It's time we talked, perhaps, about growing onions, about one of the very first plants that people began to grow, because it is believed that onions were “cultivated” approximately 4 thousand years ago.

It is almost impossible to imagine any kitchen in the world without this “tear-tear” vegetable, because many dishes without it will seem bland and tasteless.

And although there are a great many types of onions, each of them finds its admirers. This is an onion, and more tender and delicate; perennial and can decorate our summer cottage just as well as flowers, but, for example, slime successfully combines the taste of both onion and garlic.

I have not listed all types of onions; there are many more of them, and with a variety of flavors, onions are quite capable of conquering the most demanding gourmet.

A little history

The onion was well known back in Ancient Egypt. On the paintings of the tombs, and the oldest of them dates back to approximately 2800 BC, images of a bow were found.

The Egyptians valued it very highly as a very effective remedy for widespread pestilence and, therefore, grew onions everywhere. It was necessarily included in the daily diet of slaves who built the pyramids in order to avoid various epidemics, since their number reached up to 100,000 people, and on a relatively small construction site.

And the Roman legionnaires believed that consumption large quantity bow increases their energy and makes the warrior fearless.

The ancient Germans crowned brave warriors who distinguished themselves in battle with onion flowers.

During the era of the Crusades, the onion had such a high healing and occult authority that the French knights even exchanged their prisoners with the Saracens for 8 onions of each of them.

And the ancient doctors, not without reason, believed that there is not a single disease in which onions, if prepared in the proper way, would not benefit the patient.

In Rus', onions also contributed invaluable help during the years of terrible epidemics - plague, cholera, typhoid. To prevent any infection from entering the room and to purify the air, bunches of onions were hung in living quarters.

Useful properties of onions

Preparing to write an article about onions, I re-read a large amount of literature about them and was simply amazed at how much useful properties at the onion. Of course, I knew before that he had medicinal properties, but in such quantities!!!

Now I really regret that as a child I really didn’t like onions and almost didn’t eat them, as did probably many other children.

I will try to briefly note at least some of the invaluable properties of onions: wound healing, anti-influenza, anti-burn, expectorant, diuretic, laxative, antiscorbutic, antiarrhythmic, antimicrobial, antifungal, antisclerotic, antithrombotic, antispasmodic and hypotensive, anthelmintic, antihemorrhoidal.

Onions can be of great benefit to people with disorders of the circulatory system and edema of any origin, as it is able to stimulate and regulate cardiac activity and the secretory activity of such organs as the bronchi, liver, kidneys, and pancreas.

Onions are also valuable because they reduce the prothrombin index (blood clotting), cholesterol and blood sugar levels; normalizes blood pressure, increases the elasticity and strength of blood vessels.

Modern medicine has discovered numerous carbohydrates in onions - sugars, pectin substances, fiber, proteins, a large number of various vitamins, minerals (potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, zinc, selenium, sulfur), phytoncides.

WITH therapeutic purpose onions can be used in any form: raw, boiled, baked, dried onions, fresh leaves, outer shells (scales) and seeds, in the form of juice, in the form of gruel, as well as decoctions and infusions.

I have listed, my dear readers, only a small fraction of the beneficial properties that onions have in order to show you what a treasure we grow in our gardens.

But it should also be noted that onions also have their contraindications. For example, onions are contraindicated for many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, biliary and urinary systems, since essential oils contained in it can aggravate the course of the disease.

Persons suffering from these diseases should exercise caution when ingesting fresh pulp. onions and its whole juice, but at the same time they can be successfully used with baked or boiled onions.

Basic requirements for growing onions

In this section, we will consider the general conditions that must be met when growing this plant. Although onions are not the most fastidious crop, they still require attention.

It is important for him that the soil in the beds is loose and nutritious. It is best to set aside an open, well-lit area for planting onions, since the plant reacts sharply to the intensity and duration of lighting. The length of daylight hours is one of important conditions when growing it.

Onions feel great and grow well when low humidity air. But the soil should be moderately moist. Watering onions is important at a time when mass regrowth of feathers and bulb formation occurs, and already at the end of the growing season from excess moisture is not welcome, as it will delay the ripening of onions and reduce its keeping quality.

In those areas where groundwater come close to the surface, it is better not to plant onions.

He also really does not like weeds, so onion plantings must be weeded regularly.

It is best to make beds for onions in those places of our summer cottage where cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes grew in the previous season - those crops for which we usually apply large doses of organic fertilizers.

In no case should you plant onions in an area that has been occupied by any type of onion, since: firstly, various pathogenic bacteria and other microorganisms, as well as those that “specialize” in this crop, may remain in the ground; secondly, the soil in these places is already depleted of the nutrients that are necessary for the growth of onion plants.

It is also not advisable to plant onions after plants such as garlic, carrots. Onions can be planted in the same place no earlier than after 3 years, and best of all after 5 years.

Onions also do not like to grow in acidic soils, because in this case the plants absorb nutrition much worse and are more often affected by such a terrible disease as downy mildew (peronosporosis). Having fallen ill, the plant weakens and can no longer fully fight pests.

Preparing the area for planting onions

It is best to prepare the soil for planting onions in the fall. We dig up the soil to a depth of 15-20 cm, after adding well-rotted manure or peat manure compost.

It is not advisable to apply fresh manure, as this can cause onion diseases; also, weed seeds can get into the soil with manure and it will not be so easy to get rid of them later. Also, adding fresh manure will provoke increased growth of the above-ground part of the plant, which is why the bulbs will not be able to fully ripen.

If the soil on your site is acidic, then to get good harvest onions, it is necessary to lim the soil in the fall. But here it is necessary to take into account the fact that it is extremely undesirable to simultaneously add manure and lime to the soil, since the nitrogen content in the fertilizer is reduced.

To avoid this, it is better to add dolomite flour, ground limestone, ground chalk, and wood ash to the soil instead of lime.

In the spring we will only have to contribute mineral fertilizers and it is better to apply them not all at once, but in several stages, since onions have a very negative attitude towards high concentrations of mineral fertilizer salts.

Therefore, we apply half of the established dose when digging the ground before planting, and distribute the second half between 2-3 additional feedings during the growing season.

Onion

In the previous sections we got acquainted with general conditions that must be followed to be successful growing onions. Now it’s time to consider the requirements of specific species, of which there are a large number, but among our gardeners several types are most widespread, these are: onions, shallots, spring onions, chives, slime onions, leeks, multi-tiered onions, wild garlic.

Let's begin our acquaintance with the onion family with the most famous species, which is grown by all summer residents - onions. More often onions are grown from onion sets, which can be purchased at gardening stores or grown yourself from seeds.

Breeding seedlings is a rather labor-intensive process, because you not only need to put a lot of effort into growing it, but also then properly preserve it.

Therefore, I never dare to grow onions from seeds, although I would like to try. In the next article we will look in detail at the agricultural technology of growing onions from seeds, but now let's talk about how to grow good onions from sets.

Preparing for landing

If we bought a set in a store, then immediately after purchase we need to dry it in any warm place, spreading it in a thin layer, but not on a radiator.

If you have a set that you grew yourself and which you kept in private high temperature(below 18ºС), then it needs to be warmed up in order for the growth processes to begin.

It is best to warm up the seedlings in several stages: first, we keep them at a temperature of 20ºC for 15-20 days; then we raise the temperature to 30-40ºС, but only for 8-10 hours.

Warming up is necessary not only to stimulate growth, but also to prevent the onion from bolting in the future. At the same time, it is very important to prevent the sets from overheating, since in this case the germination of the onion sets will be very noticeably reduced.

If you were unable to gradually warm up the seedlings, be sure to water them before planting. hot water(45-50ºС) for just 10-15 minutes, and then immediately cool in cold.

It is very good if, after warming up, we also treat the seedlings with some kind of growth stimulant (for example, Zircon, Humisol, Rost-1) or, instead, we can keep it in a solution of complex mineral fertilizer for 5-6 hours.

And in conclusion, all that remains is to disinfect the bulb sets in the solution copper sulfate(1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water) or in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Well, now the sets are ready for planting.

Planting sets

The timing of planting onion sets directly depends on weather conditions. If the spring is early and warm, then you can plant the seedlings at the end of April, but if it is cold, then you need to wait until the ground warms up to the depth of a finger.

There is no point in planting onions in unheated soil (temperature below 12ºС), as they will go to waste. But you also shouldn’t be late with planting, especially if the spring is warm and dry.

This can lead to the fact that at first the plant will develop intensively green feather, and the root system will begin to lag behind in its development, and then, due to lack of moisture and high temperature, the onion greens will stop growing, but the resulting bulbs will still develop slowly and remain small.

So the well-known saying “If you throw it in the mud, you will be a prince” fully applies to the bow too. You can only clarify further - in the warm mud)))

We plant the onion sets in rows on the prepared beds, having previously sorted them by size. So we plant sets with a diameter of up to 1 cm at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other; with a diameter of up to 1.5 cm - at a distance of 6-8 cm; with a diameter of up to 2 cm - at a distance of 8-10 cm.

It is best to take the distance between the rows about 20 cm, so that it is better to process the onions and so that the plantings are better ventilated.

We press the planted bulbs tightly with earth and cover the top with a layer of mulch approximately 2.5-3 cm thick. A week after planting, the first shoots may appear.

Planting care

Loosening. You can (even need) to start caring for onion plantings even before the emergence of shoots, since at this time you need to try to prevent the formation of a dense crust of soil.

Therefore, we will loosen the soil more often, which will also help us get rid of weeds. In the future, loosening the soil should be carried out regularly to ensure constant access of sufficient oxygen to the roots of the plant. Onions especially need to loosen the soil after watering.

When our bulbs reach medium size, we begin to gradually rake away the earth from them (untilt them). This is done so that they grow larger and ripen faster.

Watering. As mentioned above, onions need watering in the first half of the growing season. At this time, we water the plants abundantly and regularly about 1-2 times a week (depending on the weather).

In July, when the bulbs begin to ripen, excess moisture is no longer needed, so we first reduce watering, and then stop altogether 2-3 weeks before harvesting the onions.

The only thing is that if the summer is very hot and dry, the plantings can be watered occasionally to avoid wilting and stunted growth of the bulbs.

Weeding. It is also necessary to prevent onion plantings from becoming overgrown with weeds, as they create high humidity, which contributes to the development of fungal diseases.

In addition, onions growing in unweeded beds develop a thick, juicy neck, which makes it difficult to dry the onions in the future and, accordingly, store them. Therefore, let's pay special attention to weeding onions.

Top dressing. The first time we fertilize approximately 15-20 days after planting and, preferably, with diluted slurry (1 kg of manure per 10 liters of water) or bird droppings(1 kg of litter per 15 liters of water). We calculate the fertilizer consumption at the rate of 10 liters of solution per 1 sq. m.

The next time such nutritional feeding can be done in three weeks.

If you are going to feed the onions with mineral fertilizers, then add nitrogen first. This could be ammonium nitrate - 10-15 g per 1 square meter. m.

And after three weeks it would be a good idea to add potassium fertilizers in the same amount to nitrogen fertilizers.

Mineral fertilizers can be applied dry, sprinkling them on the beds before watering or before rain, or you can pre-dissolve them in water and water the beds with this solution.

Treatment. Since it is easier to prevent than to treat, it is possible to carry out preventive treatment of onion plantings against fungal diseases and onion flies.

To do this, you need to make the following solution: 1 teaspoon of copper sulfate or copper oxychloride, 1 tablespoon liquid soap dilute in 10 liters of water and spray onion leaves.

Processing is best done when the onion leaves reach a length of 12-15 cm.

For preventive purposes, you can also dust plants and soil. wood ash, tobacco dust. After 20 days the treatment can be repeated.

Onion harvesting

The ripening time of onions largely depends on the weather and ranges from July to early September. The main signals that onions are ready for harvesting are: the cessation of the formation of young leaves, lodging of the leaves, as well as their yellowing and drying, the onion neck becomes soft and thinner, the bulbs acquire a characteristic color for this variety.

And here you can’t delay cleaning, otherwise the plants may begin to re-grow roots and such onions will be stored much worse.

In addition, you should try to remove the onions before the air temperature drops at night and the morning dew begins. We carefully remove the bulbs along with the tops from the ground and lay them out to dry and ripen in a well-ventilated area.

Ideally, of course, it is better to dry it directly on the garden bed under the sun, but at this time the weather is very changeable and there usually are not so many fine days (7-10) in a row. So it's better not to take risks.

During drying, all nutrients from the remains of the leaves pass into the bulbs. Then we cut off the dried leaves and remaining roots, leaving a neck 3-4 cm long, and lay out the onion for additional drying, but in a heated room.

For 8-10 days, keep the onion at a temperature of 25-30ºС. If possible, it would be good to hold the onion at a temperature of up to 40ºC at the end of this drying for 10-12 hours.

This procedure effectively disinfects onions from various pathogenic infections and increases their shelf life during storage.

That, it seems, is all I wanted to tell you about general requirements to growing onions and growing onions from onion sets. In the next article we will talk about how to grow, how to get onion seeds and how you can grow onions in one year.

See you soon, dear readers!

Onions are a favorite crop that is easy to grow and easy to store.

There are a huge number of dishes that cannot be prepared without onions. And although it is inexpensive, many housewives prefer to grow their own onions - environmentally friendly and tasty.

Some onion varieties are valued for their good harvest, others for their early ripening, others for their excellent taste, and others for their unpretentiousness and resistance to cold. Some varieties of onions are used exclusively for forcing greens, while others are good for producing bulbs.

Methods of growing onions

There are several ways to grow this vegetable:

For 1 summer season. You can get onions by planting seeds in early spring or using seedlings.

In 12 months. For this purpose, winter sowing is used.

In 2 years. We grow onion sets, turning them into onion next year.

Planting onions before winter

Popular types of onions

The most common types of edible onions and their characteristics:

- Onion. It has long, tubular, hollow leaves that are bright green in color. The bulbs are quite large in diameter, with yellow, white, and sometimes purple husks. It has a pungent odor and pungent taste. Used in cooking, used in folk medicine. It is relatively unpretentious in cultivation.

- Shallot. It has narrow, long leaves with thick walls. The bulbs are often small, oval or round, white, less often pale purple. The greens taste pleasant, with a slightly pungent aftertaste and a delicate aroma. Shallot bulbs are soft and juicier than those of onions. Shallots are used in folk medicine, as they contain calcium, potassium, iron, carotene and vitamins C, PP, B1. Tolerates unfavorable conditions and is cold-resistant.

- Batun. A perennial plant, it has a false stem instead of bulbs, and the leaves reach a length of up to 50 cm. Onion leaves begin to grow in spring and grow until autumn frosts. The plant is cold-resistant, so it can overwinter in the ground. Batun is rich in vitamins, minerals and salts. You can harvest up to three times during one summer.

- Leek. This is a biennial plant. Its homeland is Asia, from there it migrated to the Mediterranean. In Russia, leeks are especially popular.

The following types of onions are also in demand today: chives, slime, wild garlic (bear's wild garlic), blue and giant onions.

How to prepare a place for onions

You need to choose a place for planting taking into account the fact that onions are light-loving. You can’t plant it in shade or lowlands. It is advisable to make narrow ridges to make it more convenient to cultivate the area. Onions grow best on fertile, moderately moist, breathable and non-acidic loams. This vegetable crop prefers ventilated beds where air does not stagnate. You should not plant onions in those parts of the garden where unrotted manure was applied last year.

The soil is dug up in the fall, weeds are removed and fertilized. In the spring, when the snow melts, the soil is loosened with a rake or dug up before sowing onions, leaving the structure of the lower layers of the soil intact, which helps retain moisture in it.

When planting, you must follow the rules of crop rotation. Only after 3 years can the onion be returned to its old place. It is recommended to plant onions in places where in the previous year they grew: potatoes, early cabbage, rye, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Planting onions

Seeds or sets are planted in prepared and thoroughly loosened beds. Onion seeds are planted in the spring, the distance between the beds should be 12-18 cm and between the bulbs 1.5-2 cm. Planted to a depth of about 2 cm. Afterwards, the soil is watered and then mulched with straw and sawdust or cover with a dark-colored film to prevent it from drying out.

Preparing onions for planting, processing onion sets before planting

Onions can be safely planted next to carrots, beets, radishes and cucumbers. Also nearby may be dill, parsley and spinach (the latter should be moved away from the legumes).

Watering and fertilizing

The lack of moisture in spring is noticeable especially on leeks: their feathers acquire a bluish tint, and the tips dry out and begin to bend. With an excess of moisture and insufficient light, the feather becomes thin and pale. Therefore, moderate watering of onions is especially important. After planting, in May or June, the onion beds are watered twice a week, spending from 7 to 11 liters of water per 1 square meter. Later, watering is reduced to once every 2 weeks, as the bulb heads mature.

With weak onion growth and slow plant development, it is fed. To do this, you need to take 30 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium chloride and 15 g of ammonium nitrate per bucket of water, which is designed for 1 square meter of bed.

How to grow onions for feathers

Grow green onions Possibly from all varieties. It is better to choose the one that has more rudiments. It is necessary to provide the garden bed with enough sunlight or artificial light. This is necessary to acquire a bright green color and for better taste qualities. When choosing a location, you need to take into account that the type of soil must have the ability to retain moisture.

How to plant onions on a feather

When using bulbs as planting material They must be soaked in water before planting. They are selected with a diameter of 2.5-47 cm and the top is cut off. This helps to increase the amount of greens by 55-75%.

You can grow onions from purchased seeds, which do not need to be prepared for planting: they are sold pre-processed. Seeds, like bulbs, must first be soaked in warm water, which stimulates growth.

How to grow onions

Cultivation of the soil for onions begins in the fall, while the area is dug up deeply with a shovel or plowed into the plowed land. In early spring harrow, limiting water evaporation. Subsequent treatment is carried out taking into account the characteristics of the soil. Planting of sets and large onions is carried out on a plowed or dug up area in a prepared bed.

Growing onions for feathers in winter

Growing onions in the ground or substrates. You should select a container with a height of no more than 6 cm. You can use 2 containers, alternating planting times. Garden soil is calcined in the oven or spilled with a strong solution of potassium permanganate, then with water.

How to preserve the onion harvest?

It’s not enough to grow onions on your own plot; you also need to properly preserve them. Storage requires compliance with the following rules:

1) Proper drying harvest. The process takes place in 3 stages:

Drying onions in the garden;

Peeling onions, cutting off areas affected by infections;

Drying vegetables at a temperature of 30-35 degrees outside the garden bed.

How to braid bows

2) Onions should be stored in a dry, sufficiently ventilated area. Air temperature is from 0 to 20 degrees, and humidity is 60-70%.

3) On long-term storage Usually, ripe, not overripe bulbs are selected. Their scales should be peeling off and there should be no signs of disease or injury.

The editors of the site hope that the tips given will help you get a good harvest. onion beds. Read about how to protect it from diseases and pests in our next article.
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It is difficult to imagine our menu without onions; it is no coincidence that every gardener strives to plant this vegetable in his garden. Growing onions for turnips has its own specifics, and if you know all the techniques of agricultural technology and properly care for the plants, the yields will always be high.

Growing and caring for onions: features

Many people are interested in how to grow onions per head? At the same time, everyone wants to get large, beautiful turnip bulbs. This is possible if you plant sets and onion selections. By autumn proper care they will grow into large onions.

You can get onions for turnips from seeds (directly into the soil or through seedlings), but in this case, to obtain a large onion in one year, you need to select the appropriate onion varieties. And so the traditional scheme is when in the first year they sow nigella, get a set, and then grow turnips from it the next season.

Growing onions per head can be done different ways. Some people buy seedlings, others prefer to grow their own - it all depends on desire, capabilities and time availability. In addition, it is not always possible to buy the exact variety of onion that you want to grow yourself. At the same time, the range of seeds presented in the store is very diverse, and you can choose the variety you like and sow nigella. But then for breeding, you can grow your own seeds of your favorite variety.

How to grow good onion sets from nigella

To get your own high-quality seedlings, you will have to start growing it from seeds. In the south, you can sow nigella directly into open ground; in the northern regions, it is best to grow onions through seedlings.

ON A NOTE! Better germination Nigella is no older than two years old.

Seeds intended for sowing are calibrated, then placed for disinfection in a solution of potassium permanganate (about 30 minutes). To obtain friendly and strong shoots, seeds can be soaked in any stimulant for growth. After which they are placed in a damp cloth for germination for a couple of days, then slightly dried and sown.

IMPORTANT! The listed procedures for preparing seed material are carried out both for seeds that will be sown in open ground and for sowing seedlings.

The timing of sowing nigella depends on the climate of the area, as well as the weather conditions of a particular year. But usually nigella is sown on ridges around mid-to-late April, the main thing is that the soil is warmed up. For seedlings, sowing dates are chosen based on the fact that seedlings when planted in open ground must be 60 days old and have 3-4 true leaves.

Furrows are made in the prepared beds, then prepared seeds are sown in them or seedlings are planted. When sowing nigella, it is difficult to control the density of seedlings, so after the sprouts appear, it will be necessary to thin out. If everything is done correctly, the seeds will quickly sprout.

loosening;
mandatory weeding;
watering the onions.

Water the onions not often, about once every 7-8 days, depending on the weather. For feeding, you can use mullein diluted in water (1:10) or complex fertilizers.

IMPORTANT! As soon as the bulb sets begin to form (in July), watering should be stopped. They also stop feeding the plants.

In the second half of summer (from the end of July to the beginning of September), the feathers of the onions turn yellow, lie down, the neck of the onions becomes thin, and this is a signal - the onions can be harvested. Carefully dig up the onions, shake off the soil and lay them out to dry, first on a ridge, and then under a shed or in the attic.

After this drying stage, the leaves are cut off, leaving a small neck, and the onion is dried for about 14 days at a higher temperature - up to + 30 o C. Then it is kept for about 10-12 hours at + 40 o C, and then sorted and put away for winter storage .

The best seed for future sowing is with a diameter of 1.5 to 2 cm. Smaller specimens can dry out over the winter, larger ones, with juicy internal scales, although they are used for sowing (the so-called selections), are not distinguished by yield.

The sowing is stored in boxes, baskets, drawers at a temperature from 10 to 24-25 o C.

IMPORTANT! In boxes and crates, the seedlings are poured in a layer of no more than 6 cm, and in baskets and bags with onions store no more than 3 kg.

Usually gardeners know how to grow onions for turnips from sets, but not everyone succeeds in preserving them without loss for subsequent planting. But following simple recommendations will allow you to avoid damage to the sets and begin planting turnips in the spring.

ON A NOTE! Small heads of sets can be planted on turnips before winter, thereby avoiding problems with storage, and at the same time getting early produce in the spring.

Growing turnip onions from sets in open ground

The most popular and accessible way for everyone to grow onions for turnips is to grow them from sets. Planting and care open ground will not require much hassle, the main thing is to follow the basic rules.

Preparing space for onions

In the fall, the ridge where the seedlings are planned to be planted is carefully dug up. If the soil is poor, then humus or compost (0.5 buckets per square meter) and wood ash should be added. Onions do not like large amounts of organic matter, so fertilizer application rates should be observed. Also, fresh manure is never applied to onion plantings.

The ridge should be in a sunny place, where groundwater does not fit, there is no stagnation of moisture. Best soils– sandy loam and loamy soils, on acidic soils add dolomite flour or fluff lime.

Preparing bulb sets for planting

In the spring, the seedlings are taken out of bags and boxes and sorted again. Large (more than 2.5 cm) sets are planted separately; greens can be taken from these plants. A medium-sized set is intended for turnips.

The planting material is first heated for about 7 hours at a temperature of up to 40 o C. Then the bulbs are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate (for 20-30 minutes) or any growth stimulator (for about two hours).

When to plant onions on a head from a set? The timing depends on the location, climate, and weather conditions. But the soil should be warmed up to about 12-14ºC.

Planting onions on a head in spring

How to plant onion sets? On the prepared ridge, rows are made (the distance between them is at least 30-40 cm), where the bulbs are carefully planted. The distance between them should be at least 6 cm, the depth depends on the size of the set. When planting, the “tail” of the bulb should be slightly visible above the surface.

Usually the first sprouts appear within 8-10 days, but here everything depends on the quality of the planting material and weather conditions.

How to water onions

This vegetable crop does not require a large amount of water when growing. The plant needs moisture in the first half of the growing season, when the feather is growing and the mass of the bulb is increasing.

How often do you water onions and turnips in the garden? Usually, plants are watered no more than once a week (in hot weather), with the obligatory loosening of the soil.

A month before the expected harvest date, you should stop watering the onions. You also need to stop feeding. All that remains is loosening, which prevents the appearance of a hard crust on the soil surface.

How to feed an onion head

Experienced gardeners know own experience that if the soil in the ridges was well-filled with fertilizers, then in the summer season the onions will not particularly need feeding. But if there is slow growth and pale feathers, then fertilizers are needed.

How to properly feed onions to turnips?

The first feeding of onions on turnips is carried out when the set already has 3-4 true leaves. Use complex fertilizers (according to instructions), as well as diluted mullein (1:10) or bird droppings (1:20). You can use a special fertilizer for onions (sold in stores) for foliar feeding.

The second time you need to feed with wood ash or phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. Nitrogen is excluded, since during this period the plant grows the bulb and potassium and phosphorus will be more useful. The feeding regime should be strict, and the plants should not be overfed.

IMPORTANT! The feathers of turnip sets grown for turnips are not cut off!

For greenery, they use selections, which are best planted in a separate garden bed.

Weeding

Everyone knows that onions, like all vegetables, need to be weeded. But, unfortunately, gardeners do not always have enough time for this. Meanwhile, weeds can not only cause poor onion growth and a decrease in its yield. They create high humidity, which is detrimental to vegetables and very attractive to various pests and diseases. Also, turnips that grow in beds with weeds will usually have a large and thick neck, and such bulbs do not store well in winter.

Weeds must be removed manually, preferably after rains or watering, when the soil is moist.

Pests and diseases of onion

Many people ask how to grow large onions, get a good harvest and avoid the use of “chemicals” in the garden. Regarding the application of fertilizers, it was said above, but what about diseases and pests?

The most important thing is to carry out prevention, as well as follow the rules of agricultural technology, and then you will not have to use toxic drugs.

Most often, turnip onions are affected various types rot, as well as false powdery mildew. What to do for prevention, how to prevent onion disease?

Seeds should be planted on prepared beds, avoiding dense plantings.
You cannot grow onions for several years in a row in one place. Optimally, return to your previous place in about three to four years.
When watering, you need to carefully water the plants, and then immediately loosen the soil.
When growing onions, mulching the soil is used, which helps retain moisture and prevent the appearance of weeds.
Be sure to remove diseased or weakened plants, as well as those where the feathers turn yellow.
Compliance with the dose of fertilizer will also stop diseases (this is especially true for nitrogen, an excess amount of which negatively affects the condition of the bulbs).

Good results are obtained by treating the sets before planting with a solution of potassium permanganate, copper sulfate, and warming up the bulbs. You can also spray the plants on the beds (when the leaves are approximately 14-15 cm) with copper oxychloride (a teaspoon per bucket of water).

Plants that are grown to produce feathers for greens cannot be subjected to such treatment.

Regular loosening and special mixtures help well against pests - onion flies, thrips, onion moths:

tobacco dust and lime (mix in equal quantities and dust the onions);
tobacco dust and ground black pepper;
ash.

Also, onion plantings can be saved with salt water, composition: 200 grams of ordinary table salt are diluted in a bucket of water. It is necessary to water carefully, not allowing water to get on the onion feathers.

Why did the bow go into arrow?

In addition to leaves, onions can produce a peduncle, or, as they say, shoot into arrows. Seeds - nigella - ripen in the basket of the peduncle.

But if onions are grown for turnips, then arrows are completely unnecessary. They take away nutrients and prevent the formation of a full and strong bulb. What to do if there are arrows? If this is observed, then the flower stalks should be cut off.

And in order to prevent shooting, you must follow a number of rules:

when storing bulbs in winter, sudden changes in temperature should be avoided;
use only high-quality seed material;
warm up the seedlings before planting them on the beds (especially for purchased bulbs);
do not plant large onions on turnips - selections, since they are the ones that most often go into the shoot;
plant the seedlings, observing the deadlines and always in warm soil;
Water the onions correctly, avoiding excessive moisture. In case of bad summer, watering should be completed a month before harvesting the onions.

If there is a peduncle, it is cut off or broken off at the base. After breaking out the arrow, the torn peduncle is thrown away. But we must continue to monitor these plants, as there may be repeated flower stalks. These arrows are also broken out or cut off, and then, during storage, these are the bulbs that are used for food in the first place.

How to speed up the ripening of onions

It happens that gardeners want to speed up the ripening of onions. This is due to bad weather conditions, prolonged rains, and lower temperatures.

What can be done and what accelerating measures can be taken?

Trim the roots of the turnip at approximately a depth of 5-6 cm from the bottom.
In about 10-12 days, for accelerated ripening, you can slightly expose the bulbs by raking away the soil from them. You should also finish watering the onions a month in advance.

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to completely cut off the leaves of growing onions to speed up ripening? No, this cannot be done, even if the feather is already turning yellow, since pruning will only lead to a deterioration in the quality of the bulbs and their rotting.

Harvest

When to harvest onions? The timing depends on the variety, weather conditions, and agricultural technology, but in general, onions are harvested from the ridges from the beginning of August to the beginning of September. Readiness is determined by the following criteria:

the feather turns yellow;
mass lodging of leaves begins;
the bulbs are fully formed in size and have the outer scales characteristic of a particular variety. Depending on the variety, they can be yellow, red, or white.

When lodging and yellowing of the feathers, you should not be late in harvesting the turnips, since the onions can take root again in 10-14 days. Then it will be unsuitable for storage.

As soon as the feather turns yellow, the turnip is removed from the beds. Choose a dry and clear day for this, carefully digging out the bulbs and shaking off the soil from them. Then they are laid out directly on the beds to dry, and after that they are put under a canopy.

ON A NOTE! It is not recommended to immediately tear off or cut off the onion feather; do this later, when the leaves completely turn yellow, dry, and the neck is thin. If you tear off the leaves too early, the bulbs may become infected and rot.

The onions are dried under a shed or in the attic for about two weeks, then the leaves are cut off and laid out again to dry. The temperature should already be a little higher - up to 30 o C, the period is about a week.

If storage in braids is intended, then the leaves are not cut off at all. A properly grown and well-dried turnip that is ready for wintering will have one layer of new scales in about two weeks.

After thorough drying, the onions are placed in boxes, bags or baskets and stored at room temperature.

Now, having learned how to grow onions for turnips, you will always have good harvests of this useful crop.

In this article we will look at the issues of growing onions for turnips :

The method discussed below is growing onions for turnips in open ground.

2- Preparing the soil for planting onion sets

3- Planting onion sets

4- Dates for planting onion sets

5- Caring for onion sets

6- Small tricks and subtleties of growing onions

7-How to grow a good harvest of onions

8-Video preparing onions for planting on turnips

9-Video of planting onions on turnips

Preparing onion sets for planting :

First you need to carefully examine the seed material. Select all dried, rotten, damaged and sprouted onions. Sort the seeds, it is more convenient to observe germination and development of the same size. If possible, warm the seedlings at a temperature of 40-42 degrees for 8 hours, strictly observing the regime throughout the entire time. Such warming reduces bolting, awakens dormant buds and reduces the incidence of disease.

Next, you need to cut off the neck of each onion with sharp scissors (this is the place where the dried feathers were, and now there is a small tail of scales left). Pruning must be done carefully, without affecting the shoulder of the bulb. Pruning too deeply will damage the seedling and, accordingly, inhibit the development of the above-ground green part of the onion. Damaged feathers will grow unevenly. Although growing onions on an industrial scale does not involve pruning, personal experience I have found that trimmed bulbs germinate faster, develop into larger bulbs and ripen earlier.

If growing onion sets is new to you , then you do not need to perform actions in which you do not have the slightest experience (trimming, scalding with boiling water, piercing). Most sets can be planted without any special treatments requiring skill. Leave just a few bulbs with which you can experiment and learn at the same time.

Preparing the soil for planting onion sets:

The soil suitable for onion sets is sandy or loamy, fertile and moisture-absorbing. Onions develop much worse in heavy acidic soils. You should not apply fresh manure to plant onion sets. You can apply Kemira-universal complex fertilizer into the prepared furrows, there are special ready-made mixtures for growing onions, or you can prepare it yourself. For this you will need double superphosphate 25-30g, ammonium nitrate 20-25g, potassium sulfate 30-35g. This dosage is calculated for 1 sq.m.

We make furrows 6-8cm deep, sprinkle fertilizer in them and cover them with a 1-2cm layer of soil. the distance between rows is 20-25cm. this method is more economical and nutrients will flow directly to the roots of the plants. In acidic soil, fluff lime or dolomite flour is added in the fall. All types of cabbage, cucumbers and zucchini are considered the best predecessors of onion sets.

Planting onion sets:

Before planting, onion sets can be soaked in 1% copper sulfate solution for 15-20 minutes and planted immediately without washing or drying. The distance between the bulbs is 10-15cm, the planting depth is 2-3cm.

Dates for planting onion sets:

Since onions are a cold-resistant crop, they should be sown as early as possible. This is approximately the middle or end of April, when the average daily temperature will be around 10 degrees. An old saying recommends planting onions as soon as the bird cherry blossoms. Of course, adjusted for the climatic characteristics of your region.

Caring for onion sets:

Caring for onions involves timely loosening, watering and fertilizing. Loosening is carried out at least 4-5 times during the growing season to a depth of no more than 2 cm. Watering only during the growth and development of green mass and the formation of the bulb. About a month before harvesting, watering should be stopped to speed up the ripening of the bulb.

Do your onions need additional feeding? The plant itself will tell you about this. If the leaves develop slowly and are pale green in color, this means there is not enough nitrogen. You have noticed that the tips of the old feathers have turned black and are dying off - the onion needs phosphorus, and with a lack of potassium, the leaves acquire a grayish color, a corrugated structure and age early.

Small tricks and subtleties of growing onion sets for turnips:

Some subtleties will help you get a decent harvest. Place a bed of carrots next to the onion bed. I plant onions and carrots at the same time according to this pattern: 2 rows of onions, then two rows of carrots. Firstly, the pests of these crops (onion and carrot flies) cannot tolerate the proximity of these plants. Secondly, the onions ripen much earlier than the carrots and, by freeing up space, I improve the ventilation and lighting of the carrot rows.

How to grow a good harvest of onions:

When planting onions on a turnip, do not pick the greens under any circumstances. - this significantly reduces the yield. The bulbs do not form well, they lag behind in development, and as a result you will end up with a much smaller onion than you otherwise would have expected. Do not try to speed up the ripening of the bulbs by crushing or breaking the leaves. This will not only ensure that the tops dry out as quickly as possible, but will also weaken the bulbs. This bow is susceptible various diseases and is very poorly stored.

Time to plant onions in spring. Compact planting of onions, mulching onions with sawdust, caring for onions. Cleaning and drying onions. Storing onions. Growing onions for turnips from sets.

My approach to growing any crop in the garden is the same - to get a large and healthy harvest from a minimum area. At the same time, do not use any chemicals (mineral fertilizers, insecticides - preparations for controlling plant pests, fungicides - preparations for treating plant diseases, herbicides - chemical substances used to destroy vegetation). And also - do not dig, do not loosen, do not weed, do not use manure.
Maybe?

It turned out that it is possible to get wonderful harvest not just onions. You can read about this:

I grow Stuttgarter Riesen onions. I buy sevok.

When to plant onions on turnips in spring?

What time should I plant onions in the spring? Our country is big climatic zones different, so I won’t even write the month of planting onions, I’ll write how I do it.

In the spring, when the snow has already melted, I look at the bed with winter garlic. If the garlic has not yet sprouted, it is too early to plant.

The first sprouts of winter garlic have emerged through the mulch - it’s time to plant spring onions.

At this time, the soil has already warmed up enough, and it still contains a lot of moisture, which is so necessary for the growth of onions. Therefore, you can avoid unnecessary work by watering the onions.

Planting onion sets on a “turnip” or “head”.

All my crops grow in box beds. In winter, the beds are covered with mulch. In the spring, when planting onions, I do not remove the mulch, but make grooves in the mulch by hand.

Furrows through mulch for onion sets.

Compact planting of onions on turnips.

The distance between the grooves and the bulbs is the same, approximately 10-12 cm. When planting, I try to adhere to a checkerboard pattern.

This distance is quite enough to obtain commercial size bulbs.
I simply press the bulbs into the ground (not into the mulch). Mulch serves as food for soil inhabitants and protects the soil from moisture evaporation.

Onions require a lot of moisture to grow normally. We all know that if you put an onion in a jar of water, the onion will begin to grow very quickly and produce fresh greens, which is why we press the onion into damp soil.
If you dig up the bed before planting, as most summer residents do, you will not achieve the desired result. Then the planted seedlings will cling to the air in the soil with their roots, and not to the moisture, and the yield will ultimately decrease.

Growing onions for turnips. Onion care.

The onions sprouted quickly and smoothly without watering.

The distance between the grooves and the bulbs is the same, approximately 10-12 cm.

The mulch in the onions has not yet been “eaten”, the mulch has not decomposed, but still, at this stage you can mulch the onions with sawdust.

The end of spring and summer turned out to be rainy, I watered the onions only once before June 9, and there was not enough time to mulch everything with sawdust.

The soil inhabitants have already “eaten” all of last year’s mulch; this year I was late with mulching with sawdust.

This should have been done 2-3 weeks ago.

However, the onion feels great, as can be seen from the thickness of the stem.

Onions are mulched with sawdust in a layer of 1.5-2 cm. Why?

Firstly, light sawdust protects the earth well from overheating, and like any other mulch, protects it from moisture evaporation. Secondly, I think they protect against onion flies. At least we never had one. Thirdly, weeds are not allowed to grow.

I don’t know what type of wood sawdust is, what kind is available at the sawmill, that’s what I use, most likely coniferous.

By the time the onions are harvested, there is almost no sawdust left, especially if the onions are mulched in time.

All onion care consisted of two waterings and one mulching. It was unpleasant that the purchased seed produced a lot of arrows. In other years this did not happen; I broke off the arrows.

Onion harvesting.

The onion lies down, dries slightly, but not completely - you can remove it.
It is better to choose sunny weather for cleaning.

After harvesting, the bulbs should lie in the sun; the soil on the roots will quickly dry out and fall off on its own.

The onion grew in a bed of 5 sq.m.

I weighed the onion after it had dried, it seemed to me that it would be more fair, it turned out to be 34.5 kg. Of these, 3 kg of onions, which went into the shoot, were immediately used for winter harvesting.

After harvesting the onions, the entire bed is filled with freshly cut grass. Grass layer 25-30cm.

Drying onions.

I dry onions in greenhouses, in plastic boxes. It's convenient, the onions dry well. I put planks on the mulch, and put boxes of onions on them. Between the trunks of peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes there is enough space for a box.

Drying onions in a greenhouse. In order for the onion to be stored well, 3 layers of its upper scales must dry.

Storing onions.

Since this onion is grown for food, and not for planting next year, it can be stored both in the apartment and in the country. The temperature, naturally, should be positive.
Strict requirements for temperature conditions Onion storage exists for sets and family onions, which will be planted in the spring. Onions for planting should be stored at a temperature above +18 degrees, or at a temperature of +2 +3 degrees. If you store sets and family onions that will be planted at a temperature from +3 degrees to +18 degrees, then the bow will go into the arrow.