How to Save Onion Seeds So You Never Buy Them Again

[@TheMomGeneral]

When a man who’s means of income is selling seeds posts a video on how to save seeds, you are receiving ultimate generosity and selflessness. Thank you, Luke.

[@Sunnytrailrunner]

I SO AGREE‼️Luke’s an ethical individual.

[@littlefootranch4410]

I 1000% agree!

[@PloughmansBackyard]

So true! That's why I love watching him. He's awesome!

[@hickoryhillinthebigwoods-r759]

I heard him speak in Virginia and while I can't remember what he said, I do know it was the very conclusion that I had recently come to yet NONE of the big names out there teach it. I love Luke's way of presenting things. No need to over do things.

[@BarGardenEat]

Luke is legit, I dislike my algorithm most of the time however, Luke's content pops up at just the right time of the growing season for me in Germany...I take notes and then get to work... thanks MIG?

[@MadameM.]

Saw this and thought "yep, there's Luke - giving his all to provide great tips about how to grow wonderful food and feed our families, all with a smile on his face." Thank you!! You're the best and are a superb gardener AND human being.

[@juliebaker6969]

Another positive to saving seed is that your seed becomes acclimatized to your specific area, making subsequent plantings grow better and better as time goes on

[@cyruslever586]

Nah. If you are growing the same genetics and they aren't breeding with other varieties they're gonna be the same as they've always been.

[@juliebaker6969]

@@cyruslever586 Obviously you don't understand how these things work. Seeds, like children are the mixture of the male genetics carried in the pollen, and the female genetics in the ovary (which is inside the pistil). Just like people can become acclimated to their environment, plants can too. The seeds most acclimatized are the ones that're the strongest, because they're the ones that're optimized for the climate in your particular area. These stronger seeds are the ones that germinate the best in your area, AND the ones that produce the strongest plants for your weather conditions. And any gardener worth his salt knows to keep seed from his BEST plants. Therefore these superior genetics for the climate are what get passed down, and reinforced year after year. Did you think that seeds are just clones of the parent plant? I think you were confusing seeds for cuttings, which ARE a clone of the parent plant. But it's through SEED propagation that new cultivars and hybrids occur. And THAT'S because SEEDS are all genetically unique. That's ALSO why, if you want your seeds to throw true, you have to keep the parent plants far away from other cultivars. Wind pollinated plants need to be kept hundreds of feet away from other cultivars. Whereas, INSECT pollinated plants need to be kept 2-5 MILES apart, since that's how far an insect can travel. That's why people who are propagating specific cultivars, ESPECIALLY for sale, often cover the flowers to prevent cross-pollination, and HAND pollinate them with pollen from a known source, to be CERTAIN of accurate results.

[@chaparra71]

@@cyruslever586 not true at all.

[@joew717]

and you get to preserve the genetics of your favorite plant(s). If you have that one monster that performed the best...keep her seeds for sure!

[@joew717]

when I was in college I worked at a dive shop and the owner told us something that always stuck with me...sell the sport, not the gear. If you sell them gear they may or may not come back but if you sell them the sport they'll keep buying gear for years. It may be from us or the place down the road but either way the sport survives. Yes, Luke is teaching us how to save seeds but just like all of his videos the more I learn from him the more I want to go BACK to his site and buy more seeds and tools and such. Well done!

[@trishthehomesteader9873]

Thanks Luke! I saved some carrot seed heads as you taught us. Planted some of them this year just by rubbing my hands together with the seed heads. They're doing nicely and didn't have to thin them! They're not in neat little rows but I'm ok with that.☺️ Blessings! 💜

[@crossingtheline4372]

Last spring was my 2nd growing season and I was trying to understand how to save seeds. Now I know. Thanks 😊

[@tenlamps6183]

Please keep showing us seed saving videos

[@auntiepam5649]

Thank you. Some of the seeds I bought this year did not sprout very well so I can save my own now.

[@somewherenorth4092]

Great timing! I spotted an onion that was missed last year, and it's just starting to flower. Looking forward to saving its seeds!

[@FosterChicken]

Luke. You are the best! To have a seed selling business and STILL show others how to do it themselves? How generous and giving you are! God bless you.

[@f.b.jeffers0n]

Ou, nice! Carrots are the same, biennial, and I left one in the ground last year, so now I have flowers coming. I'd love (yes, I will be searching your page in case it's already been done) to see you talk about those seeds.

[@ericalloi5486]

very cool video! I would simply add to any seed saving topic that the main reason for doing it is selecting for plants that did well in your locality. Most of the time seeds you buy are from plants that did well thousands of miles away, in whatever zone... Best you pic from plants near you! ;)

[@mio.giardino]

I took 3 spouting onions and stuck them in the ground. One survived the transition and is just forming a flower. Can’t wait to start them for next year.

[@jordonwalsh1245]

How are your onions doing now? 😊

[@kariannecrysler640]

Seed saving is great! I have been looking at the orange butterfly flowers on the roadside and planning on getting some seeds when the time is right 😁🍀💚

[@MadameCasper]

I don't pull my green onions, I just trim as needed for meals I want them in. I was actually just trimming them and grabbed a ton of flowers. Weird how good the timing was on this one

[@teriwellborn165]

🙋‍♀️💕

[@garyb4929]

Wish I could send you a little rain from S. Mississippi. Thank you for sharing your info & garden.

[@hickoryhillinthebigwoods-r759]

I am working on learning to save seeds. The problem is knowing what grows well in your location. I saved chive seeds this spring. I have a garden closer to the house I will be using for saving seed. I have loads of seed, but saving seed for something that doesn't thrive in Arkansas heat is pointless. So important to know your area. Luke, great info! Love the onion idea.

[@garymanuel4710]

Thank you young man for showing me about how to harvest onion seeds, i left a few onions in the ground last season, for the purpose of getting seeds this year but did not know what to expect really, But i know they did grow beautiful tops & are now about ft high, but never knew they would flower into seeds, so now i have something to look for now lol, i hope the season here in Newfoundland Canada is long enough for them to flower? about 2 yrs ago i grew my 1st turnip seed & last year was my best year for turnip ever, before i would plant bought seed, & reason i tried growing my own seed was because an friend from W VA told me if i got seed from the mother plant that grew with my area"s short season the seed from it will grow much better than it"s mother plant, & it sure did, & this year with the same seed i had past couple yrs this seasons looks to be another great yr, seems like i will soon have an meal of turnip tops by next week & that is early for this area, once again tks for the great advice, i know what to look for when it comes to my onions

[@freeatlast1423]

I enjoy saving seeds, I came across some seed i saved from 2012. Since I had a spot to toss them into the garden I am awaiting ten days to see if they germinate 🤞😊 Lol, pretty sure even though I save seed that I will continue to acquire new supplies of fresh seed and of new varieties! Is there an heirloom seeds anonymous for help with my seed addiction? 😉

[@freeatlast1423]

Update the pumpkin, squash canaloupe,and bush beans I planted from seeds I saved 10 years ago have sprouted! The acorn squash was first to sprout and that was within 4 days of being planted!

[@artstamper316]

This is such a great video, and I learned a lot, but I do wish Luke could answer some of the questions here that have been asked since I would like to know the answers also. 😢

[@altanizaflorist9991]

Gardening is awasome. I love it.

[@nataliedelarocha5848]

Perfect timing I was going to harvest seeds from my onions in the morning. My grandson and I planted organic green onions from the store for fun last fall and I just let them grow and seed. Can we still harvest the greens and bulbs?

[@susanlarsen9261]

I love saving my seeds and your videos are always right on time

[@parrotsandmore7446]

Mine broke before the seeds opened. I brought it inside and stuck the stick in water and they stayed there until the seeds were ready. It worked! It still made seeds! I do that with all sorts of seed pods if I want the plant to continue flowering. Phlox, petunias, ballon flowers. I cut the seed pods and just stick them in dirt outside in a pot and leave them until they mature. I always get seeds!

[@meghanlancaster8747]

I just love your enthusiasm and your smile. I am growing an onion for seed in a pot on my patio. It got too soft and started to sprout in the fridge, so we planted it. Now there are two flowers in full bloom. Thank you so much for this timely piece. I think dried allium flowers are very pretty so I will cut the stalks long and then set them to dry for a fall arrangement.

[@WildOrchardOasisFarm]

Funny....I just cut my seed heads yesterday and probably got almost a cup full. I used a colander to separate the chaff. So excited to grow from my own seeds.

[@Gardeningchristine]

I did this last year and planted the “spent” flower heads and got a great crop, because there’s always some seeds left in them too, no matter how much you shake.

[@cbak1819]

Thanks Luke, I put a sprouting onion in my garden thinking it would grow flowers.. it grow instead three bulbs.. I pulled them but am growing from seed onions.. so I will do this with them. God bless you for sharing.

[@leelaural]

I had success this year without using a grow light with some San Marzano tomatoes and since I had success with that, I might just try onions...although, I have caught off lots of heads already before they went to seed but I should get a couple of heads anyway which is all I need....thx MN Gardner.

[@williamturkovich3977]

Actually needed this video right now as I have some green onions that are going to seed and needed to know how!

[@williamturkovich3977]

@migardener

[@susanjordan2130]

Thanks Luke I'm waiting for my little onion flowers to open up with the seeds. My first time with onions. You are a gem. Btw I ordered some of your seeds and the planner. Excited for it to arrive. 😊

[@cobinam824]

Your topics always seem to be right on time. Love it. Question though, do I have to let the seeds dry out before storing them? And what is the best way of storing them? Thank you so much

[@katastrofikRQ]

Luke, Most of my onions bolted this year and I just let them bloom for the bees. Thank you so much for the timely video now I know what to do with them! When would you suggest planting them in order to overwinter?

[@ourolivefarmlifeinruralita9494]

I'm definitely going to try this. I've planted tropea red onions and I'm going to let some go to seed. Thanks so much for a nice informative video🙂

[@lisakaye9340]

This was very informative and helpful! Could you please show how to collect Kale Seed?

[@divin-inarizona7125]

All I can say is “You the man”. Thanks

[@southsidecarly7427]

Thanks Luke! Thanks for sharing the video

[@janewhite557]

I stored a celeriac in my barn to plant a second year for its seeds because it is becoming very difficult to find reasonably priced celeriac seeds. It is now flowering, so am hopeful I'll get seeds in the fall

[@lorigarringer408]

Last year was the first year that I switched over to the core gardening method, thanks to you. I’m so glad that we did because we had record-breaking heat in our area like never before. I attribute my garden doing good just to that method because as luck would have it both my husband and I got very sick during the largest part of the heat wave! When we got out there everything looked a little sad but not dead it perked right back up!!

[@kevinprincehorn2741]

Would you recommend putting a bag around the head and snipping with scissors to prevent jiggling? How do you determine the best seed from the onion like you recommended in other videos? How do you keep groundhog and deer out of your garden?

[@rubyewiggins4926]

I've got one onion blooming and I'm holding out holding out waiting for the seeds thank you for the video I enjoyed it

[@genal5808]

Thank you! Had been thinking about seed saving on a few different types of plants. This helps a lot! Have saved tomato and pepper seeds. Now you have shown how to save onion seed.

[@TheShubLub]

THANK YOU! All I could find was 'regrowing' videos!

[@sajid14]

I learnt something and your vid was phenomenal keep smiling pal! God bless

[@brg2743]

Ours just fall over when it gets too hot. 🤭 This year we are trimming them and losing soil around them to get bigger onions. Boy are green onions tasty. Yum. Rather have fresh veggies from the garden any day! Our watermelon seeds have been carried by birds to other places in the garden. We just let them grow where they end up. We planted them earlier this year. Can't wait to see what they do. They grow really well under pepper plants.

[@LeverActionLarry]

Thank you! A trusted source for the info I was looking for. Cheers!

[@Chief_Reux]

Luuuuuuuke!!! The playlist is straight up gold, thank you!!!

[@nataliestachwilen2685]

I planted a few bunching onions 16 years ago and, like my dill, I haven't had to plant them again since!

[@NewMindGarden]

Absolutely beautiful.. 🌷🌷👌👌

[@Nikki-mx5my]

This was very satisfying to watch, thank you for sharing!

[@JohnDoe_88]

I just started doing the same thing with the same Tokyo onions they are amazing how well they spread on their own and how long of a harvest window they give you being tender onions all year compared to an Egyptian perennial onion.

[@tigerlily6763]

Your videos are so informative. Thank you so much.

[@distracted_gardener]

Thanks for this! Have you already done a video on saving carrot seeds? If not, please do!

[@TravelswithLucky]

Thank you! excellent info. Just one question... how should they be stored? in freezer? jar?

[@Señorita80]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT INFO

[@njagatlin]

I am a novice gardener interested in seed saving. I am watching the videos in your playlist. Thank you for the information you willingly and passionately share. In the spirit of there being no silly questions, I wanted to ask if taking the heads off with garden scissors is okay or if it is best to remove them by hand like you are demonstrating?

[@Jimmy-wd5nk]

Thanks for such an informative video. I didn't know that you can keep onion seeds. I was wondering if you could give me a suggestion for a slicing onion that I can store over winter. Thanks and God bless.

[@Twobirdsbreakingfree]

I've a question for you. Many people grow onions from onion scraps (a 1-inch wide piece cut off the base of a mature onion that roots from the rounded base and sprouts new shoots from the freshly cut flat surface), but wouldn't onion plants grown in this way all bolt, since they're in their second year?

[@Nero_Karel]

Great video and I especially enjoyed the point about self-reliance! I for one had some trouble even finding a sunflower variety that benefitted pollinators in any great capacity cuz most of the commercially available varieties are entirely bred for oil, so I was lucky to find an old Russian variety for sale in a small private Ebay shop 🌻

[@kypokey]

Do you have a video showing when to cut basil and rosemary and how to use it?

[@hogue3666]

Thank you Luke! Is winnowing necessary, or can I just plant the seed with the chaf next year?

[@randybedker1584]

Definitely been dry from Ludington area here . We got over half inch tonight.

[@adelineparinduri]

You're just amazing, Luke. This year has been so weird. First year onions (and carrots, but that's quite normal ey) are flowering. I've decided to be cool with anything the garden throws at me this year. Something is better than nothing. Also, my first time saving onion seeds. So excited!

[@Mbalta001]

Love your channel. Thanks for reaching me so much

[@PippiLong1]

I did the straw rows this year. Gonna work on giggling this year. 🤭

[@angusmcnaughton4570]

I saved my seeds last year, and carpet bombed a tray with a thousand seeds (pretty early) and it worked! Finally! I planted about 500 onions and even with monsoon rains for weeks (N.E.WA) everyone is doing well 👍 8 potato towers and entire gardens full of dozens of martzano (?) Tomatoes suspended from above on wires.... great information 👍 thanks. Now What onions SHOULD I be growing here ?

[@jswhosoever4533]

Probably any long day onion for Washington. I started my onions in a tray for the first time from seed as well. It worked out amazing. And I put my tomatoes on a wire suspension trellis this year too! San Marzano and Roma😊 I'm excited to see how they grow!

[@cougar1861]

In the fall, one can plant for next year's seed, a few of the whole onions harvested for table this year. I've found that seed that falls easily from the seed head has a higher germination rate than the seed that needs to be coaxed out of the head. To increase the yield of these fully mature seeds, I tie PAPER bags over seed heads that show perhaps 10-25% open seed pods. The bag opening is secures with string. Pollination is over by and the head can dry out completely before harvest of the seed. Onion seed viability is relatively short, so store the seed, tightly sealed, in a refrigerator or better yet in a freezer. This is less important if one intends to produce/collect seed each year ... but seed crop failures DO happen

[@Sunnytrailrunner]

WHAT AN EXCELLENT IDEA‼️THANK YOU SO MUCH❗️

[@victorialg1270]

Thank you Luke.

[@bristolveggiebeds5310]

I'll be doing that, my winter onions all went to seed so I've left them for seed!

[@dalegaa4094]

Very helpful information.

[@doesthingswithstuff]

Hi, is there any difference between bunching onions and green onions/scallions? It seems to me that they are the same, but gardeners prefer "bunching onions" and everyone else says either green onions are scallions. Am I wrong or is there any reason for this? Or are bunching onions a specific variety of scallion?

[@JesusisLord-7A]

I have a bucket full of wheat berries for making bread. It is organic and natural, and the bucket was filled with CO2 to displace the O2 to preserve the wheat. With this information, do you think that I would be able to take some of the wheat berries out of the bucket and grow more wheat or do you think that the berries have lost their ability to grow? I think we've had the buckets for a year or two.

[@suziehartwright]

Thanks Luke! 😊

[@jody2873]

Lol-i love gardening too!👍

[@paulapatton5509]

Great video! Definitely selfless gift from you. Especially in the current economic state we’re in this is invaluable information. Thank you!

[@stevefarms7494]

Pruning shears will make a smoother cut without too much jarring around when you harvest your seeds just letting you know

[@apriljoamy]

Would it be better/safer to put a bag over the flower before plucking them? To catch any seeds that may fall

[@JH-vy7uy]

Good topic. Thank you

[@pwhitmer8]

How do you recommend then storing the seeds? In paper? Plastic? Other?

[@emilyhoffman3736]

Do you just leave them in the garden over the winter? Should you cover them to protect them from snow?

[@pt2575]

Thank you !

[@HealthyDisrespectforAuthority]

I haven't gotten past step 1 yet.. last fall's planting of both onions and garlic got confused in the warm early winter.. they grew a little.. it froze and they never came back

[@jimhepworth]

Does it work the same way for Chives? I have a bucket that is full of chives, but I always pinched the flowers.

[@RenewedHomestead]

Thank you! That looks so easy!

[@katlyn7443]

Will you plan on offering top sets of the walking onion on your website for purchase sometime in the future? Or would you suggest looking else where for Egyptians walking onion top sets?

[@timclark7507]

I save my over-mature yard long beans for the next year. I have done this 4 years now. I have not had such success with onions.

[@Mittenman313]

SE michigan here and we been in a drout too. Water water water haha

[@CB-fm5gc]

What is the best way to store vegetable seeds?

[@330pamela]

I have a question if I plant the onion and don't pull them up, the following year is when they will flower and that's when I will be able to keep the seeds I'm just trying to make sure I understood thank you for any information you can give me

[@jswhosoever4533]

That's right. If you're in Michigan I would mulch them before winter just to be safe. I only had 3 of mine from last year make it to flower.

[@deecopley5271]

Oh thank you! Your timing is great! I had red onions that I loved last year that I couldn’t find seeds this year. Two of them came up this year and I have been watching the flowers eagerly.

[@diannaredding9373]

Thank you for asking this question, I was wondering the same thing. But I guess we will never learn if we don’t ask. 🍅🫐🥝🥑🍋🍑

[@sarar371]

This year is the first time growing onions. I bought the sets at a grocery store. I’m really excited after seeing several videos, about how to grow onions from seed, to try it out maybe this fall and next year. Thanks for your videos!

[@imablank9701]

Did that to some onions yesterday! Brussels sprouts seed question: Do i need to wait for my Brussels sprout plant to dry out fully to pull the seeds? Part of my plant is Dry, the other part is green. The dry pods are popping. I don't want a million volunteer plants 🤣 but I want to save the billion seeds to share. Do I cut the plant and let it dry then harvest them together?

[@crazytazgal]

If I want an onion to produce seeds, would I need to over winter it in my garden for the following year? I live in Zone 3 so our winters get pretty cold so just trying to figure out how to do this without the onion rotting over winter.

[@RusticReel]

I have had onions that I left in the ground come back and fo to seed and I also have replanted stored onions that started sprouting. I am in zone 6b though so maybe pulling and replanting would be the best option for you.

[@robindevellen7038]

Can you put a little bag over them, like a mesh bag?

[@davek7303]

Is cross-pollination an issue if a couple varieties go to flower in the same year - or even leeks going to flower?

[@goolash9991]

Luke, new subscriber here, thank you for this video. Is there a way to properly store seeds? Do seeds need to be put in a freezer/ dehydrated/stored in a dark place/ etc? Would love to know these things!

[@jiujitsuforall8627]

So our bunching onions have produced those flowers but none have the black seeds. Is it too early? 1st year jitters?

[@ChildOfGod0777]

I have a question regarding tomatoes: so I live in central Texas and we have been having a heat wave 100+ temps, I have gotten some tomatoes off my plants already, I have Indeterminate pink brandywine, they are like 6 feet tall, and I have trimmed them, water 2x a day they have lots of blossoms at the top but when the blossoms come off it's just this really light tiny bead that doesn't grow any bigger 🤷‍♀️ could it just be the temps? Anyone can answer if you can help me out..I was hoping for more tomatoes, I have 6 plants and have gotten 17 tomatoes so far!!

[@algorythemQ]

I use an old black gold pan to separate the chaff... Come's from prospecting in Alaska. Bout the only thing I got outta pannin 😂

[@saludicious]

I always thought that another benefit of saving seeds is the plants that grew well in my climate will become better adapted each generation. Is this correct?

[@dwardodwardo643]

Is there something about this variety of onions that will come back a third or subsequent years? Besides bunching or walking onions are there other types to look for to naturalize?