Feeding onions for a large harvest: timing, what to feed, the best means

You can get an excellent onion harvest if you plant the seeds at the right time and properly care for the vegetable crop. The set of measures for caring for onions also includes periodic feeding of the vegetable, which should be carried out in accordance with the recommendations developed by specialists.

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.

Which onion fertilizers contain ash?

If necessary, you can purchase fertilizers containing various types of wood ash in the store:

When to feed onions

Fertilizers are applied three times throughout the growing season. This is usually enough for good greenery at the beginning of growth and high yield at the end:

• The onions are fed for the first time immediately after green sprouts appear. The main component is nitrogen.
• The second feeding is carried out 2 weeks after the first. The main component is phosphorus, since onions constantly need it.
• The third time the crop is fed at the initial stage of bulb growth. Usually this moment occurs 2-3 weeks after the second feeding. The fertilizer must contain potassium; it is extremely important for the growth of onions.

In some cases, it is recommended to fertilize the soil before planting the vegetable. This is especially important if onions are grown for the first time in a new area and there is no data on soil fertility. If you are confident in the quality of the soil and it is regularly saturated with fertilizers, it is not necessary to prepare the soil.

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.

General rules for fertilizing

Onions are a very “voracious” garden crop; they grow well only on fertile soils, and they intensively use both high-quality organic fertilizers and a variety of mineral fertilizers. It consumes especially a lot of nitrogen, removing it from the soil almost completely. It requires somewhat less potassium, and even less phosphorus. But onions also need a variety of microelements. Without timely fertilizing it will not be possible to obtain large bulbs; you need to know the following:

• Fresh manure should not be buried in onion beds; it can only be used in the form of aqueous infusions;
• with increased use of organic fertilizers, you can get a lot of greenery at the expense of the size of the bulbs;
• when applying root fertilizers, you should try not to get the solutions used on the leaves;
• The bed should be watered before and after fertilizing;
• some time after fertilizing it is necessary to loosen;
• You should not fertilize (and even water) later than 3-4 weeks before harvesting.

When growing onions, mineral and organic fertilizers are used, as well as folk remedies.

Rules for harvesting and storing turnip onions

2 weeks before harvest, at the end of August - September, watering is suspended. They begin to dig up the bulbs when the growth of new green feathers stops and the existing feathers adhere en masse to the ground, the heads are fully formed and colored brown.

Don't delay harvesting

Harvesting is not delayed beyond mid-September, as onions can resume growth. Such fruits become unsuitable for storage.

Harvesting onions at the dacha

After harvesting, onions are laid out in a dry, ventilated area or hung in bunches. The greens are not cut so that the head draws out the remaining juices from them. After a month, it can be transferred to a storage location. First you need to cut off the dried tops and roots, but leave 3-4 centimeters of the neck and some roots. You can learn more about harvesting and storing onions from our article.

Mineral fertilizers

According to experienced farmers, the best first feeding for onions in the spring is the application of nitrogen fertilizers. One environmentally friendly and convenient option is to use urea. Approximately 20–25 g of the substance is dissolved in 10 liters of water and watered the bed, having first moistened the soil well. If ammonium nitrate is used, about 10–15 g of the drug will be needed. If the soil is depleted, it is worth adding 10–12 g of potassium chloride and 25–30 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water to nitrogen fertilizers. In order not to get confused in dosages, it is more convenient to use complex preparations - nitrophoska, azofoska, etc.

For the second treatment, it is allowed to use products specially created for garlic and onions. Considering their relatively high cost, many prefer to treat the soil with nitrophoska at the rate of 25–30 g per 10 liters of water.

The third feeding is carried out using 30 g of superphosphate and the same amount of potassium sulfate, diluted in a bucket of water. The solution consumes about 3 liters per 1 sq. m. You should not exceed the volume, especially when working with nitrogen fertilizers.

When planning to prepare a solution, it is important to remember: saltpeter and urea dissolve quickly, potassium salts will take a little longer, and superphosphate can cause problems. To facilitate the solution of the problem, it is separately diluted in hot water at the rate of 100 g per 1 liter, and then the resulting concentrate is brought to the desired consistency before use.

Another point worth paying attention to is that manufacturers have begun to produce superphosphate enriched with nitrogen. It is not recommended to use this composition as a final feeding.

Useful tips

Inexperienced gardeners often destroy plants and become disappointed, subsequently giving up attempts to grow onions. To avoid common mistakes, you should listen to time-tested recommendations for feeding onions from experienced farmers. Here are some of those tips:

• Do not apply fresh organic fertilizer to onions; it is important to let it ferment and dilute with water before use;
• do not exceed the application rate, otherwise the greens will grow to the detriment of the bulb;
• using increased dosages of mineral fertilizers for onions is permissible only on clay and sandy soil;
• when using mineral and organic fertilizers simultaneously, their ratio should be 2:3;
• dry preparations should be added to moist soil (after rain or heavy watering) so that they are absorbed better and faster;
• In order for fertilizers to be well absorbed, the soil must have a neutral pH.

In order for the heads to be large and even, and the vegetable to be healthy, it is important to follow the specified rules, take into account the needs of a particular variety, climatic conditions and soil characteristics. More information about the nuances of using the fertilizers listed above can be found in other articles on the site.

Folk remedies

Folk recipes are also popular among gardeners.

• Herbal tincture. To prepare this product, you can use any weed. Gardeners usually add nettles or young dandelion foliage to the barrel. It is important to ensure that the selected plants do not have seeds. Otherwise, the weeds may spread throughout the garden. The collected greens should be placed in a dense layer on the bottom of a barrel or bucket. Then you need to pour boiling water over it. Next, the product is sent to a dark place for several days. After a couple of days, the liquid will ferment. You should not water the area with concentrated infusion. Usually it is diluted in a ratio of 1 to 1, and then used to water the area.
• Yeast. Another product that is often used to feed onions growing in open ground is a high-quality yeast infusion. They should feed onions that grow poorly or slowly gain green mass. Preparing the infusion is very simple. Add 100 grams of yeast, a tablespoon of sugar and a liter of water to the container. All this is thoroughly mixed. After a couple of hours, another 10 liters of warm water are added to the container. In this form, the product is left in a dark place for a day. The next day you can start watering the area with this infusion. Some gardeners also add a small amount of dry ash to this product. This only enhances its properties.
• Bread. Regular bread is also suitable for feeding beds. It is quite possible to use stale pieces to prepare the solution. They need to be cut into pieces and then filled with water. In this form, the container with bread and liquid should be left in a warm place for several days. You can speed up the fermentation process by adding a tablespoon of sugar to the container. The finished product is immediately used for watering the beds. First you need to strain it, separating the liquid from the bread pulp. If this is not done, the crumbs will dry out on the beds and will attract the attention of pests. It is worth remembering that yeast and bread fertilizers can only be used at temperatures above +20 degrees. Otherwise they will be of no use.
• Iodine. Feeding with iodine helps if the plant develops too slowly and the bulb does not form. To fertilize the area, a 5 percent solution is used. To prepare it, 40 drops of the product are added to a 10-liter container of water. The watering agent can be used immediately after preparation.

• Ammonia. This product is typically used to treat an area when onions are starting to turn yellow. To prepare such a light top dressing, dilute one and a half tablespoons of ammonia in 5 liters of water. This should be done outdoors. Immediately after preparation, the product can be used for spraying or watering beds.
• Wood ash. This natural fertilizer is rich in a variety of useful substances that young onions need so much. The product promotes rapid growth and development of plants, and also neutralizes soil acidity. The product can be used dry. Wood ash helps not only to feed the area, but also to protect the onions from various pests. To speed up the growth of onions, you can also use an ash solution. It is prepared as simply as possible. A glass of ash is diluted in 10 liters of boiling water. After this, the product is infused for 3-4 days. The resulting infusion can be immediately sprayed on the plants. This feeding will increase the resistance of young onions to bad weather.
• Eggshell. You can also use dried shells in the garden. They start preparing it in advance. The eggshells are washed and dried. Then it is thoroughly crushed. The resulting powder is applied to the soil. It can be used both dry and as a solution. This product saturates the soil with nutrients and also increases the productivity of the site.
• Saline solution. This product is usually used when green onion sets in an area begin to turn yellow. If you water the beds with a concentrated saline solution, the plant will quickly return to its bright green color. In addition, the use of a saline solution allows you to protect the area from many diseases and insects. To prepare it, dilute 200 grams of ordinary salt in 10 liters of warm water. Exceeding the dosage is not recommended. The product must be used very carefully. The solution should be watered between the rows. The product should not get on the greens, or directly on the roots. In order for the onions to receive more nutrients, the beds should be well watered the day before fertilizing.
• Baking soda. Another unusual product that can be used in onion beds is simple baking soda. It improves the quality of plants and also helps them recover from many diseases.
• Boric acid. This effective product has been used to feed plants for quite a long time and is considered an excellent growth stimulator. The product, along with tar, increases the immunity of plants and protects them from the effects of many diseases. To fertilize the soil, boric acid must be diluted in liquid. During the process, you should follow the instructions indicated on the packaging. Before applying this fertilizer, the area is well watered. This is done to prevent the plant from getting burned.

All of these products have proven themselves well. Therefore, they can be used to feed onion beds.

Compound

The greatest value is the ash from deciduous and coniferous trees. The powder obtained by burning such substances contains microelements necessary for plants: calcium, potassium, phosphorus. The amount of these microelements is so great that organic matter can completely replace industrial potassium-phosphorus mixtures.

In addition, the ash contains more than 30 chemical elements that vegetable crops, including onions, need. The only element that is not present in ash is nitrogen. Therefore, in the first stages of growth, ash fertilizers should be alternated with nitrogen-containing mixtures.

The powder obtained from trees and plants has a number of advantages over other fertilizers:

1. Promotes rotting of organic residues, thereby improving the structure and composition of the soil.
2. Unlike many complex fertilizers, the potassium and phosphorus contained in the ash are easily absorbed.
3. Ideal for feeding plants on acidic and neutral soils. Use ash in alkaline areas with caution, as the substance reduces acidity.
4. Makes onions more resistant to temperature fluctuations and other weather surprises.
5. Increases the shelf life of bulbs.
6. Regular treatment of onions with ash and ash solutions repels pests.
7. Does not contain chlorine, which is harmful to plants.

In view of such a large number of advantages, the available combustion product is widely used by gardeners for feeding all vegetable and berry crops, as well as for preparing pest control products.

Can ash be used after burning other materials? It is not recommended to use powder obtained by burning paper, plastic and other waste to feed plants, as the content of useful microelements in such a substance is minimal.

How to properly feed onions

An incorrect feeding system will not only not be beneficial, but will also harm the seedlings. Therefore, in order to get a good harvest, it is necessary not only to apply fertilizers in a timely manner, but also to observe some nuances:

1. Manure for feeding onions is used only after overheating. The reaction to a fresh one will be negative.
2. Do not overapply organic fertilizers. The onion will not form a turnip, but will increase the green mass.
3. Organic products must be of good quality to avoid introducing weed seeds into the soil.

For mineral fertilizers to be beneficial, you must:

• be sure to follow the dosage;
• dilute them in warm water;
• use non-food containers;
• If the drug gets on the greens, rinse them with running water;
• water the onions before using fertilizer to avoid burning the roots;
• increase the dosage if the soil is too light and sandy;
• reduce the dosage when planting onions in clayey, heavy soil;
• reduce the amount of mineral products by a third if they are mixed with organic matter.

When using folk remedies, it is important to make the solution correctly. Ammonia perfectly revives the culture if the feathers have begun to turn yellow. Dissolve 1.5 tbsp in 5 liters of water. l. products and prepared fertilizer are watered over the vegetable.

Baker's yeast promotes the absorption of other elements and improves soil microflora. This fertilizer is applied once at the very beginning of the growing season. Usually use 100 g of yeast, 1 tbsp. ash and 50 g sugar. All components are poured with a bucket of water and left for 2 hours.

Important! Any fertilizers are applied only at the root. Do not allow it to come into contact with the greens or the bulb itself. You can spill solutions between the rows to avoid burns to the plant.

Common mistakes

Let's look at the most common mistakes when feeding onions in spring.

• Watering on dry soil. The bulb does not tolerate direct contact with fertilizer. First, the soil under the plant must be moistened and only then nutrient mixtures must be added.
• Fresh organics. Fresh chicken manure can be used if diluted with water, but manure and compost must first be rotted.
• Exceeding the norm of applied fertilizer. The risk of this is that the onion will begin to grow green mass, but the bulb will not grow.
• Expired fertilizers. There is no need for further explanation here. Old fertilizers will be, at best, useless, and can harm the vegetable.
• Mineral compounds are diluted in cold water. Nitroammophoska, urea, superphosphate - all these fertilizers are poorly soluble in cold water. First, dilute them in a small amount of hot liquid, and then bring the volume of the solution to the working volume.

Fertilizer application scheme

Timely fertilizing of the crop allows you to get a good harvest and avoid diseases during the growth period. Nutrient deficiency and excess should not be allowed.

When and what fertilizers to apply:

1. The very first fertilizing includes nitrogen and phosphorus. Such fertilizers are applied approximately 2 weeks after planting. During this period, the first greenery appears.
2. Repeated application of fertilizers occurs at the end of April or beginning of May. It is produced 14-20 days after the first one. The main components are potassium and phosphorus; there should be very little nitrogen to avoid excessive feather growth.
3. The third time, only phosphorus-potassium solution is added. It is necessary to feed the crop after 4 feathers appear or when the bulb reaches 4 cm in diameter.

Proper feeding of onions allows them to develop well throughout their growth, which leads to high yields. The vegetable heads become large and dense by the time of harvest.

Schemes for spring feeding of onions

You cannot apply all the fertilizers at once. The most suitable feeding scheme would be in three stages. Let's sort it out.

First stage

The first feeding is carried out in early spring, when you remove the cover from the beds and sprouts appear. At this time, the plant needs nitrogen and, to a lesser extent, phosphorus. You can use nitroammophoska or mix fertilizer from 30 grams of ammonium nitrate and 40 grams of superphosphate.

Second phase

At the second stage, we add microelements necessary to increase the size of the bulb. The approximate period of feeding is the first ten days of May. In general, you can work on the May holidays.

You can apply Agricola-2 or the following complex fertilizer: 15 grams of ammonium nitrate, the same amount of sodium chloride and twice as much superphosphate.

Third stage

At this stage, we use superphosphate (40 g) and potassium chloride (20 g), dissolved in a ten-liter bucket of water. There are no exact dates for feeding. Focus on the size of the bulb. It should grow up to 4 cm. Instead of the fertilizer described above, you can use an ash solution.

Comparison of ash with purchased products

Ash cannot be compared with any purchased mineral fertilizer. It contains up to 30 elements, but does not contain nitrogen. The main components of ash are potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Potassium forms the basis of such products:

• potassium chloride;
• potassium salt;
• potassium sulfate.

In addition to these products, ash replaces granulated superphosphate and lime. 0.5 kg of ash replaces 110 g of superphosphate, 250 g of lime and 120 g of potassium chloride. Ash with urea replaces the Agricola-2 fertilizer for onions and garlic, which is used for the second feeding of onions. Feed at the stage of bulb formation with an interval of 7-10 days. “Agriokla-2”, unlike ash, contains a specially selected complex of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium for growing onions. [wp-svg-icons icon=”file-word” wrap=”i”] Read reviews from gardeners about Agricola fertilizer

For onions, the fertilizer “Agricola Aqua Vegeta” is used. Fertilizer, like ash, is suitable for root and foliar feeding. It is applied at intervals of 10-15 days. For onions, Effekton-O fertilizer is also used. This drug is intended to increase onion yields and accelerate fruit formation. Acidity pH=6.5-7.

Disease and pest control

To repel weevils from the garden bed, the onions should be generously sprinkled with dry ash. To prevent and control onion moths and other pests, plants are sprayed with an ash solution. 300 g of powder is poured into 3 liters of water and left for 2 days. At the end of the period, add 40 g of liquid soap to the infusion.

You can also get rid of aphids using ash infusion. Add 100 g of powder to a bucket of water, and then leave the mixture for 48 hours. Treat onions with ash in cloudy weather or evening hours.

To protect plants from root rot and other equally dangerous diseases, plants are generously sprinkled with ash or sprayed with ash infusion.

Wood ash is a real find for fans of natural fertilizers. The powder perfectly restores the content of macro- and microelements, and also prevents the development of pathogenic microflora, repels insects, and reduces soil acidity. Regular use of the substance helps solve several problems at once.

Making compost and reducing acidity

Since ash powder has the ability to accelerate the breakdown of organic matter, the substance is added as a component when laying a compost heap. Moreover, the substance fills the fertilizer with calcium, potassium and phosphorus, and also neutralizes the harmful effects of chemical elements. 10 kg of powder is poured into the compost heap.

With the help of organic matter, you can not only improve the composition of the soil, but also reduce its acidity. Owners of summer cottages where acidity is above average are forced to pay a lot of attention to soil preparation, since most garden crops prefer to grow in a neutral environment. Wood ash powder is embedded in the grooves made between the rows.