alliums

Zones: Biennial for seed, Annual for food

Pollination: Insects, primarily bees & flies. Different cultivars will cross-pollinate with one another. Anthers open first and shed pollen before the stigma and style are receptive to pollen. Anthers shed pollen for three days, while stigma and style can receive pollen for six days. Can take up to a month for the entire flower head to complete pollination. Will not cross-pollinate with garlic chives, common chives, garlic, or common onions.

Isolation Distance:  For different cultivars isolate 400-1500 meters or use alternate day caging. Hand-pollination can also be done but is labor intense, requiring flowers to be pollinated with a camel hair brush every morning between 9AM and noon for 30 days. At least 10 flower heads need to be brushed twice each morning.

 Propagation: By seed or starter bulbs

Seed Starting: If starting seeds, the seeds  should be started indoors in early February. Sow in flats 1/4"-1/2"  deep and keep close to 21C. (No heat mat required). Germination will  occur in 14-21 days. Grow under lights or in a bright sunny windowsill.  Chop the tops off, leaving about 2"- 3" inches, after 6-8 weeks to  encourage more root and bulb growth before hardening off in early  spring. Harden off and plant outside in full sun at least 3" apart. 

Seed Viability: 1-3 years

Minimum Plants for Seed Saving: 20-200

Seed Saving Level: Intermediate

Seed Saving:   Saving seeds from onions takes 2 years. Onions are started from  seed in year one and left to grow to maturity. At the end of the summer,  the onion bulbs are dug up and inspected. The best and healthiest bulbs  are then dried and stored for the winter in cold storage of 0-3C. It  is very important to not save any seeds from plants that have bolted in  their first year of growth. In the second year, the bulbs are replanted  into the ground as soon as the ground can be re-worked and the onions  are left to go to seed. Flower stalks may need to be staked. As soon as  the seed heads are dry, they can be cut off and laid in a single layer  in a dry area below 30C. Seeds will fall out of the seed heads easily  when dry. Crush heads or run through a seed thresher. Winnow to remove  seeds from chaff.  

Zones: Perennial down to zone 2

Pollination: Insects, primarily bees & flies. Different cultivars will cross-pollinate with one another. Anthers open first and shed pollen before the stigma and style are receptive to pollen. Anthers shed pollen for three days, while stigma and style can receive pollen for six days. Can take up to a month for the entire flower head to complete pollination. Will not cross-pollinate with garlic chives, garlic, leeks, or onions.

Isolation Distance: (Note that isolation is not a big concern for chives as most chive seeds sold and grown in North America are 'common chives' with no cultivar name.) For different cultivars isolate 400-1500 meters or  use alternate day caging. Hand-pollination can also be done but is labor intense, requiring flowers to be pollinated with a camel hair brush every morning between 9AM and noon for 30 days. At least 10 flower heads need to be brushed twice each morning.

Propagation: By dividing clumps or starting from seeds.

Seed Starting: Can be started indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost or direct sowed in early spring. If starting indoors, sow in flats 1/4" deep and keep close to 21C. (No heat mat required). Germination will occur in 14-21 days. Seedlings do not need to be thinned, and can be grown in bunches. Cold hardy, can be hardened off in earlier spring and tolerates light frost. Plant in part-shade or full sun. May not produce flowers in their first year of growth while establishing.

Seed Viability: 1-3 years

Minimum Plants for Seed Saving: 15-120 plants

Seed Saving Level: Easy

Seed Saving: Blooms in late spring. Purple seed heads are best left to dry on the plants but if left too long will shatter and spill seeds onto the ground. As soon as the seed heads are dry, they can be cut off and laid in a single layer in a dry area below 30C. Seeds will fall out of the seed heads easily when dry. Crush heads or run through a seed thresher. Winnow to remove seeds from chaff.

Zones: Perennial down to zone 2

Pollination: Insects, primarily bees & flies. Different cultivars will cross-pollinate with one another. Anthers open first and shed pollen before the stigma and style are receptive to pollen. Anthers shed pollen for three days, while stigma and style can receive pollen for six days. Can take up to a month for the entire flower head to complete pollination. Will not cross-pollinate with common chives, garlic, leeks, or onions.

Isolation Distance: (Note that isolation is not a big concern for garlic chives as most garlic chive seeds sold and grown in North America are 'common garlic chives' with no cultivar name.) For different cultivars isolate 400-1500 meters or  use alternate day caging. Hand-pollination can also be done but is labor intense, requiring flowers to be pollinated with a camel hair brush every morning between 9AM and noon for 30 days. At least 10 flower heads need to be brushed twice each morning.

Propagation: By dividing clumps or starting from seeds.

Seed Starting: Can be started indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost or direct sowed in early spring. If starting indoors, sow in flats 1/4" deep and keep close to 21C. (No heat mat required). Germination will occur in 14-21 days. Seedlings do not need to be thinned, and can be grown in bunches. Cold hardy, can be hardened off in earlier spring and tolerates light frost. Plant in part-shade or full sun. May not produce flowers in their first year of growth while establishing.

Seed Viability: 1-3 years

Minimum Plants for Seed Saving: 15-120 plants

Seed Saving Level: Easy

Seed Saving: Blooms in late spring. Seed heads are best left to dry on the plants but if left too long will shatter and spill seeds onto the ground. As soon as the seed heads are dry, they can be cut off and laid in a single layer in a dry area below 30C. Seeds will fall out of the seed heads easily when dry. Crush heads or run through a seed thresher. Winnow to remove seeds from chaff.

Coming Soon

Zones: Biennial for seed, Annual or biennial for food

Pollination: Insects, primarily bees & flies. Different cultivars will cross-pollinate with one another. Anthers open first and shed pollen before the stigma and style are receptive to pollen. Anthers shed pollen for three days, while stigma and style can receive pollen for six days. Can take up to a month for the entire flower head to complete pollination. Will not cross-pollinate with garlic chives, common chives, garlic, or leeks.

Isolation Distance: 200-1500 meters

Seed Viability: 1-3 years

Minimum Plants: 12-80

Difficulty: Intermediate