Fresh herbs and vegetables elevate any meal, but buying green onions and garlic repeatedly can be costly and wasteful. What if you could regrow them at home using scraps from your kitchen? With just a little water, sunlight, and care, you can enjoy a continuous supply of green onions and garlic—free, fresh, and chemical-free.
This guide will show you how to regrow green onions and garlic step by step, along with tips and tricks to ensure healthy, robust growth.
🌿 1. Why Regrow Green Onions and Garlic?
Regrowing green onions and garlic at home is not just a gardening hack; it’s practical, sustainable, and cost-effective.
✔ Benefits:
- Cost Savings: No need to buy new herbs every week
- Freshness: Always have tender, aromatic green shoots
- Eco-Friendly: Reduces kitchen waste
- Space-Saving: Perfect for apartments, balconies, or small gardens
- Chemical-Free: Control over what goes into your plants
By regrowing, your kitchen scraps can transform into a mini garden that keeps giving all year round.
🥢 2. Selecting the Right Onion and Garlic Bases
Success starts with choosing healthy plant bases.
🔹 Green Onions
- Use white root ends with 2–3 cm of stem attached
- Avoid slimy, dried, or damaged roots
- Fresh bases regrow faster than old ones
🔹 Garlic
- Choose firm, healthy cloves
- Each clove can grow into a new shoot
- Avoid cloves with mold, shriveled skin, or cuts
Tip: Even the smallest garlic cloves can regrow if handled carefully.
🪴 3. Regrowing Green Onions in Water
Green onions are among the easiest plants to regrow indoors.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Collect onion bases: Cut white roots from used onions.
- Prepare a container: A small jar, glass, or recycled bottle works well.
- Add water: Cover only the roots (2–3 cm).
- Place onions upright: Roots submerged, stems above water.
- Provide sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight for 4–6 hours daily.
- Change water regularly: Every 2–3 days to prevent mold.
Harvesting Tips:
- Snip green shoots as needed
- Leave the base in water to continue regrowing
- In 5–7 days, new shoots will appear
Fun Fact: Green onions can regrow multiple times before being transplanted into soil for longer growth.
🧄 4. Regrowing Garlic Shoots (Green Garlic)
Garlic regrows differently but is just as rewarding.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Select a garlic clove: Healthy, firm cloves work best.
- Place in shallow water or soil:
- Water method: Place root end in water
- Soil method: Plant clove upright, 1–2 cm deep in soil
- Provide sunlight: 4–6 hours of indirect light
- Maintain moisture: Keep soil slightly moist, not soggy
- Observe growth: Shoots appear in 7–10 days
Harvesting Tips:
- Snip green garlic tops as needed
- Leave roots intact for continuous regrowth
- Green garlic is milder than mature bulbs, perfect for cooking
Note: If planted in soil, garlic eventually forms a full bulb for future harvest.
🌿 5. Transplanting for Bigger Harvests
Once green onions or garlic shoots are strong, transplanting into soil ensures long-term growth.
Steps for Transplanting:
- Prepare a pot or raised bed with well-draining, fertile soil
- Plant the root base (onions) or cloves (garlic) 1–2 cm deep
- Water lightly and regularly
- Provide sunlight and occasional feeding with compost or organic fertilizer
- Space plants at least 10–15 cm apart for optimal growth
Proper transplanting allows continuous harvesting and larger bulbs in the case of garlic.
💧 6. Watering and Sunlight Tips
Watering
- Keep soil moist but not waterlogged
- Overwatering leads to root rot
- Underwatering causes slow growth and weak shoots
Sunlight
- Green onions and garlic prefer bright, indirect sunlight
- 4–6 hours daily is ideal
- In extreme heat, provide partial shade to prevent stress
🧪 7. Using Organic Boosters for Faster Growth
Enhance growth using simple organic methods.
For Green Onions:
- Add compost tea to water once a week
- Sprinkle crushed eggshells in soil for calcium
- Use a small pinch of neem cake to prevent pests
For Garlic:
- Use vermicompost or well-rotted manure
- Liquid fertilizer made from banana peel or diluted cow dung
- Avoid chemical fertilizers for best taste
Organic feeding keeps your plants healthy, robust, and flavorful.
🪱 8. Common Problems and How to Solve Them
Even simple regrowing methods can face issues. Here’s how to troubleshoot:
Green Onions
- Moldy Water: Change water every 2 days
- Yellow Leaves: Use fresher bases and provide sunlight
- Slow Growth: Add nutrients and ensure adequate light
Garlic
- Roots Rotting: Avoid waterlogging; use well-draining soil
- Pale Shoots: Provide more light
- Weak Growth: Transplant into soil for nutrient support
Regular observation ensures continuous regrowth without surprises.
🌱 9. Harvesting Green Onions and Garlic Efficiently
Green Onions:
- Harvest by snipping 2–3 cm above the base
- Shoots will regrow multiple times
Green Garlic:
- Snip tender shoots for use
- Leave the base to continue producing
- Plant cloves in soil for full bulb harvest
By following proper harvesting techniques, you can enjoy continuous supply of fresh herbs.
🌿 10. Benefits of Regrowing at Home
✔ Cost Savings
- No need to buy onions or garlic repeatedly
✔ Freshness and Flavor
- Homegrown shoots are crisp and aromatic
✔ Sustainability
- Reduces food waste by recycling kitchen scraps
✔ Space Efficiency
- Can grow in small jars, pots, or window sills
✔ Educational
- A fun way to teach kids about plant growth and sustainability
🌞 11. Pro Tips for Maximum Yield
- Rotate Containers to ensure even sunlight exposure
- Use Multiple Bottles to grow a continuous supply
- Transplant Regularly for bigger shoots and bulbs
- Combine with Companion Plants like basil or mint to repel pests
- Record Growth to learn which methods work best in your environment
These small habits lead to consistent success and higher yields.
🌱 12. Final Thoughts
Regrowing green onions and garlic at home is one of the easiest and most rewarding gardening hacks. It requires minimal space, no additional cost, and very little effort. With just a little water, sunlight, and occasional care, you can have fresh, organic, and flavorful shoots year-round.
This simple technique turns ordinary kitchen scraps into productive, sustainable mini-gardens, giving you the joy of growing your own food while saving money and reducing waste.
Start today, and within a week, you’ll have your first batch of green onion and garlic shoots ready to snip and use!