How to grow large onions. My personal experience

Green and onions have been loved by everyone since ancient times. It is difficult to imagine almost any dish of national cuisine without it. There is an opinion that growing onions is quite simple, but in order to get large and fleshy heads, as well as long and juicy “feathers”, some effort must be made. How to grow onions at home?

Planting material

Onion sets for planting in the ground are well known to all gardeners who want to grow this vegetable crop at home. This is the name given to small-sized bulbs obtained by germinating onion seeds.

When purchasing planting material, you should pay attention to its quality, since the future harvest directly depends on it. The optimal size of the bulbs is 1.5-2 cm. Planting material less than the specified parameters risks drying out due to lack of moisture. In this case, you should pay attention to the appearance of the set - it should be tight, strong, have no signs of pest damage, and not be dried out or rotten.

Planting sets

Before planting in the ground, it is important to properly prepare the planting material. To do this, you need to warm the onion for several hours at a temperature of 40 degrees, and then soak it in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes to disinfect. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use modern drugs such as Fitosporin, Gamair, Planriz.

It is necessary to plant onions at a distance of 4-6 cm from each other, while there should be a free space of 40 cm between the rows. The planting depth is regulated by the size of the set, but the tail of the onion must look out.

Shoots appear approximately 9-10 days after planting in open ground. During this period, it is necessary to moisten the soil if it is dry, and also gently fluff it up. However, this should be done as carefully as possible so as not to damage the delicate roots of the vegetable crop.

Growing from seeds

Some gardeners, having had negative experience growing onion from sets, germinate the seeds themselves. To do this, you need to place the seeds in a moist and warm environment (a soft cloth moistened with water is ideal). After germination of the seeds, you need to place them in the ground and wait for germination. After some time, small-sized bulbs will form - sets. They need to be cleared of soil and stored in a dark, cool room. Onion sets are suitable for planting next year.

How to grow onions from seeds? There are two known methods:

Non-seedling cultivation is practiced in areas with temperate climates. To do this, you need to sow onion seeds (nigella) directly into open ground to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. To speed up germination, you can soak the seeds in warm water. In this way, the vegetable crop is planted in early spring, and 24 weeks later the harvest can be harvested. Unfortunately, this method is not suitable for the northern regions, since the onions will not have time to fully ripen.
Pre-winter planting involves planting seeds in winter. To do this, you need to place them in the ground to a depth of 6-7 cm and pour a 2-3 cm layer of humus on top. It is recommended to prepare the beds for onions in advance, before the ground has time to freeze.

When choosing a method for growing onions, you need to focus on the climatic conditions of the growing region, as well as personal preferences regarding the convenience of planting.

Seedling cultivation

Even experienced gardeners wonder how to grow onions to get the highest possible yield. In addition to purchasing ready-made planting material in the form of seedlings and planting nigella (onion seeds) in open ground, there is a seedling cultivation method.

To simplify growing, it is recommended to use special containers or boxes for seedlings, as well as ready-made soil mixtures. For seedlings, you need to sow the seeds in the soil, moisten it and cover it with film until shoots appear. The temperature should be about 18-25 degrees, and after the sprouts appear, it should be reduced to 10-12 degrees to prevent stretching.

A week after the first shoots appear, you can increase the ambient temperature to 18-20 degrees. During the same period, it is necessary to remove the film daily for some time in order to ventilate the seedlings.

Watering is carried out as needed, but it should be remembered that the soil must always have moderate moisture. It is also recommended to fertilize with ammonium nitrate, potassium chloride and superphosphate. When the seedlings are about 10 cm in size, they are considered ready for planting in open ground.

Landing Features

How to properly grow onions to get the highest yield? To do this, it is necessary to take into account all possible nuances when planting vegetables. For example, onions love fertile soils and are reluctant to grow in clay soils. In addition, the vegetable loves sunny areas and good lighting throughout the day.

The size of the beds is determined by the gardener based on the free space on the site. However, the row spacing should be about 40 cm, this will allow the formation of large bulbs.

Planting time varies depending on the region where the gardener lives. In the temperate climate, this is the end of April - the beginning of May, when the earth is already sufficiently warmed up. Also, 3 weeks after planting, it is recommended to treat the crops with Bordeaux mixture to prevent the appearance of various fungal infections.

Feeding

Fertilization is necessary for the formation of large bulbs and large green feathers. The first feeding is necessary during the active growth phase of green onions. To do this, you need to dissolve 25 g of urea in a bucket of water at room temperature and apply it to each plant.

The second feeding is necessary 3 weeks after the first (approximately in the first half of June). It is produced using superphosphate and potassium salt in proportions of 20 and 10 g, respectively, per bucket of clean water. You can also use nitroammophoska in the amount of 2 tablespoons per similar amount of liquid.

How to grow onions without using mineral and organic fertilizers? This is possible only on chernozem soils, but even under such favorable conditions there is no guarantee that the harvest will be abundant. On poor soils, it is also recommended to apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Watering

Tips for growing onions always include information about watering vegetables. With moderate humidity and regular natural precipitation, watering should be done once every 2 weeks. In dry weather - once a week. in this case, it is necessary to loosen the soil to destroy pests and provide air access to the roots. In the last month before harvesting, watering stops completely. However, it is necessary to continue to loosen the soil regularly.

Pest Control

How to grow onions from seeds or seedlings with minimal damage from various insects and diseases? Most often, bulbs are susceptible to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, root rot or pests - onion fly, nematode, thrips, hoverfly.

When the first signs of damage appear (withering, light spots on feathers, curling), it is necessary to treat the vegetables with biological insecticides. It is highly undesirable to use chemicals for processing, especially if onions are grown for feathers.

Harvesting

You already know how to grow onions; you also need to know when and how to harvest. The degree of maturity can be determined by the feathers of the plant, which begin to dry out. Harvesting must be done in dry and sunny weather by pulling the bulbs out of the ground. After which they must be spread out and dried for 7-10 days in the fresh air. If vegetables are not dried, there is a high probability of rotting during long-term storage.

Growing vegetables in winter

During the cold season, the desire to eat fresh herbs intensifies. How to grow at home? There are several ways:

Growing onions for greens (as the easiest way) can occur on water. To do this, you need to take a strong onion from the store and insert it with its roots into a glass of water. In this case, you can trim the tail - this will speed up germination. All that remains is to wait for the onion feathers to grow and promptly replace the water with fresh water.

How to grow onions on a windowsill in the ground? To do this, you need to take flower soil and pour it into a container. Then plant the store-bought onion in the ground and water it with water. Green feathers will appear within a week after planting. By using this method, you can avoid rotting of the bulb and the accompanying unpleasant odor.

The question of how to grow onions on a windowsill has been asked by almost every housewife. There are several secrets:

in order to get the most delicious harvest, you can highlight the “beds” with a lamp;
if you plant bulbs in flower pots, you can create not only a useful, but also a beautiful “vegetable garden” on the windowsill;
To increase the richness of the feathers, they can be sprayed periodically with water from a spray bottle.

There are no special secrets on how to grow onions in winter, because these methods are familiar to everyone from early childhood.

For those who know how to grow onions, but want to expand their knowledge, here is a selection of recommendations from experienced gardeners:

Every year, to grow this vegetable crop, it is necessary to change the place of growth, since repeated cultivation in the same area can negatively affect the quality of onion heads.
Onions cannot be hilled, but they respond positively to shallow loosening of the soil.
The soil should not be allowed to dry out, otherwise the vegetable runs the risk of growing insufficiently juicy.
If the onion begins to form an unwanted shoot with seeds, then it must be removed, otherwise all the strength will go into it, and the bulb will be small.

How to grow green onions is useful to know not only for gardeners, but also for housewives, since the taste of the fresh feathers of this vegetable can significantly improve the taste of many dishes. In addition, growing it at home is not particularly difficult.

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, with 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 in 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! Nigella no older than two years has the best germination rate.

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 drawers, the sets are poured in a layer of no more than 6 cm, and no more than 3 kg are stored in baskets and bags with onions.

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 caring in open ground will not require much trouble, 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. The best soils are sandy loam and loamy; 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 from their own experience that if the soil in the ridges has been well fertilized, then the onions will not particularly need fertilizing in the summer season. 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 by various types of rot, as well as downy 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.

If the feathers are lodging and yellowing, 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.

Not a single dish is complete without onions. Want to learn how to grow it yourself? Then be sure to read our article. In it you will find detailed instructions for growing onions and descriptions of the main methods of cultivating the vegetable.

We will also help with growing green onions: photos and videos will be useful for those who want to grow them on the windowsill.

Growing onions

This plant was cultivated by humans very early. Onions came to America after the expedition of Christopher Columbus, who not only discovered this overseas spice, but was also involved in the beginning of cultivation on the continent.

Onion is a biennial plant that has a characteristic odor, which is due to the presence of sulfur and essential oils in it.

Vegetable phytoncides destroy streptococci, diphtheria, dysentery and tuberculosis bacilli.

Anyone can grow it: traditionally (in a two-year culture), from purchased seeds, from a selection. In any case, the vegetable requires the same soil conditions and care.

Consider the most popular varieties of onions(picture 1):

Arzamas - ripening period up to 100 days. It is well preserved in winter and does not pose any problems with care. It tastes bitter.
Moldavian- a very productive variety. It preserves well and is considered universal.
Bessonovsky- sharp look. It can be stored for up to 9 months with almost no loss. Easy to care for.
Siberian annual- Mainly grown from seeds. The bulb produces a lot of green feathers. The variety is resistant to bolting and preserves well.
Strigunovsky- refers to early varieties. Well preserved, resistant to rot. Spicy and bitter in taste.

Figure 1. Popular varieties: 1 - Arzamassky, 2 - Moldavian, 3 - Bessonovsky, 4 - Siberian annual, 5 - Strigunovsky

There are also many varieties for central Russia that give a rich harvest with minimal effort and cost (Figure 2):

Stuttgarner- grown by seedlings or seedlings. The taste is bittersweet.
Shetana- suitable for cultivation in northern regions. The harvest is well preserved.
Odintsovets- early variety. Can be used for forcing greens.
Danilovsky 301 and Commissioner- belong to mid-season varieties. The fruits are purple in color and quite large. They are stored for up to six months.
Albion f1- white bulbs. The plant tolerates unfavorable climatic conditions well and is resistant to diseases.

Figure 2. Varieties for central Russia: 1 - Stuttgarner, 2 - Shetana, 3 - Odintsovets, 4 - Danilovsky, 5 - Albion f1

What are the benefits of onions?

Onions are rich in protein, maltose, sucrose, fructose, polysaccharides, proteins, fats, acids (citric and malic), as well as a whole complex of vitamins and chemical elements (Figure 3).

The vegetable is widely used in cooking and the canning industry. It is used raw, sautéed, fried, boiled, salted and pickled.

Figure 3. Beneficial properties of onions

In industry they are used in the production of canned meat, in the processing of fish, sausages, and spicy sauces.

The vegetable activates metabolism, stimulates the functioning of the digestive and hematopoietic organs, helps cleanse the blood, and removes excess fluid from the body. It is also used for cosmetic purposes: it activates hair growth, moisturizes and cleanses the skin.

But still, you shouldn’t get too carried away with onions, as this can negatively affect the functioning of your kidneys. People with gastrointestinal tract diseases, liver diseases, and serious heart diseases should also be careful when consuming raw vegetables and their juice. However, even with such diseases, it can be consumed moderately in boiled or baked form.

Preparing the soil for planting

The crop produces the highest yield on chernozem and humus-carbonate soils, as well as on alluvial soil.

Since seeds take a long time to germinate, the soil should be prepared carefully and in advance.

Figure 4. Preparing the bed for planting onions

Starting in the fall, you should dig up the area to the depth of a spade, remove weeds and add humus or peat manure compost to the soil. It is not recommended to use fresh manure due to the risk of introducing pathogens and weed seeds into the soil. On acidic soils it is necessary to additionally carry out liming, and on saline soils - gypsuming, but it should be taken into account that the application of humus and lime should not be carried out simultaneously.

With the arrival of spring, the soil should be loosened with a rake and mineral fertilizers applied, distributing them over 2-3 feedings during the growth period. In this case, fertilizers are applied shallowly.

Note: Sunny places or light partial shade are well suited for growing onions (Figure 4).

In crop rotation, onions are placed after tomatoes, cucumbers, early cabbage and legumes. The culture is returned to its original place after 3 years.

How to grow onions

Onions can be planted by seeds or bulbs, both in spring and autumn. It is planted in early autumn to produce green feathers for spring. With the arrival of spring, they are grown for storage and obtaining planting material.

To protect the harvest of winter crops, you can use agrofibre, which transmits light well. They carefully cover the bed before the first frost and remove it before the start of the growing season.

Winter onions are particularly sensitive to weeds, so they need to be weeded and watered regularly.

Growing onions from sets

There are several growing methods. Each of them has its own characteristics, but in general, if you follow the rules of caring for the plant, you can get a good harvest, regardless of the cultivation method. It is traditional to obtain onion sets from onions (Figure 5).

Note: Sets are small onions that can be used to produce large heads. There are large and small sets. It is planted both in spring and autumn.

Spring planting is carried out in late April - early May. They start with small bulbs (up to 1 cm in diameter), planting them at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other. A little later, large ones are planted at intervals of 8-10 cm. They should be well compressed with soil and sprinkled with a ball of earth approximately 3 cm.

Figure 5. Planting seedlings

Before sowing, it is necessary to check the seeds for germination. To do this, a dozen onions are wrapped in several layers of damp cloth and left in a warm place. If they germinate soon, then the seeds are suitable for sowing.

It is also necessary to take care of seed disinfection if you use your own planting material. For this purpose, folk remedies such as soaking in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or heating in hot water are used.

Note: To speed up the emergence of seedlings, planting material is soaked 4 days before sowing, then dried and immediately sown.

To preserve moisture in the soil, the area is mulched with grass, compost, and humus. If mulching has not been carried out, it is necessary to ensure that the required level of soil moisture is maintained, especially in dry weather. When the bulbs have formed, watering is carried out less frequently, allowing the vegetable to ripen.

For autumn planting, preference is given to small-diameter onions of sharp varieties. Winter varieties ripen later than spring varieties, the plants are practically not damaged by pests, since their root system has time to form before the fly breeding season. Thus, it becomes inaccessible for laying eggs.

Having decided on the variety, choose a dry, well-warmed place by the sun. The soil is dug up (loosened) and organic fertilizer is applied. Immediately before planting, wood ash is added. Then high beds are formed (so that the onions do not freeze). They are planted at intervals of 7-10 cm from each other and a distance between rows of 20-25 cm. After planting, the beds must be lightly compacted and sprinkled with humus.

Note: All this work should be done before the onset of permanent frosts.

In winter, when there is sufficient snow cover, it is necessary to cover the bed with another layer of natural insulation (spruce branches, straw).

With the onset of spring, mulch and natural insulation are removed, since water stagnation in the garden bed is possible, and, as a result, the bulbs will be too wet.

Fertilizing should be carried out at the beginning of the formation of the future crop, using superphosphates. Until July, it is necessary to constantly water and loosen the soil.

Growing by sowing in open ground

The planting scheme in open ground depends on the planting material and is carried out in several ways: from seeds, seedlings or sets (Figure 6).

The first method is to cultivate sweet and semi-sweet varieties. The prepared seeds are soaked until they swell, then dried and sown in a pre-prepared fertilized bed, watered abundantly and covered. With the appearance of the first shoots, the cover is removed, the shoots are thinned out and the area is mulched. The second thinning is carried out after three weeks.

Figure 6. Planting in open ground

Sweet and semi-sharp varieties are obtained by seedling method. The prepared planting material is sown in special boxes two months before transplanting the seedlings into open ground. Sowing is done densely, to a depth of 1 cm. Immediately before planting, the resulting seedlings need to be shortened by a third, the roots and leaves.

Spicy varieties are grown from sets. It is planted in the spring to a depth of 4-5 cm with an interval of 8-10 cm in a bed prepared in advance.

Growing in open ground requires regular watering, loosening, clearing of weeds, pests and fertilizing.

How to plant onions on greens on a windowsill

Green onions are one of the first and indispensable remedies in the fight against colds. It helps overcome vitamin deficiency and fatigue, improves digestion and improves immunity.

To get green onions in winter, you need to germinate the bulbs themselves (Figure 7).

Note: For greens, it is better to grow Strigunovsky, Timiryazevsky and Arzamas varieties.

Selected specimens (they must be intact and approximately the same size) are placed in a container of water at a temperature of +40 degrees and left in a warm place for a day.

Before planting, cut off the top by about one and a half centimeters. They are planted in containers (containers, bowls) with a depth of at least 7 cm. It is advisable to have several such containers to ensure uninterrupted cultivation.

Note: To constantly receive fresh greens, it is necessary to maintain an interval between plantings of 10-12 days.

It is advisable to disinfect the substrate for planting - rinse with a dark, hot solution of potassium permanganate and running water. The containers are filled with 3-4 cm of soil mixture, a 1 cm layer of water is poured on top. The prepared bulbs are planted 2 cm apart. In this case, only the roots should be in the water.

The containers are kept at a temperature of about +25 degrees for the first week. After leaves appear 2 cm high, the boxes are moved to a cooler place.

Figure 7. Methods for growing green onions on a windowsill

When grown on a windowsill, vegetables are provided with the following care:

The plant loves sunlight, so if there is a lack of it, you can use fluorescent lamps.
Watering is done with warm water every other day.
The first green leaves are not cut off so as not to stop subsequent growth. The first cutting can be done three weeks after planting. Since the leaves grow from the middle, it is best to cut off the outermost feathers.

Another popular method for obtaining fresh vegetables is growing in water. The bulbs are pre-treated as described above, then placed tightly on a shallow tray in an upright position. Then water is poured onto the tray so that it covers a quarter of the bulbs and added as it evaporates. After two weeks, green feathers appear.

Green onions do not need additional feeding, since they receive all their nutrients from the roots.

The author of the video will tell you how to make a bed with such vegetables on the windowsill with your own hands.

Onion care

To obtain the desired harvest, the plant needs care, which includes (Figure 8):

Loosening
Watering
Weeding
Feeding
Prevention and treatment of diseases

The loosening process begins even before the emergence of seedlings, since the crust formed on the ground interferes with the constant access of air to the root system, which leads to a slowdown in the development of the plant. In addition, loosening helps get rid of weeds. This procedure is also mandatory after watering.

The culture needs abundant watering at the beginning of its development. At this time, the plants are watered 1-2 times a week. At the ripening stage, watering is reduced, and just before harvesting, it is completely stopped.

Figure 8. Caring for onions in the garden

Weeding prevents the garden bed from becoming overgrown with weeds. The danger from weeds is that they increase soil moisture. As a result, plants can be affected by fungal diseases. In addition, the scales become waterlogged, which leads to their rotting during storage.

Feeding also plays an important role. The plants are first fed two weeks after planting using slurry or bird droppings. The second feeding follows three weeks after the first.

Note: If preference is given to mineral fertilizers, then first a nitrogen-containing fertilizer (for example, ammonium nitrate) is applied, then three weeks later potassium fertilizer in the same amount. Such fertilizers can be applied either dry or in the form of a solution.

Preventive measures include treating plantings against onion flies and fungal diseases, dusting plants and soil with wood ash.

Harvesting and storing onion harvest

Ripening time depends on planting time, variety and climate. Winter onions ripen earlier than everyone else. It is ready for harvest in July. By this time, the green leaves of the plant begin to dry out, which serves as a signal to start harvesting vegetables (Figure 9).

Note: Collection should not be delayed, otherwise the plants may begin to re-grow roots. It is necessary to harvest before the appearance of morning dew and evening cold, as otherwise the vegetables will not store well.

The collected vegetables are laid out to dry in the sun. If the weather is rainy, dry under a canopy. At this time, all the nutrients from the remains of the leaves move into the bulbs themselves.

Dried leaves and remaining roots are cut off, after which the crop is laid out to dry in a warmer room (at a temperature of +25 -30 degrees) for 10 days. This is necessary for disinfection and improved shelf life.

Figure 9. Harvesting and storing onion crops

The sets are stored in canvas bags in a dry room with good ventilation at a temperature of 0 degrees (for small sets), at room temperature for large ones.

For storage you can use wooden boxes, bags, wicker baskets, armored nets. In any case, the storage container should not interfere with the free access of air.

Note: It is not recommended to store crops in plastic bags.

To protect the crop from rotting, it is necessary to regularly inspect it and remove spoiled or rotten vegetables.

The vegetable is well preserved in woven braids. This “braid” will serve as an excellent interior detail and protect the house from germs.

You will learn more information about harvesting time and methods of storing vegetables from the video.

I have been growing onions using my own method for several years now. Neighbors come to marvel at my turnip onions and I am happy to share my experience with them. There are no special secrets here: labor-intensive physical labor and unimaginable care. You will just need to hill it several times during the entire ripening period of the onion. You can see this in my photos. On the Internet you can read the most unusual growing methods; I am especially surprised by fertilizers and fertilizing. I will definitely say that onions do not like fresh manure and constant moisture. I’m not going to criticize those who haven’t even held a shovel in their hands, I’ll just tell you how I grow onions. I plant onions in early May, when the ground dries out and warms up.

I dig up the bed for sowing onions, break up all the clods of earth, for this I walk over it with a rake and scatter some ash. I bought onion sets, sorted them out, cut off the top ends with scissors and immersed the entire onion in a pre-prepared bright pink manganese solution. I have it there for about half an hour. I pour the used solution into a watering can and, diluting it with water, water the currant bushes (this is only good for currants.)

I draw out a bed of onions with a stick special for this purpose on the line for planting the sets, a gap of 15 cm. Then in each line with the same stick I make indentations every 15 cm to a depth of 2-3 cm. I lower the sets into these holes with the cut end up. Then I fall asleep and lightly clap my hand. In dry weather I make sure to water it. After 3-5 days, the onion sprouts as an even green plume; I make sure to water it every evening. I carefully hill up the grown onions, and at the same time remove the weeds. I carry out the hilling two more times, as the greenery grows. An important condition is that if you want to get a large turnip, you don’t need to tear off the central feathers, otherwise some fans will tear off everything for the salad and wait for new ones to appear, and besides, the onion will grow gigantic.

In July, onion feathers noticeably grow, becoming long and juicy. I am carrying out the third hilling of the onion. And it seems that there are no more worries with him. When watering, I check how it feels. No yellowing, lodging, or bolting. For prevention, I water the onions with a pink solution of manganese once every two weeks. In the bottom photo you can see how juicy the onion feathers are and the moment when I raked the soil from the neck of the onion. Now the turnip will be big, very big!

At the end of July I prepare the onions for final ripening; now the task is not to grow the feather, but to allow the development of the turnip itself. To do this, I scrape off the soil from each neck of the bulb, but not too much. The bulb itself will do the rest as soon as it feels free. You will immediately notice this transformation; in just a few days the onion will become larger. But the feathers in the garden bed will begin to lie down, this is a sign that the onions are ready for harvest. Green feathers can be collected and used for food; they are not bitter at all, and are quite suitable for many dishes. I prepare okroshka, salads, and freeze most of it along with dill in the form of briquettes for the winter. I’ll tell you about this and show you in the next topic. I stop watering so that the onions don’t rot. I usually harvest onions before August 8-10. I do this early in the morning, in sunny, dry weather. I don’t dig up the onion, I just pull it out by the feather and leave it to dry in the garden. During the day I stir it so that it is better ventilated. In the evening, I trim the feathers and take the onions under the shed, where I scatter them for further drying. Onions store well, lasting until the next harvest. Absolutely without any chemicals and environmentally friendly.