Growing onion from seed

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Growing Onion From Seed

Onion seed can be grown with success in most any section of the United States. Soil for it should be moderately rich; if too rich, blossoms are liable to blight.

Bulbs for a seed-crop should be sorted carefully, throwing out all which, in shape and color, are not according to variety. No bulb under the size of a walnut should be planted for seed. Full-grown bulbs, however, are more productive, bearing larger seed- stems than do plants from smaller bulbs. But it is customary with many who grow onion sets extensively, to raise their own seed from small bulbs not under the size of a walnut, sorted by themselves from the larger onions produced in a crop of sets. Seed produced from such bulbs is not inferior to that from full-grown bulbs.

Bulbs should be set out in drills, six inches deep, six inches apart, in rows three feet apart. Fifty sacks of full-grown bulbs are usually planted to the acre. Cultivate the crop twice or more.

In the Northern States, planting of bulbs is done late in summer so as to secure a good growth before winter. The onion is hardy and withstands the winter without protection, and seed produced from fall planting will mature earlier than that from spring-planted bulbs.

In California, planting of bulbs is done from late in autumn until February 1st, seed being harvested in October. In that climate the bulbs which are harvested in autumn are simply stored in sacks, and generally kept piled out of doors until wanted for planting.

How to Collect Onion Seeds

When seed-heads turn yellow, and begin to burst, they may be cut. They are placed on cloths and left exposed to the sun and air to dry for a day or longer, according to climate. They are then taken to the barn or shed, spread thinly, and allowed to become thoroughly dry before threshing.

Threshing is done in a threshing machine; or may be done with a flail or a roller, on a cloth laid on the floor. Seed is then run once or twice through the fan-mill or seed-cleaner. After which it is given a washing in a tank or in a tub of water, to remove the light seeds and remaining portions of pod. For this operation a clear, dry day is chosen. In the washing process, the whole is gently stirred, which causes heavy, good seed to fall to the bottom, light seed and trash to float; the latter being then skimmed off. Seed is now taken out and spread thinly on cloths in the sun to dry, during which it has to be stirred frequently. It is then taken to the drying-room or loft, and there allowed to remain spread thinly for some time until it has become thoroughly dry, when final cleaning is given in the fan-mill; after which it is ready to be stored.

Expected Crop Yield of Onion Seed Sowing

In good seasons a seed-crop runs from 600 to 700 pounds per acre; prices paid to growers for American varieties range from thirty to forty-five cents per pound for yellow and red sorts, sixty to seventy cents for white.

Commercial Trade of Onion Seed

Market Upwards of 1,000,000 pounds of onion seeds are handled annually by the American seed-trade, of which 700,000 pounds are produced in Central California; the remainder, excepting Italian and Bermuda varieties, which are imported, is grown mainly in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Oregon.

Of the Italian and Bermuda varieties, the best seeds continue to be imported, as the exact location in the United States has yet to be found in which seed of these can be produced equal to European in quality.

Related Onion Seed Articles

See Growing onion

See Onion sets

see also Growing plants from seed