Onion seeds (پیاز کے بیج) can be grown for full-sized bulbs, fresh Hari Pyaz or tender microgreens. Bulb onions need a cool growing season and several months to mature, while bunching onions and microgreens provide a much earlier harvest.
Desi Onion, Hazari, Nasarpuri, Phulkara, Swat and Red F1 Hybrid are grown for mature bulbs. Bunching Onion produces green leaves and slender white stems, while Onion Microgreen Seeds are intended for closely sown trays.
Choose Seeds
| Onion Type |
Best For |
Approximate Harvest |
| Desi and local onions |
Everyday red onions for cooking and salads |
4 to 6 months from sowing |
| Red F1 Hybrid |
More consistent red bulbs |
4 to 5 months from sowing |
| Bunching Onion |
Fresh Hari Pyaz and green leaves |
8 to 12 weeks |
| Onion Microgreens |
Tender shoots for garnishing |
10 to 18 days |
Weather, variety and planting time can change the exact harvest period. Bulb onions take longer because they first develop leaves and roots before the bulb begins expanding.
Local Varieties
Desi Onion (دیسی پیاز) is a familiar choice for household cooking. Its red to purple bulbs can be used in curries, chutneys, pickles, salads and fried onion preparations.
Hazari produces reddish-purple bulbs with a strong onion flavour. It suits gardeners looking for a named local variety for regular kitchen use.
Nasarpuri is known for its rounded red-purple bulbs. Give the plants open spacing so each bulb has room to expand near the soil surface.
Swat Onion provides another regional choice for gardeners who prefer locally recognised varieties. Its sowing time should be matched to the cooler conditions of the planting area.
These varieties suit gardeners who want familiar onions and may also be interested in saving seed from selected plants in a future season.
Phulkara Onion
Phulkara is an established onion variety developed for irrigated areas of Punjab. It is valued for mature bulbs and good keeping quality after proper drying.
For Punjab, Phulkara nurseries are generally sown from mid-October through November. Seedlings are transplanted from December into January so their main leaf and bulb development takes place during cooler weather.
Phulkara suits gardeners who have enough time and space for a full bulb harvest. A small nursery section can provide seedlings for several rows or containers.
F1 Onion
Red F1 Hybrid Onion is grown for red bulbs with more consistent characteristics. Its nursery preparation, transplanting and general care are similar to those of other bulb onions.
Start the seeds in a nursery tray or prepared seedbed, then transplant the strongest seedlings into their final position. The individual product page provides the seed quantity and available variety details.
Fresh hybrid seed is the suitable choice when the stated characteristics of the original F1 variety are wanted. Seed collected from its mature plants may produce greater variation in the next generation.
Hari Pyaz
Bunching Onion, also called Hari Pyaz, green onion or spring onion, is grown for fresh green leaves and slender white stems. It can be harvested earlier than bulb onion and takes up less room in a container.
Sow it directly in a pot, trough, grow bag or garden row. Plants can be kept approximately 1 to 2 inches apart for slim stems or spaced farther apart when thicker stems are preferred.
Harvest individual plants as needed or cut the outer green leaves while leaving healthy central growth. Repeated small sowings provide a steadier supply for salads, omelettes, soups, noodles and garnishing.
Microgreens
Onion microgreens are closely sown and harvested while the shoots are still young. They add a mild onion flavour to sandwiches, salads and finished dishes.
Use a shallow tray filled with a light growing mixture. Spread the seeds evenly, cover them lightly and maintain gentle moisture. Place the tray in bright light after germination so the shoots develop a fresh green colour.
Harvest with clean scissors once the shoots reach a useful eating height. Onion microgreens grow more slowly than many radish or mustard microgreens, so allow them enough time to form upright leaves.
Explore more microgreen seeds for tray-grown greens with different colours and flavours.
Sowing Time
In Lahore, Faisalabad, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, sow bulb onion seeds from September through November. Phulkara is generally started from mid-October to November and transplanted from December into January.
In Karachi and southern Punjab, begin once the strongest summer heat has eased. The main nursery-sowing window usually runs from October into December.
In colder northern and hilly areas, onions can be started from August through October for autumn planting. February to March provides another opportunity where severe winter frost makes autumn establishment difficult.
Bunching Onion follows the same cool-season pattern but can be sown in smaller batches over a longer mild-weather period. Onion microgreens can be grown whenever the tray can be kept in comfortable temperatures with bright light.
Starting Seeds
- Fill a seedling tray, nursery pot or prepared seedbed with loose growing mixture.
- Sow the seeds approximately ¼ inch deep.
- Water gently and keep the surface lightly moist.
- Provide bright sunlight after the seedlings emerge.
- Transplant bulb onions when the seedlings are sturdy and easy to handle.
A loose seed starter mix helps small onion seeds receive even moisture. Seedlings are usually ready to move after several leaves have developed and the stems have become firm.
Lift the seedlings gently and place the roots into shallow planting holes. Keep the base of the leaves close to soil level so the developing bulb has room to expand.
Bunching Onion can be sown directly in its final container. Thin crowded seedlings while they are young and use the removed green shoots in the kitchen.
Pots and Beds
An 18 × 6-inch HDPE grow bag provides a wide planting surface for several bulb onions. Keep the plants approximately 4 to 6 inches apart so each bulb has room to expand.
A 12 × 6-inch Kiyari grow bag suits a smaller row of Bunching Onion or Hari Pyaz. These can be spaced around 1 to 2 inches apart for slender green stems.
Bulb onions can also be grown in pots around 8 to 10 inches deep. Choose a wide container because the number of onions it can hold depends mainly on its surface area.
Onion microgreens need only a shallow tray because they are harvested while the shoots are young.
Plant Care
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Sunlight: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight for mature bulb onions
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Soil: Loose soil with compost or other organic matter
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Watering: Maintain steady moisture during leaf and bulb development
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Spacing: 4 to 6 inches for mature bulbs
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Feeding: Apply balanced nutrition during early leaf growth
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Bulbing: Use a flowering or bulb-forming fertilizer as bulbs begin expanding
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Weeding: Keep the shallow root area clear and undisturbed
Water at soil level and check containers regularly because wide pots can dry quickly in sunny or windy positions. More regular moisture is helpful during early growth, followed by lighter watering as the bulbs mature.
Onion leaves can attract thrips, while damp and crowded conditions may encourage leaf problems. Inspect the folds and undersides of the leaves so early signs can be managed promptly.
Bulbs are usually ready when they have reached their mature size and the tops begin softening and falling naturally.
Browse the collection to buy onion seeds online in Pakistan for mature red bulbs, local varieties, Hari Pyaz and microgreens.
Find More
Explore vegetable seeds for the complete home-garden range or browse winter vegetable seeds for other cool-season choices.
You can also find Desi vegetable seeds, F1 hybrid vegetable seeds, grow bags, seedling trays and potting mixes.
FAQs
Why are my onion plants producing leaves without large bulbs?
Bulb formation depends on variety, day length, planting time and healthy leaf growth. Short-day onions generally suit southern areas, while intermediate-day varieties are more suitable for Punjab and many northern plains. A variety planted too late may receive unsuitable temperatures before it has developed enough leaves.
Why are the tips of onion leaves becoming yellow?
Yellow tips can appear because of uneven watering, high salt levels in the soil, root disturbance or thrips feeding inside the leaves. Check moisture below the surface and inspect the newest leaves closely before adjusting care.
Does one onion seed produce several onions?
One seed normally produces one seedling and one main bulb. Several onions may appear together when seedlings were planted too closely or when a mature bulb divides into multiple growing points.
How should harvested onions be prepared for storage?
Place mature bulbs in a dry, shaded and airy position until the outer skins become papery and the necks are fully dry. Store them with airflow in mesh bags, baskets or shallow trays.
Can onion seeds be saved at home?
Yes, but onions usually flower during their second growing season. Selected bulbs must remain healthy until they send up flower stalks. Different onion varieties flowering nearby can cross, so saved seed may produce variation.
