5 Best Onion Vegetable Seeds for 2026

For 2026, pick onion seeds that match your climate, garden space, and cooking use. Choose Red Burgundy for sweet, crisp salads and vivid color.

Add Old Farmer’s Almanac Red Creole for spicy, long-storing bulbs suited to short-day regions.

Include an 8-pack from HOME GROWN or a 43-packet heirloom set for variety and seed-saving, plus fast-growing bunching green onion seeds for containers and quick harvests; plant after soil warms, thin seedlings to recommended spacing, and select varieties by day-length for reliable crops and great flavor.

Our Top Onion Seed Picks

Deluxe 43-Packet Assorted Vegetable & Herb Heirloom Seeds Set of 43 Assorted Vegetable & Herb Seed Packets - Best Variety PackSeed Type: Heirloom, non-GMO vegetable & herb seeds (includes onion varieties among 43 packets)Intended Use: Home garden planting / seasonal planting / seed-savingQuantity (seeds per pack): 43 packets, 10,000+ seeds totalVIEW LATEST PRICERead Our Analysis
HOME GROWN Heirloom Onion Seeds (8-Pack) HOME GROWN 8 Onion Seeds for Planting 1,600 Heirloom Vegetable Most Diverse SelectionSeed Type: Heirloom onion varieties (8-pack), non-GMOIntended Use: Home/outdoor or indoor garden diversity and culinary useQuantity (seeds per pack): 1,900 seeds (8 varieties)VIEW LATEST PRICERead Our Analysis
Old Farmer’s Almanac Red Creole Onion Seeds The Old Farmer's Almanac Red Creole Onion Seeds - Heirloom, Southern FavoriteSeed Type: Heirloom Red Creole onion, non-GMO/open-pollinatedIntended Use: Garden/greenhouse/containers for edible harvest and cookingQuantity (seeds per pack): ~250 seeds per packet (~250 seeds)VIEW LATEST PRICERead Our Analysis
Bunching Green Onion (Scallion) Seeds — 250 Seeds Bunching Green Onions Scallions 250+ Seeds for Planting Perennial Best for Continuous HarvestSeed Type: Bunching green onion (scallion) seeds, non-GMOIntended Use: Indoor/outdoor perennial scallion production, culinary useQuantity (seeds per pack): 250+ seeds (250 count)VIEW LATEST PRICERead Our Analysis
Red Burgundy Onion Seeds (500 Heirloom Non-GMO) 500 Red Burgundy Onion Seeds for Planting Short Day Heirloom Best Bulk PickSeed Type: Heirloom Red Burgundy onion seeds, non-GMOIntended Use: Outdoor garden planting for bulbs and green onion useQuantity (seeds per pack): 500 seeds (approx. 2 g)VIEW LATEST PRICERead Our Analysis

More Details on Our Top Picks

  1. Deluxe 43-Packet Assorted Vegetable & Herb Heirloom Seeds

    Set of 43 Assorted Vegetable & Herb Seed Packets -

    Best Variety Pack

    View Latest Price

    In case you want one seed collection that covers a lot of ground, the Deluxe 43-Packet Assorted Vegetable and Herb Heirloom Seeds is a great pick for gardeners who also plan to grow onions. You’ll find 43 packets with over 10,000 non-GMO heirloom seeds, so you can plant now and save some for later. Germination is reliable, usually in 7 to 14 days, and plants come up vigorous and productive. Store unused packets in the included Mylar bag, kept cool and dry, and they’ll last years. This set supports multiple plantings, seed-saving, and confident spring prep.

    • Seed Type:Heirloom, non-GMO vegetable & herb seeds (includes onion varieties among 43 packets)
    • Intended Use:Home garden planting / seasonal planting / seed-saving
    • Quantity (seeds per pack):43 packets, 10,000+ seeds total
    • Days / Time to Harvest / Maturity info:Germination 7–14 days; supports multiple plantings (general performance)
    • Culinary Flavor Profile / Use:Assorted vegetable & herb flavors — supports culinary planting (varied)
    • Storage & Shelf Life Notes:Long seed shelf-life if stored dry/cool; includes Mylar storage bag
    • Additional Feature:Mylar storage bag included
    • Additional Feature:Over 10,000 seeds
    • Additional Feature:100% heirloom non-GMO
  2. HOME GROWN Heirloom Onion Seeds (8-Pack)

    HOME GROWN 8 Onion Seeds for Planting 1,600 Heirloom Vegetable

    Most Diverse Selection

    View Latest Price

    Should you want a small-space, high-variety seed pack that makes home gardening exciting and reliable, the HOME GROWN Heirloom Onion Seeds 8-Pack is a great pick for you. You get 1,900 seeds across eight heirloom types, so you can grow salad stalks, bulbs, and bunching onions indoors or out. Varieties range from extra-early BARLETTA and frost-tough TOKYO LONG WHITE to sweet WHITE GRANO and caramelizing YELLOW SWEET SPANISH UTAH, plus colorful RED BURGUNDY and WALLA WALLA. These onions offer varied flavors, textures, storage life, and nutrients, helping your cooking and enhancing garden diversity with confidence.

    • Seed Type:Heirloom onion varieties (8-pack), non-GMO
    • Intended Use:Home/outdoor or indoor garden diversity and culinary use
    • Quantity (seeds per pack):1,900 seeds (8 varieties)
    • Days / Time to Harvest / Maturity info:Includes very early and fast-growing types (e.g., extra-early BARLETTA, Tokyo Long White fast-growing); overall varies by variety
    • Culinary Flavor Profile / Use:Wide range — from sweet/mild to pungent and spicy-sweet (salads, caramelizing, pickling)
    • Storage & Shelf Life Notes:Some varieties noted for good storage (Yellow Sweet Spanish Utah); overall varieties vary in storage/shelf life
    • Additional Feature:Eight distinct varieties
    • Additional Feature:1,900 seeds total
    • Additional Feature:Includes extra-early types
  3. Old Farmer’s Almanac Red Creole Onion Seeds

    The Old Farmer's Almanac Red Creole Onion Seeds - Heirloom,

    Southern Favorite

    View Latest Price

    Provided that you want a dependable, flavorful heirloom onion that thrives in short-day regions and fits into small spaces like pots or raised beds, Old Farmer’s Almanac Red Creole is a smart pick. You’ll enjoy small, globe-shaped bulbs with vivid red rings and strong spicy-sweet taste that lifts Southern recipes. These non-GMO, open-pollinated seeds come from American farms and pack about 250 seeds per gram, so you’ll have plenty. They germinate reliably and suit greenhouses, beds, or containers. Because they store well after curing, you’ll feel confident growing a heritage onion that’s both useful and rewarding.

    • Seed Type:Heirloom Red Creole onion, non-GMO/open-pollinated
    • Intended Use:Garden/greenhouse/containers for edible harvest and cooking
    • Quantity (seeds per pack):~250 seeds per packet (~250 seeds)
    • Days / Time to Harvest / Maturity info:Short-day variety; described as dependable/germinating easily (maturity tied to daylength)
    • Culinary Flavor Profile / Use:Strong, spicy-sweet flavor suited for Southern cooking
    • Storage & Shelf Life Notes:Bulbs store exceptionally well once cured
    • Additional Feature:Short-day variety
    • Additional Feature:~250 seeds per gram
    • Additional Feature:Louisiana Creole origin
  4. Bunching Green Onion (Scallion) Seeds — 250

    Seeds Bunching Green Onions Scallions 250+ Seeds for Planting Perennial

    Best for Continuous Harvest

    View Latest Price

    You’ll love these Bunching Green Onion seeds provided you want fast, reliable scallions that regrow year after year and fit small spaces like containers or kitchen window boxes. You get 250 non-GMO seeds from Graffiti GRDN, each tiny promise of tasty green stems and tiny white roots. They grow fast, reaching about a foot tall in 50 to 60 days, and handle heat or cold in zones 6 to 9. Plant in spring or fall in well draining loamy soil with regular watering and full sun. They suit indoor pots, outdoor beds, and make a thoughtful small gift.

    • Seed Type:Bunching green onion (scallion) seeds, non-GMO
    • Intended Use:Indoor/outdoor perennial scallion production, culinary use
    • Quantity (seeds per pack):250+ seeds (250 count)
    • Days / Time to Harvest / Maturity info:Germination to harvest ~50–60 days
    • Culinary Flavor Profile / Use:Mild, fresh green stems (scallion flavor) for fresh use
    • Storage & Shelf Life Notes:Perennial, winter-hardy (implies multi-season production rather than long bulb storage)
    • Additional Feature:Perennial, fast-growing type
    • Additional Feature:Heat- and winter-hardy
    • Additional Feature:USDA zones 6–9
  5. Red Burgundy Onion Seeds (500 Heirloom Non-GMO)

    500 Red Burgundy Onion Seeds for Planting Short Day Heirloom

    Best Bulk Pick

    View Latest Price

    Should you want a reliable, sweet red onion that’s easy to grow in warm regions, Red Burgundy is a great choice because it’s a short-day, heirloom variety that produces flattened globe bulbs about 3 to 4 inches wide. You’ll get 500 non-GMO seeds in a small pack, enough for bulk planting or sharing. Plant in full sun from spring to fall, and water regularly while enjoying its drought tolerant nature. Bulbs mature in about 170 days and also work as green onions when you thin seedlings. Use them fresh in salads, sandwiches, and stir-fries since they don’t store well.

    • Seed Type:Heirloom Red Burgundy onion seeds, non-GMO
    • Intended Use:Outdoor garden planting for bulbs and green onion use
    • Quantity (seeds per pack):500 seeds (approx. 2 g)
    • Days / Time to Harvest / Maturity info:Days to maturity ~170 days (bulb maturity)
    • Culinary Flavor Profile / Use:Very mild, sweet (good raw or cooked); noted best fresh
    • Storage & Shelf Life Notes:Notes say does not store well (best consumed fresh)
    • Additional Feature:500-seed bulk pack
    • Additional Feature:Short-day, southern-adapted
    • Additional Feature:Drought tolerant

Factors to Consider When Choosing Onion Vegetable Seeds

At the time you pick onion seeds, consider day-length type and how it matches your season so bulbs form properly. Also check climate compatibility, days to maturity, flavor profile, and storage potential so you get onions that taste great and last. These factors work together, so choose seeds that fit your garden, your pantry needs, and the way you like to cook.

Day-Length Type

Because onions respond to daylength, picking the right type for your area sets you up for success and less worry in the garden. You’ll choose short-day, intermediate-day, or long-day based on how many daylight hours trigger bulbing. Short-day bulbs form when days reach about 10 to 12 hours and suit lower latitudes with mild winters. Intermediate types need roughly 12 to 14 hours and work in middle latitudes. Long-day varieties require about 14 to 16 hours and thrive where summer days are long. Should you plant the wrong type, plants might keep making tops and fail to bulb. Look at seed labels for day-length and days to maturity. Start long and intermediate seeds earlier so they reach bulbing stage once daylength cues arrive.

Climate Compatibility

Good climate fit makes growing onions feel doable and even a little rewarding, so start matching seeds to your local daylength and temperature patterns. You’ll initially pick according to daylength response. Short‑day types bulb at about 10–12 hours and suit lower latitudes and mild winters. Long‑day types need roughly 14–16 hours and do best where summers are long and bright. Next, consider temperature. Seeds germinate well provided soil is 50–85°F (10–29°C). Onions like cool growth for bulb set, then warm sunny days to size and cure. Also check frost hardiness. Some bunching varieties and heirlooms survive mild winters or act like perennials. Lastly, line up a variety’s season length with your frost‑free window so bulbs can finish reliably.

Days To Maturity

Should you pick seeds according to their days to maturity, you’ll get a much better idea of at what point your onions will be ready to harvest, and that makes planning a lot less stressful. Look at the days-to-maturity number as a timetable. It tells you how many days from sowing or transplanting until harvestable size. Small bunching types often finish near 60 days. Full storage bulbs can take 150 to 180 days or more. Match those numbers to your region’s day length because short, intermediate, and long-day varieties start bulbing only once daylight fits them. Use the days value to stagger sowings for steady harvests. Keep in mind estimates assume ideal soil, water, and temperature, so expect some variation and adjust planting dates accordingly.

Flavor Profile

Whenever you pick onion seeds, consider about the flavor you want on your plate and how it will change as the onion grows and stores. You’ll find flavors from very mild and sweet to sharp and pungent. Sweet types have more sugar, so they caramelize beautifully for sandwiches and sautés. Red and purple kinds add color and a slightly sharper edge because of anthocyanins and extra antioxidants, so they work well in salads and salsas. How you grow them matters too. Day length, soil fertility, and watering change sugar and sulfur levels, so the same seed can taste milder or stronger. Reflect about cooking use. Choose low-pungency seeds for raw or caramelized dishes and high-sulfur seeds for bold cooked meals.

Storage Potential

In case you want onions that still taste great months after harvest, pick seeds for varieties known to store well and pay attention to how they mature. You should favor sweet and yellow storage types and check days to maturity because firmer, longer‑maturing bulbs usually keep better. Look for packets that say good keeper or stores well so you know what to expect. Also match day length type to your region so bulbs form strong necks and skins, which help curing and storage. After harvest, cure bulbs in dry ventilated spots and keep them at cool 32–40°F with low humidity for maximum life. Finally choose disease resistant seeds and handle bulbs gently while rotating crops to prevent infections that shorten storage.

Seed Quantity & Weight

A good starting point is to contemplate about how many plants you want and how you’ll get them into the ground, because seed quantity and weight decide both cost and planning. Seed packets can hold dozens, hundreds, or thousands, so match the count to your beds and transplant plan. Look at seeds per gram when comparing packs, since onion seeds are tiny; about 250 to 500 seeds often weigh 1 to 2 grams depending on variety. Use expected germination to turn counts into likely seedlings, for example 80 percent of 500 seeds gives about 400 plants. Buy a bit extra to cover losses and reseeding needs, perhaps 10 to 20 percent more. Should you purchase in bulk, store seeds cool, dry, and sealed for years.

Heirloom vs Hybrid

Because you’ll likely want dependable results and tasty onions, deciding between heirloom and hybrid seeds matters more than you could envision. In case you care about flavor, history, and unique colors, heirloom seeds give you plants true to type whenever you save seed. That keeps costs down and preserves biodiversity. On the other hand, hybrids are bred for uniform bulbs, higher yields, longer shelf life, and disease tolerance. They’ll help during weather or pests are tough and can cut your work and losses. Consider whether you want to save seed or need predictability. You can mix approaches too, planting heirlooms for flavor and hybrids for reliability. That balance gives you variety, security, and better chances of success.

Planting Method

You’ve just weighed heirloom charm against hybrid reliability, and now you’ll decide how to get those seeds into the ground so they actually grow. Initially, pick short, intermediate, or long day types that match your local daylength and at what point you plan to plant, because day length triggers bulb formation and you want bulbs to set. Next, choose direct sowing for simplicity or start indoors 8 to 12 weeks earlier for bigger, earlier bulbs and a stronger stand. Then plan spacing and thinning: rows 12 to 18 inches apart, thin to 4 to 6 inches for bulbs or 1 to 2 inches for bunching onions. Sow shallow, about 1 quarter inch, in loose fertile soil with good drainage. Time sowing for soil near 50 to 85°F to avoid rot or poor germination.

Gardening Editorial Team
Gardening Editorial Team

Founded to help gardeners grow healthy, thriving plants, our team of experienced horticulturists and gardening experts carefully researches and produces content grounded in practical knowledge and proven techniques.