Onions

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

I found a bag of onions in the back of my pantry that have grown quite an impressive set of stalks. Is it possible to plant these and grow more onions? If so, how should I go about it?

I know my way around tomatoes, herbs, squash, etc, but have never thought about onions, until I found this bag going gangbusters in the pantry.

They're organic yellow onions, if that makes a difference.

[HamdenRice]

1. It will make a nice plant, but probably not more onions

I believe onions are biennials. The plant did the work of storing up food in the form on the onion last year. If you plant the sprouted onion, it will grow a large plant, which will blossom and create seeds and then die.

You can grow the seeds and have onions next year. That's why most people who grow garden onions buy "sets" of small onion plants that will grow into onions this year.

I've been told that the common onion plant's leaves are good to eat -- like scallions -- but you better check with someone more knowledgeable because there are some onion family plant leaves that are toxic.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. Yeah, that's what I thought

I figured it was worth asking. Compost time for the onions then.

[elleng]

4. Can you retrieve them from the compost?

Some neat onion flowers here:

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=onion+flower&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=PCcMSp36AZSNtgeinr35Bw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

5. Cool. I didn't know they did that

Actually, I've been lazy, so they're still in a green bag in the cabinet. I'll plant them this weekend.

[uppityperson]

3. I you have room, try it and see.

it's always fun to experiment. I wouldn't count on them growing into more onions, but they could make a nice plant, great puffy onion flower also.

[cwydro]

6. If you ever buy spring onions,

(I think that's what they're called), you can plant the roots and those will grow into new ones.

At least they do down here, but everything grows well here.

[formercia]

7. I plant them and use them as 'green onions'

I grow Onions for storage. Even the small ones that would only be useful for stews and such, I save. Those that are left by Spring, I plant early for 'greens.'

Before you plant them, peel away the skin and obviously unhealthy tissue, trying to leave as much of the root area as possible.

Onions are tough.

[undergroundnomore]

8. I didn't know that either

When you buy onion sets at the store do you have to ask if they are heritage or do all onions have the ability to make seeds that grow? I know I keep asking questions. I'm just learning and as always it never amazes me how little I know.