It is no secret that onions have always been very loved and in demand on the table. The vegetable, which is used for preparing many dishes, should always be at hand; its plantings can be found in almost all vegetable gardens. Onions do not require too much care from the owners who want to grow them, and in return they give a very rich harvest, which can be stored for the entire winter period.
Many people are accustomed to spring onion cultivation in plots, but recently winter planting has also been successfully practiced in vegetable gardens. For the winter, seeds are sown that are specially created for this purpose and tolerate winter frosts well. This method is also not considered difficult, but you need to know how to feed onions planted in the spring before winter so that the harvest is decent.
Why feed onions in spring?
In spring, feeding onions is simply necessary. The soil very often lacks the nutrients that vegetables need for normal growth and resistance to diseases and pests.
Fertilizing the crop is of particular importance if onions are grown for plumage. There will simply not be a good green mass of feathers if the vegetable does not receive enough nitrogen. It is this substance that influences the growing season and is important at the very beginning of growth, and the amount present in the soil is not enough.
In spring, potassium is also important for onions. The vegetable’s immune system and its resistance to pests and diseases depend on it. The greatest need for this fertilizer appears during the formation of bulbs and their further growth.
Without phosphorus, you won’t be able to get a rich harvest either. It is necessary throughout the entire growth of the vegetable, so fertilizing is carried out several times.
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.
Feeding onions for greens
Nitrogen is the main component of feeding onions. When the crop has just emerged, it is fed with urea or ammonium nitrate (30 g/m²). The preparations are scattered on the beds, after which watering is carried out. If the second product is used dry, then after 10 days use 1 of the compositions:
- ash – 200 g / 10 l. Infuse for 24 hours in hot water;
- superphosphate – 30 g, potassium chloride – 10 g.
The first composition is used in liquid form, the second - in dry form.
It is advisable to fertilize the soil with organic matter before or after planting onions at intervals of 2 weeks.
How to feed onions in spring
Fertilizers are applied depending on the purpose of growing onions. If a vegetable grows on a feather, it needs more nitrogen. When onions are grown per head, fertilizers should include more potassium and phosphorus. The best option is considered to be a combination of mineral-based preparations with organic matter.
Mineral fertilizers
Onions are fed sparingly with these fertilizers, since a large amount of minerals can lead to the accumulation of nitrates in the vegetable.
The most popular compositions include:
- potassium: potassium nitrate, potassium chloride, potassium magnesium and potassium salt;
- nitrogen: most often chosen are urea, ammophos, ammonium nitrate, ammonium carbonate;
- phosphorus: precipitate, nitroammophoska, tomasslag, phosphate rock, superphosphate.
Organic
These fertilizers have a great effect on soil fertility, but they should not be concentrated. Organics are always diluted before use. Fertilizers include:
- wood ash;
- peat;
- compost;
- bird droppings;
- humus;
- sapropel.
Purchased fertilizers
There is a wide range of complex fertilizers for onions on sale. Use them according to the included instructions. The most popular fertilizers, created taking into account all the needs of onions during the growth period:
- "Effecton";
- "Tsitovit";
- "Gumi";
- "Reflex";
- "Blank sheet";
- "Agricola-2".
Folk remedies
To fertilize crops, traditional methods are used, which are environmentally friendly, economical and accessible. Most often used:
- baker's yeast;
- ammonia;
- infusions of nettle, woodlice, chamomile, milkweed, dandelion, burdock, comfrey, reed or clover.
Many gardeners choose this feeding option due to the availability of raw materials.
Autumn land preparation
Before you start sowing, you need to prepare the soil in the fall:
- Firstly, they resort to the necessary disinfection using a solution of copper sulfate;
- Secondly, after 24 hours after the first procedure, organic fertilizers are added, for example, cow manure, which has already rotted. In addition to manure, fertilizers containing phosphorus are used.
From the above it follows that onions should be fertilized for the first time in the fall, almost immediately after they are planted.
It happens that summer residents mulch in the fall with peat, which in the spring will not affect the growth of the crop, as it will melt very quickly.
Important information! You should not use fertilizers that contain nitrogen in the fall.
This can accelerate the growth of green feathers that are not needed at this time, and if the onion produces feathers, it most likely will not survive the winter period.
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:
- Manure for feeding onions is used only after overheating. The reaction to a fresh one will be negative.
- Do not overapply organic fertilizers. The onion will not form a turnip, but will increase the green mass.
- 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.
Video
Growing winter onions from planting to harvesting for storage
The best fertilizer for onions. How to feed onions in spring and summer to keep them large.
Onions and garlic will be like in a fairy tale after these steps!
How to feed winter onions and garlic in spring? Flour and yeast as fertilizer for the garden
SECRETS OF PLANTING ONIONS BEFORE WINTER! RELIABLE WAYS!
The most important fertilizer for garlic and onions.
How to feed onions and garlic in spring? Of course, only with natural fertilizer.
The ONION planted before WINTER has sprouted. Sprouting BOW. 06.11.2019
SUPER FEEDING AGAINST YELLOWING OF ONION LEAVES AND FROM PESTS!
We plant onions in the fall. Why is this better?
What to do if garlic or onions planted before winter have sprouted????
How to feed onions
Garden head - Feeding onions
FEEDING ONIONS IN SPRING
Garden head - How to care for onions?
Planting ONIONS BEFORE WINTER. The most complete information about planting onions before winter
Caring for onion sets in spring. Agricultural technology, fertilizing, onion pests
How to feed spring onions planted before winter
How do you like the article?
Ivanova Tatyana
Ask a Question
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:
- The very first fertilizing includes nitrogen and phosphorus. Such fertilizers are applied approximately 2 weeks after planting. During this period, the first greenery appears.
- 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.
- 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.
Fertilizing the soil when planting onions in the spring
Fertile soil allows seedlings to fully grow and develop immediately from the moment of planting. The soil has been prepared since autumn. The choice of fertilizer depends on the soil itself, its fertility and density. Any fertilizing is applied during digging; usually the soil is dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet.
How to fertilize the soil when planting (per 1 sq. m):
- Add sand (9 kg), humus (6 kg), peat (5 kg), and urea (15 g) to heavy clay soil.
- Loamy soil is fertilized with humus (6 kg), urea (15 g), superphosphate (40 g), peat (6 kg).
- Poor peaty soil is enriched with superphosphate (50 g), humus (6 kg), sand (10 kg), and urea (8 g).
- Loamy soil (10 kg), humus (5 kg), lowland peat (5 kg), nitrophoska (15 g) are added to sandy soil.
Most often, summer residents choose superphosphate. This is the most popular fertilizer and is excellent for this crop. When adding compost or fresh organic matter, there is a risk of weeds appearing in the spring.
How to feed winter onions in spring
Winter onions are also fertilized 3 times throughout the growing season. The fertilizer application scheme does not differ from the general one.
How to fertilize for the first time:
- Mix 3 parts superphosphate, 2 parts urea, 1 part potassium chloride and add water.
- Gently pour the prepared solution under the root of the crop.
They also use ready-made minerals, diluting according to the instructions.
The second time they fertilize with nitrophoska - 2 tbsp. l. for 1 bucket of water. The solution is thoroughly mixed and then used for irrigation. One bucket is enough for 2 square meters. m.
For the third time, it is best to fertilize winter onions with superphosphate. 2 tbsp. l. There is enough substance to treat 1 square. m of soil.
Preparing the soil in autumn
Winter onions are sown in the soil in the second half of October. This sowing regime will allow the bulbs to take root before frost, but will not allow the green feathers to germinate.
Before sowing crops, it is necessary to disinfect and fertilize the soil:
- Copper sulfate is used to disinfect soil. 15 mg of this substance is diluted in a bucket of water and used to water 5 m2 of soil.
- A day after disinfecting the soil, you can begin applying fertilizers. More often, organic matter is used for these purposes, for example, rotted cow manure. Fertilizer consumption should be 5 kg/m2 of soil. In combination with manure, you can use fertilizers containing phosphorus (superphosphate), which will help the bulbs take root quickly.
Important!
In the fall, before sowing winter onions, fertilizers with a high nitrogen content cannot be used, since this provokes accelerated growth of the feathers, and the sprouted vegetable cannot successfully survive the winter. If you plan to grow vegetables on heavy clay soils, then in the fall, before sowing winter onions, you need to add sand and peat to the soil in addition to organic and phosphate fertilizers.
Thus, the first fertilizing of winter onions should be carried out in the fall, before sowing the crop. Next year, during the active growth of the bulbs, it is necessary to carry out another 3-4 feedings.
Some gardeners in the fall, after sowing onions in prepared soil, mulch the beds with peat. With the arrival of spring warmth, it will quickly melt and will not retard the growth of onions.
What fertilizers should I use to make onions large?
Throughout the entire growth period, the soil is saturated with phosphorus, and when the head becomes 3-3.5 cm, it is enriched with potassium.
The most popular fertilizer is superphosphate. It is great for feeding onions in the spring, allowing the vegetable to grow quickly. Agricola-2 is also often used. The fertilizer meets all the requirements of this crop.
To obtain a large head, in addition to mineral substances, organic substances are used. Usually the choice is chicken droppings, wood ash and mullein.
The need to use fertilizers
If during planting or sowing the soil was well “filled” with fertilizers, fertilizing is carried out in cases where a clear lag in the growth of feathers and bulbs is noticed. Experienced vegetable growers alternate organic matter with mineral complexes containing a standard set of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) in different proportions, and also add the necessary macro- and microelements (calcium, iron, magnesium, etc.).
The application of chlorine-containing fertilizers does not have a negative effect on the yield and quality of onions.
In addition to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, calcium and sulfur play an important role in plant growth and development. Calcium promotes root growth, neutralizes soil acidity and improves the absorption of phosphorus, sulfur and boron. Sulfur is necessary for onion plants to achieve a high concentration of aromatic substances, so sulfur-containing fertilizers - ammonium and potassium sulfates - are often used for onions.
For foliar feeding, highly soluble ammonium and potassium sulfates, urea, double superphosphate, potassium chloride, and ash are used.
To stimulate growth in cold, rainy spring, experts recommend fertilizing leaves (3-5 cm long) with a solution prepared from urea (15-20 g), potassium chloride (10-15 g) and double superphosphate (20-30 g) per day. 10 liters of water per 3 m2 of onion beds.
Onions respond well to microfertilizers, which they receive by pre-soaking seeds, sets and turnips intended for growing mother plants. To do this, use solutions of copper sulfate (0.1%), potassium permanganate (a faint pink solution of potassium permanganate), as well as cobalt sulfate or nitrate (0.2%).
Onions do not like: dense clays or loams, acidic soils, fresh manure and excessive doses of nitrogen. The best for the plant are fertile, light loamy soils rich in organic matter with a high content of available forms of phosphorus and potassium (180-200 mg/kg of soil).
In the spring, to prevent deoxidation, many gardeners water onion plantings with calcium nitrate (3 tablespoons per 10 liters of water), lime milk (200 g of freshly slaked lime per 10 liters of water) or wood ash (1 cup per plant). But it is better to take measures to reduce acidity in advance, 2-3 years in advance, since onions react negatively to direct application of lime.
Tips on the topic
The fact that there are enough useful substances in the soil is evidenced by good green onions. If yellow spots appear early, it means it’s time to urgently apply fertilizer. When onions are grown for turnips, yellowing of the feathers during the ripening period of the crop is the norm.
In spring, choose cloudy weather for feeding and make sure there is no wind. If the soil is too dry, water the crop first. Before rain, mineral fertilizers are scattered between the rows. Together with precipitation they will penetrate into the soil.
Wood ash not only acts as a good fertilizer, but also repels pests and protects the crop from diseases.
Do not use substances if the expiration date has expired. The drugs lose their properties, and in some cases can even cause harm.
This is interesting:
Preparing for cold weather correctly: do you need to cut onions for the winter and how to do it
A Beginner's Guide to Growing Green Onions in the Basement
The best varieties of onion seeds for greens and cultivation algorithm
Organics or chemistry?
The choice of fertilizer for onions is the most important step for obtaining a rich harvest of turnips or feathers. Fertile soil produces good greens and juicy large bulbs, but you should also not overuse fertilizing. The crop is prone to the accumulation of nitrates, harmful to humans.
To avoid turning a healthy vegetable into an unsafe product, many farmers prefer organics. It produces a large amount of mineral elements, but not the maximum possible amount of yield. Therefore, when choosing what fertilizers to use in the spring, it is best to combine organic matter with chemistry, but feed the soil no more than 2-3 times per season.
Did you know that drugs such as “Allylglycer” and “Allylchep” are obtained from onions. They have an antimicrobial effect and improve intestinal motility. Medicines are taken for indigestion and atherosclerosis. They are prescribed to those suffering from the sclerotic form of hypertension.
