It is unlikely that a summer resident engaged in growing onions will refuse to ensure that the harvested crop is larger, of higher quality and has a longer shelf life. And while some novice gardeners only dream of it, experienced vegetable growers are already harvesting just such harvests. And everyone, even the most inexperienced summer resident, can easily achieve the same. Let's find out how to grow a rich onion harvest and what can help us with this.
The high yield of onions depends on how well the spring and summer fertilizing of the onions is carried out. The structure, fertility and purity of the soil play a significant role; the size of the heads, their quality and shelf life depend on them.
What are green manures for onions and how are they useful?
In small summer cottages it is difficult to maintain crop rotation , so one crop is planted in the same beds for several years. For onions, this threatens to reduce the quantity and quality of heads. A decrease in yield is caused by soil contamination with the larvae of onion pests (root mite, western secretive proboscis, moth, fly, hoverfly, nematode) and infections (downy mildew, rot, rust).
You can restore the nutrients used up during the season and disinfect the soil with the help of green fertilizers - green manure , sown immediately after harvesting the onions or in the fall. In August, you can sow fast-growing crops (peas, barley). The seedlings are cut off and lightly buried in the soil when they grow to a height of 20-25 cm.
When green mass decomposes, mineral salts and organic matter enter the soil . At the end of September, sow vetch and rye for winter; they will overwinter well, since before the onset of frost they will form a root system and an aerial part 5-10 cm tall. In the spring, before planting the onions, the green manure will grow and need to be plowed (dug up).
Green manure can be sown between onion rows.
When the above-ground part grows, cut it down and leave it as mulch. It is recommended to sow phacelia, yellow lupine, and peas in onion beds.
Reasons why garlic feathers or heads spoil
Watering with salt water should be used only if there is an urgent need and obvious reasons for it.
It is not recommended to experiment if garlic grows well without such watering. The garlic is planted on time, watered correctly, but here’s the problem: first the green shoots turn yellow, and then the feathers completely deteriorate and dry out. Or the crop is dug up, and the cloves are small, scattered, and brown in color. There may be several reasons for this:
- too cold spring;
- there are pests on the site;
- garlic lacks microelements.
Gardeners have mixed feelings about watering with salt water
The first problem, unfortunately, is difficult to influence, so when planting garlic, you need to take into account any factors in order to protect the future harvest from natural unfavorable factors. Scientific forecasts, folk signs, taking into account the climatic conditions of a given area - everything will be useful.
Pests are a serious problem for all crops, and even more so for such a delicate plant as garlic. Garlic is mainly pestered by three types of pests: the onion fly, the hoverfly, and the secretive proboscis fly. In addition to these three garlic “terrorists,” onion moths and nematodes (very small white worms) harm garlic.
If we talk about the lack of microelements, the most common deficiency is a lack of nitrogen. Even in Soviet times, materials were published where they wrote: salt is an excellent stimulator for the absorption of nitrogen by garden bulbous crops. And it has a detrimental effect on pests: if you wisely water the beds with garlic with a properly made solution, then they disappear completely. How to do this correctly so that garlic grows well - further.
It is not recommended to water garlic with salt unless necessary.
Prepared soil is the basis for a rich harvest
It’s not for nothing that experienced gardeners are already thinking about the future harvest in the fall and preparing the soil. If possible, observe crop rotation (which is not always possible, as we have already found out), returning the onions to their original place after 3-4 years. Organic matter must be added:
- rotted manure;
- compost;
- peat.
With the help of mineral additives, they replenish the phosphorus and potassium content in the soil by introducing long-acting granular fertilizers. The level of phosphorus and potassium is restored with the help of superphosphate and potassium nitrate, the application rate for digging is 30 g/m².
In the spring, work does not decrease. The ridge needs to be dug up using a spade and urea (25 g/m²) must be added. Ash can be applied during digging (ploughing) and directly into the furrows during planting. It deoxidizes the soil and serves as a supplier of potassium and other trace elements. In addition, the ash repels pests.
With prolonged use of the soil, its gradual acidification occurs. Chalk or dolomite flour 150 g/m² normalizes the pH level.
How to make aerated compost tea
You will need:
- old compost;
- molasses or beet molasses (old jam) to feed bacteria;
- non-chlorinated clean water;
- air compressor with two hoses (sprayers) for an aquarium with 3 liters of water.
Pour 2 liters of water into a three-liter jar, add 20 ml of molasses (treacle), lower the compressor hose into this liquid, turn it on and after a minute add 1 cup of compost. Tea should be saturated with oxygen for 24 hours. Strain the solution and use within 4 hours, nothing more than fertilizer.
What helps you grow large onions?
A bed properly filled with organic matter and mineral fertilizers works for the harvest, but this does not mean that onions do not need fertilizing. At each stage of development, it requires one or another nutritional element. The main role is played by:
- nitrogen (N);
- phosphorus (P);
- potassium (K).
Nitrogen is necessary at the first stage during the active growth of feathers; with its deficiency, the growth of the aerial part slows down, the formation of heads occurs later, which affects the harvest.
During the period of bulb growth, phosphorus and potassium are in demand . The first is responsible for growth, and the second for immunity, resistance to sudden temperature fluctuations and dry soil and air.
When the potassium content in the soil is optimal, the heads are stored well.
Briefly about the main thing
- Fertilizers for onions and garlic in the form of solutions should have a temperature close to the environment in order to avoid stress on the plants. Ice water interferes with normal nutrition, and too hot water burns the delicate roots.
- Concentrated liquid fertilizers should be applied carefully at the root to prevent burns to the leaves.
- It is recommended to pour fertilizers in granules, powders and tablets (in dry form) into the aisles, sprinkling them with soil and watering them abundantly.
- It is convenient to combine the procedure of watering and nutrition.
Applying fertilizing in reasonable dosages helps to improve the quality of the soil, which significantly affects the amount of onion and garlic yield. Spicy vegetables receive all the necessary components from the soil, which provides a characteristic flavor and aromatic bouquet and the formation of beneficial phytoncidal properties.
How, when and with what is recommended to fertilize onions planted for different purposes
Onions are planted on turnips before winter or in spring; due to different planting dates, the time for applying fertilizers for winter and spring crops is different. When growing sets for greens, there are some peculiarities that must be observed.
We feed winter and spring onions
Before winter, seedlings are planted a month before the onset of frost , and fertilizers are applied to the soil two weeks earlier. Urea and carbamide are not applied in the fall; they are limited to phosphorus-potassium fertilizers. The furrows are marked at a distance of 15 cm from each other.
After the snow melts and the ridges are cleared of mulch, the first fertilizing of winter plantings is carried out . Liquid organic fertilizers give good results: mullein infusion, dry chicken manure infusion, herbal infusion with the addition of ammonium nitrate. If the weather is humid, dry ammonium nitrate (15 g/m²) is scattered between the rows and the soil is loosened.
When the feather grows a little , it is recommended to treat the onion with the growth stimulator Plantafol. The drug improves immunity and stimulates the formation of heads.
The second feeding of turnips is carried out after 2-3 weeks. At this time, heads begin to form, and the need for phosphorus and potassium increases. For 10 liters of solution take 1 tbsp. l ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate, and 2 tbsp. l superphosphate.
Follow the dosage when preparing liquid solutions. Fertilize after the main watering. If the solution gets on the feather, wash it off with water from a watering can.
Many people prefer one fertilizer to three – nitrophoska . It contains all the elements necessary for the bow. Consumption of granules 1 tbsp. l per 10 l. The substances included in the fertilizer are easily digestible and have a long-lasting effect.
After another 2 weeks, the onion requires a third feeding - potassium-phosphorus. No nitrogen is needed at this stage. Fertilizer consumption for processing 5 square meters. m landings:
- water 10 l;
- potassium salt 1 tbsp. l;
- superphosphate 2 tbsp. l.
Sevok, planted in the spring, grows later than winter onions.
- The first feeding is carried out 2 weeks after planting.
- Fertilizers for spring-summer fertilizing are used the same as for planting winter onions.
- Feed 3 times with an interval of 2-3 weeks.
Fertilizing onions for greens
When growing onions for greens, preference is given to organic fertilizers . Organic matter (compost, humus) is added to the soil before planting. Consumption per 1 sq. m 5-10 kg, depends on the quality of the fertile layer - the poorer it is, the greater the volume of fertilizer applied.
If the feather begins to turn yellow, treat it with ammonia infusion.
If the soil is poor, from germination to cutting, apply no more than 2 liquid fertilizings with a solution of mullein or bird droppings. On rich, fertile soil, the feather grows well without additional treatments.
Possible harm from watering garlic with salt solution
A saline solution, despite its undeniable benefits in pest control and as a good stimulator for the absorption of fertilizers, can cause severe harm to the soil. The soil becomes “salty,” and if garlic is grown in the same place and constantly treated with salt water, then after three years nothing will grow well there.
Salt water will rid garlic of pests
What can you do to prevent watering with a salt solution from spoiling the soil?
- Change the place where garlic is planted. In the area where garlic grew and was watered with salt water, tomatoes will grow well next year.
- Make a drainage system, that is, dig ditches around the perimeter of the garlic plantings. After abundant watering, the soil on which salt has appeared is removed from the ditches.
- If the soil is severely spoiled by salt, then it is worth planting plants on it for one or two seasons, which will “take” the salt from the ground. White clover is very good in this regard.
Garlic is an interesting and controversial crop: with its help you can increase immunity and fight various diseases, but it itself is so gentle in relation to pests. The right choice of methods for caring for garlic is the key to its successful cultivation and harvesting of a good harvest.
How to feed correctly - the main stages and general recommendations
A thoughtful approach to growing large onions involves fertilizing the beds in the fall.
- Organic matter is added to the soil: compost or humus.
- The optimal amount is 10 kg per “square”.
- If onions or other plants that devastate the soil used to grow in the same area, it makes sense to use mineral fertilizers.
In spring and summer, onion fertilization takes place in 3 stages . It is necessary to take into account that this feeding scheme is conditional, and focus more on the appearance of the plant:
- good greenery indicates a sufficient amount of essential substances in the soil. In this case, it makes sense not to pick off the feathers and, in the second or third period of the growing season, use phosphorus-potassium supplements to form a large onion;
- if there is no greenery or it is weak, the plant needs nitrogen;
- yellowing feathers warn of low potassium content in the soil;
- dry tips of greenery indicate the need to fertilize the plant with phosphorus.
Onions prefer fertilizers in the form of solutions . An exception can be made only during the rainy season - then fertilizer granules are simply buried 5-10 centimeters into the soil.
First feeding
Onion feeding begins when the first leaf forms and grows 10-15 centimeters. If it is bright green and juicy, you can skip the fertilizer . Otherwise, nitrogen is added to the soil at this stage of the growing season. It has a good effect on the formation of greenery.
They try not to overdo it with the substance; nitrogen slows down the ripening of the “turnip” and reduces the yield . For 1-2 square meters of bed, 10 grams of the substance is required, diluted in 10 liters of water. Nitrogen fertilizer is usually added only during the first feeding.
Second feeding
The second stage of fertilization begins approximately 15 days after the first or 30 after planting. Potassium and phosphorus are used as the basis of the additive. The first is used to form bulbs. Phosphorus has a positive effect on the ripening and growth of large, dense “turnips”.
For the second feeding, the substances are diluted according to the scheme: 60 grams of superphosphate, 30 grams of nitrate and 30 grams of sodium chloride per 10 liters. The fertilizer is also enough for root watering of approximately 2 “squares” of land.
Do not pick the greens so that all the nutrients go towards the formation of a large onion.
When the “turnip” is formed , it is also useful to fertilize with calcium. It will reduce the acidity of the soil and promote the growth of good bulbs.
Third feeding
The third stage of fertilization begins if the “turnip” has reached the size of a walnut and has stopped growing. Further development of the root crop is stimulated using the same granulated superphosphate - 40 grams of the substance per 10 liters of water.
Aerated compost tea as fertilizer for garlic and onions
AKCH is a completely new natural remedy created to increase crop yields, soil fertility, and improve the taste of fruits. Aerated compost tea is an infusion of mature compost in water. It can be with aeration (saturation of air in the infusion) or without it. The first one is especially valuable: the process of infusion creates excellent conditions for the proliferation of beneficial soil bacteria, which supply plants with nutrition, stop the development of diseases, and increase their resistance to pests.
AKCh is the most popular way to fertilize the soil with beneficial microelements
Mineral and bioactive substances that are part of ACH are intensively absorbed by both plant leaves and their root systems. Active photosynthesis occurs, due to which the size of the fruit increases and the yield increases.
The beneficial microfauna included in the ACC helps cleanse the soil of harmful chemicals and heavy metals accumulated in it, reduces the level of toxicity of pesticides and herbicides, etc.
Types of Fertilizers You Can Use
My eyes are wide open from the amount of fertilizers on the store shelf . You can ask your manager for advice, but it’s better to understand their varieties yourself. Mineral, complex, organic, bacterial preparations and growth stimulants are used to feed onions.
With the help of mineral fertilizers, no more than 3 feedings are carried out per season. Use urea, superphosphate, potassium chloride. As heads begin to form, the need for nitrogen decreases, so it is not used in summer.
Organic matter (mullein, chicken droppings, grass) in the form of a liquid solution is added no more than 2 times per season. Mullein (0.5 kg) is poured with water (6 l), infused and added when watering, 1 l per bucket. A solution of chicken manure is prepared in the following ratios:
- water 5 l;
- dry litter 0.75 kg.
The fertilizer takes 2 days to prepare and is diluted by half before use.
The herbal infusion is easy to prepare. Take 1 part of crushed weeds to 9 parts of water and leave for a week. Add 1 liter of fermented herb to a 10 liter watering can.
Very easy to use and effective complex fertilizers for bulbous crops:
- Onions and garlic from Fasco;
- Agricola-2;
- Tsibulya.
Instructions for use and balanced composition (N, P, K) will not allow you to make mistakes.
Fertilizers used
It is possible to grow a rich harvest only by providing the correct composition of the soil with the necessary substances. The most healing ingredients for garlic and onion fruits are phosphor, potassium and saltpeter. Any of these drugs is important for onions at various growth phases.
- nitrogen is applied from the first weeks after planting to begin the growth process;
- potassium is added to the ground to form strong and full-bodied bulbs;
- The phosphor must be in the soil in the remaining row at the time of the growth and development of the seedling.
Both mineral and natural fertilizing can be used as fertilizer. But almost all gardeners use mixed types of complementary foods as fertilizer. Any variation of fertilizing has its own application scheme and the required dosage for seedlings. The dose should be observed correctly; excess minerals can have a detrimental effect on the future harvest.
Traditional methods of feeding onions
Among summer residents, folk recipes are in great use ; they seem safe and have a positive effect on the harvest. For yellow feathers on onions, use pharmaceutical ammonia. The ammonia contained in it is easily absorbed and replenishes the lack of nitrogen.
A lack of nitrogen is indicated by the pale green color of the feathers and yellow tips.
Liquid fertilizer is prepared immediately before use:
- Ammonia (3 tbsp) is added to settled water (10 l).
- Simply stir the solution a couple of times and it is ready for use.
- The onion bed is watered from a watering can.
After a week, increase the concentration of ammonia to 5 tbsp. l per 10 l. Add liquid soap if the onion is grown for turnips, dry mustard (2 tbsp) if for a feather. Spray the feather with the resulting mixture in the evening. The weather during processing should be clear and dry. After a week, repeat the procedure. Three treatments with ammonia are enough.
Yeast for onions
Yeast will help if the feather in the garden looks dull and has lost its bright color. Dry and raw yeast are suitable, but the recipe is different .
raw yeast (300 g) to a barrel with an infusion of herbs, let it ferment for 3 days and start feeding the onions. For a 10 liter watering can, the mash consumption is 1 liter.
The recipe with dry yeast is prepared in the following sequence:
- pour water into a 10 liter container;
- pour 2 tbsp. l sugar;
- add a pack of dry yeast;
- Give it 2 days to ferment.
For watering, the mash is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5.
Don't throw away stale bread
Stale bread will come in handy in the garden. It can be used to make an excellent fertilizer for onions. a vigorous sourdough recipe is ideal for root feeding onions :
- water 10 l;
- yeast (raw) 0.5 kg;
- stale bread (crackers) 0.5 kg;
- weed grass (chopped) 1 kg;
- sifted ash (wood) 0.5 kg.
Mix all the ingredients, let it ferment for 3 days and use it for watering at the root, adding 1 liter of mash to a watering can.
Any type of fertilizer, applied according to the norm and at the right time, will provide the onion with adequate nutrition and protection from bad weather, infection and pests. You need to choose those that are simpler and more convenient to use, then the turnip harvest will be enough until the start of the new sowing season.
Garlic fertilizer
Garlic is one of the unique plants that is widely used both in cooking and in treating diseases. Garlic is used to prevent sore throat, flu, colds, and acute respiratory infections.
This plant is planted in spring or autumn (spring and winter garlic, respectively). In general, it does not require special conditions, additional additives to the soil layer and can grow on its own, but in order to collect a high-quality harvest in quantities exceeding the average, you need to feed this crop. The most favorable time for this is spring. For this, one of the following types of solutions can be used:
- For the initial feeding of garlic planted in spring, a urea solution is best suited, which must be prepared in the following proportions: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of fertilizer is added to 10 liters. water. The resulting product should be applied at a rate of three liters per square meter of area;
- The next fertilizing includes adding a solution of nitrophoska or nitroammophoska to the soil layer. The proportions of the prepared product should be as follows: 2 tbsp. spoons of any of the two fertilizers must be added to 1 bucket of water. Then you can use the resulting fertilizer in the amount of 3 liters of composition per 1 square meter of land;
- Another remedy is to feed garlic with a superphosphate solution. It should be prepared like this: add 2 tbsp to one bucket of water. spoons of fertilizer, after which the solution can be applied to the soil.
Secrets of growing garlic
In addition, garlic responds well to fertilizing from manure and ash, and during the growing season you can apply fertilizer from slurry diluted in an aqueous solution in a ratio of one to six (you can also use bird droppings). This solution should be applied at the root of the plant.
Fertilizing from urea, which is prepared according to the recipe described above, can be applied in early spring, as well as two or three times in summer. When the garlic tops have already grown sufficiently (usually at the end of June), a product consisting of potassium chloride and urea dissolved in water, 10 g of each per bucket of water, should be added to the soil layer.
The main thing in any feeding is moderation. A large amount of manure or an overdose of nitrogen-containing fertilizers can lead to an increase in the acidity of the soil layer, which will negatively affect the development of growing crops. Also, a significant amount of nitrogen in the soil can lead to an increase in the growing season of plants, an increase in green mass to the detriment of the growth of fruits and ovaries. Therefore, together with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, for safety reasons, you can add phosphates or potassium supplements, which will increase the efficiency of fertilizing and also increase the plants’ resistance to low temperatures.
You can also fertilize garlic using the foliar method by spraying a less concentrated fertilizer. This procedure is performed twice during the active development of the plant.
