Why don't onions grow? Onion secrets. Growing onions from sets. Soil requirements of onions

Astrakhan tomatoes ripen remarkably well lying on the ground, but this experience should not be repeated in the Moscow region. Our tomatoes need support, support, garter. My neighbors use all sorts of stakes, tie-downs, loops, ready-made plant supports and mesh fencing. Each method of fixing a plant in a vertical position has its own advantages and “side effects”. I'll tell you how I place tomato bushes on trellises and what comes out of it.

Flies are a sign of unsanitary conditions and carriers of infectious diseases that are dangerous to both people and animals. People are constantly looking for ways to get rid of unpleasant insects. In this article we will talk about the Zlobny TED brand, which specializes in fly repellents and knows a lot about them. The manufacturer has developed a specialized line of products to get rid of flying insects anywhere quickly, safely and at no extra cost.

The summer months are the time for hydrangeas to bloom. This beautiful deciduous shrub produces luxuriously fragrant flowers from June to September. Florists readily use large inflorescences for wedding decorations and bouquets. To admire the beauty of a flowering hydrangea bush in your garden, you should take care of the proper conditions for it. Unfortunately, some hydrangeas do not bloom year after year, despite the care and efforts of gardeners. We will explain why this happens in the article.

Every summer resident knows that plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for full development. These are three main macronutrients, the deficiency of which significantly affects the appearance and yield of plants, and in advanced cases can lead to their death. But not everyone understands the importance of other macro- and microelements for plant health. And they are important not only in themselves, but also for the effective absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Garden strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, are one of the early aromatic berries that summer generously gifts us with. How happy we are about this harvest! In order for the “berry boom” to repeat every year, we need to take care of the berry bushes in the summer (after the end of fruiting). The laying of flower buds, from which ovaries will form in the spring and berries in the summer, begins approximately 30 days after the end of fruiting.

Spicy pickled watermelon is a savory appetizer for fatty meat. Watermelons and watermelon rinds have been pickled since time immemorial, but this process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. According to my recipe, you can simply prepare pickled watermelon in 10 minutes, and by the evening the spicy appetizer will be ready. Watermelon marinated with spices and chili can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Be sure to keep the jar in the refrigerator, not only for the sake of safety - when chilled, this snack is simply licking your fingers!

Among the variety of species and hybrids of philodendrons, there are many plants, both gigantic and compact. But not a single species competes in unpretentiousness with the main modest one - the blushing philodendron. True, his modesty does not concern the appearance of the plant. Blushing stems and cuttings, huge leaves, long shoots, forming, although very large, but also a strikingly elegant silhouette, look very elegant. Philodendron blushing requires only one thing - at least minimal care.

Thick chickpea soup with vegetables and egg is a simple recipe for a hearty first course, inspired by oriental cuisine. Similar thick soups are prepared in India, Morocco, and Southeast Asian countries. The tone is set by spices and seasonings - garlic, chili, ginger and a bouquet of spicy spices, which can be assembled to your taste. It is better to fry vegetables and spices in clarified butter (ghee) or mix olive and butter in a pan; this, of course, is not the same, but it tastes similar.

Plum - well, who isn’t familiar with it?! She is loved by many gardeners. And all because it has an impressive list of varieties, surprises with excellent yields, pleases with its diversity in terms of ripening and a huge selection of color, shape and taste of fruits. Yes, in some places it feels better, in others it feels worse, but almost no summer resident gives up the pleasure of growing it on his plot. Today it can be found not only in the south, in the middle zone, but also in the Urals and Siberia.

Many ornamental and fruit crops, except drought-resistant ones, suffer from the scorching sun, and conifers in the winter-spring period suffer from sunlight, enhanced by reflection from the snow. In this article we will tell you about a unique product for protecting plants from sunburn and drought - Sunshet Agrosuccess. The problem is relevant for most regions of Russia. In February and early March, the sun's rays become more active, and the plants are not yet ready for new conditions.

“Every vegetable has its own time,” and every plant has its own optimal time for planting. Anyone who has dealt with planting is well aware that the hot season for planting is spring and autumn. This is due to several factors: in the spring the plants have not yet begun to grow rapidly, there is no sweltering heat and precipitation often falls. However, no matter how hard we try, circumstances often develop such that planting has to be carried out in the midst of summer.

Chili con carne translated from Spanish means chili with meat. This is a Texas and Mexican dish whose main ingredients are chili peppers and shredded beef. In addition to the main products there are onions, carrots, tomatoes, and beans. This red lentil chili recipe is delicious! The dish is fiery, scalding, very filling and amazingly tasty! You can make a big pot, put it in containers and freeze - you'll have a delicious dinner for a whole week.

Cucumber is one of the most favorite garden crops of our summer residents. However, not all and not always gardeners manage to get a really good harvest. And although growing cucumbers requires regular attention and care, there is a little secret that will significantly increase their yield. We are talking about pinching cucumbers. Why, how and when to pinch cucumbers, we will tell you in the article. An important point in the agricultural technology of cucumbers is their formation, or type of growth.

Now every gardener has the opportunity to grow absolutely environmentally friendly, healthy fruits and vegetables in their own garden. Atlant microbiological fertilizer will help with this. It contains helper bacteria that settle in the root system area and begin to work for the benefit of the plant, allowing it to actively grow, remain healthy and produce high yields. Typically, many microorganisms coexist around the root system of plants.

Summer is associated with beautiful flowers. Both in the garden and in the rooms you want to admire the luxurious inflorescences and touching flowers. And for this it is not at all necessary to use cut bouquets. The assortment of the best indoor plants includes many beautifully flowering species. In the summer, when they receive the brightest lighting and optimal daylight hours, they can outshine any bouquet. Short-lived or just annual crops also look like living bouquets.

After planting in open ground, onions requires careful care. Watering and fertilizing play a key role here, because water and fertilizers are the main sources of nutrients necessary for growth. Therefore, if the onion does not grow well, the first thing to do is feed.

Basic rules of watering:

Water the onions It is recommended to use a watering can with a strainer, carefully so as not to damage the feather.
Approximately 3 weeks before harvesting, stop watering the onions - this helps to avoid cracking of the bulbs and increase shelf life.
Water the onions generously, moistening the soil to a depth of 15-20 cm.
The optimal time for watering is evening.
When a crust forms after watering, the soil is loosened to open oxygen access to the root system.
However, onions also do not tolerate excess moisture well, so experts recommend sprinkler watering systems for them. Such a system facilitates accurate dosing of water.
It is useful to add fertilizers to water for irrigation, thus combining watering with fertilizing.

How often and how much to water onions?

The frequency of watering onions depends on weather conditions and the stage of plant development. So, in June, when the weather is mostly hot and dry, water consumption is approximately 10-liter bucket per 1 square meter. In July, the frequency of watering remains the same - once every 8-10 days, but water consumption decreases. Approximately a month before harvesting, watering is stopped - this reduces the risk of cracking of the bulbs and they are stored longer. Based on the recommendations given in the dacha literature that how often and how much to water onions, we have compiled a watering calendar table.

Watering calendar:

How to feed onions to grow?

If onions grow poorly, in addition to watering, they carry out feeding. To do this, use a solution of mullein with water in a ratio of 1 to 12. Add 30 g of ammonium nitrate to the bucket of the solution.

Feed onions mineral fertilizers can be used from the moment of emergence of seedlings:

In the first week, add ammonium nitrate according to the instructions on the package.
In the next 3 weeks, add ammonium nitrate, any water-soluble complex fertilizer and calcium nitrate.

The composition of mineral supplements is adjusted taking into account the growing season of the variety and the condition of the plants:

In the first half of the growing season, nitrogen fertilizing is necessary.
In the 2nd half of the growing season - phosphorus-potassium (excess nitrogen at this time is dangerous with the likelihood of developing neck rot on the bulbs).

Three-time feeding scheme with mineral fertilizers:

Feeding onions with folk remedies

In addition to those listed above, there are many other feeding options. For the most part, these are folk remedies that gardeners share on country forums:

Feeding with ash and mullein infusion. Wood ash is scattered on the surface of the earth around the plants or an ash solution is prepared for irrigation in the dosage: 1 teaspoon of wood ash per 1 liter of water. It is recommended to alternate feeding onions with ash with mullein infusion (diluted in water 1:12). Important: you need to feed at sufficient intervals. .
Watering the onions with yeast. Very often onions are fed with yeast. The main ingredient here is dry or fresh yeast and bread crumb. Recipe: 500 gr. dissolve the bread crumb in a 10-liter bucket of warm water, add 500 gr. fresh green grass and 500 gr. fresh yeast. The solution should be infused for 2 days. Fertilizing with yeast infusion is carried out instead of traditional watering.
Watering onions with ammonia will help, if the feathers of the onion have turned yellow. Experienced gardeners are sure that this is a sign of nitrogen deficiency. For feeding, prepare a solution: 3 tbsp. l. ammonia per 10 liters of water. The resulting solution is poured under the roots of the onion in the evening.

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

Onions were 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 Roman legionnaires believed that consuming large amounts of onions increased their energy and made 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 many beneficial properties onions have. Of course, I already knew that it 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.

For medicinal purposes, 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 the essential oils contained in it can aggravate the course of the disease.

Persons suffering from these diseases should be careful when ingesting fresh onion pulp and its whole juice, but at the same time they can successfully use 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 the important conditions when growing it.

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

In areas where groundwater comes 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 in order to get a good harvest of onions, you need 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 apply 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 the high concentration 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 the general conditions that must be met for 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 seedling that you grew yourself and which was stored at a low temperature (below 18ºC), 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 set, then before planting, be sure to fill it with hot water (45-50ºC) for only 10-15 minutes, and then immediately cool it in cold water.

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 a solution of 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 green feathers of the plant will intensively develop, 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 their growth, but the resulting bulbs will still develop slowly and will 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 them 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 droppings 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: dilute 1 teaspoon of copper sulfate or copper chloroxide, 1 tablespoon of liquid soap 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 with wood ash and 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 the general requirements for 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!

Problems when growing onions - of course, many summer residents are engaged in growing onions, but very often, due to improper care, many problems arise that can lead to a complete lack of harvest in the future.

Many gardeners believe that growing onions is very easy, but in reality this is not true. So, first of all, you should remember that crop rotation is very important for onions. Therefore, it is necessary to change the place of sowing onions every year. The optimal solution would be to plant this plant in place of cabbage, potatoes, cucumbers or tomatoes.

Onions grow very poorly in acidic soils; in such beds there may be no harvest at all. The soil reaction for the favorable development of onions should be as close to neutral as possible, so the optimal solution would be fertile loamy chernozems. Soils containing high levels of sulfur are also important for onions. For this reason, it is recommended to bait with superphosphate, ammonium sulfate and potassium sulfate.

It should be noted that onions do not tolerate weeds. Therefore, it is recommended to always destroy them. At the very beginning of growth, onions will suffer greatly from insufficient watering. You should constantly loosen the soil between the beds, and also regularly water the plantings. However, it is very important to remember that watering should be done along the furrows, but in no case by sprinkling. If you choose this particular method of watering, the plant may develop downy mildew, known as peronospora.
Hilling up plants is not recommended, so the best solution would be to loosen the soil. Onions have a fairly shallow root system. It is for this reason that the soil should not be over-moistened, and watering should also be stopped three weeks before the harvest. Also during this period, fertilizing is not allowed. This period actually begins around mid-July.

When planting onions, it is very important to lay out the bulbs and under no circumstances press them into the soil. The seeds should be placed in grooves that have been prepared in advance. After this, the grooves should be sprinkled with earth.

The deficiency of certain microelements can be determined by the color of the feather. If the leaves are pale and thin, then this is a sure sign of nitrogen deficiency. When the tops of the leaves slightly wither and turn black, this indicates a phosphorus deficiency. When a plant is deficient in potassium, the leaves will turn yellow and become wrinkled. Fragile feathers combined with white spots warn that the plant lacks magnesium. If the plants themselves begin to wither and their leaves turn pale yellow, this means that it is necessary to supplement the plants with copper.

Actually, cleaning and proper storage are also very important for onions. The harvest date can be determined by the lodging of the leaves themselves. After the onion has been pulled out of the ground, it must be left in the garden bed to ripen and dry. After this, you should move the onion to a well-ventilated area.

So, the optimal day for harvesting will be dry, windy weather and bright sun. After all, this is how you can dry onions. It should be noted that the rays of the sun will also help disinfect the bulbs. Allow the onion to dry before the end of the day, and then cut off the leaves. The bulbs are transferred to a storage place, where they will dry for the required amount of time: this usually takes several weeks.

Actually, you can leave the onions to dry directly on the floor, but this room should be well ventilated. After this, the onions are placed in baskets, because this is how they will be stored for the rest of the time. It is recommended to choose wicker baskets; buckets and basins are not the best solution. In such containers, the onions will lack air, which will lead to them rotting completely over time.

We can talk endlessly about the benefits of onions, but the question of how to grow large onions is always of interest to many summer residents and gardeners. The agricultural technology of growing onions is not complicated, but it has some tricks and subtleties...

To ensure that the onions are large, we prepare the bed correctly

Onions grow in any soil, but it would be best to grow them on fertile and loose soil. Clay soils are also not suitable for growing onions; they are too heavy for them. In this case, the area for planting onions must be sunny. It will be good if you plant onions in the place where you previously grew: potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes or zucchini.

The land allocated for beds must first be dug up and fertilizer added, as well as all weeds removed. It is advisable to prepare the soil for planting onions in the fall, spread rotted manure, compost or humus. Fertilizers usually include saltpeter, potassium chloride, and superphosphate.

As a rule, onions grow well in soils with neutral acidity. Well, if the soil is acidic, then it can be diluted, for example, with ash or lime.

To ensure that the soil for the onions warms up enough, dig up the bed again in the spring and only then start planting. The length and width of the beds can be whatever is more convenient for you, the most important thing at this point is that it is advisable to make the distance between the rows at least 20 centimeters. The seedlings are deepened by 2-3 centimeters maximum. Sowing too deep will inhibit the growth of the bulb, which can cause the onion to go into the shoot.

How to increase onion yields by fertilizing?

In order for the onion to be large, it must be fed. Even a crop like onion also requires feeding. You can fertilize with both mineral and organic fertilizers. During the entire growth period, it is recommended to feed onions no more than three times. The first fertilizers can already be applied 10-14 days after the onions have been planted. It is advisable to apply nitrogen fertilizers so that the onions increase their green mass. The second stage of fertilization is carried out about a week or two after the first fertilizing. In this phase, nitrogen fertilizers are reduced and potassium and phosphorus are increased. The third time occurs at the stage of formation of the bulb itself. This type of fertilization of onions is usually carried out on depleted soils, and if your land is fertile, then you can refuse this fertilizing.

Now there are a large variety of mineral fertilizers on the market, so in order to increase the yield of onions, fertilizers such as Agricola-2 for onions, Vegeta, and Effecton-O are usually used. The solution should be diluted according to the instructions. Usually use a maximum of two tablespoons per 10 liters of water. It is advisable to fertilize in the evening.

The following solutions can also be used as the first feeding:

you need 1 tablespoon of ammonium nitrate, 60 grams of superphosphate and an incomplete tablespoon of potassium chloride, and shake it all in 10 liters of water;

dissolve 60 grams of ammonia in a bucket of water. Such fertilizing will not only increase the yield of onions, but will also rid the onions of some pests, for example, the onion fly.

An example of the second feeding: take 10 liters of water, add 30 grams of ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride, add 50-60 grams of superphosphate. You can also dilute a tablespoon of salt and ammonium nitrate in a bucket of water, adding manganese on the tip of a knife.

For the third feeding, dilute 50 grams of superphosphate in a 12-liter bucket of water, you can also add about 30 grams of potassium salt.

Often onions dry out in the garden, so it is necessary to find out why this happened and, of course, eliminate it, since the consequences may not be comforting and the onion yield will be low because of this.

When fertilizing onions, try not to get the solution on the feathers. And it is very important to monitor the onions in the garden, and not what everyone around is recommending. If your onions are green and healthy, then the soil on the site is very fertile, so it is better to refrain from fertilizing. If there is a lack of potassium, the onion feathers will turn yellow, then fertilize it. If the tips of the feathers of the onion dry out, it means that it lacks phosphorus. And pale and weak feathers indicate a lack of nitrogen. Therefore, if you want the onions to be large and the onion yield to be large, it is extremely important to maintain a balanced fertilizer and know what to feed the onions in each specific case.

ogorodko.ru

Onion secrets. Growing onions from sets

It’s time for us to talk, 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. These include onions and more tender and delicate leeks; perennial chives 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

Onions were 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.

And Roman legionnaires believed that consuming large amounts of onions increased their energy and made 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.

Useful properties of onions

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 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.

Persons suffering from these diseases should be careful when ingesting fresh onion pulp and its whole juice, but at the same time they can successfully use 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.

In areas where groundwater comes 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.

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 pests 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.

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.

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

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 became acquainted with the general conditions that must be met to successfully grow 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. Most 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.

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 seedling that you grew yourself and which was stored at a low temperature (below 18ºC), 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.

If you were unable to gradually warm up the set, then before planting, be sure to fill it with hot water (45-50ºC) for only 10-15 minutes, and then immediately cool it in cold water.

Planting sets

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.

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)))

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 them 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.

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.

Feeding. 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 droppings 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 diseases are 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: dilute 1 teaspoon of copper sulfate or copper chloroxide, 1 tablespoon of liquid soap 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 with wood ash and tobacco dust. After 20 days the treatment can be repeated.

Onion harvesting

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

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 the general requirements for growing onions and about growing onions from onion sets. In the next article we will talk about how to grow onions from seeds, how to get onion seeds and how you can grow onions in one year.

See you soon, dear readers!

Tags: bow

syperdacha.ru

How to grow large onion bulbs?

Growing onions to obtain a head (bulb) in the summer cottages of experienced gardeners does not cause difficulties. However, in order to obtain large (200-400 g) bulbs, it is necessary to strictly adhere to cultivation techniques, which have their own characteristics.

General approaches to obtaining healthy, quality onions

Large onions start from seeds. Onions per bulb (head) can be grown through seeds (nigella), sets (arbage) and seedlings. In a garden wedge of a summer cottage for growing large onion bulbs for food consumption and winter storage, it is more practical to grow the crop from sets.

Bulb onions

To obtain a harvest of large heads (up to 200-400 g) of onions, several conditions are necessary:

selection of a zoned variety with a large onion;
proper storage of seed;
compliance with the requirements of agricultural cultivation technology.

Bulb varieties and sizes

Do you want to get a large onion? Be careful about the varieties you plant. Onions are a long-day plant and react painfully to the ratio of dark and light periods of the day. Onions have a very interesting varietal feature of their reaction to the length of daylight hours. The culture tolerates climate change more easily than lack of daylight.

Southern varieties of onions are genetically predisposed to grow and form a storage organ (bulb) as the length of daylight approaches its maximum - 13-15 hours. The approach of the maximum in the south takes a long period, and the zoned variety manages to build up a large vegetative mass, including a large storage organ.

If a southern variety of onions is planted in the northern region, where daylight hours in the summer season very quickly reach a maximum of 15-18 hours, the plants will tend to finish the growing season as quickly as possible and form bulbs. The formation of the storage organ (bulb) means the end of development and retirement. The bulbs do not have time to gain mass and remain small.

Northern varieties of onions planted in the south will constantly form a leaf mass in anticipation of the onset of the longest day at 15-18 hours. And since in the south the maximum length of daylight hours ends at the 15 hour mark, the crop continues to increase its leaf mass, but does not form a bulb at all. The variety does not have enough light time to move to the next phase of development.

Therefore, dear readers, if you want to get a large onion bulb, be sure to take into account the culture’s reaction to photoperiodicity. Grow southern varieties of onions in the south, and northern varieties in the north. Otherwise, the onion heads will be small, unripe, or not formed at all. In this case, a large-headed, but not zoned variety, and compliance with all the requirements of agricultural technology will not ensure the production of a large onion.

Onion

Selection and storage of seed material

It is possible to obtain a high yield of large onion bulbs only by sowing with high-quality seed, which can be purchased in a store or grown independently and properly stored until planting in the ground.

When independently preparing seed, it is necessary to divide them into fractions after harvesting and drying the bulbs:

Oatmeal, 0.5-0.7 cm in diameter;
Group I, 0.8-1.5 cm in diameter;
Group II, 1.5-2.2 cm in diameter.

The best for sowing is considered to be the waterweed of groups I and II.

Before planting, the selected seeds are stored in a cool room at a temperature of 0...+2°C and no higher, and in a warm room at +17...+18ºC (away from heating radiators).

If the temperature regime was violated and the onion was stored at home at a temperature of +2...+15°C, there is no point in hoping for a high-quality onion harvest. When planted in open ground in spring, such onion sets will begin to bolt. A thick, hollow peduncle will take away some of the nutrients, and the onion bulb will be small. In addition, the base of the peduncle in the bulb will serve as a source of rotting in the autumn-winter period.

Thus, the mandatory conditions for obtaining a harvest of large onion bulbs are the variety and quality of planting material.

Onion growing technology

Predecessors of onions

Good predecessors for onions in crop rotation are tomatoes, cucumbers, early and medium-sized potatoes, zucchini, legumes, and early cabbage. Onions combine well with carrots, beets, radishes, and greens, which makes it possible to use these crops as compactors in combined beds.

Planting onions

Seed planting period

Planting onion sets can be done in late autumn or early spring. In practice, spring planting of onions is preferable. Climatic disasters in recent years can provoke early seedlings and their death during recurrent frosts, and cause partial rotting of seedlings during the winter. The stressed state of plants will cause the formation of small bulbs.

Depending on weather conditions and warming up of the soil, watermelon is sown in warm regions in the last ten days of March - early April, in colder regions (middle zone) - in the last ten days of April - early May. In the northern regions, after the frosts have passed and the soil has warmed up to +6...+10°C.

The optimal soil temperature for sowing seedlings is +10...+12°C, and air temperature +3...+5°C.

Onion shoots will appear on the 5th – 6th day. If you plant a seedling in unheated soil, it will begin to bolt. If you are late with planting, then, once in dry, overheated soil, the onion will slow down its development and will not form a large bulb. That is, to obtain a large onion bulb, it is very important to meet the timing of planting the sets.

Onion seedlings are tolerant of cold weather and easily tolerate short-term frosts down to -3°C. But during autumn planting and the onset of spring return frosts, the grown plants stop growing and developing when the temperature drops -3...-5°C, which subsequently affects the size of the bulb.

Preparing seed for planting:

Select only absolutely healthy onion sets for planting;
Carefully trim the dry ends at the top of the set with scissors;
To protect the seeds from fungal infections, be sure to disinfect them with hot water, a solution of potassium permanganate, and other known methods. The disinfected onions are dried at room temperature until they flow. Before planting, it is stored in damp burlap.
The next day they are planted in prepared soil.

Soil requirements of onions

Onions do not tolerate acidified soils and fresh organic matter. Therefore, when growing in crop rotation, organic matter and deoxidizers are added 2-3 years before planting onions under previous crops. Onions do not like soil liming, so if deoxidation is necessary, 3-4 cups of ash per square meter are added during the main soil cultivation in the year of planting. m area.

For normal growth and development of plants, the soil under onions must have a neutral pH = 6.4-6.7 units, be moisture-absorbing, permeable, and fertile.

Onion planting material - sets

Fertilizer application

Onions carry significant amounts of nutrients from the soil with the harvest, but there is no need to feed them. A uniform supply of nutrients and moisture during the growing season will contribute to the constant increase in the vegetative mass of the bulb. On depleted and dense soils, in the fall, during the main digging of the soil for onions, add ripe crumbly humus, no more than 1/3-1/2 bucket per square meter. m or sow green manure. Rye, oats, mustard, and rapeseed work well to loosen the soil. On dense, floating soils, you can use mustard with legumes, sweet clover, and vetch-oat mixture. Mixed green manure crops will not only fluff up the soil, but also saturate it with available nutrients.

From mineral fertilizers, nitroammophoska 50-60 g/sq.m. is applied to onions. m. or only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, respectively 25-30 and 15-25 g/sq.m. m, and in the spring, no more than 20-25 g/sq.m. of urea is added for sowing. m.

If the soils are depleted and higher rates of fertilizer are required, then it is better to apply 2/3 of the dose in the fall, and apply the rest in the spring before planting.

Rules for planting arbage

Sowing is carried out in prepared soil in a single-row manner or in 2-3 line tapes. In the tape, leave 8-12 cm between the rows and 20-25 cm between the tapes.

With the first method, the distance between the bulbs in the row may be different:

When planting “shoulder to shoulder”, the planting density is high, since the distance between the sets in the row is 1.0-1.5 cm. With this planting method, 2 thinnings are carried out:
during the first thinning, the distance is increased to 4 cm, and the young onion is used for food;
after 25-30 days, a second thinning is carried out, leaving a distance between young plants of 7-10 cm.

The second landing method is ordinary. The sets are planted at a distance of 8-10 cm in the row, 20 cm between the rows. Thinning is not carried out. Arbazheika is placed vertically upward in the furrows, to a depth of 4 cm, covered with 2.0-2.5 cm of soil on top and lightly compacted with the palm of the hand.

Onion greens

Caring for onions during the growing season

It is very important to keep the soil moist, loose, and free of weeds during the growing season. Weeds shade the bulbous zone at the base of the plants and provoke the accumulation of fungal infections. Mulching after watering of onions is mandatory. The crust that forms after watering causes an uneven supply of moisture to the top layer of soil (sometimes dry, sometimes wet), which reduces the possibility of the formation of a large bulb. Loosening is only superficial, in wide row spacing. When loosening in a row, damage to superficially located roots negatively affects the growth of the bulb. Onions cannot be hilled. On the contrary, during the growth of the bulb, the “fashionista” opens the hangers towards the sun. Timely watering plays a significant role in the formation of a large bulb.

Watering onions

Watering and feeding onions are especially important in the first 2-3 months. Interruptions in the supply of nutrients and violation of the irrigation regime during this period lead to small onions and loss of their taste.

Approximate frequency of watering:

For the first month, watering is carried out once a week, followed by obligatory loosening and mulching with crushed mulch. Pests settle under large mulch and fungal infections accumulate. Fine mulch protects the soil from drying out the top layer and quickly decomposes when exposed to moisture. During this period, the soil is soaked to a 10 cm layer when watering.
In June, towards the bulb growth phase, the amount of watering is reduced to a 10-day break, but the soil is soaked to a 20-25 cm layer. To avoid stagnation of water, watering is carried out with fine spraying.
In July, watering is carried out once every 8-10 days as needed (preventing the soil from drying out in the root layer).
In the second half of July, the soil is only kept moist and they switch to “dry watering.” The soil is loosened, mulched, and be sure to get rid of weeds.
2-3 weeks before harvesting, stop watering and carefully “expose” the shoulders of the bulbs from the ground. The procedure promotes the ripening of the bulb, especially the stem at the base. Immature stems in winter are affected by fungal and bacterial rot.

Mistakes when watering

Watering with high pressure breaks the feather, causing interruptions in the supply of nutrients to the plant, weakening it. The plant gets sick.
Do not water onions with cold water. When watering with water below +18°C, the crop becomes sick with powdery mildew.
It is necessary to keep the plantings absolutely free from weeds, not allowing them to grow above 5-8 cm.
In a clogged, unweeded and improperly watered area, the root collars of the onion remain juicy, which sharply reduces the keeping quality of the onion.

Onion bed

Fertilizing onions

The formation of large bulbs requires a fairly large amount of nutrients. Their supply to the crop should be uniform, without hungry breaks and overfeeding. It is better to fertilize onions with nutrient solutions. Applying dry fertilizers is not as effective.

First feeding of onions

With sufficient basic soil filling, the first feeding of onions can be postponed until June, and if necessary, it is carried out 2-3 weeks after germination. Thin light feathers are a signal for feeding.

To fertilize, dilute a spoonful of ammonium nitrate or urea in 10 liters of warm water. Apply at the root to 10-12 linear meters. If the soil (for various reasons) was not sufficiently fertilized before planting, then it is better to carry out the first fertilizing with full fertilizer, using nitroammophoska, Kemiru-Lux, crystallin in the form of a solution (25-30 g/10 l of water). After fertilizing, the plants must be washed with watering using a fine-mesh nozzle.

Second feeding of onions

The second feeding is carried out in the second ten days of June with a solution of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. 20 and 10 g of superphosphate and potassium sulfate are dissolved in 10 liters of warm water and applied to the root of the plants. During this period, instead of a phosphorus-potassium mixture, you can once again feed the plants with nitroammophos, increasing the concentration of the solution to 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water. Additionally, foliar fertilizing is carried out with microelements or boron with the addition of ash extract (0.5 l per 10 l of water).

Third feeding of onions

The third feeding is carried out if necessary, if the development of the bulb slows down. The third feeding is carried out when the bulb is the size of a walnut, usually with a superphosphate solution. 40 g of superphosphate are diluted in 10 liters of water. The solution consumption is approximately 5 l/sq.m. m of planting area.

It should be noted that onions on fertile and well-filled soils with mineral fertilizers do not need to be fed with fertilizers, limiting feeding with microelements and ash extract.

Onion

Protecting onions from diseases and pests

To protect onions from diseases and pests, plants are treated with biofungicides (against diseases) and bioinsecticides (against pests) for preventive purposes. The most common biofungicides are planriz, gaupsin, alirin-B, trichodermin, gliocladin. For treatment against pests, actofite, aversectin-C, bitoxybacillin, verticillin, and bicol are used. It is better to prepare solutions for treatment in tank mixtures. Always select biological products, dosage and mix them according to the instructions. Onion treatments are carried out at least 3-5 times during the growing season in the morning. The last treatment can be carried out 2-3 days before harvesting. Biological products are absolutely safe for people and animals.

Treatments begin at the first visible changes in the color of the feather or the condition of the plants.

Harvesting onions

The beginning of harvesting is determined by the state of the above-ground mass of onions. Depending on the variety:

plant leaves turn yellow,
lodging,
lose turgor, etc.

When harvesting, onions are pulled out of the soil and left for 1-2 weeks under a canopy for final drying. The dried onions are sorted out and dense bulbs with a dry root collar, covered with dry upper scales, are put aside for winter storage. Before placing them in containers for storage, dried stems are cut 3-5 cm into a stump or braided and hung in a dry, warm place.

Harvesting onions

Thus, growing onions with large bulbs requires careful implementation of agrotechnical techniques, the main of which are:

selection of a zoned variety;
quality of seed material;
timeliness of sowing;
compliance with the rules of care, which include timely watering and fertilizing, keeping the soil moist, weed-free, with optimal plant density.

High-quality implementation of agricultural technology requirements creates all the prerequisites for obtaining a high yield of large bulbs.

www.botanichka.ru

Why do onions grow small?

Onions would seem to be one of the simplest vegetables that we grow in our garden. Most succeed, as they say, “with flying colors,” but for some, literally year after year, the onions turn out to be small, why this happens, let’s figure it out.

So, let's start with what onions generally prefer, what is more acceptable for them. To make an onion large, it should not grow in the same area every year; it is best to choose a different area for it every year.

You should start planting bulbs from which you later want to get large and beautiful bulbs only when the soil has warmed up and is warm. Our grandmothers very simply checked the readiness of the soil for planting onions, they took off their shoes, socks and stood with their bare soles on the ground, they used to say “if the legs are comfortable, then the onions will be too,” warm soil was a signal for planting.

If the weather is cloudy outside and the sun doesn’t want to warm the soil, then you can warm it up yourself. To do this, you can use a simple but quite effective technique - prepare the soil, make holes and pour hot water over them, but not boiling water. Do this, boil the kettle, wait 15-20 seconds and only then use the water to warm the soil. After such artificial heating, the onions can be planted after 3-4 hours. With this technique you can kill two birds with one stone - warm the soil and destroy various microorganisms.

But we only described what needs to be done immediately before planting; in order for the bulbs to be large, there are secrets to the pre-planting preparation of the bulbs. For example, before planting, we strongly recommend soaking them for 1-2 minutes in a 1.5% solution of potassium permanganate, removing in advance those husks that practically fall off on their own, that is, completely dry ones. After soaking in a solution of potassium permanganate, transfer the bulbs to any container filled with wet sawdust and leave for several hours so that excess potassium permanganate is absorbed into the sawdust.

Some gardeners, by the way, even advise germinating onions in wet sawdust; to do this, before planting, they need to be placed in containers for 3-4 days, carefully moistening the sawdust so as not to over-moisten them.

In the future, in order for the onions to become real heroic bulbs, it is necessary to select loose, moist, fertile soil for the onions, but if it is heavy, poorly cultivated, and clayey on your site, then you will never get large onions. In this case, it will need to be loosened by adding non-acidic peat and river sand in the amount of 1-2 buckets per square meter.

A separate point concerns fertilizers, for example, manure, it must be added to the soil on which you plan to grow onions two seasons before planting this plant, and it’s great if it’s a predecessor for the crop. If you do it differently, then the onion will not only be small, but may even rot right in the soil.

Do not forget that large onions will never grow if they are planted in the shade, if they are flooded with water, turning the area into a swamp (although you should never overdry the onions), or if the beds are turned across to the sun or made too big low.

About watering separately - you need at least ten waterings per season, but you need to water depending on the “weather outside the window”, if it’s dry, then a bucket of water per square meter is required, but if it rains, then you can forget about watering. You can completely stop watering only a month before harvesting to allow the onion to ripen. After watering, be sure to loosen the soil; onions do not tolerate crust on the surface; its roots must breathe, so pay attention to the surface of the soil more often to see if it is too compacted. The soil becomes especially compacted and a crust forms after heavy rains or watering.

The size of the onion is also affected by the depth of its planting; for example, two centimeters is considered optimal. They say “the deeper you place the onion in the soil, the shallower you will get it out of there, the soil seems to squeeze the onion and it does not have enough strength to push the soil apart.” Both the size and the planting scheme affect the size of the bulb, “onions love space,” as our grandmothers used to say, so don’t thicken the plantings, it’s better that the quantitative yield of the bulbs will be less, but their quality will be significantly higher.

Well, don’t forget about fertilizing, don’t be too zealous, usually you get good onions even if you periodically fertilize them with ordinary wood ash. The amount of ash is 100-120 g per square meter - frequency 2-3 times per season.

And of course, before planting, always and very carefully select the onions, take the healthiest, well-executed, not damaged or diseased, nothing good will grow from them anyway.

N.V. Khromov, Ph.D. biol. Sciences, gazetasadovod.ru

Also on topic

Test "fundamentals of countering terrorism and extremism"

Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the throne

Salary expenses for income minus expenses

Who was Major General Mr. Zakharov

Group aerobatics. Basic concepts. Leader and follower in aviation What does follower mean in aviation