“Sauté the onion in oil…” Anyone who has made dinner has probably read those words countless times, but have you ever wondered how that onion actually came to be so that it could find its way to your kitchen? You might pay little attention to the size, flavor, or shape of your onions, but there is significant science behind those layers.

We sat down with Zach Wortiska, a California Business Sales Manager at Seedway, to learn more about how onion seeds are produced and the way our high-quality Gill’s onions are brought to life. 

Planning the Planting

The natural qualities of onions are closely observed by seed scientists. They work constantly to cross-breed onions that will yield more of the crop qualities they’re looking for.

“Two lines of onions make a hybrid variety,” said Wortiska. “Those parent lines combine to bring about the characteristics we’re looking for – maybe the size of one and the durability of the other, and we hope that together we can get both benefits.”

Onion breeders are looking at a variety of qualities to make onions that fit each type of need. They look at characteristics like:

  • Color
  • Size
  • Shape
  • Flavor
  • Producibility
  • Single Centers

Onion seeds are collected by allowing the plant to flower and make seed heads, then harvesting the seeds when the plant has dried. These onions “going to seed” allow seed producers to harvest new varieties and put them to the right tests and processes. These seeds are crossed in labs or small outside production trials, then successful onions are moved to larger outside growing trials. But all of that is really still just the beginning.

Patience in Seed Production

“Producing a new onion variety can take 8 to 15 years,” said Wortiska. “It’s a long process for seed production, and seed breeders are doing a lot behind the scenes.” This planning starts with identifying the highest quality onion attributes and working to make more of them.

When production specialists understand what a customer is looking for, they spend years developing a hybrid onion that has the right qualities for the right final product. 

“It’s a long process. It doesn’t happen overnight. We really have to work with these growers and our customers over the long-term to improve our onion varieties and make sure we understand what growers need,” said Wortiska. These seeds go from small seed trials in labs, to cage production, to small outside plots, then larger plots, then full field strips, until eventually acres of new varieties are available. 

But onions take roughly four months to reach full maturity, meaning each step of this process and testing takes time. They’re also a biennial plant, which means they produce seeds in their second year of life. All of these factors and more mean the seed science process requires a lot of planning and patience.

Gill’s Onions Seed Standards

Gill’s works closely with plant breeders to look at several hundred varieties of onions every year and see if they are a right fit for our program. Plant breeding is complex! We rely on quality commercial companies to work closely with us to produce the highest quality onions. 

At Gill’s, we’re looking for large, firm, single-center onions. We’re looking for at least an 18-day shelf life and the maximum amount of yield. We know those standards start with the seeds. Our partnership with Rio Farms brings high-quality Gill’s onions to life starting from seed throughout different locations in California.

“We work with a lot of breeders and growers throughout California and the U.S.,” said Wortiska. “When we’re selecting certain varieties, we’re finding the best variety for their programs. We understand what growers need.”

Ready to taste the quality of onions grown “The Gills Way?” Contact our sales department to learn more today.