How to Grow Scallions From Scraps In 5 Easy Steps (Plus Growing Tips to Make Green Onions Thrive) Gardening Activities Home Do-It-Yourself

I love to grow things, and one of my greatest joys is being out in the garden. There’s nothing like the emergence of new life and nurturing it along – especially when times are tough.

It’s been a particularly rough year, so I’ve been gardening as much as I can. My dad is an avid gardener, too, so I enjoy following in his footsteps. (One of my fondest memories of his gardening is the way he’d constantly grow avocado plants from seeds. I wrote about how to grow your own avocado plant from a seed in 10 easy steps, in case you want to try it.)

My latest project, though, was inspired by my dear friend and colleague Donna John. She shared how to regrow green onions in three simple steps, and I was intrigued. I use scallions frequently in my cooking, both for their flavor and to add the health benefits of green onions to my recipes.

Having had success with growing celery from scraps, I thought it would be fun to try to grow scallions from scraps. I found that, more than just being fun, regrowing green onions from their roots is a great mindfulness activity that brings me joy – and saves me money since I never have to purchase scallions (or celery) again!

Here's how to grow scallions from scraps in five easy steps:

1) Prepare a container. Ensure that the pot you use has good drainage and fill the container with quality potting soil.

2) Eat or cook some green onions. (Try some of these great recipes featuring scallions.) Cut off the ends carefully so the roots remain intact. Those scraps you might normally throw away or compost are the secret to regrowing the scallions!

3) Plant each of the scraps into the soil. Ensure that the roots are buried but the tops are exposed. I planted seven scraps into my container, but the number you plant depends upon the size of your pot. Just make sure your plants have enough space since they’ll grow quickly.

4) Place the container in a sunny location and water it often. Your scallions will enjoy leaning into the sunlight and prefer the soil to be kept moist. You should notice growth happening as soon as the next day, with noticeable growth happening daily!

5) When the scallions have grown tall enough to be used in your cooking, simply cut them near the bottom or pull them out of the soil and use them as you wish. Save the roots and add the scraps to the space in your container to start the process all over again!

A few notes about growing scallions, plus growing tips to make your green onion plants thrive:

• As they grow, your scallions may start to lean toward the sun. I adjusted the direction the container was facing to ensure they would grow straight.

• For drainage, I placed several small stones at the bottom of the pot before adding the soil. This allows water to drain to the bottom.

• You can grow your scallions outside in the garden or in a container inside or outside. I keep mine outside during the warm-weather months and inside during the cold-weather months.

Thank you, Donna, for inspiring me!

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