How To Harvest Onion Seeds

Harvesting onion seeds is very easy and rewarding. When the onion heads dry in late summer, I shake the onion bulbs into a tub where the seeds fall and then separate the seeds from the chaffe.
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[@PeacefulCountryLife]

My grandmother used to wrap a very thin, almost translucid white cloth over it, tie it and kept it there for a few days. Do this for a couple of these and you'll have plenty of seeds :)

[@lakebafondren5868]

Oh nooooo! I harvested mine too soon. They weren't black yet. I grew mine from kitchen scraps in a container. I was so proud it produced a flower.

[@cpbenjamin582]

I had a similar experience. Didn’t know how and when to get the seeds out! 😢

[@greenthumbelina7331]

I harvest and save seeds from my alliums, which are in the same family as onions, in the same way. I have noticed that solitary bees and wasps will overwinter in the hollow stems. Pollinators will overwinter in nearly any hollow flower stock, so I leave those in my gardens until it's time for spring planting.

[@Downeastwaves]

Good to know, thanks

[@Seafoamworks99]

they would hide in our compost pile.

[@marymarysmarket3508]

Well, I just learned my new thing for the day!

[@marymarysmarket3508]

Such an excellent explanation. Thank you for your efforts to teach others.🧅

[@crypticsoul]

thanks for that tip! I try to keep as many polinaters around as possible so I am going to do that.

[@sarah_farm]

So many different ways to use pomegranates. I know your family loves to taste test all your new recipes. Your videos bring peace and happiness to my heart and your dog makes me laugh all the time. Thank you for sharing yourself and your family with us. You give us much more than we could ever give you. And it's an honor to have you visit our channel, we can discuss more about our experiences in harvesting and building farms.

[@KristiContemplates]

I put a reusable mesh vege bag over the flower heads to catch the black seeds as they fall. When ready to cut the head, I cut the head off - with the bag still on - and hang the bag-covered head upside down

[@patriciakane764]

I am so glad I ran across your video! I am 85, been a gardener a long time, but nobody ever told me to do this or how. (City girl). So thank you so much. Onions! So good and so good for you! Thank you so much!😁

[@Daygoth]

I've used wind to sort things too! It's cool the techniques you develop to solve problems in the garden. 😊

[@chriserony]

This is a great video! Very thorough, I don't think I'm left with any questions. Thanks so much!

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@pn3940]

Cool. I catch this video right on time. My onion flowered are at this stage.

[@Downeastwaves]

Thanks! Tomorrow I will give the two onions I let go to seed a first rub! I was going to wait for them to turn like the one you cut. Thanks so much!

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@paulsoutbackgardenaustrali7674]

@@Growyourheirlooms hey..I heard u need to plant the bulbs 1st and these will give u seeds...how did u end up with so many seed heads.thnx..new sub☺🇦🇺

[@Growyourheirlooms]

@@paulsoutbackgardenaustrali7674 If you live in an area that doesn't freeze hard during winter like here in Southern Oregon, just leave them in the ground. They will flower the second year. If it freezes hard where you are, pull the bulbs and overwinter them in a cool place and then plant the bulbs again in the spring. They will flower that summer and produce seed heads.

[@DaZebraffe]

Suggestion! Even if you're a home gardener who doesn't need near that many seeds, go ahead and go all out like this guy does, getting every single seed possible...you can always use the excess to make onion sprouts for your salads/sandwiches/whatever. :P

[@pinkfox5651]

Also, for those who have a glut of any kind of seeds, you could give them away. My youngest daughter made a board and attached it to post on the common where people walk their dogs near us. She put rows of bags of different seeds in vertical strips with all the details on them and wrote free seeds at the top. It was nice that people weren’t greedy and taking loads but one or two of each kind. They went quite quickly so she made another. Much love from England. ❤

[@DaZebraffe]

@@pinkfox5651 That's a brilliant idea, and your daughter sounds very sweet! I imagine you're quiet proud of her. I know I would be. ^_^ Also, greetings from northern US!

[@pinkfox5651]

@@DaZebraffe Yes, I am thank you. She’s a right little empath and is always first to help people bless her.

[@meisnamsomi7369]

I'll try this, I was searching for onion harvest video. It's very helpful 👍

[@Azralynn]

This is exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you!

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@crypticsoul]

Thank you! I decided to try to compost and in the winter and early spring I threw a bunch of old onions in there but instead of composting, they grew! I don't want to eat them because they are growing in yucky compost, but I am going to harvest the seeds and plant them in spring. I am looking forward to watching your onion growing guide!

[@sarisigmund2115]

Remember, the onions only grow seed heads on the 2nd year. He did mention this in the video.

[@crypticsoul]

@@sarisigmund2115 yes... but they have flowers full of seeds for some reason... probably because they were growing from shoots coming out of mature onions thI just threw out there, rather than growing from seed, so these would have the biological age of the onions they arise from... My goal for the day is to harvest some and plant a few into a container to see if they are actually viable and will grow. I've been gardening for years but never had tried to grow onions... I noticed that they seem to keep flies away from the garden... kind of off topic there, but interesting none the less

[@happyoutside2558]

I am doing a similar thing also. 2 big red onions were growing in the bag, forgotten, so I planted instead of composting them. Now I’m waiting for the seeds to mature. They were organically grown, so I’m hoping that they are just regular onions, no funny business, hybrid or something.

[@davelively1901]

I've started a tray of onion seeds....a mix of plain seed & many covered with the dry outside case they grew in. Good seed will punch its' way out and grow.

[@azza-in_this_day_and_age]

have you ever seen little balls grow within the flower? like a little onion bulb almost, not atop the smaller stems where the 3-lobe seed pods develop, but where the little flower stems begin, sometimes 3 or 4 some the size of a white rice grain, some as big as a thumb

[@darrenletchford7346]

Yep / I got 35 bulbs out if 1 flower head. Planted them & they come up real quick . I saved 10 & let them flower. Got 300 bulbs

[@azza-in_this_day_and_age]

@@darrenletchford7346 oh good i thought it may have been diseased or something. thanks!

[@darrenletchford7346]

So I have since found our that these are called bulbils. ( clones ) I let 3 garlic plants flower & just removed 70 bulbils with tweezers & planted them. Apparently a garlic flower will not produce seed unless you remove the bulbils. I planted some Leek and let them flower. They produce no bulbils. Only seed ( with the exception of 1 flower that grew 1 just 1. Hope you find this interesting.

[@azza-in_this_day_and_age]

@@darrenletchford7346 thank you for sharing, i do find it fascinating! please update with how the plants grown from the bulbils develop if you have time. i should have planted mine, but was afraid they were a genetic deformation or somehow damaged! curious to see how yours turn out, i will be planting them if i find them again

[@clymtc]

in the UK we have just had one of the wettest July months ever. I had a couple of onions I had let "go to seed" and (I presume because it was so wet and warm) the seeds sprouted on the seed head. Hundreds of little onions just growing on the seed head. I picked them off and planted them and they are all thriving. I don't know if this is a common occurrence but it is new to me.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Sounds like you have Egyptian walking onions

[@clymtc]

@@Growyourheirlooms - interesting; I had never heard Egyptian walking onions before - but no, they are a globe onion (I think "Bedfordshire") - which makes things even more interesting!

[@Mrbfgray]

'Harvesting bucket' a great idea.

[@sartajwali8630]

My last year onion started flowering now. Hopefully I will get same seeds soon.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

If the bees are active, you should be good

[@sartajwali8630]

@@Growyourheirlooms I do hope so.

[@Ahedfares]

Why is this so cute, it reminds me of petting my kitten's head 😂😂

[@jeremyh9206]

Just curious when you plan to make more videos. Really enjoy your content.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Thanks. Very soon. I have a new one I'm working on this week

[@shenadonchannel9231]

This video is very informative....thank you for sharing. It help me a lot to start my gardening journey!👍❤

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@mj625]

Can you leave first-year onions in the ground over winter in order to get seeds the second year? I'm in Nebraska, where we get snow and temperatures as low as 0 and sometimes below 0.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

In that kind of climate, I would pull them and put them somewhere very cool but not freezing for the winter and replant them once the ground can be worked in early spring

[@oswaldpfupa2319]

I believe you can. I'm in Leeds UK and we get snow and ground frost and plenty of sleet. Last year I left onions in over winter and thought they would just die. This spring they can back to life and have now gone into seed. Good luck.

[@mj625]

@@oswaldpfupa2319 I appreciate your reply! I may give it a try this year then. Thank you!

[@jkj1459]

Amazing nature , Mother Earth and soil , Soil is intelligent knows how a seed grow in to a plant

[@mayruthuganda1910]

This has been so helpful. I won't buy onion seeds anymore

[@ndlz1]

Best to wrap a bag around the stem & secure.

[@ChellyWood]

Just a thought: you've got 86k subscribers. You should really be affiliate marketing those Hook-N-Feed buckets. I mean, why not? You get money in your pocket, and we (people who watch your videos) would then have an easy-to-click link, directly to the company.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Good idea, if they offer that

[@marktoldgardengnome4110]

Nice video, TYFS. Question please. Are seeds collected garden ready, or best if saved for next season? Just curious. We are in Zone 5, Maine. We've never had an Onion bolt, plant from seed indoors and plant out by weather forecast, usually 1st week of May. Favorites are Patterson, great storage), and Ailsa Craigs, (Jumbo variety) Then a 3rd variety, usually a red. But we also plant randomly around the garden to help repel pests. We generally chop the pest control onions up, and freeze them as they are usually small. Last year, I pulled and piled them and forgot them in the garden. Found them this Spring where I left them, sprouting. We planted 10 of them around our Spring crops, knowing they would bolt, and they have. Excited to collect the seeds for next year. No wasted space in the garden, and Nothing better than free food! Thanks again.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

The seeds are ready as soon as harvesting

[@nonnielie8009]

My onions are growing flowers now. I still have seeds from last year.

[@e.t.preppin7084]

Those seeds look like hummingbird flower seeds. I believe each pod has 3-5 seeds I forgot. But they’re all the same. I want to know more about planting seeds and the whole two years thing. Thanks

[@kurtdowney1489]

Thank you excellent information

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@Murlockingqc]

Thank you !

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're Welcome

[@ednahorton6479]

Thank you for your information it was very helpful.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@cherylrobinson517]

Thanks for the awesome info😊.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@LeverActionLarry]

Thanks for the information!

[@peach9704]

Thank you so much.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@yerneedsry]

Thank you only seed I didn’t know about , and dont they seed on there second yr?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Yes. If you live in a zone where the ground doesn't freeze you can leave them in the ground all winter

[@Southerngrl]

Really cool and efficient way to save lots of seeds. Will this work for garlic chives as well? I have many of them ready and harvesting is time consuming(with my method). I like the use of the bucket in the garden....I think that bucket wld be sufficient for harvesting my Chinese long beans! Very cool. def learned something from your video today. TY. 🧅

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Thanks. Yes garlic chives are very similar except the flowers are much smaller but the methods are just the same. Little black seeds (well, most of them are black)

[@Opalvet]

What zone Kelsey onions? I’m Arizona Mountain 7a

[@Growyourheirlooms]

They are a long day onion. This chart will show where long day onions can grow. Unfortunately you are in a short day onion zone. Dixondale has many varieties for you to choose from. th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.YqNFo5iz4dkQqykSQdLxQgHaEo?pid=ImgDet&rs=1

[@toosense]

Great video, TFS!

[@Growyourheirlooms]

thx

[@lorenbush8876]

Is there a trick where those can be grown in another zone, I'm in Oklahoma and according to your map I can't grow those here? Are those sweeter than the Walla Walla onions? Thanks

[@Growyourheirlooms]

I don't think they're sweeter than walla walla. As for your zone, I know of no trick to get them to grow on short day zone. If I lived in your zone, I would definitely be growing "Texas Super Sweet" from Dixondale farms.

[@lorenbush8876]

You didn't do a video on how to build your seed sorter yet? Thanks

[@Growyourheirlooms]

I'll definitely get that done before next harvest

[@Nick-vn9bl]

Hi buddy those seeds look like morning glory seeds , kind of flower. I want seeds for those onions ur growing.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

www.growyourheirlooms.com/product/kelsae-onion/

[@sran9492]

You have a lot of fans so its not problem to transfer seeds in front of us from bucket to bucket

[@Growyourheirlooms]

LOL Thanks

[@Wisdom2812]

I saw this video too late, I just cut all of mine off today!🥴 Can the green stalks be eaten?

[@TalkingThreadsMedia]

Discovered your channel while trying to track down seeds for Kelsae onion. Do you have 3 packets of seed for sale? If so, please tell me how much and where to send the check. Best wishes from Kate in Olympia, WA - 6/17/2022.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

www.growyourheirlooms.com/product/kelsae-onion/

[@debrakessler5141]

Amazing, thanks!

[@Growyourheirlooms]

YW

[@HaroldMcDermott]

Can you put them in a airtight jar and freeze them they should last many years frozen.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Yes as long as they are kept dry

[@MrMonero]

I just left my leeks for the first time ever. I am totally new to seed saving and learning about it all. They are part of the onion family I believe and flower / go to seed the same as onions. That said now the seeds are nearly ready I have thousands of wasps and hornets that swarm all over them every day. Is there something about leeks that make wasps go crazy? or is it onions and leeks? Or is it just something about the area I am in Scotland?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

My assumption is that when they are attractive to bees, there is more for them to do and I leave them. With onions, the bees completely ignore them when the pollen has dried up

[@MrMonero]

@@Growyourheirlooms my gardens are covered with bees. They are all over the place but none of the bees ever seem interested in the Leek flowers. Only wasps and hornets and a LOT of them. There are huge numbers of wasps and hornets all over them every day now.

[@mbbrooks123]

Thanks.

[@mackpack7478]

Excuse me sir will the onion still be able to be harvested or just the seed

[@yadelewkindu8545]

Hi hi what about proplem oinion flawer

[@petergahlert3942]

I use seeds which I don’t need to spread them in nature...everywhere

[@pn3940]

Can we cut and hang them dry ? I wonder if they can mature while getting dried.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

If the seed shell has turned pale and you see black seeds inside, then yes, cut them and dry them off the vine

[@adnantahir4530]

Very informative

[@beckyharris6367]

I'm right on the TN/KY border. Wonder if these would grow for me since that seems to be the dividing line between long day/ short day varieties?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

I'd say that's iffy. You may need intermediate or short day onions

[@citylotgardening6171]

Great video thanks for sharing

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You're welcome

[@victorrodriguez5590]

When do you plant them again california time

[@Growyourheirlooms]

I'm guessing California would be about the same as me in Southern Oregon. I start my seeds in Nov indoors and get them outside in January. But our ground never freezes here so I can do that

[@BenMakingChange]

Someone told me to harvest as soon as the ball opened 😔 I should’ve known luckily I didn’t cut them all off

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You have to wait for them to be pollinated and form the mature seeds

[@jsmfarms71263]

❤

[@judyrosy]

Trying to order from your store but cannot get in....says critical error from wordpress. Can you help me out?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

That's strange. I just did a test order and everything was fine. Was it at checkout or when trying to finalize purchase?

[@slee7614]

@@Growyourheirlooms yippee!!! Just checked, and I got on the website with no problems! Thank you for the quick fix.

[@munch-crunch9143]

How is the moringa plant doing ? Can we please have an update

[@jkj1459]

I thoght onions are not having seeds , rather onions planted when it’s sprouts in Kitchen

[@johncamilleri8100]

Sir it seems you have a problem with the website as I tried to access it but it is showing an error with the Wordpress, though I do not know what it means, the website did not pop up.

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Thanks, it was probably doing an update. It's working now

[@silverlining_1995]

So just leave a couple onions in the ground for them to flower ?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Yes. If your ground does not freeze.

[@silverlining_1995]

@@Growyourheirlooms thank you :)

[@Jessicagrowwithme]

How long does it takes once the seed heads start to harvest

[@Growyourheirlooms]

The flowers started some time in April. They opened in May. I harvested the seeds in July/August

[@Jessicagrowwithme]

Okay thank you!!!

[@succulentqueen7737]

Are the onions still good to eat once they go to seed?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

No because you harvest them in the second year. They stay in the ground all winter and rot

[@sandragreenthumb12]

Is it to late to harvest the onion after it goes to flower?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

AFter it flowers is the only time to harvest the seeds

[@danielletheprophetess888]

Are all vidalias heirloom?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

I don't think so but I don't live in Georgia so don't have much info on them. I know they are Georgia’s official state vegetable

[@abhasingh2141]

Nice work

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Thanks

[@damnu8089]

And what are those heads called do you know

[@12villages]

Retired James cameron

[@roberttillotson6861]

Why not wrap the heads with small mesh bag

[@Growyourheirlooms]

You could do that. This is just easier and cheaper for me

[@gsteele9101]

If you are letting your onion go to seed (or any other vegetable for that matter) go to seed do you still need to water the plant if you want it to flower and produce seed?

[@Growyourheirlooms]

Yes, water it as normal but stop watering a few days before harvesting the seeds as you want them dry

[@abhishekgarg8280]

is there any machine to get the seeds

[@Growyourheirlooms]

I don't know about a harvester but I do have a sifter/sorter I'm going to do a video on

[@trendingvideos1197]

Can I get some seeds? 😁

[@Growyourheirlooms]

www.growyourheirlooms.com/product-category/seeds/onions/

[@aaronroark4256]

Put a mesh bag over the blooms.