Growing Green Onions

This is another one of those posts about doing something I came across on Pinterest.  There are quite a few posts about growing your own green onions, such as the ones here, here, and here.  A month ago, I decided to give it a go and see if it actually worked.  I'm happy to say that it did, but also that it's not long term.  Because a month later, my green onions are looking pretty sickly and worn.  Here's how it all started:

I took a package of store bought green onions, a few of them had already been used up and the tips had been trimmed off most of them.  I didn't cut them down real far.  I only cut off what I wanted to use for dinner that first night.  I placed them in a clear mug on the counter.  Excuse my holiday mug, I knew it was after Christmas but it was the only clear mug I had!  You don't have to use a clear mug, but it just makes it easier to see how much water is in the mug.

They are sitting on the ledge above my kitchen sink, and very near my desk.  The onion smell seemed strong at first and just after each cutting, but either I got used to it quickly or it fades quickly.  It wasn't a bother!

 Most of the other posts I'd read about this little trick suggested changing the water every other day.  That was no problem since that it when I water the other plants also sitting on the ledge above my kitchen sink.

I have a small potted leafy green plant, but I have no idea what it's called.  I found it on clearance near the check out at Home Depot one day and had to bring it home!  Beside that is a pot of paper whites.  There is also an aloe plant nearby.  With all this green, it's starting to look like a jungle!  Not really but it does make you forget for a while that it's still winter and cold outside!

Anyway, back to the green onions.  I kept about an inch of fresh water in the mug, just enough to cover the roots of the onions.  In no time at all they started growing.

About once a week, I gave them a trim.  Three or four inches or so off the tops.  I just gathered them all up together and snipped them with scissors, and then used the scissors to quickly cut up the top into little tiny pieces to use for garnish in my favorite dishes....chicken enchiladas, nachos, even scrambled eggs!

I stored the snips in an airtight container in the fridge.  I didn't try freezing them.  This small amount was enough for whatever I needed to garnish for the week.  They stayed nice and fresh in the fridge like this.

So back to my earlier point.  This has been a fun experiment, but a month later, I think the green onions are worn out.  They no longer stand up straight, and many of the smaller ones have shriveled up despite keeping up with regular water changes.  The color has also faded from a bright green to a dingy yellow green.  Not exactly pleasant to eat!

I think I will pick up another package of green onions at the store and try again.  After all they're cheap and its good practice for gardening later for spring and summer.  I definitely don't have a green thumb!  I swear this is the first time in my life I've been able to keep a plant alive for more than a few weeks anyway!

Have any of you tried growing your own green onions?  What were your results?