Q&A for How to Plant Sprouted Onions

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How do you know when onions are ready to pick?

Steve Masley
Home & Garden Specialist
Steve Masley has been designing and maintaining organic vegetable gardens in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 30 years. He is an Organic Gardening Consultant and Founder of Grow-It-Organically, a website that teaches clients and students the ins and outs of organic vegetable gardening. In 2007 and 2008, Steve taught the Local Sustainable Agriculture Field Practicum at Stanford University.

Steve Masley

Home & Garden Specialist

Expert Answer

To check the onion, stick your finger in the soil and run your finger around the bulb. Then, harvest it when it's the size you want.

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Question

What if my onion sprouted and a little bit of it rotted? Can I cut off the rotted portion and eat the rest?

cottage goblin

Community Answer

Yes, that is possible, but you will also need to wash the rotted area, even when you cut it away, because germs could infest the rest of the onion and turn that rotten, too. Also, check if any other areas of the onion look slightly off.

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Question

Should I cut off the greens before planting in soil?

Community Answer

No, simply use a small shovel, like a spade, to dig a circle around the onion. Make sure you have already have a dug hole to transport the onion to and then lift the sprout out of the ground. Place the onion in the whole and make sure the dirt is compacted so that there is no air. Be careful not to let the onions roots get exposed to air.

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Question

What if the roots have been cut off and I only have the top?

Community Answer

You can still try but it will not work. This is because the root functions in water, and mineral absorption, as well as in the anchorage of plant bodies. Some roots also store sugars and become enlarged. So without the roots, it will not thrive.

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Question

How big does the pot need to be for planting onions?

Community Answer

For onions, you plan to harvest as scallions or spring green onions, an 8-inch (or larger) pot works fine. To raise bulb onions, you'll need a container wide enough so that each onion has about 3 inches of space around it. Many gardeners choose to grow onions in plastic tubs or half whiskey barrels.

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Question

Will you get multiple onions from the sprouted ones?

Community Answer

Yes, you will. Matter of fact, you can get three onions from a sprouted one!

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Question

Can it regrow again without planting a new one?

Community Answer

Yes it can. I have onions in my yard and they have been there through three winters.

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Question

Can I eat the tops of the growth from the onion I've rooted in water?

Community Answer

Yes. It's pretty healthy for you.

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Question

Are the green shoots good to eat? How much can I cut and how often while the onion is growing?

Zaidee Bhai

Community Answer

Eat them as you wish. Cut them when the spring onions are about half a meter long.

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