Detailed instructions: how to grow onions from A to Z

When growing onions, even an experienced summer resident can violate the rules of crop rotation, forget about timely feeding or disinfecting the seedlings. A beginner will have errors due to ignorance of the rules for growing a crop. Therefore, we will tell you what kind of soil onions love and how to grow it from "a" to "z" - from preparing the land, processing and landing seeding before harvest.

How to grow onions

To obtain a good harvest, vegetable growers follow certain methods of growing onions, taking into account its nutritional needs, requirements for soil composition, lighting, and moisture level.

Bow loves:

• organic fertilized, acid-neutral soil;
• nitrogen and potassium at the beginning of the growing season;
• loose, air-saturated earth;
• sunny, well-ventilated areas;
• moist soil during the period of feather growth and dry during the growth phase of the head.

Choosing a place on the site for landing

Choose well-heated and well-ventilated sunny areas for your beds, where snow melts early in spring. Groundwater should not flow close to the soil surface. The culture loves well-fertilized land, so a site that has received a large amount of fertilizer in the previous year is suitable. Follow the principles of crop rotation.

Predecessors

The best precursor crops for onions are pumpkin (zucchini, cucumbers), cabbage, beets, salads, tomatoes, legumes (peas, beans), cereals (except oats), siderates.

Do not plant onions after garlic, carrots, herbs, strawberries. It is possible to grow it in the same place only after four years.

Preparation and formation of the garden

Start preparing the soil for spring landing onions in the fall. This agrotechnical technique will help disinfect the soil. Fertilizers will be evenly distributed during snow melting and will not damage the delicate roots of the onion set at the beginning of its growth.

Soil preparation

Apply fertilizer to the soil at the rate of 2/3 of the norm and 1/3 in the spring. Give preference to a mixture of humus and rotted manure (5-6 kg per 1 sq. M.) Or use mineral fertilizers: per 1 sq. M. m 20 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium chloride, 10 g of urea.

If the soil is acidic, add wood ash (0.5 kg per square meter).

Dig up the soil onto the bayonet of the shovel. Make beds, but don't level the surface. So the earth will freeze more, and many disease-causing organisms will die. On highly contaminated soils, this method of disease control is not enough.

Land cultivation before planting

Conduct soil disinfection in one of two ways:

1. Prepare a solution of copper sulfate at the rate of 1 tbsp. l per 10 liters of water and pour soil onto them (2 liters per 1 sq. m.). It is possible to treat the soil in one area in this way only once every 5 years, since copper sulfate in high concentrations becomes toxic.
2. Spill the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate (at the rate of 3 g per 1 liter of water).

Loose the soil at least 10 cm, level and compact the surface of the bed.

Important! If the plot is in a low-lying area, make high beds to keep the onion heads from rotting.

Preparing and processing onions before planting

Presowing treatment of seedlings is carried out with the aim of disinfecting seed material, preventing the appearance of diseases and pests, and reducing shooting.

The onions are soaked and treated with solutions immediately before planting. Dry warming begins 2-3 weeks before.

What to process

Choose a treatment tool depending on the purpose: disinfection, nutrition, repelling pests. Some drugs and growth stimulants help to solve several problems at the same time.

Fitosporin

A microbiological preparation based on hay bacillus will prevent the development of bacteriosis, rot, downy mildew.

A solution for soaking onions is prepared depending on the form of release of the drug. Use warm filtered water for dilution, and then store the solution in a dark place:

1. Dilute the powder in a proportion of 10 g per 0.5 l of water.
2. Prepare a concentrate from the paste in a proportion of 100 g per 0.2 l of warm water. Next, measure out 30 ml of the resulting solution and mix it with 200 ml of water.
3. Liquid - 5 drops - diluted in 100 ml of water.

In any of the solutions listed, soak the seed for 2 hours before planting.

Potassium permanganate

Increases the resistance of the culture to fungal diseases, has disinfecting properties.

Dissolve 1-3 g of potassium permanganate in 1 liter of warm water and soak the onion for 30-40 minutes. Do not rinse or dry before planting.

Salt or soda solution

Soda and salt solutions are time-tested antiseptic agents. They prevent the development of root rot and downy mildew.

For disinfection of the sevka:

• dissolve 25 g of soda in 5 l of water, heat to + 45 ° C and soak the seeds in it for 20-30 minutes;
• mix 10 g of salt and 1 liter of water heated to + 45 ° C, soak the onion for 15-20 minutes.

Copper sulfate

It is one of the most powerful antiseptics with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.

Important! In high concentrations, copper sulfate is poisonous.

Dissolve 30 g of powder in 10 liters of warm water. Immerse the seed in the mixture for 2-3 hours, then dry it, and then plant it in the ground.

Ash

Wood ash will protect against rot, prevent the appearance of pathogenic microflora. In addition, the ash solution also serves as a nutrient for the bulbs.

Dissolve 250 g of wood ash in 5 l of water and stand for an hour. Immerse the seed in it for 5-7 minutes, then dry it in the open air for 2-3 hours.

"Epin-extra"

It is a popular adaptogen and growth promoter. It helps to withstand adverse weather conditions, enhances the development of roots and greenery.

Dissolve 5 drops of Epin in 0.5 l of water, immerse the onion in it for 10-15 minutes, then immediately plant it in the ground.

Ammonium nitrate

It is not only a disinfectant, but also a nitrogen fertilizing plant. Use 3 g of ammonium nitrate per 10 liters of warm water (+ 40 ° C). Immerse the onion sets in the solution for 15-20 minutes.

Birch tar

Tar prevents the development of fungal and bacterial diseases, repels onion fly.

Take 1 tbsp. l. birch tar and dissolve it in 1 liter of warm water. Soak the onion in this mixture for 2-3 hours, stir the solution periodically.

Kerosene

Kerosene is used to repel onion flies and other pests. Treat the surface of the bulbs with a solution of 1 tbsp. l. kerosene per 5 liters of water. You do not need to soak the sevok in this composition.

Other preparation methods

After purchasing the seed, immediately start preparing the onions for planting.

Sorting and drying

Examine the sevok: the husk should be dry, evenly colored. Discard bulbs with signs of rot, spots, dried out specimens.

Dry at a temperature of at least + 20 ° C for 2-3 weeks.

Warming up so the bow does not go into the arrow

Warm up the seed at the heater for 10 hours at a temperature of 35-40 ° C. This will significantly reduce the likelihood of shooting onions and the possibility of infection with powdery mildew.

Hardening

Place the set in water at + 50 ° C for 15 minutes, then in cold water for the same time. Hardening will allow the onion, when planting in the ground, to better adapt to temperature extremes, and increase immunity. After the procedure, treat the onion with a growth stimulant.

Soak

Soaking helps the roots of the seedlings to wake up faster, therefore, it is carried out immediately before planting the bulbs in the ground. For soaking, use a disinfectant or nutrient solution prepared with biologicals and chemicals.

Pruning

Carefully cut off the dry tail of the set without touching the bulb itself. Thanks to this, seedlings will appear faster.

Landing technology

Planting onions is possible in late autumn or early spring. In practice, spring planting is often used.

How to grow onions depending on the region and variety

The optimum temperature for warming up the soil for planting crops in open ground in spring is + 10 ... + 12 ° С at a depth of 10 cm, when the threat of frost has passed.

Important! If the onion does not take root in the event of returnable spring frosts, it will release arrows.

Planting time depends on the region of cultivation:

1. In the southern regions, this is the second decade of April. The south of Russia is characterized by long daylight hours and warm summers, so sweet late varieties of onions (Globo, Exibishen, Kaba) are suitable for growing. Mid-season acute and semi-acute (Chalcedony, Globus) also grow well.
2. In central Russia and the Moscow region, the planting period is the third decade of April. Summer is shorter here, so southern varieties will not ripen. Give preference to early (Stuttgarter Riesen, Red Baron) and mid-season peninsular varieties (Sturon, Setton, zoned Strigunovsky, Myachkovsky). But the late onions will not have time to ripen here.
3. In the northern regions, Siberia and the Urals, the first decade of May is most suitable for planting. Choose hardy, sharp early and medium early varieties (Hercules, Radar, Centurion).

Landing scheme and rules

Moisten the garden well. If the soil is moist enough during early spring planting, you do not need to water it.

Most often, onions are planted on a turnip in rows. Align the bed, make grooves 3-4 cm deep at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other.Pour some ash into them.

Depth, distance from each other

The spacing between the bulbs in the row depends on the size of the planting material. For wild oats with a diameter of 1 cm, the optimum will be 5-6 cm, for seedlings measuring 1-2.5 cm - 7-10 cm. Planting depth - 3-4 cm.

Arrange the bulbs in rows so that the neck is slightly below the soil surface. Cover the sevok with earth, water it.

Features of growing and care

Caring for onions is simple. By following the basic rules of cultivation, you will get a good harvest.

Watering mode

When watering, focus on soil moisture. Use warm water.

After disembarkation water sevok every 2-3 days. During the active phase of feather growth, irrigate 1-2 times a week, depending on the weather.

Reduce watering to once every 2.5 weeks when the tops start lodging. This means that the growth processes pass from the feather to the bulb. Excessive moisture will slow down the ripening process.

When the feathers start to turn yellow, stop watering.

Loosening the soil and weeding

Good soil aeration is essential for onions, so loosen and weed regularly. It is advisable to do this after each watering. Avoid the formation of an earthen crust that impedes air exchange.

Weeds with high soil moisture and cold will provoke the development of fungal and bacterial diseases.

Top dressing

Apply top dressing 2-3 times per season, depending on the fertility of the soil.

For the first time, apply nitrogen-containing organic or mineral fertilizers to the onion beds approximately 10-15 days after planting:

1. Insist a solution of manure (in a ratio of 1:10) for 10 days, then dilute it 10 times more.
2. Dilute the infusion of poultry droppings (1:25) of 2-week exposure 5 times. Use solutions at the rate of 3 liters per 1 sq. m.
3. From mineral fertilizers, use a composition of 10-12 g of urea, 40 g of phosphorus and 20 g of potassium per 10 liters of water.

If the feather is saturated green, thick, strong, feeding can be skipped.

Apply only potassium-phosphorus fertilizers for the second and third time.

Pest and disease control

For the prevention of diseases, treat plants and soil with biological products ("Fitosporin", "Trichodermin", "Planriz")... Determine the concentration and dosage according to the instructions.

Carry out the treatments at least 3-5 times during the growing season in the morning.

Treat the beds with a solution of 5-8 g of laundry soap and 15-20 g of copper sulfate, diluted in 10 liters of water.

When pests appear, use insecticides ("Bitoxibacillin", "Aktofit", "Fitoverm").

How to get a good harvest

To get a good harvest of onions:

1. Organize competent watering of the beds. For onions to grow, it is important that the soil layer at a depth of 10 cm remains evenly moist.
2. Loosen and weed the soil regularly after rain or watering.
3. Feed the plants on time. Keep in mind that excess nitrogen in the soil will stimulate feather growth, and the head will grow shallow.
4. At the first sign of damage, treat plantings to prevent disease and destroy pests.

Harvesting and preparing onions for storage

Harvesting in central Russia begins in mid-August.

Important! If the crop is not harvested in time, the heads will take root in the wet soil, and the feather will grow. Such a harvest is long be kept will not be.

The following signs indicate the ripening of the head: the necks of the onion softened, the feather fell and began to dry, the husk became tough and acquired a characteristic color for the variety.

Start harvesting:

1. In dry weather, gently pull the onion out of the soil.
2. Dry it outdoors or in a well-ventilated area for 7-14 days (depending on weather and humidity levels).
3. Sort out damaged bulbs with signs of disease.
4. Trim the dried stems 4 cm from the neck or braid them.
5. Before cleaning on storage dry the onions at a temperature of about + 35 ° C. The better it dries, the longer it will be stored.

Tips & Tricks

In order not to make mistakes when growing, listen to the advice and recommendations of experienced summer residents:

1. Plant the sets early so that by the time the onion fly first emerges (this time coincides with the flowering of dandelions), the necks of the growing feather are stronger. This will reduce the risk of fly larvae infesting the foliage.
2. Do not bend the tops to the ground to speed up the ripening of the crop. After that, the heads rot, and harvest is under threat.
3. Do not huddle the onions as this will slow down the growth of the bulbs.
4. To protect the bulbs from drying out in the heat, mulch the beds with straw, hay, or humus. This will reduce the frequency of weeding and loosening, and retain moisture.

Conclusion

When growing onions for a turnip, the needs of the crop are taken into account, the soil and planting material are prepared. Competent plant care includes optimal watering, timely feeding and loosening, and disease control. Compliance with these rules will allow you to get a rich harvest of large onions for long-term storage.