Planting, caring for, and growing onion sets in open ground, diseases, and how to save the crop

With landing onion sets in open ground and care for Every gardener is familiar with it. It seems simple: plant and harvest. But the harvest isn't always pleasing. The onions grow small and don't store well.

The search for the cause begins. But the time has already passed: they have to make do with the little that remains. Gardeners are eager to quickly process the small stuff: planting it the following year is not advisable. In the second year, the bulb will bolt.

All these troubles could have been avoided. There are agricultural practices. Following them guarantees a bountiful harvest. Knowledge of botanical principles will save gardeners unnecessary trouble and subsequent disappointments.

Technology of growing onion sets

Growing and caring for onion sets requires certain skills and knowledge. Before planting, it's important to determine the purpose of the crop. For early greens, winter sowing is recommended. This will yield a harvest 2-2.5 weeks earlier than the usual spring crop.

If gardeners don't want to risk planting material, early green shoots can be obtained using the bridge planting method. The heads are planted close together, slightly buried in the soil. The advantage of this method is that it saves space.

A gardener wants to provide his family with onions until the next harvest—they should be planted in the spring. The grown onions keep well until the following summer.

Some gardeners grow onion sets from seeds. This allows them to provide themselves with premium planting material with little time investment.

Gardeners often sow nigella seeds in the spring and dig up the onion sets in the summer. They are then dried and planted before winter. The advantage of this method is cost savings. Nigella seeds are cheaper than onion sets.

Preparing the soil for planting

The soil condition when planting onion sets outdoors determines the quantity and quality of the bulbs. The maximum yield is achieved in light, well-drained soils. Heavy soils require sanding (a bucket of sand per square meter should be added during tillage).

Particular attention should be paid to acidity. Onions prefer alkaline or slightly acidic soil. Acidic soils require deacidification. This can be accomplished by adding sifted stove ash (a liter jar per square meter should be added during planting) or dolomite flour (a bucket per square meter should be added during tillage).

The soil begins to be prepared in advance:

• when planted in winter – 2-3 weeks;
• when sowing in spring - autumn.

It's important to consider the preceding crops. The crop doesn't do well after garlic, onions, or gladioli. Excellent predecessors include:

• melons;
• beans, peas;
• tomatoes and all nightshades (except potatoes);
• clover;
• oats;
• corn;
• sunflower.

If it is impossible to ensure the rotation of vegetable crops, it is recommended to sow green manure: vetch, clover, mustard, cerealsPlants that have grown to 10-15 centimeters are dug into the soil during digging.

What is the best time to plant onion sets?

Spring planting time is determined by climate conditions and the onion set variety. This is a cold-hardy crop, tolerating short-term temperature drops.

The crop can be planted when the soil warms to 4-6 degrees Celsius. The average daily air temperature during this period should be between 8-10 degrees Celsius. Planting too early will cause the crop to bolt. Planting too late will leave little moisture in the soil, which is essential for the development of the seedlings.

In the fall, gardeners plant the onion sets grown from seed. The main rule: the heads should have time to root, but not sprout. Planting should be done 2-2.5 weeks before the onset of sustained frost.

How to plant onion sets

Gardeners use different varieties of onion sets for growing greens and bulbs. Proper planting determines the size of the bulb and the density and height of the stems.

When planting onions in open ground for greens, plant them slightly deeper. The onions should be placed close together. This type of planting is called paving: the onion sets are used to pave a section of the garden bed.

To produce high-quality onions, onion sets should be planted in rows. The distance between rows should be 15-20 centimeters. This is sufficient for loosening the soil with a garden hoe. Onions should be spaced 7-10 centimeters apart from each other. This is necessary to ensure the formation of large bulbs.

Family (nest) onion sets are planted 10-15 centimeters apart, head to head. This variety forms a wide nest, sometimes containing up to 15 bulbs.

Planting too close together will prevent you from getting large onions. But it is important to remember: the crop does not tolerate very sparse planting.The heads will grow small.

Onion planting scheme

When growing onions from sets, the following schemes are acceptable:

1. The bridge method involves harvesting greens from a limited area. The soil is enriched with a mineral complex and moistened. The onion heads are planted close together, without deepening. With proper care, the onions germinate in 3-4 days.
2. Rows. Used for winter and spring sowing to produce large bulbs. The distance between rows is 15-20 centimeters, with the space between bulbs determined by the size of the mature bulbs. When planting for greens, the distance is reduced: the mature plants are pulled out by the roots. This continues until 7-10 centimeters remain between the bulbs.
3. The square-nest planting method is used in large areas. It has proven itself to be effective in growing family onions.

It's important to remember: choosing a planting pattern for onion sets is both convenient and a guarantee of a good harvest. It's important to strictly adhere to the growing conditions for a given onion variety.

Planting onions in spring

Many gardeners prefer to plant onions in the spring. This is due to a reluctance to:

• take risks with winter sowing of elite varieties;
• increase the number of seeds (as recommended when planting in the fall);
• come to the dacha in cold weather.

With proper planting timing and proper care, gardeners can still get early green onions in the spring. Spring onions also store better than winter onions.

You can plant onion sets when the soil warms to 4 degrees Celsius. It is recommended to plant the heads to a depth of five centimeters. This measure is necessary to protect the plants from subsequent frosts.

Experienced gardeners know: you can plant onion sets for greens even in August. This way, you'll have fragrant greens on your table until mid-October.

Care

Proper onion care will ensure a high yield. To achieve this, it's important to implement the following agricultural practices in a timely manner:

1. Weeding. Young plants are easily overwhelmed by weeds. Harmful grasses shade the seedlings, depriving them of moisture and nutrients.
2. Loosening the soil. Onions won't grow without air access to the bulb.
3. Fertilization ensures the production of large turnips.
4. Watering. Without regular soil moisture, the head will not fill out. The flavor will not match the variety.

It is important to remember: pests and onion diseases significantly affect its yield. Organic methods of protection against these pests should be used:

• remove weeds;
• plant next to carrots;
• dust with ash;
• observe the rotation of vegetable crops.

If desired, you can use commercial insecticides.

Fertilizing seed onions

Some gardeners are skeptical about fertilizing onion sets, believing they'll grow without it. However, the heads will be small and the flavor will be lackluster. The amount and frequency of fertilizing depend on the mineral fertilizer mix being applied.

Common fertilizers:

• application of a mineral complex before or simultaneously with planting;
• combining irrigation with nitrogen fertilization.

The first feeding is done when the green shoots emerge. It is recommended to do this simultaneously with soil moistening. When using water-soluble fertilizers, mix the fertilizer with the liquid according to the package instructions.

The final fertilizing should be done a week before the onion tops lodge. The onions are ripe, and nutrients are beginning to flow into the bulbs.

Some manufacturers produce fertilizers for incorporation into the soil. These elements work in conjunction with bacteria. These substances are incorporated into the spaces between rows.

A convenient fertilizer: water young shoots with a urea solution. This will ensure accelerated growth. It's important not to overdo it: too much nitrogen will lead to bulb rot.

Before applying any fertilizer, weed the bed. Thick plantings should be thinned before applying the fertilizer. Otherwise, the nutrients will feed the onions, which will lead to green onions. Harvesting will have to be delayed for two weeks.

How to water onions

The frequency of watering depends on the variety of onion sets. Some onion sets cannot tolerate dry beds during the formation period, causing their heads to become smaller. Family onions produce an insufficient number of heads in the nest.

To ensure good turnip growth, keep the soil moistened regularly during the first weeks of growth. If there is no rainfall, water every 7-10 days.

Then reduce watering. The bulbs should fill out. The bed should be watered once every 2-3 weeks.

During the lodging period, watering is not recommended, as overwatering promotes fungal diseases. During heavy rainfall, cover the plantings with plastic.

Storage and harvesting of seed onions

Onion sets have specific names depending on their size:

• The oatmeal has a diameter of less than 1 centimeter;
• The first category is less than 1.5 centimeters;
• The second is less than 3 centimeters;
• Samples - more than 3 centimeters.

It's time to harvest the onion sets when they've lodged and the tops have partially yellowed. They should be carefully dug up, shaken free of soil, and dried in the sun for 2 hours.

Then, it's recommended to move the onions under cover and leave them there until the leaves dry. This will release nutrients into the bulb. Then, sorting is required.

Ovsyuzhok won't last until spring planting; it will dry out. It's recommended to plant it before winter. The first category is reserved for planting turnips in spring or fall. The second and Vyborok are suitable for spring planting. planting onions for feathers.

It's important to remember: the bulbs should be stored in a cool place. Regularly check the moisture content of the planting material and moisten the bulbs if necessary.

Gardeners wrap small quantities in paper and store them in the refrigerator, in the fruit compartment.