanuk says
I was outside and my wife handed me 3 big sprouted yellow onions. So your article is super helpful. I will follow up with results and pictures.
Angela G. says
Awesome! Please do.
Amanda T says
Thank you for the detailed information! New gardener here, and finally have a house with garden space. I’m eager to get started! I plan on trying potatoes, onions, and even garlic this year (even though it’s late for garlic, I’m hopeful!). I’m in Idaho, so I’m not worried about the potatoes. 😂 Do you know of any other veggies we can grow from sprouts? I think this is the neatest thing ever!
Angela G. says
I have only experimented with onions and potatoes successfully. I tried celery last year and was able to grow a little plant, but didn't have luck regrowing a stalk. As I test others, if they work, I will post! Good luck with your garlic. I have not tried that myself, successfully but I think once you get it growing, it comes back year after year.
Caren says
You pull the garlic bulb out, just like onions You have to start fresh garlic bulb every year.
Kimberly says
I literally grow anything I buy that has seeds! We cut to soft of strawberries by merely cutting in half and sticking them in a medium pot with all purpose potting soil! We do potatoes and corn the same way! We did a peach by putting the pit in a zip lock bag and putting in the fridge for two weeks, this mimics winter, then remove it and break open the hull and take out the seed. Place the seed in a pot of soil and wait! We take kiwi seeds by rubbing half on a wet paper towel then fold it up, put in a zip lock bag in a warm sunny spot and in a week or so you'll get sprouts. Take the sprouts and put in a large pot!
Cut a bell pepper in half, fill with potting soil and put on a plate and water till they sprout, when you get sprouts take the dirt filled peppers and plant the pepper in a LG pot covering the bell pepper pot and water!!! There's really NO limit to what you can grow from stuff you eat everyday... Well not chocolate chip 🍪 🤣 they never grow for me lol
Angela G. says
Love this! I remember my mom always growing our avocado seeds. We never planted them outdoors because we didn't live in the right zone, but it was still fun to see a cute little tree grow from the seed! Too bad about the chocolate chips. lol
Monique Leslie says
This is great thanks so much. We got a bag of onions from the grocery store, which we rarely do. And they sprouted so quickly. I did not want them to go to waste.
LaQuita Desha Allison says
I’m so grateful to have come across your so very helpful yet simple teachings on ,How to plant a sprouted potatoes and onions.
My first time planting was not successful, very disappointing…. But I am at it again! I chose to do a little more research this time one plant at a time , to not be so overwhelmed. Coming across your article was the best thing yet!! I’m super thankful to you for helping by sharing your loaded knowledge and experience. I’m looking excitedly forward to finding more to learn that you’ve shares on my other choices of crop. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Donna Phillips says
I'm going to try for both wish me luck 🥔
Angela G. says
Good luck!!
James Kauzlarich says
Somewhere I saw an article about growing or regrowing just the top of a sliced onion that has sprouted. I left it open to read, but somehow lost the article.
Angela G. says
You would need some of the roots to regrow just the top sprout of an onion.
Emily Rhodes says
Thank you for this info, I've had a sprouted onion with the greens growing to a foot long on my counter lol! I just separated them, one both off the root, so I placed it in water to see if it would grow back like other plants can. It should do well as long as my dog doesn't eat it! Happy gardening to everyone 🤗
Angela G. says
Hi Emily, you want to plant the onion sprouts in dirt. Not water. Just water can rot the plant. Check out the post above for more details. Good luck!
Tina says
Gathering information for my 2023 garden and came across this page. I am fairly new at gardening, but it is becoming my obsession. This is my first try at onions. You have included absolutely wonderful information. It was very thorough and easy to follow. Very well written. Thanks so much for providing this for everyone!
Angela G. says
I'm happy to help! Good luck with your onions and garden this year! Feel free to come back and share some pic here if you'd like.
Liz says
Hi. I have put the sprouted onion in a jar with the bottom part barely touching water. It is starting to sprout rapidly and now the bottom of the onion was roots going deeper into the water. Can I still plant this onion into the ground the same way? By removing the layers and dividing into three parts? Or if this onion already "flowering"?
Angela G. says
Hi Liz, You should be able to still peel this down and separate the plants, then put them in some soil to grow. You will know if they flower. You will see an actual flower (it's not that pretty but it's a round white flower with lots of tiny petals) and it's usually after the plant gets fairly tall that it will flower.
VLP says
Hello can they be grown indoors if the process has started close to winter? Also will they die if they don't get full sun, for example a balcony?
Angela G. says
Yes they can be grown indoors with enough light. However, onions do need a substantial amount of light. 12 or more hours of direct sunlight is best. Depending on how much direct sun your balcony gets, you may need to supplement with a grow light in order for your plants to thrive.
Doret N says
Thank you! I am giving it a go!
Malachy says
This is so complete, all I needed was clearly stated.
Thanks a lot.
Sue says
I live in zone 8 and it’s now October. Can I still plant my sprouts or do I need to wait for spring or??
Angela G. says
H Sue, I would refer to the soil temperatures to be sure. The ideal temperature range for onion plants is 55º to 75º F.
Eric says
Thanks. That was very informative. How much watering does the onion need? Do I need to water it until I harvest?
Angela G. says
Hi Eric, You're welcome. You want to water them about once a week, not every day. Too much water can rot your onion bulb so give your plants water as they grow, only when the soil starts to look dry.
Dennis Okine Jackson says
Big ups! For letting us know for free how to grow onion from sprouted one. I never knew it is planted that way. You've opened my eyes though.Many thanks. But please is there onion seeds?
Angela G. says
Hi Dennis, You're welcome! Yes, an onion plant does flower (it's called bolting) and the flower produces seeds. You can grow an onion plant from a seed, however, you will need two seasons to produce a full-sized onion bulb since onions are biennial plants. That means they grow from a seed, to a plant, to dormant bulb. The bulb remains dormant until the following season when the bulb can be re-planted and grown to full size the following year.
Mary C. West says
Angela,
We wanted to thank you for the detailed guideline, that was entertaining as well as very clear. We are trying this with a sprouted Vidalia onion and will enjoy the process thanks to you.
Mary C. & Walker D. West Corralitos CA
Angela G. says
Best of luck with your Vidalia onion!
Wendy Karen Campbell says
Thank you for the information. I have 1 question. You said they, the sprouted onions, may keep for 3 weeks before planting. Is that necessary or now that we have separated them, may we plant them now?
Angela G. says
Hi Wendy, you can plant them right away! No need to wait.
Jackie says
Thank you for your article. I'm so excited to see what happens, usually I work on my flower beds, first year for veggies!! Again thank you.
Angela G. says
You're welcome. Best of luck with your veggies!
Kim says
Thanks for the info. Now can I plant onions in potting soil in the house since I live in an apt.?
Angela G. says
The onions require full sun so growing indoors would be tricky without a grow light of some sort. Do you have a balcony or patio with 6+ hours of sun that you could use?
Conny says
Thank you! Now I can buy old, cheap onions instead of expensive planting sets.
Angela G. says
Yes!
W jennings says
Thank you for sharing this information. I found it very helpful and easy to follow your instructions. You did a wonderful job from beginning to the end of all the stages of the onion process.
Thank you
Angela G. says
Thanks! I’m so glad you found my tips helpful. Good luck planting your onions!
Amanda says
I've been watering my new onion growth for about 1.5 months or so. I can see the bulb growing which is exciting. However, both my plants have started to bolt. They are flowering but do not look large enough... what should I do?
How do i prevent this for next time?
Angela G. says
Hi Amanda, this is most likely due to temperature fluctuation. Sometimes even during a normal growing season, changes in temperature can trick the onion into thinking it's ready to seed prematurely. The best thing to prevent this is try to plant when the temperature is more warm and consistent. You can cover the plants lightly with a blanket to hold in warmth at night during the cooler months. That may help. Sadly, you'll want to pull this and start again with a new plant. You can still eat the onion even if it's not fully developed. Here's some more information about onion bolting that might be helpful to you: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/onion/onion-bolting.htm
Ed says
Can't you just pinch the flower as soon as you see it developing, just like you can do with basil, etc. To keep them from bolting? Or would that not be sufficient enough for the bulb to continue its normal growth pattern?
Angela G. says
Hi Ed, Once an onion plant starts the bolting process, the bulb will cease to grow. So even if you pinch the flowers, the bolting process has already begun. You can go ahead and harvest your bulb and eat it.
Tim says
@Amanda, cut the tops back. When they are younger. About 3 to 4 inch
Ed says
And you can eat or cook with the greens that you cut off!
Yaz says
Great post, thank you.
Monique! says
Thank you so much for this! Can't wait for the bulb babies to grow 😋❤
Angela G. says
You’re so welcome! Good luck with your onion babies! 🙂
Melissa Hyatt says
Thank you so much for the information instead of throwing away onion now I might get three out of them. Your directions are so easy to follow.
Angela G. says
You’re welcome Melissa! Glad you found the info helpful. Good luck with your three onions!
Asiya says
I really hope my onions grow. I am an 11 year old girl who really loves plants and wants to own a farm with plants and animals one day. I am already starting to grow strawberries, cucumbers, carrots, and basil, (and some marigolds because my mom says they might keep the bugs away from my plants) and I hope that I can add to my garden!
Asiya says
Do the onions NEED to sit for around three weeks before you plant them?
Angela G. says
No, that’s the maximum amount of time once you cut away the outer layers.
Asiya says
@Angela G., okay, thank you!
Joe says
If it is just the cut off top ~1/2" of an onion that is sprouting, will it grow new roots? Found some sprouting in my compost bin. I just stuck one in dirt so I'll see.
Angela G. says
Hi Joe, Most likely you do not have enough of the plant for it to regrow. You need some portion of the roots. Might as well give it a try though, maybe there's something there you can't see. Keep up posted.
Just a random person says
@Angela G., will it be ok if I just cut the flower off?
Angela G. says
Once the onion plant flowers, you will want to harvest the onion right away. Once an onion plant flowers, it affects the quality of the bulb. So the flavor may be affected and the onion may not store as long. You can still harvest and use the onion, just use it right away for best results.
Charli says
Can a person start these inside, then transfer outside once the weather gets nicer? I have a handful of onions that have really long sprouts on them and I want to try this, but I’m not sure if they will last another month.
If I should wait, what’s the best way to store them until it’s warm enough to plant?
Angela G. says
Hi Charli, While I haven't tried it myself, I believe you could start these inside and move them outside if you plant in a well drained pot and place in a very sunny spot. This site has more information about how to clip and store onion sprouts to regrow them later: https://www.globalseednetwork.org/seed-tips-detail.php?id=22. Hope this helps! If you have time and want to experiment, maybe you could try both methods and report back to let us know how things turned out!
Charlotte Cannon says
You made this so simple and brought me so many memories. At 76 and no man around I have not gardened for 20 years. I am experimenting and enjoying every minute. Thank you!
Angela G. says
Hi Charlotte, so glad I could help!
Lynette C. says
This is really helpful. I am learning as I go creating my first garden here in Wyoming. Starting everything inside since our weather is not stable. Thank you for the tips. So looking forward to fresh veggies this year.
Angela G. says
Hi Lynette, good luck with your garden this year. Glad I could help!
Esther Colleen Weaver says
This isn't no comment but I want to tell thanks for the tip how to grow potatoes and onions..
Payton says
Hi! Thanks for all the info!! When you said, 'Your onion sprouts will hang around for up to 3 weeks' does that mean I can't plant them for three weeks?
Angela G. says
Hi Payton, you do not need to wait to plant. Three weeks is about how long they will stay plantable before they can start to dry up.
ID Spud says
I knew you could use the bottoms of little green onions. Good info about peeling down to the green onion part. I was going to just put the whole thing in the ground!
Angela G. says
Yes, it's one of those things you don't know that you don't know! Best of luck planting and gardening.
Becky says
Thank you for the info!!! I just started 7 starts in my house. Waiting for summer to plant in the green house. (Alaska). With food going up in price. We think before we toss away
Angela G. says
Good luck with planting in the green house! I agree, we have to save where we can.
Tish Webster says
@Becky, I’m doing the same thing..I’m actually trying to grow my own garden
Biga says
Very useful information especially the removing the skin
Dominique byrd says
I broke my sprout by trying to peel too much. 🤦🏾♀️ Going to try again next time
Angela G. says
Oh darn! You could still try to plant it if you want as long as there are roots you can probably grow something. It might not be perfectly round. Onions are pretty hardy.
Sheri says
I planted 19 sprouts from store bought onions that did their thing before I could cook with them. They are out in the garden bed as of today. Thank you for your very helpful guidance.
Angela G. says
Sounds like you will have a nice harvest in a few months. Exciting! Glad I could help!
Teresa says
Thank you, Angela. I will let you know how this works for me....
Angela G. says
Great! I'd love to hear how this works for you, Teresa!
consuelo barra says
Thank you for your information.
Can they be planted in a pit indoor?
Angela G. says
Hi Consuelo, Since onion plants require pollination, I believe they would need to be planted outside where there are insects such as bees to pollinate the plants.
Gloria Russell says
These sprouts resemble green onions. Are they? Can you eat them as you would a green onion?
Angela G. says
Hi Gloria, they are not the same as green onions but are similar and are edible. The flavor is a bit more mild than a green onion.
tricia lewandowski says
It's February and we just got a huge snowstorm , so when do I plant My green Sprouts
Angela G. says
You can try planting indoors in a very sunny spot in a large, well drained pot.
paula says
First onion experiment planted today
:-))
Angela G. says
Exciting! Good luck. 🙂
Stephanie says
@paula, how are yours doing? I just planted for the first time today. I’m so excited!
I just planted my first onion along with a sprouted garlic clove and 12 jalapeno seeds (egg carton starter) today! I also started composting! I'm excited 😁 says
@paula,
Jenna says
Thank you for this info! I just planted my sprouted onion. When I peeled mine, there was nothing to separate. There was only 1. So I guess it was just a single one maybe. We’ll see!
Angela G. says
Could be that it’s just one! Sometimes it looks like there is just one but there are actually two and you need to remove one more layer. You can usually tell if there are two though by looking at the top. You’ll still be able to plant it and if it’s two you’ll get two onions shaped like half circles. Good luck! Thanks for the feedback.
William says
Thanks for the help! My partner and I just *planted* the sprouting onions without peeling and splitting them!
Now, instead, we've got 4 onions growing!
Angela G. says
I did the same thing at first. Now you know! 🙂 Good luck. Enjoy your 4 new onions!
Antoinette says
Thanks for the great info. I have 2 huge red (spanish) onions that I had forgot in the garage. They had grown in the dark and cold with long green leaves (?), So I decided to look up how to save them. Thanks for bunches of great photos and information.
Angela G. says
Hi Antoinette, You're welcome! Good luck growing your red onion sprouts!
Jenna says
Thank you for this excellent guide! I'm very excited to plant my sprouted onion. I'm going to try growing it inside, as it's still a bit too chilly outside for our garden. Do you have any recommendations on what size pot I should plant each sprout in? I'm trying to figure out what will give it enough room to grow, but still fit under a grow light alongside some herb seedlings. 🙂 Thanks in advance!
Angela G. says
Onions grow just below the surface so you don’t need a pot that is too deep, just make sure it drains. You can fill the bottom with rocks then a layer of dirt and/or make sure there are holes for extra water to drain out.
As far as the size, I’d say a pot with a diameter and height of 8” or more would be ideal. Best of luck!
Jenna says
This is the clearest, best explanation ever. kudos and thank you.
I'm going to go and use the outside of my onion now and look inside for the slender sprouted stems.
Yay!
Angela G. says
You're welcome! Happy planting!
Sudharsan K says
Hi, I'm from india, I think humidity in my living place is around 40°c, is it possible to grow potatoes here?
Angela G. says
Hi, I am not sure but I would say, go ahead and give it a try!
Jerry says
@Sudharsan K, try growing sweet potatoes which love the heat. Regular potatoes don’t like it that hot.
Helel says
Thank you. Looking forward to an end result.
Angela G. says
Best of luck, Helel!
Aguye Hitler says
Ooops! I just planted some sprouted onions from my kitchen (directly into the ground without peeling to separate the sprouts). I will watch and see what happens comparing your method.
Angela G. says
The onions will still grow but they wont have the room they need to expand like they would if you separate them. Have fun and see what you get though if you want. I'm all for experimenting.
Kay Jei says
What can I do to keep a sprouted onion over the winter? Should I grow indoors with a light, or is there a way to keep it until planting in spring?
Angela G. says
Hi Kay, You could try growing indoors with a grow light or in a window. I don't have experience with this first hand, so I'm not sure how well it works. If you try it, let us know!
Stephen says
Do you still separate the onion sprouts if you want the greens?
Angela G. says
You don't have to. The reason you separate them is to give the bulbs room to grow in a round uniform shape. The sprouted onion will still grow if you don't separate it, the bulbs will just be bunched together. Shouldn't affect the green tops either way other than maybe they won't get even sunlight if they are too bunched.
Stephen says
@Angela G., thanks Angela!!
Rosetta says
Can one use same procedure to plant garlic?
Angela G. says
Hi Rosetta, Yes. Sprouted garlic can be planted and you can use this same method. Good luck!
Rosetta says
Love the detailed and step-by-step procedure. Will try it out and revert.
Therese Bizabishaka says
Thanks for the tutorial. My question is would this work for a red/purple/Spanish onion. I have one in my cupboard that has sprouted. The sprouts a quite long and pale. Will that matter. Also to clarify after peeling and seperating the sprouts do you need to let them sit or could you plant them straight away?
Angela G. says
Hi Therese, YES this process works for red onions as well. As long as the sprout is green, you should be OK. Onions are pretty hearty so even if it's a pale green, once you put it in some sun, it should thrive. You do not need to let them sit out, you can plant them right away.
Thatpassionatecook says
Hey Angela
Happy that I read your article, as I was going to plant the entire sprouted onion in my backyard 😁 I peeled the onion & I got 8 onion sprouts. I shall plant them tomorrow.
Thankyou for the tips 👍 I'll let you know how my onions turn out.
Angela G. says
Wow, 8 sprouts! You hit the jackpot. Good luck! Please do keep me posted. 🙂
Susan Holeman says
@Thatpassionatecook, You must live in the South, lucky you! But if you live in N/E Missouri, as I do, my sprouted onions will not wait for the spring when the ice and snow is gone.
Angela G. says
I haven't tried it yet, but you should be able to grow onions indoors as long as they get sun. I plan to try it this winter as I live in Pennsylvania and our onion growing season has come to an end. I'll keep you posted!
Dominic says
Thanks for the tips 🙏
Wanda says
Thanks for the tips I'll let you know how my onion turns out
Angela G. says
Wanda, can’t wait to see your onions!
Jody says
I'm confused. You said in your article that onions were self pollinators but in your comment section you said that they needed insects to pollinate?
Angela G. says
Hi Jody, Onions plants do require pollination when grown from seed. However, when you're regrowing an onion from an existing onion, the original plant has already been pollinated so it does not need to be pollinated again. Hope this helps clarify. Thanks for asking.
Daniel Pawa says
Thanksfor this vital infor. I just want to plant bulb onion
Angela G. says
You're welcome!
June Speirs says
I have just planted my shoots I had originally put the onion in water but then seen your post really looking forward to watching them grow ready for my winter soup 🍲😊
Angela G. says
Good luck and yes, I'm already looking forward to winter soups too!
Angie says
Thank you. I have wanted to know how to grow spotted onions for a long time. Everyone told me to put the root end in water but, all I ever got was rotten onion roots. Next time I will know what to do.
Angela G. says
You’re welcome, Angie. Good luck!
Carlos Mirabal says
Excellent information. While simple, it makes a world of difference. I had no idea. Thanks
Anne-LaVonne Morgan says
@Carlos Mirabal, thanks all for this great info!! I googled and got a Farmer’s Almanac!! My sprouting onions thank you for their new life!!
Cheryl Parkhouse says
Mine currently look like this and are around a meter tall. Are they supposed to do this?
Paula says
What soil type should I use to plant the sprouts?
Angela G. says
Onions grow best in fertilized, well-drained, somewhat acidic soil and they like full sun.
Bobby says
Out of interest, when I peel away the onion is it a good idea to leave the 'flesh' and outer layer on top of the planted onions? I'm thinking it will breakdown and enrich the soil.
Angela G. says
I would suggest instead of leaving the extra fleshy part on top of the onion sprouts, that you add the flesh to a compost pile and give it a year to decompose before you add it to the soil.
Evelyn says
Hi!.... thank you for this info!....I planted the whole onion!....may I ask can I eat the green onion leave, like a spring onion?... thank you!
Angela G. says
Hi Evelyn, You're welcome! Yes, you can eat the green much like a green onion. The flavor is a bit more mild than a green onion would be but it is indeed edible.
Jennifer says
Oh my, I planted the entire thing and it's growing. Do I need to pull and replant?
Angela G. says
Hi Jennifer, yep! You will want to pull it up and separate the sprouts so they each have room to expand and grow into a new onion bulb. The good news is, you’ll have 3 new onions instead of just one nee one. Good luck!
Michael says
@Angela G., I've also done the same thing just last week - planted the entire onion once I noticed some healthy looking sprouts growing.
So it's not too late to pull it up and separate the sprouts? Am still pleased to know I can get more onions out of this one.
Thanks so much for your advice!
Angela G. says
Hi Michael! No, it shouldn't be too late as long as the sprouts are still healthy looking. Just pull the onion out of the ground and follow the steps to separate it into several sprouts. Good luck! Keep me posted if you can. 🙂
Michael says
Hi @Angela G.,
Thanks for confirming that and appreciate the tips. I dug it out just this evening and carefully peeled it down to the actual sprouts (there were two of them). The roots were already rather long so I made sure that I gently separated the two plants, but had to use a knife to evenly split the base where the roots met.
So now they're replanted, with fertiliser, watered and close to one another. The leaves are still a lively green colour so fingers crossed they stay healthy for the next three months. They should be ready for harvest by summer (here in Western Australia). 🙂
Angela G. says
Sounds like you’re on the rifht track now. Just make sure they aren’t too close together so they each have room to grow into a full sized onion without touch each other.
Ccbizz says
This was very helpful. Thank you! Do you want happen to know if garlic and scallions grow similarly?
Angela G. says
Glad you found this helpful!
Green onions you can regrow as well as long as you have some of the white part of the bulb along with the roots. Put this piece root-down in a shallow cup of water and wait for the greens to sprout then plant in dirt.
Sprouted garlic can be planted also. You will need to separate each sprouted clove and plant them individually similar to how you have to separate the onion sprouts.
Good luck!
Liz says
Thank you! Your tutorial is super helpful
Stephanie says
Glad my search led me here! Looking forward to seeing how it goes in a suburb of NYC with a purple onion! Thank you.
Angela G. says
You’re welcome, Susan. Good luck!
Susan says
Thanks, I was just going to stick the whole thing in the ground!
Angela G. says
You’re welcome, Susan! Good luck with your onions. 🙂
Liz says
@Susan,
Lol! I was going to do the same thing until I read the tutorial.
Marianne says
As the greens grow tall ca I harvest them like bunched green onions like I buy?
Angela G. says
You can but if you harvest the greens before the onion is done growing, that will affect the growth of the onion itself. You can wait until the onion is fully grown then use the green tops just as you would a green onion. The flavor is going to be more mild and skin will be a bit more tough though. If you want to sacrifice the onion itself, the newer greens will taste better. So my opinion is you have to sort of choose whether you want to grow these as green onions or a regular onion for best results but they are completely edible. Either way, this isn't a true green onion so you won't get the same green onion flavor you might expect. Hope this helps!
Margaret Carolyn Taylor says
Thanks so much, we came back after a 5 week trip and I had an onion sprouting in my pantry. It will be planted in my new raised bed garden.
Angela G. says
Perfect! Now it won't go to waste and you'll have 3 onions instead of just one! Good luck. 🙂
Cindy says
What is the difference between store bought and winter onions or do you know how to start winter onions
Angela G. says
Sorry, I'm not familiar with winter onions. I did find this article which may help you: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/onion/growing-winter-onions.htm
Debra says
First time I got an onion that sprouted so I googled how to grow onions and came upon your site I did exactly as you said and I have three onion sprouts. I believe that they're going to do okay as this is the second week and the sprouts have literally grown. And I think you said it takes 3 months. They're not in very big pots two of them are together maybe two inches apart should I transplant those into something bigger??
Angela G. says
Sounds like you're off to a great start! Yes, I would put them in a bigger pot so they have room to expand and grow into a full-size onion. Ideally you want them to be spaced at least 4" apart. Good luck!
Angela says
Okay, so I found your article AFTER I had already planted my full onion. I did not peel any layers and the sprouts continued to grow. However, yesterday I noticed a flower. So, would I be able to harvest and start over? Or should I just trash them?
Angela G. says
Flowering typically means a garden plant is past the point of producing a quality harvest since the plant's energy is now focused on the flower/seeds and not on developing the fruit/vegetable. But you could try pulling it out and separating the individual sprouts then re-planting each one and see what happens. Prune off the flowers if there are any left before you re-plant. Good luck!
Andrew Kairis says
I left two plants together.... Is OK?
Angela G. says
I would pull them and separate the two plants. If the seed plants are stuck together, neither of them will have the correct amount of room to expand outward and grow into the ball shape of a typical onion.
KathyG says
I live in central MS and it’s already middle of May. Is too late to plant my sprouted onion?
Angela G. says
Nope! You should be good to go ahead and drop them in the ground and give them until fall to grow.
Maryanne says
Wow, so interesting. Will surely try this. I have 2 sprouted onions that I will experiment with. Thank you so much.
Angela G. says
You're welcome, Maryanne! Good luck with your onions!
Jimmy Bob Moon says
It's fantastic what we can learn when we read.
Kim says
Thankyou for this info. I waste way too many onions so im excited to watch them grow 🙂
Angela G. says
Good luck with your onions!
Angela G. says
I think you're safe to go ahead and pull it out of the ground as long as the spouted part is still green. Good luck!
Sharnika Thomas says
I planted the whole onion before I saw your story can I dig up and start over
Angela G. says
You're so welcome Silvia! Good luck!
Silvia says
Super! Very helpful! I'll plant my onions tomorrow!
Thanks so much!
CJJ says
HELLO THERE HOW MANY ONIONS CAN I PLANT IN A 8 INCH DEEP AND 12 INCH WIDE - I DID EXACTLY AS YOU SHOWED AND ITS READY TO PLANT IN A POT - I LIVE IN A CONDO AND IN CANADA CAN I LIVE MY POT OUT SIDE ?
THANK YOU SO MUCH
Angela G. says
You'll want to plant them 1" deep and space them at least 4" apart so they have room to grow to full size. Onion plants are hearty and can stay outside as long as the temperature is above 20˚F. Good luck!
Marylin says
@Angela G., Hi Angela, can I know what type of soil is needed? I am about to plant a sprouted yellow onion I found in my fridge . 😅
Angela G. says
Hi Marylin, Onions grow best in fertilized, well-drained soil. You can use organic (manure, compost, etc.) or store-bought fertilizer. Good luck!
Erica says
We are going to plant today but in PA (Early spring). Is it too cold to put out on patio? Or keep Inside till it's warmer?
Angela G. says
Hi Erica, Onions are supposed to be pretty hardly and do OK in colder temps. This gardening site says as long as it doesn't drop below 20˚you should be good and that late March or April would be a good time to start! Onions do take awhile to grow big so better to get them in early and just keep an eye on the crazy PA weather. 🙂 Good luck!
Ricky Allemond says
This is so cool and will definitely give it a try
Angela G. says
Nature is awesome! Good luck, Ricky!
Donna Petty says
Thank you for the tips. I am ready to give this a try...
Angela G. says
You're welcome! Happy gardening!
A Flinn says
Thanks. I'll give this a try.
Angela G. says
Happy to help! Good luck with your garden. 🙂