How to grow and care for onions in open ground to get a good harvest?

Biological features of onions

Onions belong to the lily (onion) family and the monocot class. Central Asia is considered its homeland. This vegetable crop is grown in almost all garden plots. Spicy heads are used as a seasoning and added to many dishes.

Onions are rich in useful substances. The taste and smell are due to the high content of essential oils. Their content may vary, it all depends on the growing conditions, the degree of maturity and storage of the harvested crop. Knowing the secrets of onion care and cultivation, you can get a healthy, rich and high-quality harvest.

There are more than 400 types of onions, but only 10 of them have been introduced into cultivation. The vegetable belongs to the one, two and three year group of plants. When sowing seeds (nigella), a set is obtained. The seeds are small, weighing only about 1 g, the set reaches 2 cm in diameter. When planting the set, large onion heads are obtained. When they are planted in the third year, they again receive arrows with boxes in which the seeds ripen.

Onions are a cold-resistant crop. Seeds germinate at temperatures around +3 degrees. However, growth and development occur best at an air temperature of +11 degrees.

The root system of onions is poorly developed, so it places great demands on the composition of the soil. In addition, during cultivation, onions require special care.

Harvesting and preparing onions for storage

Harvesting in central Russia begins in mid-August.

Important! If the harvest is not harvested on time, the heads will take root in damp soil and the feather will begin to grow. Such a crop will not be stored for long.

The following signs indicate the ripening of the head: the necks of the onions have softened, the feathers have fallen down and begun to dry, the husks have become hard and acquired a color characteristic of the variety.

Start harvesting:

1. In dry weather, carefully pull the onions out of the soil.
2. Dry it outside or in a well-ventilated area for 7-14 days (depending on weather and humidity levels).
3. Sort out damaged bulbs with signs of disease.
4. Trim the dried stems at a distance of 4 cm from the neck or braid them.
5. Before storing for storage, dry the onions at a temperature of about +35°C. The better it dries, the longer it will be stored.

Variety of onions

There are two large groups of onions intended for cultivation in open ground:

1. A group of varieties for northern regions, where daylight hours are about 16 hours. Only with such a long day will large bulbs form and seeds develop. Northern varieties with short daylight hours will only have time to form green feathers.
2. Southern varieties of onions can form large, dense and juicy onions with short daylight hours (day length is about 12 hours). If you plant such varieties in regions with long daylight hours, the bulb will form and store poorly.

Currently, breeders are developing varieties that do not respond to daylength. When planting them in both northern and southern regions, you can get a good harvest.

Before sowing in open ground, it is recommended to treat planting material of any variety with growth stimulants and disinfectant solutions.

Landing technology

Planting onions is possible in late autumn or early spring. In practice, spring planting is more often used.

How to grow onions depending on the region and variety

The optimal temperature for warming up the soil for planting crops in open ground in the spring is +10...+12°C at a depth of 10 cm, when the threat of frost has passed.

Important! If the onion does not take root in the event of return spring frosts, it will shoot out arrows.

The planting time depends on the region where the crop is grown:

1. In the southern regions this is the second ten days of April. The south of Russia is characterized by long daylight hours and warm summers, so sweet late onion varieties (Globo, Exhibition, Kaba) are suitable for cultivation. Mid-season sharp and semi-sharp varieties (Chalcedony, Globus) also grow well.
2. In central Russia and the Moscow region, the planting date is the third ten days of April. Summer is shorter here, so southern varieties will not ripen. Give preference to early (Stuttgarter Riesen, Red Baron) and mid-season semi-sharp varieties (Sturon, Setton, zoned Strigunovsky, Myachkovsky). But late onions will not have time to ripen here.
3. In the northern regions, Siberia and the Urals, the first ten days of May are most suitable for planting. Choose frost-resistant, spicy early and mid-early varieties (Hercules, Radar, Centurion).

Landing scheme and rules

Moisten the garden bed thoroughly. If the soil is moist enough when planting early in spring, there is no need to water it.

Most often, onions are planted on turnips in rows. Level the bed, make grooves 3-4 cm deep at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other. Pour a little ash into them.

Depth, distance from each other

The spacing between bulbs in a row depends on the size of the planting material. For wild oats with a diameter of 1 cm, 5-6 cm will be optimal, for sets with a diameter of 1-2.5 cm - 7-10 cm. Planting depth - 3-4 cm.

Arrange the bulbs in rows so that the neck is slightly below the soil surface. Cover the seedlings with soil and water.

Onions are divided into groups based on taste

There are types of onions that can be divided according to taste. It all depends on the ratio of sugar and essential oils in the onion:

• Spicy.
• Peninsular.
• Sweet (salad).

If the sugar content of this cultivated plant is low, then the level of essential oils is low. Such an onion will not be very sharp and few green feathers will form. In addition, the taste is affected by proper care and taking into account all the rules of agricultural technology. Breeders annually develop new types of onions for cultivation. Among the new varieties, there are those that have a sweet taste without a hint of bitterness.

Sevok is planted very early in the spring (late April or early May) or as seedlings. Nigella seedlings begin to be sown in mid- or early February. After just two months, the seedlings will be ready to be transplanted to a permanent location. In order for the crop to receive all the necessary nutrients, it must be properly cared for.

What varieties can be planted

Before deciding which type of onion to plant, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the variety of onion species. Classification of onion varieties:

• by regionality - southern (fruitful, sweet, but poorly stored), northern (cold-resistant, hardy, perfectly stored);
• by ripening period - early (90–100 days), middle (100–120 days), late (more than 4 months);
• by the number of heads in the nest - small-cavity (1-2 pcs.), medium-cavity (3-4 pcs.), multi-cavity (more than 5 pcs.);
• to taste - spicy, semi-sharp, sweet.

The following are the best varieties for those who want to grow onions with large, tasty turnips:

1. Globo - salad variety of medium ripening period. It is one of the largest - turnips gain weight up to 1 kg. The bulb is round, covered with yellow husk. The pulp is very juicy and sweet.
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2. Exhibition belongs to the mid-late varieties. Forms very large turnips (up to 800 g). The shape of the bulb is oval, the husk is thin and yellow. The pulp is juicy, has a pleasant sweet taste, without onion smell. It is not stored for long, up to 4 months.

3. Russian size - an onion heavyweight, grows turnips weighing 600–800 g. Very tasty, juicy, does not have a pungent odor. Shelf life is short.

All large varieties must be grown through seedlings: only in this case will the heads gain the required weight.

General approaches to agricultural technology for growing onions

If all agrotechnical practices are followed, you can grow a good harvest of onions in the basement. For this purpose, special wooden shelves with lighting are made. Place polyethylene film on the bottom of the structure and fill it with soil. In the future, the growing technology is no different from caring for outdoor beds.

How to cut heirloom onions before planting?

Now you need to cut it in half. Onions are cut not to increase the number of planting units, but to obtain larger bulbs in the harvest. Each half will contain fewer buds than were in the whole bulb. Each half will produce 3-4 marketable bulbs. The feeding area will remain the same and fewer bulbs will receive more nutrition.

Cut the onion into halves, trying to leave approximately the same number of roots on them.

In other words, after cutting off the heel, turn the onion 90° and cut along the roots. I do not process the cuts with anything. They dry out a little on their own.

Cut the whole onion

We cut the family onion. The onions are ready to plant.

Predecessors and compatibility

The reason why onions do not grow in the garden is sometimes the wrong place for planting.

The best precursors for onions are vegetables such as cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, and legumes.

Next to the onion beds you can plant carrots, cabbage, beets, radishes, herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro).

See also

How and where best to dry onions after harvesting from the gardenRead

Protecting plants from diseases and pests

Pathogens can greatly reduce or destroy crops. In addition to nematodes and thrips, the following types of ailments are distinguished:

• Downy mildew. At high humidity, fungi develop quickly and infect bulbs left to overwinter.
• Neck rotting. When the leaves dry, it penetrates into the neck of the onion. It is often discovered during storage.
• Powdery mildew. Vectors can stay in the soil for fifteen years. Vegetables left to overwinter are affected.

Using only one remedy will only have a symptomatic effect. Pests are eliminated comprehensively. Nematodes can only be avoided by proper crop rotation. So onions should not be grown in the same place; the difference between crops will normally be 4-5 years. Spatial insulation will protect against powdery mildew.

Soil requirements

In order for onion heads to grow large in the garden, the soil must meet certain requirements:

• The soil in the beds should be moist, especially in the first weeks after planting. But overmoistening should not be allowed, as this leads to a decrease in taste, rotting and a reduction in the shelf life of the crop.
• There should be neutral acidity. If the acidity is high, it is recommended to add wood ash.
• To grow giant onions, the soil must contain plenty of nutrients, especially organic matter. Even in the fall, compost or humus is added to the soil at the rate of 5–6 kg per 1 square meter. m.

Onions grow well in loose, loamy, sandy loam or chernozem soil, which is characterized by high moisture capacity and moisture permeability. If the soil is heavy and acidic, the harvest will be poor.

Growing in water

To grow onions in this way, you need planting material, suitable containers and water at room temperature, previously settled.

Growing onion greens in water is a simple way that does not require special knowledge or effort.

Table 1. Instructions for growing onions in water.

Advice! of activated carbon into water .

Environment Requirement

Another unfavorable factor why onion bulbs do not grow is bad weather conditions. Onions are a cold-resistant crop, so they can be planted in early May, when the air temperature is around +5 degrees. The soil temperature should not be below +10 degrees.

Cooling affects the speed of development and growth of the plant. The onion heads grow small, the plant has poor immunity, and the harvested crop will not be stored well.

Dates for planting heirloom onions

Onions are a cold-resistant plant. Its root system grows intensively at a lower temperature than the leaves. This biological feature makes it possible to plant at an earlier date.

The root system of onions develops at temperatures from + 2° to + 25°C and tolerates frosts down to minus 4-6°C. The onion leaf grows well at temperatures of +15-25°C, withstands frosts down to minus 7°C and tolerates heat of +35°C.

If you delay planting and the air and soil temperatures are high, leaves will immediately begin to grow. The root system will no longer be as powerful and this will affect the results.

If there is enough moisture in the soil during the period of leaf growth, the plant is in no hurry to form a storage organ. It continues to increase the number of leaves and their size, thereby creating the basis for the formation of a larger and larger bulb. The more powerful leaves the plant has, the larger the bulb will be (taking into account varietal characteristics).

If there is a lack of moisture during the growing season, plant growth stops, and the bulbs begin to form at the stage in which they were caught in the drought.

For normal onion growth, a water regime with low air humidity (60-70%) and high soil moisture is required. This crop places especially high demands on water during the first period of growth, when the process of swelling and germination of the planting material takes place, the leaf apparatus increases in volume, and the bulb begins to form. During the growth period, additional watering is necessary.

Heirloom onions often reproduce vegetatively. Since several bulbs grow in the nest, some are left for planting. The rest go to food. And so every year.

Is it possible to plant heirloom onions before winter?

Family onion is a fully grown and sexually mature plant, despite the size of the bulb. Onions planted before winter shoot, even small ones. Onions can partially shoot when planted very early in a cold, protracted spring. But this happens extremely rarely.

The Siberian Research Institute of Plant Growing and Selection (SibNIIRS) has developed varieties that can be planted before winter. Among the varieties recommended for winter planting are: Siberian Yellow, SIR-7, Ryzhik, Sophocles, Seryozhka, Krepysh, Albik, Garant and a number of new Siberian hybrids. But these are not multi-bud onions, but shallots.

Specifics of growing onion from sets

Large heads are obtained by growing onions using the Chinese method. Seed material is planted on high ground - ridges that are prepared in advance. The bulbs are deepened by 3 cm and sprinkled with a small layer of earth.

Preparing the soil for sowing

The soil for planting seedlings begins to be prepared in the fall. It is recommended to dig the area deeply (to a depth of 25 cm), and at the same time apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. When treating the soil in autumn, the ability to absorb moisture increases. If the soil is highly acidic, it is recommended to add wood ash, dolomite flour or ground chalk in the fall.

Do not dig the soil too deeply in the spring, as the loose substrate prevents seed germination. It is better to loosen the area slightly with a rake in the spring and apply nitroammophoska.

How many days onions grow depends on the variety. On average, a vegetable needs 2.5–3 months to grow. They plant it in May and start digging it in August. Even if the onion head has not grown large enough, you should not keep it in the ground after ripening. As soon as the feathers turn yellow, dry and fall to the ground, start digging.

Preparing the sets

If sets of any varieties of onions were purchased in a store, then they need to be dried by spreading them in one layer on cardboard or fabric material away from heating appliances. If the seedlings were grown independently, then before planting they need to be warmed thoroughly to activate growth. It needs to be heated for two weeks at a temperature of +20 degrees, then heated for 8–10 hours at a temperature of +35 degrees.

Before planting, you can simply fill the seedlings with hot water for 15–20 minutes (the water temperature should be about 45 degrees). After this, the seedlings are transferred to cold water.

After the warming procedure, it is useful to place the planting material in solutions that stimulate growth. For this purpose, drugs such as Zircon, Rost, and Humisol are used.

Onion seeds are disinfected before planting in open ground. For this purpose, it is placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or in a solution with copper sulfate (5 g of copper sulfate is taken per 10 liters).

Planting sets

It is best to plant seedlings in mid-May, when the weather is consistently warm. The soil should warm up to +12 degrees. The best place for planting is an elevated place where groundwater does not flow. The site should receive sunlight all day without any obstacles.

In the selected area, furrows are made at a distance of 15–18 cm, 3 cm deep. After this, the furrows are watered with warm water and the seedlings are planted at intervals of approximately 8–10 cm. Do not deepen the seedlings too much; cover it with a small layer of earth on top.

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After planting, the seedlings need special care. You need to water twice a week, do not allow the spread of weeds, and after two weeks you need to carry out the first fertilizing.

Feeding

Proper care of onions in open ground consists of timely application of fertilizers:

• The first feeding is carried out 15–17 days after planting, when the active growth phase of greenery begins. If the feather grows weak, thin and pale, then micronutrients can be added earlier. They use a urea-based solution, which is poured under the root, nitroammophoska. A liquid solution of mullein is suitable as the first feeding.
• The next application of fertilizer is carried out in mid-June, three weeks after the first feeding. At this time, the underground part of the plant is actively developing and it is important to add potassium-phosphorus compounds. You can prepare a solution of superphosphate and potassium salt.
• The third fertilizing with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (without nitrogen) is carried out only if the soil is depleted and the plants themselves look weak and develop poorly.

If organic matter was added in the fall and all plant residues were removed from the site, then this is usually enough to obtain a good harvest.

Watering

Another thing to consider when growing onions is that they like moist soil. In the first month after onions sprout, you need to water them once every two weeks. If the weather is dry and hot, then the number of waterings increases to once a week.

Water for irrigation must be warm and it is better to pour it between rows. It is advisable to carry out the procedure in the evening or early in the morning.

Loosening the soil is carried out after watering. This procedure allows you to destroy pests and their larvae, prevent the formation of crusts and allow oxygen and nutrients to quickly penetrate the roots of the plant.

After watering, the soil should be wet to a depth of 10 cm. During the period of bulb formation, the abundance of watering increases.

Two weeks before the expected harvest, watering is stopped, only dry loosening is carried out. This will allow all the nutrients to accumulate in the head and not form a crust on the surface of the soil.

Loosening, thinning

As the onions grow, thinning is carried out. When planting densely, two thinnings are carried out. The weakest and smallest plants are removed. During the first thinning, a distance of 4 cm is left between the plants. The second thinning is carried out a month later, leaving a distance of 8 cm between the onions.

Loosening is carried out after watering the soil and after rains. This procedure prevents the spread of weeds and allows oxygen to penetrate unimpeded to the roots.

Whether it is necessary to rake the soil away from the bulbs is a decision that each vegetable grower makes independently. But it has been noticed that the procedure makes it possible to advance the ripening period faster, since more light and heat penetrates to the bulb. The soil should be raked a couple of weeks before harvest.

Protection from diseases and pests

Vegetable beds are often attacked by insect pests and various infections. To reduce the risk of these misfortunes, preventive treatments are carried out on onion beds. Both folk formulations and ready-made, store-bought preparations can be used.

For preventive purposes, onions can be treated with a solution based on copper sulfate. Dissolve 5 g of this component in 10 liters of water and add 30 ml of liquid soap.

Wood ash, ground pepper, and tobacco dust help protect against diseases and pests. The mixture of these components is sprinkled between the onion rows. Between the rows, the soil can be watered with a saline solution (200 g of table salt diluted in 10 liters of water).

Loosening helps destroy pest larvae. You need to loosen onions as often as possible, especially after watering or after rain.

Fertilizing onions

Fertilizing should be done when the first leaves appear. You will need to prepare a special solution. Take a glass of bird droppings and ash. Dilute 30 g of superphosphate. Dissolve all components in 10 liters of warm water. The nutritional composition perfectly fertilizes the soil.

Some gardeners prefer to feed onions with bio-infusion. Mineral fertilizers can harm a person if the dosage is exceeded. There is a danger of being poisoned by onions, and they are stored much worse.

Harvest

Harvesting begins after a third of the onion leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall to the ground. At the same time, the neck of the bulb becomes soft, thins and dries.

After digging, the crop can be dried directly in the garden. If the weather is rainy, then the onions are put indoors. It takes about two weeks for the bulbs to dry completely.

To store onion crops, it is better to choose a cool, dry, dark room with good ventilation. The air temperature should be approximately +3 degrees.

Growing on toilet paper

You can grow green onions in an original way using toilet paper. Take a regular large plastic bag and gray toilet paper. It must be placed on the bottom of the bag in a layer of at least 1 cm (can be replaced with napkins or paper towels), soaked in water so that a paste forms, but the moisture does not release too much. Place the bulbs tightly next to each other so that they do not fall on their sides, then inflate the bag and tie it well.

The peculiarity of the method is that the bag does not need to be opened until the feathers grow to its upper edge. After this, the bag should be untied and ensure that the paper base in which it grows does not dry out.

Using a bag and toilet paper you can grow green onions without any hassle.

Care

To make the plant tasty, you need to master the technique of growing onions. Let's study all stages of care:

1. Constantly clean the onion bed of weeds.
2. During the entire growth period of the plant, you must hill it four times.
3. After the leek reaches 20 cm in height, you can begin to fertilize it. This is done with the following solution: 10 liters of water are mixed with 1 kg of mullein and watered. It is not recommended to use fertilizers that contain a high nitrogen content. Because of it, the leek rots.
4. Constant watering, especially during active growth and color gain.
5. The finished crop is harvested in late autumn.

We figured out how to grow large leeks in your garden. This type of plant is susceptible to diseases and pest attacks, so you should be vigilant and take measures immediately. We gradually reached the sowing area. Let's find out how to plant it correctly and then care for it.

How to make your own sets

Many gardeners don’t bother and buy ready-made material, but some prefer to grow it themselves. If you're wondering how to grow onion sets, then let's get started. To get seeds, you need to do the following:

1. Select the best onions.
2. In early spring they need to be planted in a greenhouse. There should be a distance between them greater than you grow it per head.
3. At the beginning of September, we can collect the seeds from which we will get a set.
4. They are dried for a month.
5. The seeds are also called nigella. They received this name for their color.
6. They are allowed to be stored for no more than two years.

Preparation of planting material

Do not rush to plant onions in the spring, because in order for the germination of the sets to be almost 100%, you need to sort out and treat the onions with special solutions that will protect the crop from diseases and pests. So, first sort out low-quality planting material, removing all damaged, dry and diseased specimens. Distribute a good set by diameter into different piles. This will allow you to produce evenly grown turnips.

After sorting, keep each group for about three days at a temperature of 35 degrees; if this is not possible, then simply bake the onion for about 4 hours at 40 degrees in the oven. Processing onions before planting will thus activate metabolic processes and improve germination. After drying, transfer the sets to diluted fertilizer for 1/3 of the day, then dip the seedlings in a weak solution of manganese for 5-10 minutes, rinse the onions under running water and you can safely plant the onions on an unprotected surface.

Features of vegetable crops

Onions can be classified as a type of plant grown in 3 years. When the seeds, called nigella, are planted, a seed ray grows.

In the second year it is planted and a full-fledged turnip onion is obtained, used for food.

In the third year they are planted again and seeds are obtained. Growing onions from small seedlings has advantages: they ripen quickly and do not require thinning. Does not require frequent watering and is well stored until the next harvest.

Photo: ©TUT-NEWS.RU

When planting onions, focus on soil temperature. The top layer should warm up well. Planting in cold soil risks bolting. The onion will shoot out and fade into color, but you won’t be able to get a full-fledged turnip.