A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Vegetable Gardening Sprouting onions & garlic...

I've got 2 onions (quickly going bad on the counter) & a few cloves of garlic that are sprouting (onions I bought to cook with). Are these OK to plant? What will happen? Do you have to buy onion/garlic bulbs specifically for growing in a garden? I'm guessing yes. Le'me know if I should just compost these guys. Thanks in advance!!

I know you can plant potatoes like that, got 2 onions sprouting my self...I'll watch and see if you get an answer

The onions I would say no. The gloves of garlic yes. I grow from store bought most years with good results. Have even grown the elephant garlic. Just divide the garlic into individual cloves and plants each with the root end down. A lot of times you will see the garlic start to grow if placed in storage long enough. That is the ones I usually plant with the green sprout to the top. Jay

No on the onions. They aren't like potatoes. A sprouted onion is rotten from what I understand. I do grow the potatoes from last season that aren't suitable to eat. Garlic can be planted BUT it doesn't mean it will do well in your area and garlic does best when planted in fall. It is better to buy garlic for growing in the fall. The grocery store kind isn't the best for growing. Still, you can try it.

i've grown the onions. if you get them planted before they get mushy, it is ok. but, they take quite a while to grow. they do make good green onion tops more quickly though. same on the garlic.

The onions won't produce an edible bulb, but the greens are edible, as Jiffy said...they'll flower eventually and you could harvest the little "sets" on top to replant. Mostly just for fun.
Garlic is perrenial and will produce a "green" single bulb in spring and a clove in fall...don't waste them, they'll be a good permanent planting. And the greens from garlic are even better tasting than from onions!

I thought only hardneck garlic produced garlic scapes. The grocery store kind is softneck isn't it?

You're right...I haven't ever tasted garlic scapes, you've inspired me now. I'll be looking for some hardneck garlic to plant.
The greens from any garlic are edible, though, and you can pick a few without compromising the plant.

Right and they are good. I have never eaten the onion greens though but I suppose that's because I always grow scallions. I never thought regular onion tops were edible.

Yes the tops are delicious.. My favorite part till they dry up.. I love onion greens in my lettuce.

I would grow onions from seed like I'm doing but I'm growing green onions.

That will work.. I grow Chives and use them as onion greens also..
My onion seeds never worked.. I buy sets.

However mine still dont get large ..

Good luck.

My onion seeds are growing for te first time;in past years I planted but nothing grew.Must've been bad seed.

Holy ,

That is the way Chives were also.. THey really tasted good last fall.
I love the onion greens with fresh lettuce..

Plant all the veggies you can, saves $$$$$$ on the table..

Dodge I'm doing chives for the first time this year, starting them on my growing cart in the house. Got any advice for me...what next?

Water an light is all mine got.
Actually I planted them and forgot they were there.
I was very suprised it happened. Now Do you know what the pkt said about when it is ready to eat?
Hope it isnt 2nd year..

b

No actually I don't know will have to go look again. They're coming up real nice.
Did you plant yours right into the garden?

Chives are supposed to be one of the great things to grow in containers. Then you don't have to worry about weeding.
I had trouble getting chives or onions to grow from seed, I think it must be important to have good, fresh seed.
As I understand it, chives will keep on growing in the same spot (or container) once you get them growing, they're sort of a perrennial...and chives can be grown right in the kitchen window.

Rosepetal,

Yep right in the garden I plant mine.. Sets
The chives is in a flower bed.. They are delicious.

Can't wait to eat them, I love chives and now imagine home grown ones mmmmmm.....

You will never regret, fresh. ANd they are so good for your health.. ANd mine too.............

I'm new to the forum, so here goes.
My question is about onion sets. Can they be planted in a garden with other vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, etc? Is there any vegetable plants to stay away from with the onions?

Thanks
Lori

Welcome Knotsure. They can be planted along with the others. They can even be beneficial because many critters don't like them and may leave some of your other plants alone. You might want to leave enough space to work around them and so they won't get overwhelmed or shaded by larger plants.

I planted green onions between my zucchini plants and they're all doing great.

Thanks for the quick responses. Greatly appreciated.

Lori

Welcome knotsure,

You can be sure if your with us.. ha ha
Yes Onions tolerate anything......Not pests either.

Hope you plant some..

Enjoy running around here with us.

Ove here in CA it's too late to plant any more onions ;the heat will come in a couple of weeks.I'll have to grow and harvest the onion plants that are growing now.

Onions can be planted close to about anything. The only trouble I ever had was last year when planted next to two rows of my tomato plants. They attract thrips I'm told and then thrips carry TSWV to the tomatoes. The rows 20 ft or most away didn't have any trouble. So this year no onions close to my tomatoes. And last year was the first year I've ever had the TSWV here. Anyway that is what I learned and believe it might be right because they were the only rows that was infected. And lost around 50% of them. And the other 50 plants in the other rows were fine. JME> JD

My green onions now have three leaves.

Leaves??????????
IF they are leaves, they aren't onions.

I like to dry chives and have found that they have to be several years old before they are big enough to dry well. But that's ok fresh chives are great. I have 3 clumps. Only one of which I will be taking with me to the new house.

I also have a nice patch of Egyptian Walking onions. They divided into nice groupings over the winter and have come up nicely. When I get to the new place I'm going to separate them and put them in amongst the flowers in my foundation bed.

Well then what are onion "leaves" called??? They're long and skinny.

Now that is a good question.. We called them tops or Onion greens..
have to do some research here.

Good question.