Onion (lat. Allium) belongs to the genus of biennial and perennial plants of the Onion subfamily of the Amaryllis family. The Latin name given by Carl Linnaeus is derived from the name of garlic: all (Latin) means “burning”, although there is another version of the origin - from the verb halare (Latin), which means “to smell”. There are more than 900 species in the onion genus, growing naturally in the steppes, forests and meadows of the Northern Hemisphere. Onions were introduced into cultivation more than five thousand years ago, and the reason for this was the taste and aromatic qualities of the plant. In addition to onions, the most common in culture, wild species are also eaten: strange, sandy, as well as victorious and bear onions, known as wild garlic, rock, Altai, Pskem, angular, round, garden, round-headed and Oshanin onions . Of the edible cultivated species, shallots, spring onions, leeks, leeks, branched onions (also known as Jusai, wild, Chinese), chives and Siberian onions are widely cultivated. In addition, many varieties of edible onions have been developed, which differ in taste, size, and ripening time. Semi-sharp and sweet varieties of onions are cultivated as annual plants, and spicy varieties as biennials. Planting garlic and onions are similar in many ways, but there are differences to be aware of.
When to plant onions before winter
Dates for planting onions in the fall
It has long been known that onions can be planted in both spring and autumn, but for some reason planting onions in winter was not widespread until recently. Planting onions for the winter in cold regions - in Siberia, the Urals, and even in the Moscow region - was especially wary, but today there are many varieties of winter onions that winter well in the ground, but give an early harvest the next year. How to plant onions in the fall, when to plant winter onions, how to protect them from winter frosts - we will answer all these questions in this article.
If you believe the lunar calendar, the most favorable days for planting onions in the fall of 2018 are: September 1, 8, 27–28, and October 6, 7 and 25. Those who did not make it on these dates still have November 2, 3, 21, 22, 29, 30.
The best time to plant onions in areas with not very cold winters is from late October to early November - 30-35 days before the onset of persistent cold weather. Keep an eye on the outside thermometer: if the temperature drops to 5 ºC and lasts for several days, then it’s time to plant onions.
When is it better not to plant onions?
In general, you should be guided by the weather: the onion should have time to grow roots before the onset of cold weather, but sprouts should not be allowed to appear. If you plant an onion ahead of time, it will bolt and die from frost; if planted late, there is a risk that the roots will not have time to develop and the seedling will freeze in the ground. Some gardeners believe that planting onions in the ground at the end of November is the best solution, but in this case the result depends only on luck.
Planting winter onions
After what crop should onions be planted?
Often, not knowing how to plant onions, gardeners make mistakes that lead to low yields. All grains are considered good predecessors for onions, except oats, corn, beets, mustard, rapeseed, phacelia, peas, beans, vetch, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and any cabbage. To avoid nematode infestation on onions, do not plant them after beans, potatoes, parsley, celery, alfalfa and red clover. You can grow winter onions as a second harvest after harvesting rapeseed, winter barley, beans, peas, radishes, carrots and table beets, if you managed to harvest the first harvest before the third decade of July. The question is often asked whether it is possible to plant onions after onions. Onions can be grown in one place for no more than two years; the next time onions in this area, as well as in the area where garlic grew, can be planted no earlier than four years later.
In the photo: Winter onion harvest
Onions before planting - preparation
Onion planting material is divided into oatmeal (onions with a diameter of less than 1 cm), sets (onion diameter from 1 to 3 cm) or onion selection - onions larger than 3 cm. If you are planting onions for greens, it is better to use a selection, since large onions are more common goes to the arrow, and small sets are planted to produce turnip bulbs. Therefore, sort the seed before planting in the ground, separating small sets from larger samples; do not cut off the necks of the bulbs. Professionals recommend sets and wild oats specifically for winter planting, since they can dry out during winter storage indoors, and if they are planted in the ground, they will produce large bulbs next year.
Onion soil
One of the components of successful cultivation of winter onions is the correct choice of site. Where to plant onions to create optimal conditions for its growth and development? The soil for onions should be light - well-drained humus-sandy soils or humus loam on a southern or southwestern slope, protected from the wind by tall plants, are most suitable. Onions have a weak root system, so they need fertile soil. The most wonderful onions grow on silt deposits in warm river valleys. Before planting, the soil must be dug up in advance with humus (5-6 kg per m²) and mineral fertilizers at the rate of 10-15 g of potassium salt and 20-25 g of superphosphate per m². Instead of mineral fertilizers, you can apply ecophosphate at the same rate. Before planting, it is advisable to scatter ash over the area at a rate of 10 g per m².
Planting onion sets before winter
How to plant onions correctly? Level and compact the surface of the area, make grooves in the soil about 5 cm deep at a distance of about 15-20 cm from each other. Place dry small seedlings along the grooves every 5-7 cm, cover with dry soil and tamp it down lightly. There is no need to water winter onions after planting - you can moisten the area after ten days if there is no rain. When frosts come, mulch the area with winter onions with dry leaves, spruce branches, pine needles, and press the cover with branches on top so that it does not get blown away by the wind. If a cold and snowless winter is expected, you can cover the area with mulch on top of it with film. In snowy winters you won't need film.
Planting onions, which are grown exclusively for their greens, is no different from planting onions, but before planting, the necks of shallots are cut off and then the bulbs are kept for 24 hours in water at a temperature of about 30 ºC.
Caring for onions after planting in the fall
Planting and caring for onions in open ground is simple and easy. As soon as the soil begins to warm up in the spring, remove the film from the winter onions, and after a week, remove the mulch, sprinkle the area with ash at the rate of 10 g per m², and loosen the soil. If you remove the cover too late, the onions may get wet under the film, and the mulch will delay the passage of sprouts through the soil. It is advisable to loosen the soil after each rain or watering, simultaneously freeing the area from weeds. The formation of four leaves at the seedlings indicates that the bulb has begun to form, which means that it is time to apply a second feeding, but before that, thin out the onion if it is growing too densely. The plucked plants can be eaten. As a second feeding, 15-20 g of superphosphate and 10-15 g of potassium fertilizer are added per 1 m² of planting, and it is better to first dissolve the superphosphate granules and ash in a solution of fermented herbs. Instead of mineral fertilizers, you can add liquid chicken manure. If the spring is wet, the onions are watered infrequently, but if it is hot and dry, you will have to water them twice a week. To prevent your harvest from being destroyed by the onion fly, plant marigolds or calendula around the perimeter of the area with onions - this is guaranteed to save you from troubles. Winter onions ripen about a month earlier than those planted in the spring.
In the photo: Growing onions in open ground
Features of planting winter onions
Planting onions before winter in the Moscow region
Planting onions in the Moscow region is almost no different from cultivating them in Ukraine or other warm regions. The only problem can be a too cold winter, but if the temperature does not drop below -15 ºC, and you cover the onions for the winter, then they will not be in danger of freezing. If the frosts are stronger, but there is a lot of snow, then we can only hope that in this case everything will go well.
Planting onions before winter in the Urals
Planting and caring for winter onions in the Urals is somewhat different from growing this crop in areas with a temperate climate. For example, planting dates shift closer to the beginning of autumn - from late September to mid-October. Shelter for the winter in the Urals is mandatory, in addition, not every variety can be planted before winter in the Ural climate, but only those that have high winter hardiness.
In the photo: Young onion
Planting onions before winter in Siberia
Unfortunately, severe Siberian frosts do not allow us to speak with confidence about the possibility of cultivating winter onions in this region. If you guess the timing of planting, the variety and the winter weather, it is quite possible that your efforts will be crowned with success. But if you are unlucky, you can always sow onions in the spring.
Winter onion varieties
We offer you an introduction to some varieties of winter onions, from which you can choose those that are suitable for growing in your area.
- Ruby– a variety of Donetsk selection. Early ripening onions with a growing season of 72-85 days with good keeping quality and a yield of 3 kg/m². A round bulb weighing 50-80 g, light purple in color with a silvery tint.
- Siberian annual– an early ripening variety with a growing season of 60-70 days, strong foliage, semi-sharp taste, round-flat yellow bulb. A variety with good keeping quality and resistant to bolting. Productivity 4 kg/m².
- Robin– has the richest red color of all red onions. This hybrid has a powerful root system, tolerates drought well, and is productive. Its bulb is in the shape of an amphora. The variety was developed for cultivation in the southern regions.
- Mouzona– mid-early variety, ripening from sets in 90-110 days. The bulbs are dense, round, white, weighing 100-120 g. This variety of onions can be stored for two months. Cold-resistant.
- Lugansk– a late-ripening variety with a sharp taste and good keeping quality. The bulb is round - flat or oval, the integumentary scales are yellow or yellow-brown, the weight of the bulb is 70-145 g.
- Buran– a variety of Ukrainian selection for universal use with a round dense bulb of intense yellow color weighing up to 100 g. Keeping quality is good, the yield is stable, but is affected by downy mildew.
- Tamara F1– a mid-early hybrid with dense bulbs with yellow-brown scales and a semi-sharp taste. It can be stored for a long time, is resistant to fusarium and pink rot, and is highly productive.
- Black Prince– a mid-season variety of Russian selection with high keeping quality with a semi-sharp taste and dense round bulbs of a dark purple color. Back
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After this article they usually read
Growing onions by head with traditional planting in early spring can be fraught with some difficulties - abundant bolting, pest damage. Planting onions before winter will help you avoid most problems. This technique has not yet become widespread, but an increasing number of gardeners are appreciating the benefits of winter sowing from their own experience.
What are the benefits of planting onions before winter?
By using the autumn option of sowing onions, the summer resident receives a lot of positive aspects:
- savings on planting material - the smallest specimens of onion sets are planted before winter, the cost of which is minimal in the fall;
- getting an early harvest - you can pull out ripe heads already at the end of June;
- massive onion shoots appear before the development of weeds and onion flies, which makes it easier to care for the crops;
- A fully ripened vegetable does not contain a large amount of moisture, which guarantees its long-term storage.
What species are planted
Pre-winter planting is suitable for most varieties of this vegetable plant. This applies to both sowing seeds and obtaining a full harvest of onions. Before winter, it is advisable to plant the following types of onions:
- Nigella - seeds formed by flower stalks, used for growing sets, green onions for feathers, small heads;
- sevok (wild oatmeal) - a small fraction of planting material capable of producing a full-fledged turnip by mid-summer;
- trumpet is a perennial plant species that can provide gardeners with lush, vitamin-rich greens already in early spring;
- shallots are a frost-resistant variety, in which one bulb produces up to 10–15 heads of different sizes.
Perennial crop species whose seeds are sown before winter grow successfully - this applies to multi-tiered (Egyptian) onions and leeks.
The best varieties for winter planting
To get a good harvest of onions planted in the fall, it is important to choose those varieties that have proven themselves to be cold-resistant and early. For planting, it is recommended to pay attention to zoned species that are adapted to local climatic conditions.
- Radar F1 is a Dutch hybrid that can easily withstand temperatures down to –23-25°C provided there is snow cover. It is distinguished by its early ripening period (late May-June), good keeping quality and large fruit size (up to 300–350 g).
Onion variety Radar F1 has a peninsular taste
- Shakespeare - due to the tight fit of its scales, it overwinters well when the temperature drops to –18°C. The taste is semi-sharp, the heads are medium-sized, weighing up to 100–120 g. Full ripening occurs 2.5 months after the appearance of friendly shoots.
Compared to other varieties, Shakespeare onions have denser scales
- Stuttgarter Risen - onions of German origin, heads are flat-rounded, average weight 120–150 g. The growing season is 3.5 months. The variety is not susceptible to characteristic diseases: neck rot or powdery mildew. With proper care, you can collect up to 5 kg from 1 square. m, is distinguished by high commercial qualities and shelf life.
Stuttgarter Riesen onions contain a lot of vitamin C
- Red Baron is a red onion with excellent taste characteristics. Noted as a particularly frost-resistant early ripening variety (85–90 days). The yield is 3 kg per 1 sq. m, weight of heads - up to 250 g. Safety - high (subject to temperature conditions), the variety is suitable for cultivation in any climatic zone. Resistant to diseases and pests.
The Red Baron onion variety is an annual
- Sturon - elliptical heads reach a weight of 200–220 g in 110–120 days. A variety of Dutch selection, the fruits have a bitter-sharp taste and a sharp, specific smell. Characteristic qualities: unpretentiousness to growing conditions, cold resistance, good preservation (up to 9 months). It is advisable to subject it to culinary processing.
The predecessor of the Sturon variety is Stuttgarter Riesen
- Panther F1 is a frost-resistant hybrid of Japanese origin, capable of successfully overwintering at temperatures as low as –28°C. The bulbs are single germinated, the neck is thin. The growing season is up to 135 days, the heads are regularly shaped and weigh 170–200 g.
Onion variety Panther F1 prefers fertile light loams or loamy chernozems, does not tolerate acidic soils
Good results with winter sowing are given by classic onion varieties: Strigunovsky, Bessonovsky, Arzamassky. To determine the most productive and long-lasting variety in a particular garden plot, it is advisable to use several varieties of crops in order to ultimately select the most suitable one.
When to plant onions before winter
The timing of planting winter onions is determined based on local climatic conditions.
According to the general rule, vegetable planting should be completed 14 days before the onset of stable sub-zero temperatures.
The seedlings planted before winter should sprout good roots, but under no circumstances should green sprouts appear. Therefore, you should not sow onions too early - the best time is when the temperature remains at 4–5°C for several days. A delay in planting will lead to the fact that the onions will not have time to create a root system, and when frost sets in, the set will simply die.
An additional source of information can be the lunar calendar, which indicates specific dates for planting onions before winter.
Table of onion planting dates by region
In the southern regions of the country, it is permissible to plant onion sets in late November - early December. The planting material will have time to take root and will not produce tall growth. If the snow falls in a timely manner, the wild oat will safely overwinter and sprout massively in early spring.
Landing rules
From mid-July, watering onions should be stopped.
Pre-winter planting is acceptable for all types of bulbous crops, except for leeks, which are planted in early spring. Techniques for sowing vegetable varieties have their own characteristics.
Chernushka
Seeds can be planted when sub-zero temperatures occur - at the end of November or early December. Boarding order:
- Prepare the beds in advance in a sunny place.
- Mark furrows 2–2.5 cm deep, maintaining a distance of 25 cm between them.
- When frost sets in, sow nigella in a continuous strip.
- Sprinkle with soil prepared in advance; the soil layer should be 1.5–2 cm.
- Water the beds, mulch the crops with sawdust, pine needles or peat with a layer of 2.5–3 cm.
- After snow falls, create additional snow cover to insulate the bed.
Sevok
For winter planting of onions, it is necessary to select the smallest onions - their diameter should not exceed 10–15 mm. Sevok of a larger fraction will work well for greens, but quickly goes into the shoot, so it will not grow into a high-quality head.
Algorithm of actions for winter planting of seedlings:
- Calibrate and prepare wild oatmeal - place it in a hot solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), then transfer it to a cloth bag and keep it near the battery for 2-3 days.
- Make a bed and mark furrows at a distance of 25 cm.
- Plant the sets at a distance of 5–10 cm to a depth of 6–8 cm.
- Sprinkle with soil and lightly compact the soil.
- Cover the bed with mulch - pine litter, humus, straw, dry tops.
In the central and southern regions, where snowy winters with mild frosts are observed, mulching onion beds is not necessary. If the shelter has been made, then with the onset of the first spring days it should be removed so that the earth on the ridges warms up faster.
If some bulbs are not ripe and have a thick neck, it is better to eat them immediately
When mass shoots appear, it is recommended to thin out densely planted onions. To do this, shoots that are weak and prone to bolting are removed from the garden bed - they can be used as early greens. To grow onions for turnips, the distance between plants should be at least 10 cm.
The correct site for winter planting onions is a sunny, high place without stagnant water with loose soil.
Video: tricks for winter planting onions
To get a rich and healthy onion harvest, winter planting should be done correctly, focusing on the characteristics of each variety and climate in a particular region.
Hello, reader!
I will continue to talk about a forgotten method of planting onions in the fall. It is increasingly gaining popularity. Let's talk about winter onions, planting and care. For a successful harvest, you need to use zoned onion varieties. For the onion itself, it is much better to plant in the fall. When planted in winter, small onion sets grow into a full-fledged large onion, subject to the planting conditions, of course. And the selection grows good green mass.
The method of planting winter onions is also attractive because the harvest is harvested a month or two earlier than usual and the greenery on the feather grows much earlier than spring plantings. For those who want to earn income from selling surplus crops, timing is of no small importance. Early products have fewer competitors and higher prices.
Winter onions - planting and care
When preparing the land and adding organic matter, no need to add fresh manure. I always say that many plants do not like it, manure causes fungal diseases. In general, when planting winter onions, it is better to add humus to their predecessors, and after harvesting them, simply loosen the onion bed with the addition of ash. Onions can be planted in one place the second year. To do this, add bee pollen and fresh soil. But then, be sure to take a break for up to five years without returning the bow to this place.
Varieties for winter onions
- Carmen MC
- Stuttgarten Riesen
- Myachkovsky 300
- Strigunovsky local
- Danilovsky
- Sturon
Select the smallest onions. We simply throw them away in the spring, as they dry out over the winter. We make grooves 4-5 cm deep in the garden bed, lay out the dried onions and cover them with light soil (a mixture of garden soil with humus or sand). The neck of the bulbs is not cut off during winter planting.
Don’t forget to cover our garden bed well with some kind of shelter when it gets cold. Small branches (after pruning apple and raspberry trees), dry remains from a pea bed, leaves. All this will help the onions survive snowless frosts safely. And winters with little snow too.
To obtain early green feathers for food or bunches of onions for sale, we plant selections. These are large set bulbs, which, when planted in the spring, will not produce a harvest, as they will go to waste. It is good to plant small onions (from failed turnips) for these purposes. It is also unsuitable for planting on turnips in spring. The entire harvest will go to the arrow.
We plant selections more often, deepening them 3-5 cm into the bed, mulch the plantings and insulate them before frosts, just like small onions.
Fertilizing winter onions
In the fall, there is no need to get carried away with fertilizers, especially nitrogen ones - onions overfed with nitrogen do not overwinter well. The ash added when preparing the bed will be enough until spring.
In the spring, plantings are watered with mullein solution; nitrogen supplements in the spring will accelerate the growth of onions. The first watering is carried out after the ground has thawed and the seedlings have appeared, the second - after two weeks. But here too It’s better to underfeed than to overfertilize- the onion will grow green mass, and the bulb will be loose and unsuitable for storage.
In the summer, during the formation of the bulbs, they are watered with an ash solution.
Basic rules of care
The success of growing winter onions depends on proper care throughout the growing season.
- Do not allow the soil to dry out, water regularly and monitor the humidity. But you can’t overfill it either - the onions will rot.
- Loosening(especially after the snow melts) is a guarantee of large bulbs.
- Mulching the soil– reduction of labor costs. Constantly maintaining soil moisture and required temperature. The soil does not overheat even in hot weather, which is good for onions.
- Prevent weeds from growing, otherwise they may choke out tender young shoots. Mulching the beds will also help with this.
- Do not thicken plantings. In the fall, we try to plant small onions more often in order to insure ourselves just in case (what if the winter is harsh and it freezes). And in the spring our onions turn green like a solid wall, and we are glad that we overwintered well. But here you need to show character and immediately thin out the plantings, leaving a distance of up to 10 cm between the bulbs (depending on the size of the variety).
- Don’t forget to remove the cover from the beds in early spring, immediately after the snow melts. For covering, you can use white non-woven fabric, not just plant debris.
Video about planting winter onions
When to plant onions before winter? In order for the harvest to grow decent, we will look into this article, because in most regions of our country onions are most often planted in the fall. In addition, it is important to choose the right place for planting and skillfully prepare it. This article offers tips to help you figure out how to you can plant onions before winter and what should be taken into account?
Benefits of planting in autumn
There are several advantages of planting onions before winter:
- Winter onions produce a harvest earlier than spring onions by approximately 2-4 weeks. They are collected in July, and something else can be planted in the place of germination;
- Small wild oatmeal (sets) practically do not shoot, but large ones definitely shoot, but produce fragrant early greens. Therefore, this moment is left to the discretion of the gardener;
- Thanks to natural selection in cold weather conditions, the harvest will be healthy and of high quality;
- Many pests that affect early crops (carrot flies, cruciferous flea beetles, etc.) do not affect early onions;
- There are no weeds that cannot compete in growth with early onions. Thanks to this, there is no need for weeding;
- Sufficient level of moisture for the formation of bulbs, thanks to snow melting;
- The bulbs are larger than those of the spring type, but are stored a little worse;
- Saving time, because in the fall there are fewer worries than in the spring.
Which bow is better plant before winter
There is a large selection of onions, which may differ in ripening period, taste and storage conditions. What type of onion to plant before winter:
Something to remember! Southern (heat-loving) varieties are definitely not suitable for autumn sowing in northern regions and vice versa.
When to plant onions before winter
Deadlines
We will discuss below how to properly plant onions in autumn, when to plant winter onions and how to protect them from frost.
In those regions where winters are not very cold, it is better to choose a period 30-35 days before the onset of frost, in late October - early November.
It is necessary to monitor the temperature outside; when it stays at +5 degrees for several days, it means it’s time to plant onions.
Watch the video! Planting onions before winter
Important! If the onion manages to grow 1-2 cm, then nothing will happen to it in winter. But if the greenery rises to a height of 5-7 cm, then it will be difficult for him in winter, especially in winter with little snow.
When not to plant onions
It is difficult to say on which days onions should not be planted. You should pay attention to weather conditions. Before the onset of frost, the plant should have roots, but the arrows should not appear. If you plant it early, arrows will appear and the plant will die in winter, and if it is late, it may happen that the roots have not yet strengthened, and the result will be the same, the onion will die.
Then you can plant onions
For onions to grow well, it is better to plant them after the following crops:
To prevent the plant from being damaged by nematodes, you should not plant it after:
- Alfalfa;
- Clover;
- Bobov;
The second harvest can be grown onions after:
- Rapeseed;
- Beetroot;
- Beans;
- Peas;
- Barley.
If the harvest from these plants was harvested before the third decade of July.
Is it possible to plant onions after onions? Only 2 times in a row. After this, it is necessary to take a break for 4 years, as in the landing situation garlic .
How to plant onions before winter
If this planting option is preferable, it is worth choosing the right place where the onions will be planted and preparing the bulbs themselves.
Site selection and site preparation
The location on the site must be chosen so that moisture does not stagnate. At the same time, it should be open and sunny, so that in the spring the snow melts quickly and the earth warms up.
The bed on which the onions will be planted must be prepared in advance. The soil should be loose and fertile, with neutral acidity. You can enter:
- humus or compost;
- superphosphate (15-20 grams per square meter);
- Wood ash is introduced into the soil or directly into the holes. It will serve as a fertilizer and a means of preventing rot.
They plant such onions in ordinary or high beds, maybe even in a greenhouse, then germination will begin earlier.
If there is no greenhouse, but you want to speed up ripening, you can make a small greenhouse after the snow melts. For this, film or spunbond is used.
Selection, preparation and processing of planting material
The first stage is the selection of bulbs. They must be carefully sorted, and damaged or rotten ones must be selected. Then you need to divide it into parts:
- small wild oatmeal, up to 1 cm in diameter, will go to the head;
- onion sets, which has a diameter of 1-3 cm, is suitable for the head and pen;
- large onions with a diameter of more than 3 cm will be used for early greens.
Important! Small bulbs will have few feathers and will develop poorly.
Some gardeners disinfect planting material before planting in the ground:
- To do this, the bulbs are dipped in potassium permanganate or copper sulfate solution for 5-10 minutes, and if in the spring, then for 20-30 minutes.
- Then the bulbs are dried for 12-24 hours. But it must be remembered that dry heads will withstand frost better than those that have swollen from moisture. Moreover, they germinate faster.
Advice! If you need to speed up the bolting of the sets, you can try to warm them up.
- Place the bulbs in a warm solution of potassium permanganate (the temperature of which should be 50-60 degrees). Before planting in the ground, the furrows are poured with boiling water.
- Hang the bulbs in a canvas bag near the radiator and leave for 2-3 days. You need to make sure that they do not come into contact with the heater.
Planting process
Stages of planting winter onions before winter:
Important! Whether or not to mulch the beds depends on the climate of a particular region. Where the winter is mild and snowy, there is no need for additional shelter.
When to expect shoots
If weather conditions are favorable, then seedlings appear at the end of March, which will produce fruit 30 days earlier than when planted in spring.
Features of care
There are no special requirements for caring for onions. It is enough to understand the stages of crop development and act in accordance with agrotechnical requirements.
Emergence of seedlings
When the snow melts, it is recommended to remove the shelter from the area where the onions are planted. This will speed up the emergence of sprouts thanks to sunlight.
Loosen the soil after rain or watering, while simultaneously removing weeds. If the plantings are thickened, when 3-4 leaves appear, you can straighten them. The greens will be used for food.
Top dressing
After removing the covering material and mulch, wood ash (10 g per square meter) is scattered over the bed.
When the 4th leaf appears, the process of bulb formation has begun. Then she needs to be fed. Onions prefer azofoska, in the proportion of 20-25 grams per 1 square meter. Or you can use organic fertilizers, such as a solution of chicken manure.
Watering
If there was a snowy winter and heavy rainfall in the spring, then the onions are rarely watered. If the weather is dry, then you will need to water once every 7 days.
Diseases and pests
Plantings can be affected by the following pests:
Landing Features
Moscow region and Ukraine, as well as warm regions. There are no landing features here. If the temperature drops even to -15 degrees, then the covered onion is not afraid. In severe frosts, plants may be partially damaged.
In the Urals. There are slight differences here from planting in temperate climates. The planting period occurs at the beginning of the autumn period, at the end of September and continues until mid-October. In the Urals, the plant must be covered for the winter. For cultivation, it is better not to use heat-loving varieties, giving preference to frost-resistant species.
Siberia. It’s difficult to talk about the possibility of planting onions before winter, because not every crop can withstand Siberian severe frosts. It is possible that something will come of this, given the ideal planting time and a gentle winter. But, in any case, you can sow onions in the spring.
Watch the video! Planting onions before winter. A simple and reliable way
Typically, planting onion sets and seeds is carried out in the spring, but planting onions before winter is becoming increasingly popular. In early spring, almost from under the snow, friendly shoots of green feathers appear. Autumn bulbs grow large and healthy.
- Bulbs less than 1 cm (oat) are sold very cheaply in the fall due to difficulties with storage.
- Wild oats planted in autumn do not bolt.
- A small set grows into a full-fledged bulb, which is perfectly preserved in winter.
- The harvest ripens earlier than during spring planting. Therefore, in place of the dug up onions, you can plant greens and vegetables of the second wave (for example, dill, parsley, lettuce, spinach, beets, radishes, etc.).
- The green feather appears very early, almost from under the snow.
- The onion fly, which damages spring plantings, is almost harmless to winter onions.
- Having undergone cold hardening, the vegetable grows hardy and is not susceptible to disease.
- When planting onions in the fall, time is freed up for spring work.
Small onions (oat) are very cheap due to storage difficulties
A significant disadvantage is that it is not possible to plant large bulbs (more than 2 cm in size) to obtain turnips. Almost all of them will go to waste. They can only be planted on feathers.
I once planted large bulb sets before winter. In early spring, friendly shoots appeared. Imagine my surprise when huge flower stalks as thick as a finger appeared. But the bulbs remained the same size. Now I plant a little large set for greens - a full-fledged feather immediately grows from it. As soon as the arrow begins to appear, I pull out the young onion and serve it on the table.
Not all onion varieties are suitable for autumn planting - choose zoned and frost-resistant ones. They are not afraid of frosts, they sprout well in the spring.
Onion varieties that are grown in the southern regions of the country are not suitable for northern latitudes. Therefore, it is recommended to plant several suitable varieties, and then select the most effective ones from them.
Onion seeds, called nigella, can be purchased at the store or obtained from your garden. Do not break off all the arrows - inflorescences with seeds will appear on them. When the boxes begin to open, cut them off and dry well. In autumn, nigella is sown for early greenery, as well as for growing sets.
You can buy nigella in the store or collect it from your garden.
Onion varieties for autumn planting
The best winter onion varieties include:
- Ellan;
- Stuttgarten Riesen;
- Bessonovsky;
- Danilovsky - 301;
- Odintsovets;
- Strigunovsky.
Ellan onion is an early winter variety and is popular among gardeners
How to plant onions in the fall
It is very important to plant onions at a certain time. If you do this early, it will begin to sprout and die at the first frost. If it’s too late, the bulbs won’t have time to take root.
Landing dates
The timing depends on the climatic conditions of the region where winter onions will be planted. Aim for planting onions 20–30 days before the first frost.
In the northern regions of Russia, the procedure is carried out in September - early October. In the middle zone, onions are usually planted from October 5 to October 20. In the southern regions - until November.
To determine timing, plant onions at different times. Next year you will understand when is the best time to start planting in your region.
Sow nigella in frozen soil (at the end of November) so that the seeds do not germinate.
Preparing bulbs and seeds for sowing
7 days before planting, sort the bulbs. They are divided according to size as follows:
- wild oatmeal - less than 1 cm;
- first category - 1–1.5 cm;
- second category - 1.5–3 cm;
- samples - more than 3 cm.
To grow turnips, select wild oats and bulbs of the first category, for green feathers - the second category and selections. The set should be firm, without signs of rot. Do not cut off the neck of the bulbs, otherwise a feather will grow instead of a turnip.
Dress the bulbs before planting them in the ground. Immerse the seeds in a saline solution for 3 hours (1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water), then for 3 hours in a saturated solution of potassium permanganate. Dry the bulbs for a week, turning them occasionally.
Onion seeds are not soaked in the fall.
Site preparation
The area where you plan to plant onions should be well lit by the sun. Choose a place on a hill where there is no stagnant water. The best option is a southern slope.
To disinfect, spill the soil with copper sulfate (1 tbsp per bucket of water): per 1 m 2 of soil - 2 liters of solution. Add 4–5 kg of humus, 5 kg of peat and 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate per 1 m 2 of land and dig it up with a shovel bayonet. Before planting onions, sprinkle the soil with ash.
Onions like to grow after potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and legumes. It is not recommended to plant it after onions and cabbage.
Planting onions
Level the bed, make furrows and plant onions according to the following pattern:
- distance between rows - 10–15 cm;
- groove depth - 5 cm;
- the distance between the bulbs is 7–8 cm.
For wild oats, make furrows no deeper than 2–3 cm, as they may not penetrate the soil layer. Cover the bulbs with soil and compact them lightly. There is no need to water the plantings in the fall to prevent the seedlings from growing.
Sow nigella in pre-prepared beds. In October, when the soil is not yet frozen, prepare the same beds as for sowing. Make the grooves no deeper than 2–3 cm, the distance between them is 15 cm. When constant frost sets in, sow nigella in them, sprinkle with earth and insulate with peat, leaves, branches, etc.
Care after landing
Winter onions require virtually no maintenance. Don’t rush to cover the bed with onions, as they can get wet. Wait for a light frost and mulch the bed with fallen leaves, spruce branches, dried stems and other materials. In winter, cover it with snow - this is the best protection against freezing.