How to Grow an Onion on a Counter

Onions are rustic, flavorful root vegetables that grow in a range of shapes and sizes. These plants grow best with cool, moist spring starts and hot summer seasons, and don't last into the frost of fall and winter. If you want to grow onions during cool weather, do so in the house for warmth and protection. Choose deep pots, loose soil and the right onion varieties for your container growing experience, and keep the pots on a counter or in a windowsill where they get bright light.

Pots
Organic compost
Garden loam
Potting soil
Fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Start your onions in 6- to 10-inch-diameter pots with drainage holes, and use pots at least 6 inches deep. As root crops, onions need deep, quick-draining foundations. They rot and die in standing water or muddy soil.
- 2
  Fill the pots three-quarters full with a commercial potting mix, or mix your own with half organic compost and half garden loam. Onions need loose, moist and relatively fertile soil for growth. They fail in tight or dry foundations. Add slow-release 5-10-10 fertilizer to the soil to encourage rooting.
- 3
  Plant green onion varieties in containers for compact growth and early harvest. Plant the seeds 1/2 inch deep or sets 2 inches deep, spaced three inches apart in the pots.
- 4
  Water the onions with 2 inches of water every week, using a watering can to avoid displacing the seeds, and keep them in a spot on the counter that gets full sunshine or artificial light every day. Move the pot along the counter as necessary to keep the onions in the sunshine.
- 5
  Harvest green onions early, while their foliage is green and thick. Begin the harvest when the foliage reaches 6 inches in height.

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