When growing any crop, the process of preparing for planting plays an important role, and onions are no exception. You need to choose the right site for planting, choose the right seed material, and provide the plants with normal conditions. Preparation of onions for planting in spring should be carried out according to all the rules, consistently and at the right time. Moreover, it does not matter whether the bulbs are grown on turnips or greens on a feather - preparation is important in both cases.
Preparing onions for planting in spring
Onion planting options for spring cultivation
There are several options for planting onions, each with its own benefits. But the preparation of onions for timely planting differs depending on the selected seed and planting time. There are even differences in planting material, depending on whether it will go for a turnip or for a green feather. And it is with these differences that we need to figure it out. First you need to understand in what situation one or another seed material is used for growing onions:
- Use seeds for spring cultivation. Preparing onion sets for planting includes pickling from pests and diseases, as well as selecting suitable onions. And here everything is done according to the following principle: a medium-sized seedling, from 1 to 2 cm in diameter, goes for a classic spring planting, and a larger bulb is useful for planting on a green feather.
- Using a set to grow winter onions. In this case, it is worth separating those onions that are more often rejected due to their small size. They are planted in the fall, so that in winter they wait under the snow, and in the spring they immediately grow.
- Planting onions with seeds or nigella (as they are also called). There are three options here. The first option is to prepare the seed for planting after it has been grown from seed. Used in most cases. The second option is to grow nigella beds, without also preparing the onion sets for planting. The third option is to obtain seedlings for further planting.
Regardless of which option was chosen, the planting material still needs to be properly processed and prepared. This includes preparing the soil for onions, treating seeds or onions for normal storage, planting on time, and initial maintenance of the beds. Remember that each step is important. If you choose the wrong site for growing, the beds simply will not sprout, and without processing the seed material, it can deteriorate even before it appears in the ground.
If we talk about the selection of seed, then there are a few simple rules. Firstly, it is necessary to sift out too soft bulbs, which will not even go to plant under the winter and will not last until spring. Then - remove all rotted rhizomes, as well as eaten by insects. Those bulbs that are affected by diseases or fungi, in principle, it is advisable to separate and burn, and only after that - sort by size, deciding what type of planting they are suitable for. This is done before other preparations begin.
Storage of seed before planting
Before onion beds are planted, the gardener still needs to preserve the seed material until spring. It should lie in fall, winter and part of the spring. Inevitably, some of the bulbs deteriorate and become unsuitable for further planting. But how to prepare the collected onion sets for further seating in the garden? Firstly, you need to know the certain differences of this plant, which allow you to extend storage. And secondly, there are drugs that help keep the bulbs intact.
One thing every novice gardener should remember: the duration and success of storing bulbs always depends on which variety they belong to. And here it is worth remembering: spicy varieties are stored for the longest. It doesn't matter if the vegetable will be used for planting on greens or on the head. So it turns out that, for example, a family beloved by many is stored for a long time and without problems. Sweet and expensive varieties must be processed before being stored.
The storage procedure itself also plays an important role. First, you need to choose a suitable storage location. It should be dark, low humidity, and not too cold. There are 2 main methods that are used to store onion sets. The first is the warm method, in which the temperature ranges from 17 to 22 ° C, and the humidity does not exceed 70%. With the cold method, the temperature is -1-3 ° C, and the humidity does not increase 80%.
Seed processing for further storage
For better preservation of seed material, many gardeners prefer to process it with the help of certain preparations. The best fit for these purposes is Fitosporin-M, or similar substances. A weak solution is used here: no more than 3-4 g per 1 liter. They treat the head of each onion so that the entire surface is moist. After that, before storing, the entire set is thoroughly dried. And here is what they write on the forums about processing with salt or potassium permanganate:
“Theoretically, in order to better store sevk, it can be treated with a solution of sodium chloride or potassium permanganate, but this treatment does not always bring the desired results. These substances work better when soaked in them just before planting, and Fitosporin is better suited for long-term storage. But there is one more thing to remember here. The colder the winters in a given region, the easier it is to store seedlings there, although additional processing will still not be superfluous, as it will help preserve additional seeds.
Soil for onion beds
Even before the seed is selected, it is necessary to process the soil in the place where the onion beds will be located. And if you need to plant this vegetable in the spring, then the preparation begins in the fall. First, you need to remove from the site all the tops, tree leaves and other similar debris that interferes with future sowing. If this is not done, then the crop may be affected by various diseases and pests. All of them are able to spend the winter in the organic matter left on the site and wake up in the spring.
Preparation of soil for planting onions also includes timely digging and fertilizing. It is necessary to dig up the selected area to the depth of the bayonet of the shovel, while in the fall you should not additionally loosen it. To improve the quality of the soil for planting, it is worth additionally fertilizing it. This culture, like a number of other vegetables, loves phosphorus and potassium. But do not go too far with fertilizers. For example, superphosphate per 1 sq. m usually contribute no more than 30-35 g.
Potassium top dressing contribute even less - 15-20 g per 1 square. m, depending on the recommended concentration. Do not forget about nitrogen. An excess of this element in the soil leads to the fact that the green feather begins to grow more actively on the onion, and the bulb becomes loose and is worse stored, although this is acceptable when growing this crop for greens. An excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is undesirable in any case. In addition to mineral fertilizers, organic matter, compost and chicken or rabbit droppings can be used.
Preparing and planting onion sevka in spring
GRANDMOTHER WAY OF GROWING ONION! PREPARING ONION FOR LANDING!
Preparing onions for planting, processing before planting onion sets.
Selection and additional processing of the plot for onion beds
Before you start all the other preparations, you need to make sure that the selected place is suitable for growing green or onion. First, there is usually no way to grow large, strong bulbs near the trees that shade the beds. Secondly, future sowing is hampered by the proximity of groundwater to the soil surface. When planted in such a soil, turnips begin to rot, and green feathers become watery and are affected by fungi. Here, neither crop nor seeds can be obtained.
Onion beds need more than just sunlight and moderate soil moisture. They also do not tolerate the increased acidity of the soil too well. You can determine the acidity level using an ordinary litmus test. And this level is lowered with the help of liming - the introduction of slaked lime, cement dust or other similar methods into the ground. It is also worth paying attention to wood ash: it not only contains potassium, which is needed by the bulbs, but also lowers the general acidity of the earth.
Before you start cultivating the land and sowing bulbs or seeds, you still need to see what previously grew in the selected place. For onions, good predecessors are cucumbers, zucchini, legumes and even cabbage. The principle "tops first, and then roots" works here. Bulbs of onions are allowed to plant even after nightshade plants. This is one of the few crops that grows quietly in the same land where tomatoes, eggplant, peppers or potatoes were planted.
Additional soil disinfection
Like many other plants, onions are vulnerable to many diseases and pests, which can sometimes halve the yield. A young bulb is almost a delicacy for many insects. In the same way, seeds are sometimes eaten, although pests like young onion shoots more. And to prevent this from happening, the soil should be pre-treated with various insecticides and fungicides. Moreover, the range of tools used is very wide and for each you can find your own application.
Many gardeners prefer to only pickle onions with a solution of potassium permanganate or using ordinary salt. This method is also worth considering, but it is still not recommended to give up tillage. For these purposes, usually a weak solution of potassium permanganate (the same potassium permanganate) is used. But here it is worth considering the fact that manganese, although good for onions, in this form increases the acidity of the soil. Its effect is usually compensated for by liming or ash treatment.
You can also use copper sulfate and other preparations containing copper: they are the best means for the prevention of fungi. Pests such as onion flies or tobacco thrips can be treated with insecticides. They are introduced into the ground in the form of granules or powders, where they gradually dissolve, making the soil unsuitable for insects. Moreover, both systemic and contact preparations are used. But contact insecticides and fungicides can be applied only long before fruiting, otherwise there is a threat of poisoning.
Processing the bulbs just before planting
To better protect the onion head from pests and diseases, to increase germination, it is processed immediately before planting. This treatment is the usual soaking in a specific solution. But there are a lot of options for the solution for planting and they are used for different purposes. Some are needed to protect against viruses and bacteria, others protect against fungi, and still others accelerate growth. Each of these remedies is useful under certain conditions. Each gardener will have to choose independently.
Processing with potassium permanganate and salt
Most often, gardeners use soaking in potassium permanganate or in salt solution. A salt solution is simple to make: 1 tbsp. Is dissolved in a liter of water l salt, and then the bulbs are kept in it for 3 hours. The advantages of this method are as follows: it is simple, convenient and literally costs a penny. But salt does not help against all pests and diseases, although for lack of the best it can be used for soaking and it, despite the fact that various solutions of potassium permanganate are often used.
It is best to use a weak solution, which is made from 3-4 g of powder and 1 liter of pure water. Since it is most convenient to prepare the onion sets for planting precisely when using such proportions, most gardeners resort to them. 1.5-2 hours are enough for the soaking to work in full force. There is also an accelerated method: 10 g of potassium permanganate is taken for 1 liter, in which the seed is kept for 40-50 minutes. This method is used somewhat less frequently.
Treatment of seedlings with other preparations
Often, gardeners use other substances in order to increase the future yield and safety of planting material. In particular, substances such as copper sulfate and Fitosporin are used to protect against fungi. The proportions here are easy to remember: just 3-4 g per 1 liter of water is enough for the solution to work. It is kept for 2-3 hours. Other copper-containing products are also suitable, for example, Champion. They also perfectly protect against fungal diseases.
To increase the yield, many people use growth stimulants, but here there is one important detail that is also worth remembering: soaking in such substances causes a rapid growth of green mass, so they are used only when planting onions on a feather. From such means, we can recommend GUMAT. It is enough to prepare a five percent solution and soak the sevok in it for a couple of hours.
Conclusion
Preliminary preparation for planting onions is very important. It doesn't take too long. But it allows you to save future crops and make big profits.