Some amateur gardeners buy nigella onion seeds and grow onion sets from them themselves. There are few varieties of black onion and, as a rule, they are old and do not differ in all the advantages that are present in the ready-made bulbs of elite varieties of onion sets of the new generation.
Sowing them with seeds is a waste of time and effort. It is much better to purchase ready-made high-grade onion sets and grow from it tasty, juicy - burgundy, bright red or golden-bronze onions, which have all the advantages of modern varieties and hybrids, and are also resistant to diseases of bulbous crops.
When growing onions, there are a number of subtleties, without knowledge of which you cannot get a good harvest. In this article we will tell you how to properly grow onions from onion sets in order to get a full, healthy harvest from it and tell you about the most interesting varieties and hybrids of this crop.
Growing conditions and varieties
There are many varieties of onions in nature, and even more have been bred by breeders. You need to choose a variety taking into account what you need from the crop: taste, quantity, keeping quality or early ripening. But it is also necessary to take into account that certain varieties require special conditions.
The culture is most sensitive to day length. On this basis, all types of onions are divided into two large categories: northern varieties and southern ones, each of which has its own characteristics of the bulb. For northern varieties, long daylight hours are required, from 15 to 18 hours. In other conditions, the bow will go into the arrow and the bulb will not fill properly. The southern ones, on the contrary, love short light periods - no more than 13 hours.
It is most profitable to opt for hybrids or varieties that take root equally well in any climatic conditions. These species include Timiryazevsky, Strigunovsky local, Red Baron, Snowball, Centurion, Stuttgarter and others.
The Hercules bow is also famous for its description.
Take into account what kind of crop the variety is - annual or biennial. The method of planting (seeds, seedlings, sets) depends on this.
What are the differences between planting seedlings and sowings?
The main difference is that seedlings require seeds, which, growing into small bulbs, become planting material (sets) for growing onions for turnips. But not all seeds become full-fledged material in one season; more often this happens in two seasons. Sowing of seeds occurs in April - May, collection of small bulbs occurs in August - September, and some are collected in October.
During the winter, the seedlings are dried, treated with fungicides, hardened, and in the spring they are planted on turnips. But varieties have been bred that can grow large bulbs from seeds or seedlings in one season, giving a full harvest.
Soil preparation
The future harvest depends most of all on choosing the right place. The soil should be loose. If you have loam on your site, then you should loosen the soil every 2-3 days. It is not recommended to plant onions in the same place for several years in a row, or to sow them where carrots or garlic grew before.
Also remember three main factors: light, acidity and watering regime.
Light
As already mentioned, onions are extremely unpretentious, but you shouldn’t plant them just anywhere. First of all, think about lighting : the area for the onion bed should be open, not shaded throughout the day. Otherwise, the light regime of the plant will be disrupted. Choose an area away from fences, greenhouses and other buildings.
Soil acidity
The second factor is acidity. Onions require neutral soil with a pH value of no more than 6.5. Onions should not be planted in areas oxidized by mineral fertilizers. To neutralize acids, you can use slaked lime, but planting onions in the soil after liming is permissible only after 2-3 years.
The best way to reduce acidity is dolomite flour at the rate of 200 g per 1 square meter. meter. Wood ash at 359-400 g/meter is also widely used.
Watering
Onions take root well in places with low air humidity and tolerate drought well. The widely growing fibrous root system helps him in this. However, the soil should be moderately moist.
Thorough watering is necessary for onions only during the active growing season, when the bulb is filling and the feather is growing. At the end of the season, 3-4 weeks before harvesting, watering should be reduced to a minimum, otherwise the onions will not be stored. For this reason, it cannot be sown where groundwater passes close to the surface.
Botanical description
Cultivated onions are biennial vegetable crops that form a distinct bulb with a poorly developed root system.
Onions, which form a true bulb and weakly branched, superficial roots, place high demands on the soil on which they are grown. The roots of onions die off with the end of the growing season of the above-ground organs.
Varieties of onions differ in the shape, size and weight of the bulbs. The shape of the bulbs is: round, flat-round, flat, elongated and long. The weight of the bulbs ranges from 5 to 900 g (but there are exceptions - in 1992, a bulb weighing more than 5 kg, grown in Scotland, was included in the Guinness Book of Records). The onion bulb is covered on top with dry integumentary scales, which can be of various colors: purple, dark red, brown, yellow, gray, white with a variation of different shades. The integumentary scale can be strong and thick, reliably protecting the bulb from external adverse factors, or it can be thin and fragile.
Under the integumentary scales there are open succulent scales, followed by closed ones (internal cone-shaped). The upper part of the bulb is called the neck, and the lower part is called the bottom, covered by the heel. Open succulent scales are thickenings of the leaves, as if they were storage of nutrient reserves. As the outer open scales grow, they thicken, which triggers the process of formation of the inner scales. It is important to know that the number of closed juicy scales is directly proportional to the length of storage of the bulbs. When a sufficient number of internal scales, characteristic of each variety, are formed, leaf growth slows down and gradually stops completely - the onion lies down.
1 – dry integumentary scale; 2 – open juicy scales; 3 – closed juicy scales; 4 – rudiments; 5 – bottom; 6 – heel; 7 – neck.
Gradually, during the growing season and during the storage period of the bulbs, buds (buds) are formed on their bottoms, from which, under favorable conditions, new bulbs and flowering leaves with inflorescences develop. Based on the number of rudiments, onion varieties are distinguished as one, two (few rudiments) and multi-germs.
One, two - rudimentary varieties are usually mildly spicy in taste and form a large onion. Multi-primordial varieties form a bulb with tightly fitting thin juicy scales with a pungent taste.
The onion leaf is hollow, hollow inside, usually green in color, but it can also be dark green, even bluish. Depending on the variety, the number of leaves varies from a few to 4-5 dozen.
When the formation of new leaves on the seed bulb ends and they begin to die, the development of flower arrows begins from the primordia, the number of which depends on the number of buds at the bottom of the bulb. The arrows are narrow at the bottom, gradually widen, and at the end they narrow again and form inflorescences in the form of a multi-flowered umbrella.
The inflorescences bloom for 2 to 5 weeks and form a fruit in the form of a box in which black seeds (nigella) are located. The seeds are medium-sized (250-350 pieces in 1 g); if stored properly, they remain viable for 2-3 years. When sown, they germinate slowly; under favorable conditions, seedlings appear in 12-20 days.
Preparing for landing
Onions are planted in three main ways:
- seeds;
- sevkom;
- seedlings.
Each of them requires certain preparation before sowing.
From seeds
The preparation of seeds is the same both before planting in the ground and before planting seedlings. Black onion (popular name) should be soaked in water at a low temperature for 5-8 days. This will start the growth processes and allow the future plant to break through the dense seed coat.
A day before planting, drain the water and let the seeds dry thoroughly, scattering them in a thin layer on a dry surface in a warm place (but not near the radiator!).
Flowering and ripening of onion seeds
From seedlings
It is generally accepted that growing onions from seedlings is a labor-intensive and painstaking process. But the yield with this method is much higher, as well as disease resistance. Onions planted with seedlings quickly gain strength and the onion fly is no longer a threat to it.
Seedlings can be kept on the windowsill in a convenient container, but it is better to sow them in a greenhouse. To keep the seedlings healthy and quickly take root:
- sow seeds in late February - early March;
- soak the seeds in warm water, from 30 to 35 degrees;
- sow nigella in well-watered soil, approximately 15-20 g of seeds per square meter. meter;
- do not cover the seeds with soil;
- Cover the container or bed with seedlings with film to maintain heat, sometimes let the seedlings breathe;
- water regularly, do not forget to weed;
- Before planting in open ground, trim the tops and roots (you need to cut 1-1.5 cm).
From sets
Sets purchased immediately before planting must be dried and warmed. Spread it in one layer on a dry horizontal surface, but not near heating appliances.
It is necessary to store onion sets in a dry place until planting in the spring.
Then the homemade seedlings need to be warmed up thoroughly to wake up the onions after hibernation. We warm it up in several stages: for 15-20 days we keep it at a temperature of 18-25 degrees, and after 6-8 hours at 30-45 degrees. If you don’t have that much time, then immerse the roots of the set in hot water (up to 50 degrees) for 2 hours, and then in cold water for the same time. Warming up the seedlings speeds up their germination and helps avoid bolting. Small heads of sets, no more than 3 cm in diameter, are ideal for planting. For pre-winter planting, the smallest sets, up to 1 cm, are best suited. How to plant onion sets in the fall is described in this article.
Storing onion sets
Onion sets and onion selections (bulbs with a diameter of 2.5-3 cm), selected for planting, are stored at a temperature not lower than 18-20 ° C, otherwise a significant part of them may form an arrow after planting in the ground. At temperatures below 18 °C, processes occur in the onion that promote shoot development, and at temperatures above 20 °C, respiration processes intensify, as a result the set dries out and becomes depleted.
Another way to store onion picks and onion sets is as follows: in spring and autumn it is stored at a temperature of 18-20 ° C, in winter at 0-1 ° C to prevent the bulbs from bolting. Well-dried healthy seeds and selections can be stored until spring without sorting. Place onions in various boxes in a layer of 20-30 cm.
There is a direct relationship between the shape of the onion set and the turnip: whatever shape your onion set has, so will the turnip
Fertilizers
Onions do not particularly like organic matter, so you should not fertilize the beds with humus, compost or manure. The soil must be neutral. But for feeding during the growing season, he will thank you with a good harvest.
We introduce the first nutritional supplement in the third week after planting. It will be organic. A manure tincture is perfect (1 kg of manure + 10 liters of water, let stand for at least a day). Another option is bird droppings, diluted at the rate of 1kg/15l. More details about fertilizing are described here.
Stages of feeding onions with mineral fertilizers
In the second month of growth, mineral fertilizers can be introduced. Nitrogen in the strength of ammonium nitrate is introduced first, then potassium (potassium nitrate). Fertilizing is best done in dry form: scatter small amounts of fertilizer over the garden bed before watering or rain.
How to grow onions
To obtain a good harvest, vegetable growers follow certain methods for growing onions, taking into account its nutritional needs, requirements for soil composition, lighting, and humidity levels.
Onion likes:
- soil fertilized with organic matter, neutral in acidity;
- nitrogen and potassium at the beginning of the growing season;
- loose, air-saturated soil;
- sunny, well-ventilated areas;
- moist soil during the feather growth period and dry soil during the head growth phase.
Landing dates
There are no strict calendar deadlines in gardening. You should always take weather conditions into account. In warm early spring, onions are sown in mid-April. In general, you should focus on the condition of the soil - it should be heated to the depth of a finger. The soil is considered heated if its temperature is above 12 degrees.
Nigella biennial crops are sown at the same time. Seeds of annuals (such varieties take root only in the southern regions) are planted earlier, in early April - late March. The seedlings are transferred to a permanent place 2 months after sowing.
Growing onion sets for feathers
The secret to a good onion harvest lies not only in following the rules of agricultural technology, but also in stretching the timing of conveyor planting.
Pre-winter sowing
Planting onions begins at the end of September - beginning of October. For pre-winter sowing, small sets of multi-primed onion varieties with a diameter of no more than 2 cm are suitable.
Planting pattern: 15 cm between rows, 4-5 cm between bulb sets. Any bulb is planted to a depth equal to two or three of its larger diameters. Before planting, the seedlings are calibrated in size, warmed up and treated.
Mulching with peat or humus allows you to protect plantings from winter cold. In mid-November, they are additionally covered with coarse plant debris (dry stems of Jerusalem artichoke, corn, gladioli).
Pre-winter planting makes it possible to harvest the first harvest of green feathers 10-14 days earlier than spring planting.
Spring sowing
Onions are planted in the spring according to the same scheme as in the fall, only 5-6 cm are left between the onion sets. You can extend the period of harvesting greens if planting is carried out 2-3 times at weekly intervals. In the greenhouse in early spring and autumn, onions play the role of a sealing crop.
Problems, illnesses
With improper storage of planting material, damage to the bulbs and excessive soil moisture, many onion diseases can progress. The most common are different types of rot: black, fusarium, neck, wet bacterial. These diseases primarily damage the tissue of the bulb itself and are difficult to identify before harvesting. It is impossible to consume and store such fruits.
A disease such as downy mildew is also common. The fungus that causes the disease overwinters in seedlings or in the soil, on the roots of perennial plants. In the first stages of the disease it is impossible to detect it. When the infection enters the active phase (2-3 weeks after planting the infected set), it affects the leaves - pale yellow or blue-violet spots appear on them. Soon the feathers completely die off, and the growth of the turnip itself stops.
Pests are another problem with onions. The main pest found throughout Russia is the onion fly. It is not the insect itself that causes harm, but its larvae, which gnaw passages in the bulb.
Siberia is also home to the onion hoverfly, a small bronze-green fly that feeds on onion leaves. Root mites and onion moth larvae cause irreparable damage to the bulb, which is the main diet.
Rules and scheme for planting in open ground
For planting onion sets on the head, one line is best . The land plot is divided into shallow grooves (up to 6 centimeters) at a distance of up to 15 centimeters from each other. For large heads, an interval of 10 centimeters is suitable; for small heads, 6 centimeters is enough.
You should not get carried away with a strong depression; a light depression and a small layer of soil on top will be enough. Watered beds need to be mulched; sawdust or straw are suitable for this.
Care
The basis for caring for an onion bed is the correct watering regime, timely fertilizing and regular weeding. We have already talked about watering and fertilizers. Read more about how to water onions in open ground at this link.
Why is weeding so important? An abundance of weeds not only takes away nutrients from the soil, but also prevents the soil from naturally draining. Overgrown beds create an ideal environment for the development of harmful fungi and bacteria. And it’s much easier to notice pests if there is nothing in the garden except onion feathers.
Caring for onions according to growth stage
The use of insecticides and growth enhancer chemicals is not recommended. The bulb retains the absorbed substances throughout the growing season, which means the fruit will be unsafe for the body.
If you also collect greens from the garden during the summer, then always leave at least 2 leaves on each bulb.
How to properly care for a crop in order to grow a large harvest?
You need to figure out how to care for the plant after planting.
Watering
Moderate watering is optimal for onion sets . In the first weeks after germination, once every two weeks in moderate weather conditions and once a week in dry, hot weather will suffice. The resulting crust should be removed by loosening.
Thermal mode
Onions tolerate low temperatures well, but their demands are determined by the growth phase of the plant. To germinate, the seeds only need +1 – +3 degrees, but seedlings under this regime will appear no earlier than in a month. As the heat increases, the development of seedlings also accelerates. If the temperature reaches +14 degrees, the first shoots will appear after 14 days, and if +20 degrees or more - after 6-8. The optimal temperature for growth is considered to be +20 – + 25.
Early seedlings cannot withstand temperatures below minus 2 degrees, but with the formation of leaves, frost resistance increases to minus 5 degrees. In this case, too high a temperature (from +30) first causes an acceleration of growth, and then its sharp slowdown. This temperature is favorable for the development of the bulb, this is due to the outflow of plastic substances from the leaves. But temperatures below +20 degrees slow down formation and ripening.
For mature bulbs, the optimal storage temperature is +18 – +20; they are also stored well at 0 – +3. Onions can withstand temperatures in the range of +40 – +44 degrees for a short time.
Growth and flower buds are formed depending on the storage temperature . Thus, at low positive temperatures (five to ten degrees), the rudiments of generative organs develop, and room temperature promotes the formation of growth buds.
Light mode
When caring for onions planted on turnips in open ground, it is important to remember that they are light-loving. It grows, develops and develops well in conditions of intense lighting. Therefore, a sunny, not shaded place is optimal for planting. The plant easily adapts to annual weather changes. Productivity largely depends on the length of daylight hours, temperature and humidity.
The length of the day is affected by geographic latitude. Photoperiodism is the plant’s response to the proportional ratio of light and dark time. In onions, the photoperiodic reaction is intensely expressed , i.e. formation and maturation is determined by the length of the day, and its increase accelerates its development and maturation. As a rule, 10–14 hours is enough for a normal period.
Attention! It is important that the plant has time to acquire leaves; a short day is enough for their growth, and only then proceeds to the formation of a bulb, which needs a longer day.
Top dressing
The first feeding is carried out two weeks after the shoots appear. Pale, weak and lethargic feathers indicate a lack of fertilizer .
As a rule, they resort to root irrigation, for which urea or nitroammophoska in solution is suitable. After 21 days, it is time for the second feeding, which, as a rule, occurs in the second half of June. At this time, the soil requires replenishment of potassium-phosphorus reserves, which can be replenished with superphosphate and potassium salt in solution.
The lack of micronutrients can be compensated for by a third feeding using complex fertilizers. The ideal options are:
- Agricole 2.
- Giant.
- Effecton.
Cleaning and storage
The plants themselves will tell you when the fruit is ready. Young feathers stop appearing, the leaves begin to fade and turn yellow, the upper scales of the bulb acquire the characteristic color of the milking variety. If such signs appear, do not delay, start cleaning. Have time to complete the harvest before the first frost and the first morning dew.
Freshly dug onions need to be dried for a week, otherwise they will rot. What to do if onions rot during storage, this material is written. If weather permits, scatter the onions directly in the garden bed. After drying, trim the remaining feathers, leaving a “tail” of 3-4 centimeters. To disinfect and ensure long-term storage of the crop, warm the onions to a temperature of 40 degrees for about an hour.
The dried onions are placed in prepared containers. The container must be made of breathable materials. Wooden boxes, fabric bags or nets for vegetables, and nylon stockings work well. It is best to store the packaged harvest in a cool, dry place - a cellar or basement. You can read more about storing onion crops here.
After what crops can onions be planted?
Onions grow best in beds after crops that have been treated with organic fertilizers. These could be tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage or potatoes. It is not advisable to plant onions after garlic and carrots.
Gardeners often have a question: what can be planted after onions so as not to deteriorate the condition of the soil? After onions, it is good to plant beets, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchini.
In August, when the onions have already been dug up, you can sow spinach, lettuce or Chinese cabbage. Plant radishes in September - the harvest will be excellent. Read about what you can plant next to cucumbers here.
