There are two ways to self-propagate onions. The first option is to pull onions from purchased seeds and plant them in the spring of the second year in order to harvest large onions in autumn. The second option requires more effort and takes a gardening season longer.
also read
- Proper planting time for onions
- Growing onions - everything you need to know in a nutshell
- Planting onions: without much effort for a safe yield
The seeds are harvested in the first year and the onions in the following year, which can grow into large tubers in the third year. The individual steps are described below. If you want to try the simpler option first, please start with step 2.
1st step: harvest the seeds
As the young bulbous plants grow, some of them will form inflorescences. Normally, this kind of shooting is not desired, as such plants develop the flower instead of the tuber. However, if the plant is allowed to bloom, the flower will later form a seed capsule from which the seeds can be harvested. These can germinate for approx. 3 years.
Then proceed as follows:
- in autumn harvest the onion with the inflorescence like any other onion
- Hang these upside down to dry out, possibly tying a paper bag over the inflorescence
- Store the dried inflorescences in a cool, dark place until the next spring
- store the inflorescences at temperatures of 25-35 ° C for a month before sowing
2nd step: harvest onions
The self-grown seeds are sown so densely that hazelnut-sized onions can develop from them. Once these have reached the desired size, the onions are harvested and left to dry well. They are stored in a cool place during winter and kept warm for about a month (25-35 ° C) before mating.
Tips & Tricks
To separate the good from the bad seeds, you pour them into a glass with water. The bowls and the “empty” seeds stay on the surface while the good seeds settle on the bottom of the glass.
