My green onion garden

Did you know that when green onions get a bit old in the fridge, you can plant them in a garden pot or veggie garden? I did this in my galvanized wash tub garden and could cut fresh onion tops all through Autumn.

Green onion bottoms

Green onion bottoms

These are regular grocery store green onions that I plugged in next to the peppers and tomatoes in my tub garden. These are from onions that were still plump but had some outer leaves going mushy. In the photo above are two bunches I used for cooking ,…only the green parts. These cost me 50 cents each!

The 'onion garden' in winter

The 'onion garden' in winter

I cut about 3 ” above the white papery part and leave the root growing. These have been cut many times and grow back this way. It looks like I could cut some more…

I’d like to try celery, too, and my friend, a non gardener pokes garlic cloves in her rose bed and gets new garlic bulbs,…like to try that as well.

March 2

My green onion ‘farm.’ These tubs were found at the close out sale at our junk shop called Rust Brothers in Coarsegold, CA. I paid $50 for six large plus 4-5 smaller galvanized tubs and containers.

My onion garden, with onions planted last fall and now in late winter

My onion garden, with onions planted last late summer and now in late winter

The bigger onions were planted next to my peppers last summer in my wash tub garden and I’ve been cutting them AND they’ve been re-growing all that time. I just planted the new small ones and will plant a tomato in the middle there in May. I’ve since learned that this works with celery, so I’d like to try that next. Meanwhile we have all the onion tops we want for potatoes, salads, soups and garnishes. Yea!

What to do, especially, with chopped green onions?   Pop a corned beef in the crock pot for 8 hours (add no water) and add 1/2 cup chopped green onions to mashed potatoes.  Make honey, mustard mayonaise and Bob’s your Uncle.  That’s what we’re having….and if The Quiet Man is playing, then it’s a perfect St. Patrick’s Day.

8 comments

  1. Desiree -

    A lovely st Patrick’s Day post, Sue. Hope you enjoy your supper 🙂

  2. Kate -

    Hope you had a fun St.Patrick’s Day ! I didn’t know you could use green onions after they get big. What a good (and cheap) idea!

    • Sue Langley -

      Thanks, Katie! I just saw proof that this works with celery and beets and even small lettuces. If it has a root end, plant it, I guess!

  3. Kate -

    Hope you had a fun St.Patrick’s Day ! I didn’t know you could use green onions after they get big. What a good (and cheap) idea!

  4. Jenny -

    I didn’t know that. I’ll swear I have a few onions that will be going int he ground tomorrow!

    • Sue Langley -

      Jenny, you have a pretty blog page,…I saw the bluebonnets,…which we call lupine here,…it grows wild. Oh, yes, I have just discovered this about inions and have been cutting some every week from just one small bunch. I just planted two more to take us through to the hot weather! I hope you do try it. Celery is next for me!

  5. Curbstone Valley Farm -

    I love green onions, and use a lot of them! I’m always hesitant to plant store bought produce though, and especially garlic, or potatoes. As we garden organically we just can’t afford to introduce some of the diseases here on the farm that commercial producers simply spray for, so for us we have to stick with certified disease free stock.

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