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How to collect allium seeds

How to collect allium seeds

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Thursday, 14 July 2022 at 9:00 am

We show you how to collect and store allium seeds from the garden.

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Alliums are spectacular plants, so it's worth saving a few seeds to grow more for the garden.

Seeds from cultivars won't be true to type, but it's fun to grow them anyway and see what you get. You can either sow the ripe seeds straightaway, in the ground where you want them to grow. Or store the seeds in the fridge, to sow the next spring, either directly in the ground or in trays of gritty compost. When sowing direct or planting out, choose a sheltered, sunny spot with sharp drainage to get the best display.The seeds will germinate quickly and reach flowering size in a couple of years.

If you want to keep the seedheads in the garden for winter interest, try tapping the seeds directly into a paper bag. You could also re-use the cut seedheads in indoor displays.

Find out how to collect and store allium seeds in three easy steps.

You Will Need

Secateurs
Paper bag or envelope

Total time: 20 minutes

Step 1

Allium seedhead revealing the exposed seeds

Cut the seedheads from your allium plants as they start to break open.

Step 2

Drying out allium seedheads

Bring them indoors and let them dry out.

Step 3

Allium seeds in the hand

Gently tap out the seeds and store them in labelled paper envelopes.

If the weather's damp when you pick the seedheads from your alliums, they can be hung in a paper bag in the airing cupboard to dry out thoroughly before storing.

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