CULTIVATION OF ONION SEEDS
The onion is biannual and cross-fertilizing. Because of this, it is better to grow only one sort if it is impossible to keep the different sorts well apart. As it is fertilized by insects, there must be at least 500 m between the sorts, preferably 1,000 m or more to get completely pure seed from each sort. The yellow or red onion, (Allium Cepa) doesn't cross-fertilize with the other Allium species, i.e. leek or spring onion of the species fistulosa.
Grow onion as usual and dry and store them. Select good well-shaped onions without thick necks and set them out as early as possible, 15 cm between the onions and 40 cm between the rows or double rows with 20 cm in between. Set the onions deeply, so that only the topmost part of the onion is above ground.
The onion will soon send up a pipe-shaped flower-stem, about 65-100 cm tall, crowned by a white-flowering ball with lots of flowers. The stem is fragile, so be careful when weeding. The stems may need support so that the wind doesn't knock them down.
The seeds ripen slowly and early autumn frosts could harm unripe ones considerably. When the seed-pods begin to open showing their black seeds, it"™s time to cut off the stems at 35-40 cm. Then bunch them up and hang them upside down indoors or put them on netting with a cloth or similar underneath to capture the seeds as they fall through. If the seeds have had time to ripen well, they fall off easily and threshing is therefore easy: Just shake the seedpods. But you often have to rub the seedpods to loosen all seeds.
Clean away the rubbish by sieving and winnowing. If there is still a lot of rubbish left you could put all of it in water and stir and allow it to remain for a while. Good seeds sink and unripe seeds and rubbish float and can be poured out. Put the good seeds on netting to dry and make sure that they dry quickly. Well matured onion seeds will grow well for 2-3 years.
The onion is biannual and cross-fertilizing. Because of this, it is better to grow only one sort if it is impossible to keep the different sorts well apart. As it is fertilized by insects, there must be at least 500 m between the sorts, preferably 1,000 m or more to get completely pure seed from each sort. The yellow or red onion, (Allium Cepa) doesn't cross-fertilize with the other Allium species, i.e. leek or spring onion of the species fistulosa.
Grow onion as usual and dry and store them. Select good well-shaped onions without thick necks and set them out as early as possible, 15 cm between the onions and 40 cm between the rows or double rows with 20 cm in between. Set the onions deeply, so that only the topmost part of the onion is above ground.
The onion will soon send up a pipe-shaped flower-stem, about 65-100 cm tall, crowned by a white-flowering ball with lots of flowers. The stem is fragile, so be careful when weeding. The stems may need support so that the wind doesn't knock them down.
The seeds ripen slowly and early autumn frosts could harm unripe ones considerably. When the seed-pods begin to open showing their black seeds, it"™s time to cut off the stems at 35-40 cm. Then bunch them up and hang them upside down indoors or put them on netting with a cloth or similar underneath to capture the seeds as they fall through. If the seeds have had time to ripen well, they fall off easily and threshing is therefore easy: Just shake the seedpods. But you often have to rub the seedpods to loosen all seeds.
Clean away the rubbish by sieving and winnowing. If there is still a lot of rubbish left you could put all of it in water and stir and allow it to remain for a while. Good seeds sink and unripe seeds and rubbish float and can be poured out. Put the good seeds on netting to dry and make sure that they dry quickly. Well matured onion seeds will grow well for 2-3 years.
