saving onion seed

[CityChick]

Does anyone know how many plants I should grow if I want to save my own onion seed (well, banana shallot seed actually).  Google results tell me how.  And I imagine the more plants the better to keep it healthy and true to type. But...

Info I've read so far ranges from:

"Onions display a fair amount of inbreeding depression after two or three generations of self-pollination. Save and mix the seeds from at least two different plants."

to:

"you'll need a minimum of 40 plants, 80-100 is better" cough, splutter, whimper :o :o :o

That's quite some difference!! 

Anyone save their own onion seed and/or know what would be a realistic minimum number of bulbs to grow on for seed?

[CityChick]

[kenkew]

The more you grow the better the chance of finding and keeping those that are true. It's how and where you grow them to minimize cross pollination that's the key. Bear in mind that specialist nursery's have close to sealed environments for that purpose, so if you can't isolate your plants them it's the old adage; Safety in numbers.

[CityChick]

Do you think 10 would be enough then?  That's what I'd planned.  I realise to minimise cross pollination and to maximise seed I'll need some sort of DIY isolation cage over them, and maybe introduce some pollinators too :-\ I didn't pick the easiest veg to save seed from, did I? ::)

Still, I'm sure it'll be a learning experience, if nothing else ;D

[kenkew]

I'm no expert and you had a recommendation above, I'm sure they know better than me.
Give it a go anyway. If you get half of them to what you want you'll have a heck of a lot of sed to save for when you buy your own Blue-peter garden.
:D

[CityChick]

 ;D Thanks.

[supersprout]

I'm reading the Sue Strickland Heritage Veg book at the mo CC, and she suggests collecting from around ten different plants to make sure the stock stays 'good' ::) Good luck with the seed saving (and the echalion research!) ;)

[dandelion]

I'm reading the Sue Strickland Heritage Veg book at the mo CC, and she suggests collecting from around ten different plants to make sure the stock stays 'good' ::) Good luck with the seed saving (and the echalion research!) ;)

Does that apply to all seed saving, or just to onions SS?

[supersprout]

Different recommendations for different veggies dandelion, ten is a 'rule of thumb' :)