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Post by raymondo on Oct 25, 2010 19:59:06 GMT -5
Earlier this year, I bought and sowed a few hundred onion seeds for my annual onion crop. Four germinated. A lousy four! I was gutted, and annoyed. How was I going to to live out my garden at this rate? It made me realise just how vulnerable we would be if we had to rely entirely on our own, home grown food. Good quality, fresh seed now seems a priority.
I did resow of course but this time to raise my own seed. I sowed some Early Creamgold and Parma Yellow Globe. About sixty of each came up, which I've just planted out (it's spring here). I'll pick 20 of the best bulbs of each and grow them together next season for seed, letting them cross at will, and create a mix to go on with. I think I'll grow more bunching onions too.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Oct 25, 2010 20:04:54 GMT -5
Anyone have suggestions for how to separate onion seeds from the seed heads?
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Post by mjc on Oct 25, 2010 20:16:56 GMT -5
I take the nearly dried flowers and rub them between my hands then winnow them...
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Post by raymondo on Oct 26, 2010 5:06:45 GMT -5
I put the mostly dry heads into paper bags to dry down completely, then crush them while in the bag, then winnow. Gets them clean enough for my use and to share with friends.
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Post by orflo on Oct 26, 2010 6:54:34 GMT -5
Ray, you probably received old seeds, or seeds that weren't stored the way they should be stored. Most (or even all, it's a big family?) allium seeds have a short lifetime, but if they are grown out and stored in a good way, they should germinate quite easily (although it could take some weeks before you see some movement).
You're actually right about saving your own seeds, it's the best and most independent way to do it like that. Who knows your favourite variety will still be available in the shop next year?? I once or twice read that if you store the ripe seeds inside the flowerhead, so everything included, they store and germinate for some years. I never came around to try it though...
I use the winnowing method, rubbing with hands, or jumping on them with some rubber soles on your shoes. If you really want to get rid of every single bit of chaff and empty seeds, water them, ripe seeds sink to the bottom of the pot and you can pour off the debris. It's possible you have to do that twice or three times, depending on the quantity. Afterwards, dry them as quickly as you can, a windy spot is ideal, they should be hand-dry within 5-10 hours. Spread them open, I even put them in the sun, if it's not too hot (the allium seeds are mostly black so they can absorb heat), let's say under 23°Celsius. They need to dry on a bit further, I hang them in paper bags, again on a windy spot, bring them in at night (nights are mostly humid over here), and within a week they can be stored.
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Post by raymondo on Oct 26, 2010 18:13:23 GMT -5
Ray, you probably received old seeds, or seeds that weren't stored the way they should be stored. Most (or even all, it's a big family?) allium seeds have a short lifetime. Yes, I think that must have been the case. You're actually right about saving your own seeds, it's the best and most independent way to do it like that. Who knows your favourite variety will still be available in the shop next year?? I grow seeds of my favourite mustard spinach for exactly this reason. I once or twice read that if you store the ripe seeds inside the flowerhead, so everything included, they store and germinate for some years. That's an interesting idea. I actually have some leek seeds that I haven't cleaned yet so perhaps I'll just leave them and see what happens. If you really want to get rid of every single bit of chaff and empty seeds, water them, ripe seeds sink to the bottom of the pot and you can pour off the debris. I hadn't thought of doing this with allium seeds. Might give it a try. |
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Post by paquebot on Oct 26, 2010 18:48:05 GMT -5
You clean onion seeds with water. Winnowing will only get the light chaff out. The central core where the seeds form is about the same weight as the seeds. Dump everything in water and the seeds will sink. Scoop or pour off the floating stuff. Drain in a sieve and dump the seeds on a few thicknesses of paper towels. They'll dry quickly and the time of having been immersed wouldn't be any worse than a normal light shower.
Martin
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Post by spacecase0 on Oct 26, 2010 20:27:44 GMT -5
I was wondering how to get the onion seeds clean,
and I have never had a purchased seed out preform one that I saved
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Post by galina on Oct 28, 2010 4:12:21 GMT -5
Anyone have suggestions for how to separate onion seeds from the seed heads? Joseph, I put them in a bag and run the rolling pin over several times from different angles. Paquebot, that is very interesting. It is so counter-intuitive to wet the seeds, but I guess they only stay wet for moments, so it is ok. |
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Post by galina on Dec 6, 2010 11:26:05 GMT -5
You clean onion seeds with water. Winnowing will only get the light chaff out. The central core where the seeds form is about the same weight as the seeds. Dump everything in water and the seeds will sink. Scoop or pour off the floating stuff. Drain in a sieve and dump the seeds on a few thicknesses of paper towels. They'll dry quickly and the time of having been immersed wouldn't be any worse than a normal light shower. Martin Martin have just done my leek seeds cleaning. Gave up winnowing because it is just too cold outside and gusty winds made it nearly impossible too. Remembered your advice with water. And it worked ok for leek too. I was surprised though how much saponins must be in leek chaff, because as soon as I put water in the bowl, I got an inch of foam over the chaff when I agitated it to dislodge the seeds.  Seeds now drying on a dish towel on a tray. Thank you for the advice. Ended up with nicely cleaned leek seeds. I guess the ones that stayed at th surface and floated off were lightweights and not viable. Hope so anyway or this method is more wasteful than winnowing. |
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Post by raymondo on Dec 8, 2010 1:59:54 GMT -5
I tried the water method with some bunching onion seeds. Worked well though there were a lot more non-viable seeds than I expected. Only ended up with about a third of the seeds. Still, if they're good, viable seeds, it's worth it.
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Post by Leenstar on Dec 22, 2010 11:09:08 GMT -5
New to gardening and have been disappointed by my onions. I bought three different varieties from the SSX and had mediocre germination. The varieties I bought didn't all have a day length listed so perhaps that is part of the problem.
I would love to save my own, but so far less than stellar germination has lead to no flowers from which to get seed.
I have a little bulb that transplanted from a garden plot to me new garden plot, I am hoping it will produce seeds.
Anyone have recommendations about choosing varieties, (especially if you are zone 5, or midwestern) other than "that looks nice in the catalog" and day length (long for me). I am looking for long keeping varieties.
I grew shallots and Walking onions this year and was pleasantly rewarded.
I am more interested in growing onion from seed. Sets feel like cheating to me...
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Dec 22, 2010 11:38:07 GMT -5
I would love to save my own, but so far less than stellar germination has lead to no flowers from which to get seed. Anyone have recommendations about choosing varieties, (especially if you are zone 5, or midwestern) other than "that looks nice in the catalog" and day length (long for me). I am looking for long keeping varieties. In my garden, onions don't flower until the second year. What that means from a practical standpoint, is that since slicing onions freeze here overwinter that I have to store onions indoors overwinter if I am going to let them go to seed. So my onions end up being long-keepers because I have stored them in the garage over winter. It's inadvertent perhaps, but I would select for long-keepers anyway. I recommend getting onions (either plants or bulbs) from a small local seed store or farm co-op. (Not a big box store.) They have a lot of experience with which varieties grow well in your area. |
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Dec 22, 2010 11:41:45 GMT -5
Earlier I asked about cleaning onion seeds. I ended up sieving them to get rid of the larger seed head parts, and then winnowing. But not just with a little gentle breeze that I normally winnow with. It took a very stiff breeze to adequately separate things.
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coppice
gardener
gardening curmudgeon
Posts: 149
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Post by coppice on Dec 22, 2010 11:45:01 GMT -5
Joseph, will shallots over winter inground where you live? mulched in I mean. Like Garlic divide them out in the summer when tops fall over.
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