Collecting onion seeds

[Rachelf67]

I planted Stuttgarter onion sets and all but one have grown well and I’ve pulled them today. One has bolted so I’ve left it in and thought I might collect the seeds. When I read about doing that it said you can’t collect seeds from hybrid onions as they’ll revert to the characteristics of one of the parent varieties. Is Stuttgarter a hybrid or am I ok to collect the seeds? Does anyone know? I’ve never grown onions from seed.

[Shortie]

Hiya, and welcome to the 'vine!

I always thought you could not guarentee the offpring from seed if the plant you saved from is an F1 variety. Looking at Stuttgarter, they don' t appear to be so I assume they should be okay?

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along though

[MelanieSW]

Stuttgarter onions are ok to save seeds from, however you don't want to save seeds from plants that have bolted in their first year as their offspring might do the same. Though you could use them for onion greens.
Also, in order to maintain viable healthy seeds, only one seed-producing plant isn't enough. You want to have flowers from 10-20 healthy bulbs.
If you have plenty of nice onions to spare, you could replant a few in autumn or spring, they should flower next year.

[nickdub]

One thing you could use onion seeds saved from whatever variety would be to grow spring or salad onions. The main thing with saved seed is to get it dry before storing it, and to keep it in as cool and dry conditions when stored as reasonable possible.

[BeatriceCallan]

I've done it a few years before. Can tell you that Stuttgarter is okay to collect seeds. Next year they've grown up pretty good, I liked them really. It's not that type of hybrid that won't save features. Anyway, you can try, that's all about making mistakes.

[Mark_Riga]

I had some onions that have kept really well so trying to save some seeds off them. My only problem was to identify the good keepers as that meant they were planted very late. They are just flowering now so hand pollinating and then I'll have to find somewhere frost free while the seeds (hopefully) develop. I somehow don't think the OH will want them as a centre piece in the dining-room.