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Post by walker on Aug 23, 2009 14:37:12 GMT -5
I'm having the darnedest time cleaning the last bit of visible chaff from onion seed.
The seeder I use, works best/insists on absolutely clean seed to do a good job.
Sure wish I had a proper set of screens to do this and other flower crops, safflower for instance is another one 'never gets as clean as I'd like it.'
Whats your method/madness?
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Post by paquebot on Aug 23, 2009 20:39:51 GMT -5
One method that works with onion seed is water. Dump the seeds in water and all the chaff remains on the top. Pour it off and then dry the seeds on paper towels. They need only be in the water for a minute or so and thus it won't affect them any.
Martin
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Post by grunt on Aug 24, 2009 3:14:30 GMT -5
If whats left is all fine light stuff, put the seeds in a pail, and direct the exhaust from a vacuum cleaner into the pail and stir the seeds. Work your way up on the amount of draft from the vacuum, or you might be chasing the seeds. A hair dryer or heat gun might give enough draft, and the heat wouldn't be on the seeds long enough to be detrimental.
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Post by paquebot on Sept 8, 2009 22:22:28 GMT -5
What's left isn't just simple chaff. If it were, the slightest breeze would winnow it out. Instead it's a lot of immature or undeveloped seeds which are the same weight as a fertile seed. I just cleaned 40,000+/- of Amish bottle onion seed. Dumped almost a pint of seed in a bowl of water and gave it a good stirring. All viable seed quickly sank to the bottom. Almost everything on top was scooped off with a table fork. Anything left was flushed out with a slow stream of water. After draining most of the water, whole lot was dumped on a stack of 8 paper towels. Seeds were only submerged for perhaps 5 minutes or less than a quick afternoon rain shower. They were dry by next morning, 100% black and clean, and should be 100% viable seed.
Martin
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Post by grunt on Sept 8, 2009 23:20:50 GMT -5
Martin: I forgot you might be dealing with immature seed there as well. Good to know the alternative method.
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Post by walker on Dec 30, 2009 14:38:17 GMT -5
Martin, a belated thanks for the reminder, I had forgotten the float method would work and just got around to these. Worked very well. Have lots of clean "Yellow of Parma" now.
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