Onions are the basis of many dishes and a cure for many ailments “in one bottle.” Many people in our country use it for cooking (for soups, main courses, pickling, salads, etc.). It is also a favorite of adherents of traditional medicine, and this is not surprising, because it contains useful vitamins, microelements, it strengthens the immune system and helps prevent many ailments. Proper planting of seedlings in the garden is very important for obtaining a large and tasty harvest. This article will tell you how to properly plant onions on a head in open ground in the spring.
What is sevok? Sevok is the name for onion planting material. It is obtained as follows: the seeds of this crop are planted and in the first year a small onion grows, which is called a set; it is used for planting to obtain onions for consumption.
You can also find the expression Planting an onion on a turnip (or on the head) is the same as planting a set.
When is the best time to plant onion sets in open ground in the spring of 2019? When choosing the time for the procedure, it is necessary to focus on temperature conditions. Spring planting on the head should be done after the temperature the earth will be more than 12 degrees Celsius(at the same time, it should warm up to a depth of ten centimeters!). Despite the fact that this crop is considered relatively cold-resistant, the threat of returning spring frosts must pass.
Important! Do not rush to plant in open ground. In case of recurrent frosts or due to differences in day and night temperatures, shooting, which means that it will not grow into a good onion, even if you pluck out the arrow.
There is no universal answer to the question of when is the best time to plant a crop. After all, the territory of our large country has different weather and climatic conditions, this must be taken into account when choosing the timing of planting onions on turnips in the spring:
- In Siberia, the Urals, the Leningrad region- late May or early June.
- In the South (in the Krasnodar Territory and Kuban, in the North Caucasus)— the optimal time for spring planting is in the first half of April.
- In the middle zone (including the Moscow region)— the procedure should be carried out in mid-May.
Moon cycles are excellent assistants for summer residents in gardening matters; they can become real guides in terms of choosing good and bad days for any country procedures . Dates for planting onion sets in spring in open ground according to the 2019 lunar calendar:
- Most favorable days:
- in April - 2-9, 11-15, 24-27, 29, 30;
- in May - 1-4, 12, -14, 21-23;
- in June -9, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20.
- Worst days:
- in April - 5th, 19th;
- in May - 5, 19;
- in June - 3, 4, 17.
The main stages of planting seedlings in open ground
When performing any gardening task, you need to know the features and rules of the event. And planting onion sets in open ground in the spring is no exception. The procedure method is quite simple, but you should know all the preparation steps.
Selection of location and soil
Choosing the right site is very important for successful cultivation. Therefore, for spring planting onion sets, choose a place and soil in the garden, taking into account the following recommendations:
- The place should be warm, well lit by the sun.
- Groundwater should be no higher than 0.5 m from the surface of the earth.
- The soil for cultivation must be fertile, loose, neutral (pH - 6.5-7), and have good air and moisture permeability.
- It is recommended to avoid areas with acidic soils or deoxidize them, but this will be discussed a little below. When growing crops in such land, there is a high probability of developing downy mildew.
- The optimal soil for growing the crop is sandy loam or loamy soil.
Important! You can plant onion sets in the previous place of cultivation in open ground only after three years, or better yet after five years.
- When choosing a location, it is important to consider compatibility with other cultures. Good neighbors for this crop are carrots, cabbage, radishes, and beets.
- Pay attention to your predecessors. It is recommended to plant after crops, during the cultivation of which the soil was regularly flavored with organic fertilizers, for example, cucumbers, tomatoes, legumes, cabbage, potatoes, melons.
A little trick! The most useful neighbor for such a vegetable is carrots. The fact is that when grown together, they form a mutually beneficial tandem - they will protect each other from carrot and onion flies.
Preparing the site and soil
Proper preparation of the soil and space in the garden for planting onion sets in open ground is very important. It will help create optimal conditions for growing and obtaining a good harvest. It is recommended to prepare the area in the garden in the fall or at least in the spring 1-1.5 months before planting the turnips. You need to act according to the following scheme:
- The future garden bed should be thoroughly cleaned of debris, stones, and weed roots.
- Then you should fertilize the soil (because you can only get a good harvest on fertile, nutritious soil!). To do this, you need to put compost or humus on the site (five kilograms per square meter), and then dig up to 35-40 centimeters.
- It is also recommended to scatter wood ash (1 cup per sq. m.). It will serve not only as a good fertilizer, but also as an excellent deoxidizer (and the crop does not like acidic soils!).
- If your site has acidic soil, you must deoxidize it. You can add dolomite flour to the area (a glass of the substance per square meter).
- Regardless of what season you did the preparation, in the spring you need to additionally fertilize the soil in the garden with mineral fertilizers. You can apply a complex fertilizer that immediately contains nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in equal parts, for example, Nitroammofoska. Or add several fertilizers: ammonium nitrate (20 grams per square meter), double superphosphate (25 g per square meter), potassium sulfate (30 g per square meter).
- After the above preparation, you should thoroughly loosen and level the ground with a rake.
Selection of planting material
The quality of planting material always plays a vital role in growing a good harvest. They should be purchased in the spring. You should carefully select onion sets for planting in open ground in the spring:
- Planting material should be dry to the touch. But if you find specimens that are slightly moistened, then they can also be planted, but they should be dried at home immediately after purchase.
- They should be dense (you can check this by lightly pressing on them) and have a uniform color.
- There must be no signs of damage, mold, rot, or stains.
Note! It is not recommended to buy planting material at street sales points if the temperature is below freezing, because it can freeze, which means that there is no point in planting such sets.
Storage Features
Very often a situation arises when a gardener purchased planting material a little earlier than planned. There is no need to panic or worry in such a situation. In order to get a normal harvest without surprises, it is necessary to store the purchased onion sets correctly in an apartment or private house. Before storing, it is worth drying it for 2-3 days.
Optimal maintenance conditions before planting in open ground are temperature within 15-17 degrees (without sharp fluctuations in temperature), and humidity within 70-75 percent. Should be kept in a dry place with good ventilation.
It is optimal to store seedlings at home in plastic or wooden boxes or hanging nets.
Advice! If, while storing in an apartment, a specimen has sprouted or sprouted, you can put it in the refrigerator to slow down the processes.
Preparation of planting material
Sets can have different sizes; shortly before the gardening event, it is recommended to sort them by size so as not to waste time at the event itself:
- 8-14 millimeters - the smallest specimens are not recommended to be planted in the spring, since the ripening of the crop will be later. It is better to plant it before winter in the fall.
- 15-21 mm is the normal size, which can be safely planted in the spring and are not prone to bolting.
- 22-24 mm - optimally used for obtaining onions for feathers (for greens), because they ripen early.
- 25-30 millimeters - it is recommended to plant sets only for onions per feather (for greens).
By the way! First, you can plant onion sets in open ground, which have a diameter of less than 1 centimeter (you don’t have to be afraid that when growing due to cold weather, bolting will begin), and after about one or two weeks, larger specimens.
To avoid problems in the future, planting material should be prepared. The most important preparation of onion sets before planting in the spring is warming up, which will help prevent shooting. To do this, you need to put the material in a place with a temperature of 40-45 degrees Celsius (for example, on a battery) and warm it up for 8-10 hours.
After warming up, it is recommended to apply as a treatment before planting on turnips. soaking onion sets in a fungicide solution to eliminate pathogens from its surface. You can soak, for example, in a solution of the drug “Fitosporin-M”, “Planriz”, “Gamair”. Disinfection takes approximately 1-2 hours, but it must be processed according to the instructions for the drug. You can also etch in a dark solution of potassium permanganate (hold for 30 minutes), in a solution of birch tar (a tablespoon per liter of water, soak for 1 hour). Planting material can be soak in a solution of a growth stimulant drug, for example, the drug "Bud".
If you see that some of your specimens have dried out and you feel sorry for discarding them, then you can soak them for two days in a solution of wood ash.
Important! After any soaking of the onion, before planting it on the head, you must first dry the planting material and then plant it.
If you want to plant seedlings on greens, then it is recommended trim dry the top neck of the material before planting.
Planting scheme
The scheme and rules for planting onion sets in open ground are very simple. But despite their simplicity, you need to carefully follow the recommended technology and perform each step carefully. Let's look at the simplest and most convenient way to plant onions on turnips in the spring:
- Make rows 20 centimeters apart. The depth of the grooves should be 5-7 centimeters.
- Water the grooves thoroughly.
- Place the bulbs in rows with the bottom down, deepened to the shoulders (neck). The distance between the sets is 10 centimeters (if they are very small, then you can keep a gap of 6-7 cm).
- And then you should fill the grooves with earth so that there is a 2-3 cm layer above the onion.
Important! In the spring, you should not plant the seedlings at great depths or too close to the surface of the earth. When planted deeply, the bulb will develop more slowly and have an elongated shape when ripe. And if planted too shallowly, the roots will not be able to receive adequate nutrition.
Aftercare
To get a large and tasty harvest, it is important not only to plant correctly in the spring, but also to properly care for the plant in the garden. Basic rules for caring for onion sets after planting in open ground:
- It is necessary to perform regular watering:
- After planting on the head, you need to water the sets once or twice a week during the active growing season. The soil should always be moderately moist.
- But already in July, at the time of active ripening of the crop, it is necessary to reduce watering, the optimal frequency is once every 14 days.
- Three weeks before harvest, watering must be stopped completely.
Advice! When greenery appears above the surface of the ground, it is recommended to open the shoulders (neck) of the set, moving away a little earth. This trick will help you get larger bulbs and timely ripening of the crop.
- A very important element of caring for onion sets is loosening. It is necessary to loosen the bed frequently to improve air flow to the roots. The activity is not difficult, but extremely useful. If you do not do this, a crust may form on the surface, preventing the flow of oxygen. In this case, it is very important to carry out superficial, but not very deep loosening in order to prevent damage to the underground part of the plant.
- It is necessary to regularly remove weeds. Such care is very necessary when growing plants.
- Regular feeding- the key to a good harvest in terms of quality and quantity.
- The first time you need to feed it twenty days after planting the turnip. It is optimal to use chicken manure (1 part of the substance to 15 parts of water) or rotted mullein (proportion - one to ten). The fertilizing rate is ten liters of fertilizer per 1 m² of area.
- The second feeding should be done three weeks after the first time. It is recommended to use potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate as fertilizers. Apply 15 grams of each substance per square meter before watering.
- Subsequently, feeding should be done as needed. And the need can be determined by the plants themselves: slow growth, pale leaves. Let's say, the green bunch is small, the feathers are short - a lack of nitrogen, drying out of the bulbs indicates a lack of phosphorus, the feathers have a grayish color and carved edges - a deficiency of potassium.
- To protect the future harvest, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatments with insecticidal and fungicidal agents.
- Hilling of this crop cannot be done!
A bountiful harvest of onions from your garden is a real joy for any summer resident. The spring planting algorithm is very simple. The main thing is to do everything efficiently and carefully, and subsequently follow the recommended agricultural cultivation techniques. The culmination of the entire process described above is the harvest, the timing of which may vary from region to region, but on average occurs in late July to mid-August. It is recommended to focus on the plants themselves - their leaves should lie down, turn yellow and dry out. The crop must be harvested along with the tops. Before sending for storage, it is imperative to dry the vegetable.
Onion greens are a very healthy addition to any dish, because they are extremely rich in vitamins, macro- and microelements. The culture is unpretentious, so it is found everywhere in garden plots. But you can provide yourself with greens not only during the gardening season, if you learn how to grow green onions in a greenhouse or on a windowsill.
The best varieties of onions for greens
There are special varieties of onions for harvesting. But even regular onion is quite suitable.
Onion
It is necessary to choose multi-germ varieties. If you cut such an onion, inside you will see not one, but 3-5 green embryos of future feathers.
Multi-bud onions are easy to identify if you cut the bulb
Suitable options:
- Arzamas local. A variety from the mid-season category with 3–4 rudiments. In addition to greenery, it also produces small, very dense bulbs. The feather is not damaged at low temperatures. Significant disadvantages are the tendency to be affected by downy mildew and the special love of the onion fly.
- Bessonovsky local. Onions of early ripening, medium bud (2–3 pieces). It has very good immunity, the only exception being peronosporosis. Requires minimal care.
- Rostov local improved. One of the earliest ripening varieties, each bulb has 3-4 rudiments. The feather rarely suffers from disease and is cold-resistant.
- Spassky local improved. One of the best medium-ripening varieties for forcing into greens. Each bulb contains 7–10 rudiments. It is resistant to cold, but can suffer greatly from downy mildew and neck rot if conditions for the development of these diseases are suitable during the season.
- Chernigovsky-4. A variety from the mid-late category. Each bulb contains 3–5 rudiments. It is often affected by peronosporosis, almost never by neck rot.
- Amber-29. There are 1–3 rudiments per bulb. In terms of ripening time, the variety is mid-season. Characterized by cold resistance and good immunity.
Onions are quite suitable for forcing onto greens, but this is still not its main purpose.
Also found under the names “Tatar”, “sandy”, “winter”. If you choose a perennial variety, the feathers can be cut 2-3 times during the season; for an annual baton, only once. In this variety, it is imperative to cut off the emerging stems with seed pods, they take away the necessary nutrition from the feathers, and their taste deteriorates sharply.
If you plant onions on greens, choose perennial varieties
The best varieties:
Video: spring onions for greens
He is also a rezanets or skoroda. The leaf length rarely exceeds 50 cm. They are very narrow, similar to needles. The greens are extremely juicy, tender and aromatic. This variety does not form large bulbs, but it blooms very nicely, attracting pollinating insects to the area. Chives are well suited for growing at home.
Chives are planted not only for the sake of greenery and bulbs, but also to decorate the area
Common varieties:
Also called pearl. In appearance, the feathers are almost indistinguishable from garlic feathers. The taste is very delicate, delicate. The average yield is 2–3 kg/m². Plants are usually tall and powerful; this variety is not very suitable for cultivation on a windowsill.
The main part of the beneficial substances in leeks is concentrated at the base of the stem
The best varieties:
It is distinguished by its general unpretentiousness. The quality of greens and yield is noticeably superior to onions.
Shallots are loved by gardeners for their general unpretentiousness and great productivity.
Varieties popular among gardeners:
This variety can be identified by its wide, flat leaves that exude a noticeable garlic aroma. Valued for its early ripening, cold resistance, and consistently high yield. In closed ground it grows all year round; in the garden, the growing season ends only with the onset of frost.
Slime onions have a long growing season, which ensures high yields
Popular varieties:
He is Egyptian or Canadian. It received its first name due to the fact that it forms small airy bulbs. It is superior to other varieties of crops in terms of ease of care and productivity. Most varieties are early ripening and multi-sprouting. The leaves are medium-sized (40–45 cm long), pipe-shaped. Most often, such onions are planted in the fall.
Multi-tiered onions form small bulbs in place of inflorescences
Popular varieties:
Planting bulbs in the ground
Onions are very low maintenance. This also applies to growing conditions. But it should be remembered that the quality of planting material is the key to a future abundant harvest.
Optimal timing
On average, the greens of most varieties of onions ripen in 15–20 days. This is what we need to proceed from when determining the timing of its disembarkation.
At home, time doesn’t really matter; new bulbs are planted year-round, as needed. In greenhouses, planting is practiced in the cold season (October-April); in winter, the demand for fresh herbs is much higher.
In open ground, the specific period depends on the growing region. The soil at a depth of 4–5 cm should warm up to at least 6–8ºС. In temperate climates this is usually the first half of May. During the summer, the bulbs can be replanted 2-3 more times, timing the time so that you have time to cut the greens before the first frost.
If the crop is grown from seeds, as a biennial plant, they are sown in the garden bed in mid-summer. Fresh greens will appear literally from under the snow; they can be cut in April or early May.
Preparing the bed
Choose a place for the culture that is well lit by the sun and protected from the wind. In the shade, the feathers stretch out, thin out, and become unaesthetically pale. The substrate must be loose, well permeable to air and water. Good predecessors for onions are any Pumpkin and Nightshade, all types of cabbage.
During the digging process, the onion bed is cleared of weeds and all necessary fertilizers are applied.
In the fall, the soil is dug up, 3–4 liters of humus or rotted compost, 20–25 g of simple superphosphate or potassium sulfate and 10–15 g of any mineral nitrogen-containing fertilizer are added per 1 m².
Humus is a natural remedy for increasing soil fertility
2–3 days before planting, it is loosened shallowly, leveled and carefully compacted. The latter is necessary so that after planting the onions, the substrate does not sag excessively.
Preparation of planting material
The best choice in this case is bulbs about 3–4 cm in diameter and weighing 10–15 g. They need to be cleaned of dried scales and sorted, rejecting all specimens with the slightest suspicious traces, reminiscent of mold or rot, dents, cracks. Approximately the same size is especially important when onions are planted on greens on an industrial scale - this subsequently ensures simultaneous cutting of the feather.
Bulbs for planting are selected very carefully - the future harvest depends on this
An obligatory stage is disinfection. To disinfect, selected bulbs are immersed in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate for several hours. Another option is salt water (a tablespoon per liter). You can add a few drops of any biostimulant to the solution (Epin, Heteroauxin, Kornevin, Immunocytophyte).
Potassium permanganate solution is one of the most common disinfectants
A common disease that can almost completely destroy a feather is peronosporosis. For prevention, planting material must be heated at a temperature of 40ºC for 7–8 hours.
To stimulate the bulbs to more actively form greenery, the top quarter is cut off, ensuring a greater supply of oxygen to the leaf embryos. To enhance the effect, they also make 2–3 longitudinal cuts up to 1.5–2 mm deep.
Cutting off the top of the onion will help you get greens faster.
For the same purpose, the onions are poured into a pile and watered with warm (30–35ºС) water. Then it is covered for 4–6 days with burlap or other material that allows air to pass through, but not light. The room temperature is maintained at a level not lower than 25ºС.
The described preparation methods shift the timing of cutting greenery back by 4–7 days and increase the yield of feathers by at least 60%.
Video: preparing bulbs and planting them in the ground
Different landing methods
There are two ways to plant onions:
Onion seeds for greens are planted in furrows at intervals of 30–40 cm. They are sown very abundantly. Because of this, the seedlings are extremely dense. When the first leaves appear, they will need to be thinned out, creating intervals of 2-3 cm.
When growing feathers, planting seeds is extremely rare. Its only advantage is the low cost of planting material. You will have to wait a very long time for the harvest.
Obtaining greens from onion seeds is a fairly lengthy procedure.
Video: growing onions from seeds
The nuances of caring for crops during the season
To get a good harvest of greens, the gardener is required to:
- Regular loosening of the bed. This ensures normal air exchange. It must be carried out 1-2 days after each watering.
Loosening the bed breaks up the hard crust on the soil surface
- Weeding. The root system of onions is underdeveloped; weeds simply “choke” it, robbing it of the necessary nutrition.
If you don’t weed the onion bed, you may not expect a bountiful harvest.
- Watering. It is necessary when the soil dries out at a depth of 3–4 cm. On average, until the greens first ripen, you need to carry out 4-6 waterings (twice a week). Excess moisture is harmful to the crop - the bulbs begin to rot. Water the bed along the furrows.
Onions are watered along the furrows between the rows
- Fertilizer application. It is advisable to use natural fertilizers. 3-4 times during the growing season are enough. Most often they are combined with watering. You can use infusions of fresh cow manure, bird droppings, nettle and dandelion leaves, and wood ash. All this provides plants with nitrogen, stimulating them to actively increase green mass. It is useful to fertilize after the first cutting of the feather to give the plants strength.
Nettle infusion is a natural source of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus
- Disease and pest control. Here, too, it is advisable to avoid chemicals. The best prevention is competent agricultural technology. To protect against fungal diseases, it is useful to spray the plants once every 7-10 days and spill the soil with solutions of soda ash, wood ash, dust with chalk or colloidal sulfur. Pests are effectively repelled by mustard powder, tobacco crumbs, and ground pepper scattered over the garden bed.
Downy mildew on onion is one of the most dangerous diseases for the crop.
- Frost protection. When planting before winter in the fall, the bed is covered with a layer of humus at least 5 cm thick. It is removed in the spring. When return frosts are expected, it is covered with plastic film or any covering material. If seeds were planted, by autumn there are already quite long feathers. In this case, the onions are covered with straw or a mixture of peat chips and sawdust.
Many varieties of onions are positioned as frost-resistant, but you still shouldn’t neglect mulching the beds for the winter
Harvest and storage
Green onions are ready for cutting when the length of the feather reaches approximately 30 cm. You cannot delay harvesting - the feathers greatly lose their presentability (they shrivel, turn yellow), and their taste also suffers. As soon as they began to bend toward the ground, it was definitely time.
In order for the feathers to continue to grow, existing ones must be cut off above the shoot growth point. Use sharp scissors or a small pruner for this. Such tools cause minimal damage to the plant. At home, you can simply carefully pinch off individual feathers as needed, gradually moving from the periphery to the center.
If you leave the harvest of green onions in the garden too long, its quality will deteriorate sharply.
- In glass jars. Place small dry feathers in a jar and close it tightly with a lid. If they are not broken or bent during the process, the greens will remain fresh for about a month. The container should be placed in a cool, dark place. By pouring vegetable oil on the onions, you will extend the shelf life by another 4-6 weeks, but in this form it is not suitable for all dishes.
- In a plastic bag. Unwashed feathers are placed in a bag of a suitable size, tied, and several holes are made with a knife or fork for ventilation. Keep the package in the cellar or basement.
- In thick paper or linen napkin. It is strictly forbidden to use newspapers - printing ink contains lead. The feather is washed, the water is allowed to drain, wrapped in paper or cloth, and lightly sprayed on top with a spray bottle. The package is wrapped in cellophane and put away in a cellar or pantry.
In the refrigerator, onions are stored in a special compartment for vegetables and fruits.
Dried and frozen onions are stored the longest without losing their beneficial properties (two years and a year, respectively). You can dry it either naturally or in an oven or a special dryer. To freeze the feathers, you must first finely chop them. The onions are also salted and fermented.
Before freezing, chop the green onions - this way they take up less space
Methods for growing onions
Cultivation in open ground is not the only method of growing onions. Professional farmers plant it in greenhouses. There is nothing difficult about getting fresh herbs at home.
In the greenhouse
The main criterion for choosing a variety in this case is productivity. To obtain a large mass of greenery in a greenhouse, you need fertile soil. Its surface sprinkle with dolomite flour or slaked lime - this will prevent mold from developing.
In greenhouses without heating, the bulbs are planted using the bridge method at the very end of autumn, sprinkled with a mixture of humus and peat chips (a layer at least 5–6 cm thick). The mulch is removed in the last ten days of February. The onions are watered with warm water, the beds are covered with plastic film until shoots appear.
In heated greenhouses, it is easier to maintain optimal conditions for forcing feathers - onions need a temperature of 17–20ºC during the day and 13–15ºC at night with a 12-hour daylight hours. When the first shoots appear, the daytime temperature is raised to 21–23ºС, but no more. A feather grows faster in warmth, but stretches greatly.
Growing green onions in a greenhouse is economically justified only on an industrial scale
Ventilation is added to the usual measures for caring for crops in a greenhouse. Special mineral complexes for onions are used as fertilizing. Watering is completely stopped 4-5 days before the planned cutting of greenery.
Video: onions for greens in a greenhouse
On hydroponics
The method is very popular among those who grow herbs for sale; hydroponics allows you to get feathers all year round and save space. The slabs are placed on racks in 3–4 tiers.
The bulbs are planted in special mineral wool slabs or mats, pre-moistened and spilled with a fertilizer solution. The interval between them is about 2 cm, the width of the rows is 3 cm. They are covered with a layer of perlite or vermiculite 2–3 cm thick on top.
When growing green onions hydroponically, it is necessary to provide them with optimal or close to optimal conditions.
Over the next week, the plantings need shade and coolness. As soon as developed roots appear, daylight hours are increased to 12–14 hours, and the temperature is raised to 23–25ºС. Feathers reach a length of 25–30 cm after 12–15 days. Always make sure that the “substrate” remains slightly moist at all times, water it with a fertilizer solution.
Video: green onions in hydroponics
At home
The technology is more or less familiar to everyone. The bulb is placed upside down in a glass of water or planted in a container with a diameter of 7–10 cm. Any universal substrate for seedlings will do. You can also use a deep tray to increase the yield. Before emergence, the bulbs are provided with heat (25–30ºС). As soon as the feathers grow to 1.5–2 cm in length, the temperature will need to be lowered to 20–23ºС.
Growing onions in one container is more convenient than in several separate jars
The water in the container is changed every 2-3 days, the substrate is watered twice a week. It is not necessary to apply fertilizing. All the necessary feathers will be obtained from the bulb itself; after cutting off the greens, they simply throw it away. The wait for the harvest is not long - the first feathers appear in a week or even earlier, they reach the required length in 8–12 days. Containers should be kept away from radiators and other heating devices. Otherwise, the soil quickly overheats and feathers grow poorly.
If onions are grown in water at home, make sure that the bottom does not touch its surface, otherwise rot will quickly develop.
You can save space by growing green onions in bottles with the neck cut off. Several 5–8 holes are cut out in the walls of a 5-liter container, matching the diameter of the bulbs. They are inserted inside, soil is poured into the bottle, compacting well. Water the plantings by dipping the container into water.
Onions grow well at home and in sawdust; they retain moisture for a long time, allowing you to get by with 1-2 waterings. Just before planting, they must be doused with boiling water or soaked for several hours in a solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. Sawdust is used only once: after harvesting, the substrate is completely changed.
Video: growing onions on a windowsill
Problems during cultivation
Onions are a difficult crop to care for, but it is not always possible to harvest a bountiful harvest of greenery. It happens that diseases and pests destroy it, but most often the problem lies in the wrong choice of place for planting or in illiterate care.
The crop categorically does not tolerate high acidity of the soil and proximity to weeds. It also requires the presence of sulfur in the substrate. Otherwise, the pen turns out thin and deformed. When preparing the beds, dolomite flour, potassium sulfate, and ammonium sulfate are added to the soil.
At the early stage, adequate watering is very important. Sprinkling is strictly excluded - this often provokes the development of peronosporosis. And general waterlogging of the soil promotes the development of rot.
Yellowing onion feathers may indicate both a moisture deficiency and a lack of potassium
An unnatural color of feathers indicates a deficiency of certain nutrients:
- Nitrogen. Pale green or light green hue, thin feathers.
- Phosphorus. Withering and drooping gradually blackening tips of feathers.
- Potassium. The feathers are lime-colored or yellowish, as if corrugated.
- Magnesium. Feathers covered with whitish spots and break very easily.
- Copper. Straw-yellow feathers lying on the bed.
There is nothing difficult about growing onions. Even a novice gardener can cope with this. The main thing is to choose the right variety. The culture is distinguished by its ease of care; preparation for planting also does not require anything supernatural. Green onions can be cultivated not only in the garden, but also at home. It is also successfully grown in greenhouses. Each method has some nuances that you need to familiarize yourself with in advance.
Picking a bunch of green onions in early spring is not a pleasure. For the owner of a country house or cottage, getting a feather for greenery is easy. A polycarbonate greenhouse will speed up the process.
Types and varieties of onions that produce thick greens
Dense greens are produced by multi-primordial varieties. Let's consider the most productive varieties - a multi-bud variety that produces a large amount of feathers per season and popular varieties of shallots:
Cipuccio
Cipoluccio is an early-ripening, productive shallot variety. After planting, greens can be cut after 2-3 weeks. The pen has the original pungent taste. Bulb weight up to 50 g. Growing season 70 days.
Aristocratic
Aristocratic - shallots. From one seed bulb in a nest, 6 to 12 new bulbs are formed, weighing from 50 to 100 g. People call this species family.
The variety is early ripening, full-fledged bulbs ripen in 70 days. Cut greens are ready in 4 weeks.
The Aristocratic variety is used to produce greens on an industrial scale.
Old Russian
Starorussky (red, yellow) – a variety of shallots. Produces a powerful, bright green feather with a waxy coating. Seed material is stored well and for a long time (2 years). The variety is resistant to many diseases of bulbous crops. Up to 10 pieces are formed in a nest.
Reproduction is only vegetative, since arrows are not formed. Gardeners consider this species the most cost-effective for forcing greenery. Shallots are ready for cutting 20-30 days after planting.
Lilac ringing
Chives Lilac ringing is 7 kg greens per season from 1 sq.m. soil. The variety is early ripening; when grown in open ground, cutting is carried out after 20 days. Several cuttings are carried out over the summer. The variety is frost-resistant.
Stuttgarten Risen
Stuttgarten Risen is a multi-primed, productive variety with good immunity to most diseases. The productivity of the variety is high.
If there are 4-6 rudiments in the seed from 1 sq. m. receive up to 15 kg of greens.
When is the best time to plant onions on greens in open ground?
For home consumption, green turnips can be planted in open ground at the end of April, provided that the ground has warmed up and its temperature at night and in the morning is not lower than 12 degrees.
For commercial purposes, turnips for greens are grown in a greenhouse. If there is heating there, distillation can be done throughout the year.
The main thing you need to get a pen:
- high-quality seed material;
- fertile substrate;
- watering;
- feeding;
- backlight
A full harvest of green feathers is obtained with 12 hours of light per day. For growing in greenhouses, select varieties with a short dormant period.
During long daylight hours, the optimal air temperature is 18-22 degrees. Productivity drops at lower temperatures. At higher air temperatures, product quality decreases.
How to plant seedlings correctly
There are proven methods for planting turnips on greens. Experienced gardeners successfully use planting methods:
- pavement;
- tape
In addition to the planting method, it is important choose the right place and prepare fertile soil (substrate) before sowing any variety.
Choosing a place to grow
When choosing a place to plant seedlings on greens, take into account the principles of crop rotation.
Plant after crops:
- cucumbers;
- zucchini;
- pumpkins;
- cabbage;
- tomato;
- potatoes.
Onions grow poorly in the shade; the feathers are pale and thin. It is better to place ridges in an open, sunny place. During rains there should be no stagnation of moisture on it.
Proper preparation of the soil for planting
We prepare the bed for planting in the fall before planting. Determine the acidity of the soil. For high acidity, add dolomite flour. Consumption - 50 g/sq. m. Onions love loose soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5.
In the fall, add to the digging:
- Humus ½ bucket;
- Superphosphate 2 tbsp. l;
- Potassium chloride 1 tbsp. l.
Consumption is indicated per sq. m. Dig up the soil 20 cm with a shovel or walk-behind tractor. In the spring, dig again and add urea 10 Mr. sq. m. 7 days before sowing, water the bed with a solution copper sulfate. Pour 10 liters of water into a watering can and dissolve 20 g of the drug in it.
Planting onions for forcing on a feather
Good growth of greenery will be ensured by high-quality seed material.
Before planting, the bulbs should be stored in a warm room. Before planting seed sets in the garden, you need to sort them out. Reject damaged specimens. Sort by size. The largest feather yield comes from bulbs from 2 to 4 cm diameter, weight from 15 to 40 g.
- The selected material must be moistened and kept in a warm room at an air temperature of 25 degrees for 48 hours.
- Quarter length trim the tops at the bulbs.
- Dissolve 30 g of ammonium nitrate in 10 liters of warm water (35 degrees) and immerse the bulbs in it for 16 hours.
Approximate consumption of seed using the bridge method 13 kg per sq.m. The consumption is high because the bulbs are stuck into the ground tightly to each other. Row spacing is not done. The advantages of this method are obvious:
- saving space;
- all the plant’s forces go into feather formation.
The bridge method is especially beneficial to use for growing onions in greenhouses.
The tape method involves forming furrows at 10 cm intervals. The bulbs are placed in the furrows close to each other or with a small indentation of 1-2 cm. The furrows are covered with a thin layer of earth (2 cm).
Rules of care
The main care of crops in open ground is in proper watering. In its absence, the feather is bitter and thin. If there is an excess, the bulbs rot and the harvest suffers.
To maintain the required humidity, take into account the weather and check the soil moisture at a depth of 3 cm. It is approximately recommended to water 2 times a week in the absence of rain.
Water only in the evening. This will prevent unnecessary heating of the soil. Onions do not like high temperatures.
If the soil is prepared correctly and filled with organic matter and mineral fertilizers, fertilizing may not be necessary. When using the strip planting method, loosen the soil between the rows and remove weeds.
When to Harvest Green Onions
The harvest is harvested based on the length of the feather. Throughout the entire ridge there will be seedlings of the same length if the seeds were calibrated in size before planting and the seedlings of the same variety were planted.
For all varieties, the requirements for feather length are the same. The size is considered commercial from 24 to 42 cm. When this length is reached, the feathers are cut off for sale or personal consumption.
You don't have to spend a lot of time and effort to get your greens penned for home consumption. Before forcing turnips into greens on a large scale, it is worth assessing your capabilities on a small scale. Choose the most productive variety, master the technology for preparing planting material and soil. With the right approach, success is guaranteed.
The post How to plant onions on greens in the spring in open ground and in a greenhouse first appeared About the farm.
TaggedGreen onions grow in almost any summer cottage. They eat it either in its pure form or add it to salads and any other dishes. It is distinguished not only by its usefulness, but also by the fact that it can decorate any dish. Anyone who wants to have onions on their table all year round can simply take one onion and put it in water. After a while you will be able to pick green feathers.
Technology for growing onions in open ground
Whatever the variety, it is grown in almost the same way. If you take seeds to grow, it will grow longer. But this method will be much cheaper than using small bulbs. Usually in temperate latitudes it is planted 2 weeks before cold weather and frosts. In spring they are planted as soon as the snow melts. How this happens is indicated in the article.
To get a good harvest, it is better to use multi-primed varieties. Bulbs should be taken with a diameter of 2.5 cm to 4 cm.
Before planting the onion, it is soaked in warm water. After this procedure, it is necessary to cut off the top of the head. They do this in order to speed up the growth of green onions. These measures can increase the onion yield by 65%. Summer residents know 2 methods of growing onions:
- Bridge method of cultivation. Most often, this method is used for growing onions in a small area. You can get a large number of green feathers from a minimal area. The bulbs are placed on the surface of the soil, then they are pressed down just a little. Maintaining gaps between the bulbs is not necessary or even necessary. When planting 1 kg of onions, you can get 4 kg of onion feathers. It grows in just a month. Most often, onions called selections are taken for planting.
- Tape growing method. This method differs from the previous method in that the distance between the grooves is 20 cm. And the spaces between the bulbs are from 1 to 4 cm. If you are going to sow it before the start of winter, it is better to fertilize the soil. To do this, you can add humus or manure to the soil. With the onset of spring, fertilizers are removed. Next, it is recommended to make a frame from film and place it on the ground.
for a video of growing onions by feather:
If you want green onions to be produced in the spring, you need to sow them in mid-summer. Before this, the soil also needs to be fertilized and dug up. Seeds can also be sown in open ground. For sowing, you need to properly prepare the land and ridges. The bed needs to be well leveled and compacted a little. You can find out how to do this from the article.
Seeds are sown in one row, but the distance between the beds must be maintained. As soon as the seeds sprout the first shoots, you need to thin out the onions. When thinning, the distance between seedlings should be left at 3.5 cm. When feather growth reaches 20 or 30 cm, the soil is covered with straw for the winter, but peat can also be used. As soon as the snow melts with the end of winter, you can enjoy the green feathers of onions.
for a video of growing onions in winter:
On hydroponics
When planting onions hydroponically, it is best to use bulbs that were obtained in the fall.
This method of growing allows you to eat greens all year round. Before planting, the bulbs are prepared in several ways. To get feathers as quickly as possible, you need to cut off the top of the head before planting. Many people still use this technique as an incision. The incision is made to a depth of a third of the bulb in a cross-shaped manner. Using the second method, the feathers take a little longer to grow. No matter what onion preparation method you use, the bulbs should be left in the dark. This way it can saturate the cells with oxygen.
Another preparation method says that it needs to be soaked in fairly warm water. Typically the water temperature is 38 degrees. The water temperature must be kept at a constant level for 15 hours. After this, it is ready for sowing. How to implement, indicates the content of this article.
Hydroponics are special mats that are fertilized or impregnated before sowing. Then the onions are planted close to each other. But if the onion has already given its feathers, then you need to increase the distance between the bulbs. Usually the mats are arranged in several rows. Please note that the tiers need to be retractable. Once the green feathers appear, the pull-out shelves make it easy to pick the crop. When grown hydroponically, the first 10 days are kept in a dark place. This method is used to ensure that the entire root system develops well. The better the roots develop, the better the harvest will be. After this, the onion is left in a very well-lit place. When feathers are grown hydroponically, it is necessary to maintain a certain temperature in the room. The optimal temperature at which onions grow is 25 degrees. At lower temperatures, feather growth slows down, which means you will get a late harvest.
As soon as the humidity decreases, the mats will need to be watered. They must be kept moist at all times. From an economic point of view, mats are the least expensive. How this happens is indicated in the article.
Using aeroponics
This method of growing onions is the newest and most progressive. This method is used not only for obtaining onion feathers, but also for growing vegetables. Here you won’t have to work with dirt, dust, or fight various diseases and pests. Aeroponics is based on 2 principles:
- the root system must be constantly irrigated using nutrient fluid;
- maximum oxygen saturation of the roots.
To achieve this effect, the roots need to be suspended in special containers. Thus, the plant will not be embarrassed by anything. This method is economical to use for growing large quantities of onions. Here they use special irrigation installations and a special room where vegetables and herbs will grow. How to grow on a windowsill from seeds is indicated in.
But such an installation can also be done at home. Onions grow very quickly in such conditions. To use aeroponics, onions with sprouted roots are used. You just need to hang the bulbs in containers. The first results can be obtained after 10 days.
Method of planting on sawdust
This growing method is rarely used. But there are summer residents who prefer this particular growing method. Why is sawdust so good? They are lightweight and do not cause any inconvenience during sowing and harvesting. There is no need to change the sawdust at all, just add a little. This does not affect the quality of green feathers. How to properly prepare sawdust?
Onions grow faster on sawdust due to nutrients.
You need to make markings on the ground. Taking several beams 5 cm high and 4 cm wide, make a fence. Now the entire area that is fenced needs to be covered with film and covered with sawdust on top. Now the sawdust needs to be soaked. You need to add ash and ammonium nitrate. If you do not fertilize, the onions will grow longer. Now you just need to throw the bulbs into the sawdust. You can read everything about growing the Exhibition variety through seedlings.
How to plant greens as a business, what equipment you will need
If you have just started a business growing and selling onions, then you can start a seasonal business. Onions can only be grown in warm weather. To organize a year-round business you will not need large investments and a lot of equipment. You can use the traditional method of growing onions - in greenhouses. And many people start growing onions in rooms, only then move on to larger rooms.
If an entrepreneur decides to grow onions in open ground, then the seasonal profit will be high, but in the off-season he will have to remain without profit. But greenhouses - they will help bring profit all year round. How to properly equip a greenhouse? Purchase semi-automatic systems that will help maintain the microclimate at the desired level.
What should I buy?
- Irrigation system.
- Source of artificial lighting.
- Thermostats for greenhouses.
- Ventilation system.
- Infrared lamps.
- Thermal air curtains.
Usually in greenhouses, to save space and increase profits, onions are grown in boxes, which are placed on special racks. Purchase racks that have the maximum number of shelves. On the topmost tier, the bulbs will germinate quickly. From below, the plants ripen well. Find out about growing garlic in open ground by clicking here.
on the video technology of growing onions by feather:
If you organize everything correctly, you can harvest twice a month. Onions are packaged in plastic bags. Further storage takes place in a cool place. Therefore, you will have to organize additional space for storing onions.
Onions usually sell out very quickly in winter. The average purchase price per kilogram ranges from 100 to 120 rubles per kilogram. But in winter the price rises to 250 rubles. If the greenhouse area is about 70 square meters, then you can harvest about 3.5 tons of onions. If sold at an average cost per year, the income will be about 400,000 rubles per year. If you spend about 7 thousand monthly on maintaining a greenhouse, then the profitability will be from 300 to 500%. Find out how to grow greens at home.
Varieties of green onions: Parade, Vulcan, Baia Verde, etc.
- Parade- a variety of onions that was obtained in Holland. The difference between the variety is that it does not have a bulb. And onions are grown only to produce green feathers.
- Baia Verde- an early ripening variety of onion. It was obtained by crossing onions and onions.
- Volcano- an onion variety that is resistant to wind gusts. Onions have thin long feathers; bulbs are not formed.
- White feather– the bulb is quite large, and the feathers are green and lush. They taste juicy and a little spicy.
- Schnitt– a very small head is formed, the size of which is about 1 cm. The first onion feathers can be obtained immediately after the snow melts.
- Bohemia- an onion that can grow for about 5 years in the same place. Green feathers grow back after 3 weeks.
- Chemal– Mass cleaning can be done within a year. The feathers taste sharp. All onions are harvested in the spring, and only the mother bushes remain.
Chives ‘Chemal’ reproduces vegetatively by dividing the bush. Planting in May for complete harvesting in May next year.
You can choose the type of onion that you like. You can try new species, starting with small plantings. Onions are considered the most ancient plant, which was cultivated by peoples in the Mediterranean, India, and Persia. The peoples of Rome believed that only rich people could afford to eat onions.
And the nomads who discovered this plant first ate only feathers, but later they also tried onions. The Greeks used onion feathers to treat various diseases. But they ate onions very rarely, as they considered the smell very pungent. At celebrations and feasts, onions were presented to the priests, and this plant was worshiped. People had such a love for onions. It is now considered a common everyday plant. In our other articles you can learn about growing the variety.
Onions are practically essential for preparing many dishes. At the same time, it can act in them not only as an additional component, but also as a main ingredient. At the same time, turnips are significantly inferior in usefulness to green onions. Rich in vitamins, from the very early spring, onions help the body restore strength after winter.
Planting onion sets in spring: requirements for varieties
Of course, a lot depends on the wise choice of variety. Yes, since the time of the Soviet Union, many have been growing greens on the windowsill, which is especially pleasing to the eye in the snowy winter. Consequently, the positive results and regaling with such an ecological product arouse a further desire to grow onions in your own garden bed. And therefore, first of all, you need. At the same time, be sure to pay attention to the soil requirements of the crop, planting pattern, taste characteristics and, of course, yield.
The subtleties of growing green feathers
Almost all varieties of onions intended for feathering are distinguished by good resistance to frost. At the same time, they are all quite unpretentious and, in contrast to obtaining turnips, where it is necessary to constantly apply fertilizers, this is absolutely not necessary here. The only condition that must be met is to provide good lighting - natural in the case of an open bed and artificial if the onion is growing in a greenhouse.
At the same time, be sure to take into account the fact that the length of daylight directly affects not only the intensity of the green color, but also the taste characteristics of the plant. In addition, low lighting can cause excessive stretching of leaves, which will spoil the aesthetic appearance of the bed and the greenery itself in general.
In addition, there is a special point regarding moisture, namely, the beds you choose should retain moisture well. At the same time, it is important to find a “golden mean” here, since excess moisture in onion beds is unacceptable - the crop will suffer and show poor growth, especially during periods of temperature fluctuations. Therefore, planting onion sets in the spring should not be done in places where groundwater may rise.
If we talk about special requirements for the soil, then in the case of an open bed there are none. When growing feathers in closed conditions (room, greenhouse) or in boxes, it is better to give preference to a mixture with “traditional” organic matter in the form of humus, peat or compost, layered with a layer of soil.
How to plant onion sets: the most rational methods
If we are talking about planting onions not on a turnip, but on a feather, you can completely forget all the traditional patterns. The whole point is that growing greens allows you to significantly save space in the garden. And the secret lies in two simple ways:
- Pavement. The feasibility of its use is determined based on the amount of planting material. In this case there should be quite a lot of it. The idea is to densely lay out the bulbs next to each other with a slight pressure of the root part into the ground. After this, the “bridges” are covered with approximately a 2-3 cm layer of soil. On average, to implement this method, about 11 - 13 kilograms of onions are required per 1 square meter of land.
Tape. The essence of this method is to lay out the onions in previously prepared furrows. At the same time, a certain distance between the heads is maintained, but remains very small - from 1 to 4 centimeters. Each next row should be placed approximately 20 centimeters from the previous one. After planting, the beds need to be well leveled and covered with soil. After the seedlings appear, they can be thinned out if desired, leaving about 3.5 - 5 centimeters between plants.
Secrets of getting a good harvest
You have already figured out how to plant onions in the spring; now you need to understand what nuances need to be taken into account in order for the result to be pleasantly surprising. Of course, the answer is obvious - constant care and supervision is what will help achieve high yields. Planting according to certain patterns, adhering to other requirements of agricultural technology, namely loosening, watering and fertilizing are the determining factors in the quality and quantity of greenery.
Loosening: is it necessary?
No matter what anyone says, this event is the fastest and most effective way to saturate the soil with oxygen, which is so necessary for the root system of any plant. This is why it is worth resorting to loosening so often. to prevent the formation of a dense crust on the ground.
Take note!
It is ideal to water the beds with onions on the second or third day after watering. By this time, the water is already well “absorbed” by the roots, and the dried beds allow you to work on them quite comfortably.
How often should you water?
Since moisture is one of the nutritional components for the crop, it is clear that you will have to resort to this activity often - about 2 times a week. Water helps all the beneficial substances found in the soil enter the root system, but you should not overdo it with its quantity. It is best to focus on weather conditions. For example, in a hot summer, the number of waterings may have to be increased to 3 times a week, but in a rainy summer, it may be enough to carry out the procedure once, or even do without it. At the same time, remember that the older the onion, the less moisture it requires.
Do I need to feed green onions?
Definitely yes, but the question is different - how best to implement this? Considering the specifics of planting a crop, it is ideal to apply fertilizers with watering. To do this, you can prepare a solution of urea - 1 gram per 10 liters of water. It is better to start after you have started cutting off the greens - in this case the plant will receive the strength to restore and grow new feathers.
Of course, there are some subtleties in growing onions. But, they are definitely not so scary and impossible to achieve that they have at least some chance of preventing you from successfully achieving your goal!
People usually read along with this article:
Due to the fact that there is no change from year to year, the timing of planting onions can be adjusted in one direction or the other. The main factor that you must take into account is weather conditions. By following this simple recommendation, you can really achieve good yields.
For most of Russia, growing onions from seeds is an almost impossible task, and therefore onion sets are more popular. Of course, this method also requires certain knowledge and correct agricultural cultivation techniques. But, in this case, you will have every chance to reap a large harvest.
Onion sets are one of the most popular planting materials. It is early ripening, usually always very tasty and more resistant to attacks by pests and diseases. But, in order to personally experience all these benefits, you need to learn how to choose it correctly and prepare it for planting.