How to feed onions so that they grow large and tasty

How to properly feed onions

In order to collect large heads at the right time, fertilizers for onions in open ground are applied several times during the season. The main ones of all upcoming events are three:

1. For intensive growth of green mass, nitrogen mineral fertilizers for onions are applied 2–3 weeks after planting the sets.
2. After a month, complex fertilizing is used, in which the dose of nitrogen is not so high.
3. When the bulb reaches the size of an average plum, it’s time to remember about potassium fertilizers.

A competent approach involves preparing the beds in the fall. Use humus or compost at the rate of 10 kg of organic matter per 1 square meter. m. If onions and other crops that deplete reserves of useful elements have already been grown in the selected area, it is worth using mineral supplements.

Feeding onions begins in the spring and continues in the summer - there are 3 stages in total. The diagram is approximate, since in each case you need to be guided by the type of plant:

• with good greenery, we can conclude that the soil is sufficiently fertile. The feathers are not torn off, but in the 2nd–3rd growing season the beds are treated with potassium and phosphorus additives to obtain large bulbs;
• if the greenery is weak or absent, nitrogen must be added;
• yellowing feathers indicate potassium deficiency;
• Dried ends of greens indicate a lack of phosphorus.

As a rule, feeding winter onions in the spring involves root watering, with the exception of the rainy period, when you can bury fertilizer granules 5–10 cm into the ground.

How to prepare a site

The bed for sowing onions is prepared in the fall. Taking into account the rules of crop rotation, select a site where the following crops previously grew:

• eggplant;
• pepper;
• cabbage;
• tomatoes;
• legumes.

The selected area is dug up with the simultaneous addition of humus or compost. Too heavy soils are lightened by adding peat. Since onions do not tolerate high acidity, lime is added to the soil if necessary.

In the spring, the area chosen for the garden bed is loosened, all weeds are destroyed and treated with herbicides. Then a high bed is formed so that it is well warmed by the sun's rays. Ash is used as fertilizer by mixing it with soil.

Important! If fertilizers have not been applied in the fall, they are added before sowing. The bed is dug up and rotted manure or compost is added to a depth of 15 cm. If there are no organic fertilizers, ammonium nitrate or urea is added to stimulate the initial growth of green mass.

When planting bulbs, take into account that the size of the ripe crop depends on the distance between them. To obtain a large underground part, the seedlings are placed at intervals of 10 cm. A distance of 25 cm is left between the rows. This planting scheme, subject to all other growing rules, results in rapid development of bulbs and weight gain.

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.

Answers to frequently asked questions

When can you feed onions for the first time after planting them in open ground?

Usually the first feeding is carried out a week or two after planting. This gap is explained by the fact that the vegetable is given time to take root.

What is more effective, organic or mineral water?

Mineral preparations contain a higher concentration of the active substance. But it’s optimal to mix and alternate the type of fertilizing.

What soil is best to plant onions in?

Light nutrient soil is the best option. If you have heavy soil in your garden, prepare the bed before planting onions. Add river sand and peat to it. The structure of the land will become more suitable for growing crops.

Organic fertilizers

When choosing what fertilizer to apply when planting onions in the spring, many farmers lean towards organic matter. This is not the best choice for growing this particular crop, but if there is a fundamental aversion to mineral compounds, mullein and bird droppings are suitable. The compositions are only suitable for starting feeding, sometimes for the second. If you use dung and mullein as final feeding, the crop will not be stored for long.

Solutions for treating onion beds are prepared in advance. Bird droppings are diluted in water in a ratio of 1:20 and left for about 2 weeks. The resulting concentrate is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:20 and used for root feeding.

Manure is easier to work with because it is less concentrated. To make winter onions grow better, fertilizing is prepared from 10 liters of water and 1 tbsp. mullein After a week, water the plant at the roots with the prepared solution without adding water. A herbal infusion is prepared for the second feeding. Place 1 kg of mowed grass in a container, add 10 liters of water, and leave for a week. Water is added to the resulting concentrate in a ratio of 1:2. Considering that the resulting liquid contains a lot of nitrogen, but little phosphorus and potassium, it is recommended to add ash. For the final treatment of the soil, you should not use such an infusion due to the excessive nitrogen content in its composition.

How to spray onions after planting for stress

When onions are planted in a permanent place, they experience stress. After all, growing conditions, weather, and environment change.

In order for the plant to better tolerate planting, it must be fed with special compounds based on a growth regulator.

Epin

One of the most popular growth regulators and anti-stress drugs.

To prepare a working mixture for spraying, dissolve 1 ml of Epin in 5 liters of water. After which the plants are sprayed.

Zircon

Zircon is very similar in its properties to Epin, which is why it is sometimes used.

The spraying solution is prepared according to the same recipe.

Banana peel fertilizer

Banana peels are full of beneficial nutrients. You can prepare an infusion from it, which you can spray onions after planting in open ground.

The recipe is:

1. Cut the peel into several pieces.
2. Place in a jar and fill with water.
3. Keep in a dark place for 3 days.
4. Stir, strain and sprinkle onion.

Special mixture

But the most effective solution for better rooting will be the following mixture of drugs: 1 liter of water, 0.2 ml of Zircon, 1.5 ml of Cytovit and 5 ml of Ecofocus.

All medications can be purchased at a hardware store or ordered online.

Complex fertilizers

Combined fertilizers for onions contain a mixture of minerals with organic matter and microelements. A solution prepared from 1 cup of manure and 1 tbsp has a good effect on yield. l. urea dissolved in a bucket of water. Another option is to mix 10 g of potassium salt and 20 g of superphosphate. For convenience and accurate dosing, ready-made formulations are used, such as “Clean Sheet”, “Agricol-2”, “Reflex”, “Effekton”, “Tsitovit” and others.

Feeding plants in summer

What fertilizers are needed when planting onions - this question worries many gardeners. Microelements do not need to be added if they were added to the soil in the fall before digging or nitrogen was added in the spring. You should not completely abandon fertilizing, because this procedure increases the quantity and quality of the harvest of onions and other types of this plant, for example, trumpet.

Microelements are added to the soil for the third time from the last ten days of June to mid-July. Not all gardeners know how to feed onions to make them large. To do this, you need to use a special composition with a high concentration of phosphorus, potassium, copper and other trace elements. Enriching the soil with such useful substances accelerates crop growth and increases yield.

The use of mineral fertilizer granules will not create the desired effect; they must be incorporated into the soil. How to fertilize the onions in this case? To improve plant absorption, fertilizers are introduced into the soil in liquid form. It is recommended to water crops in the evening or on cloudy days after precipitation. When working with nutrient solutions, you must be extremely careful. If liquid gets on the leaves of the plant, it causes burns and yellowing.

Fertilizing winter and spring onions

The differences between the two types of onions are in the time of planting. If onions are planted in the spring, then the first feeding is carried out after 2 weeks, the second is repeated after 14 days, and the third after 3 weeks. Winter onions are planted before frost. In this case, fertilizer is applied 2 weeks before planting the planting material, using potassium-phosphorus fertilizer for onions. The next tillage is scheduled for the period when the snow melts. Liquid organic matter is used - bird droppings, mullein or herbal decoctions. The processing efficiency can be increased by adding ammonium nitrate. After 2–3 weeks, the beds are fertilized with a solution prepared according to the recipe: 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate, 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate per bucket of water. If you don’t want to prepare a solution for feeding onions, you can use nitrophoska (1 tbsp per 10 liters of water). After another 3 weeks, the onions are fertilized by dissolving 2 tbsp in 10 liters of water. l. superphosphate and 1 tbsp. l. potassium salt.

Reviews

Oleg, 45 years old

I always feed onions only with organic fertilizers. I always have a barrel at my dacha where I keep soaked grass. When necessary, I take a concentrated solution and dilute it with water. Then I water the beds with this product. I use this fertilizer in the first half of summer so as not to oversaturate the soil with nitrogen before harvesting.

Nadezhda, 50 years old

I prefer to use ash to feed onions. It accelerates the formation of bulbs and weight gain. In addition, this fertilizing eliminates the bending of leaves. As a result, all nutrients go to the head. It turns out big and juicy. And the leaves fall on their own when the time comes.

Feeding onions for feathers

In this case, feeding onions is carried out 3 times per season. Each procedure has its own nuances.

1. At the first stage, feather growth is activated. Fertilizing is carried out 14–18 days after planting the onions in the spring. If you plan to grow bulbs, add saltpeter and other nitrogen-containing preparations, for example, urea, mixed and fermented with slurry or bird droppings. If only greens are needed, instead of saltpeter and urea, nitroammophoska is applied by the root method.
2. The second procedure is carried out 1 month after planting the onion. During this period, the head is formed. At this stage, phosphorus and potassium are used together.
3. The last feeding stimulates the bulbs to fill and is carried out a month after the previous event.

Additionally, the beds are fertilized in early spring and autumn. To normalize the acidity of the soil, use a mixture of dolomite flour, chalk, ash, and dust lime. To disinfect the soil, use a solution of copper sulfate (15 g per bucket of water).

What kind of soil do onion seedlings need?

If you want to get large and juicy bulbs, then you need to plant onions in light and nutritious soil with good air access.

Onions grow poorly in heavy clay soils, as they require additional effort to break through the soil and form a large onion.

ON A NOTE. Soil that is neutral in acidity is more suitable for the crop, and it is better to plant it on a hill where there is no stagnant moisture.

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.

How to choose planting material

You can grow onions for turnips from nigella or arbacea. In the first case, they mean onion seeds. When buying them in a store, pay attention to the expiration date. Expired seed material may not germinate. Arbazheika is the name given to small bulbs grown in the first year from nigella. Their diameter ranges from 8 mm to 2 cm.

It is important to successfully choose a variety that is suitable for local climatic conditions. When grown in the southern regions of onions adapted to cold climates, feathers will grow all the time, and the bulb itself will remain medium in size. A variety intended for cultivation in the north will quickly form bulbs, ripen and stop growing.

How to feed onions to get large heads

In June, onion heads grow up to four centimeters in diameter and the amount of nitrogen must be reduced, but potassium and phosphorus are very necessary for plants. These two useful elements not only contribute to the formation of strong and large bulbs, but also affect their immunity, which is of great importance in the length of storage of the crop.

Bulbous turnips ripen faster and become denser in structure. During this period, it is recommended to use mineral, organic and mixed fertilizers.

Mineral fertilizers

Useful supplements with minerals will bring the expected effect only if the instructions are strictly followed, without exceeding the specified volume of fertilizers. Typically, for every square meter of land area, four to five liters of solution with minerals are added.

Options for nutrient solutions based on a large bucket of water (about ten liters):

• superphosphate and the drug “Effekton - 0” - two tablespoons of each (or only superphosphate);
• ammonia - three large spoons;
• sixty grams of superphosphate, thirty grams of ammonium nitrate, twenty grams of potassium chlorine (possible without nitrate);
• one large spoonful of ammonium nitrate and coarse salt, two to three crystals of potassium permanganate;
• urea (one large spoon) and “Vegeta” - two spoons.

The universal preparations “Agricola - 2”, “FASCO for onions and garlic”, “Vegeta”, “Gera”, “Zdraven”, “OMU for onions and garlic” (according to the instructions on the package) have proven themselves well.

Organic fertilizers

Organic fertilizers are not so aggressive to vegetable crops and, unlike chemicals, only benefit the plants.

• Herbal infusions based on dandelion, nettle, and any weeds are prepared as follows: a large container is filled with grass about sixty to seventy percent, filled with water, pressed down with a press and left in a warm place for three days to infuse. After this, filter and add one glass of fertilizer for every five liters of water. Used for application under the root.
• You can prepare an infusion of one hundred milliliters of slurry and five liters of water or one hundred milliliters of chicken manure and ten liters of water with the addition of five grams of ammonium nitrate. Leave for five to seven days.
• The third part of a large bucket is filled with weeds or any grass, poured with three liters of water, ten grams of fresh yeast or a tablespoon of dry are added and left for three days in a warm place. Before use, strain and bring the volume of the solution to ten liters by adding warm water. Use for watering.
• To prepare a nutrient solution, add five hundred grams of fresh bread, raw yeast and freshly cut grass to a large container with ten liters of warm water. Infuse in a tightly sealed container in a warm place for two days, use for watering.

Folk remedies

“Folk” fertilizers are usually distributed among summer residents and gardeners after receiving a huge and high-quality harvest more than once. The most popular ingredients in such recipes are charcoal, eggshells, chicken or fish bones, and bone meal. They contain potassium, calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen and other useful components that are important for the growth of bulbs.

For example, for irrigation , an infusion is prepared from one glass of ash and ten liters of water. You can also feed the plants with dry ash. To do this, it is scattered over the entire surface of the onion beds (near the plants), and then watered abundantly.

For root feeding, it is recommended to prepare a solution based on hydrogen peroxide. For three liters of water you will need five tablespoons of three percent peroxide. The interval between watering is at least one week.

When forming the bulb, it is good to water the vegetable crops with a solution of three liters of water and powder from the shells of five eggs. This infusion is prepared within a week.

General care requirements for onions

Like many other crops, it is important for onions to initially create conditions, without which its growth and development will be limited.

Light and warmth

First of all, it is necessary to take into account that onions are an exclusively light-loving plant. No additional measures will help if it is planted in even the slightest shade. In this case, half as many leaves are formed, which consequently affects the size of the developing bulb.

Important! This feature must be taken into account when planning to grow onions in combined plantings.

As for temperature, on the one hand, onions, being a cold-resistant plant, tolerate even the lowest temperatures well, although the optimal conditions for the growth of its leaves are + 18 ° C - + 20 ° C. On the other hand, gardeners often do not take into account the fact that during the period of ripening and formation of bulbs, it is desirable that the temperature rise to 27°C - 30°C. Unfortunately, such temperatures are not always observed in the northern regions, so it is more profitable to plant onions there on high ridges, which have the opportunity to warm up well in the sun. If the actual temperature conditions do not meet the requirements of the crop, the bulbs will not be able to ripen to their maximum size, even with ideal feeding. This fact must be taken into account so as not to overdo it with fertilizer application.

How to fertilize the soil for planting onions

Perhaps, it is for growing onions that preliminary soil preparation is of priority importance. It is important both from the point of view of introducing a sufficient amount of mineral elements into the soil, and because the soil should be as free from weeds as possible. It is especially important to free the soil from weeds when growing nigella onions.

They begin to prepare the bed for planting onions in the fall. The fact is that for good plant development, a correctly selected and filled bed will account for more than 50% of success. For example, the crop is quite demanding regarding the content of basic nutrients in the soil, but adding fresh manure to the onions is not recommended, since it can lead to the growth of various diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to apply manure to the predecessor crop of onion. Cucumbers, different types of cabbage, as well as legumes: peas, beans, lentils are best suited as such.

Comment! Onions should not be returned to those beds where onions or garlic have been grown for four years, due to diseases that accumulate in the soil.

Onions prefer light loams or sandy loams with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. It does not tolerate acidic soils, so many of the soddy-podzolic and peat soils of the middle zone must be additionally limed before planting.

If you are not going to plant onions before winter, then it is best to add organic fertilizers to the ground when preparing the bed in the fall - 1 bucket of compost or humus per 1 square meter. Otherwise, when preparing the land in the autumn, it is better to apply mineral fertilizers to it. It should be taken into account that onions are sensitive to increased concentrations of salts in the soil solution. Therefore, mineral fertilizers for onions should be applied in medium doses:

• urea - 10 g per square meter. meter,
• superphosphate – 25-30 g per square meter. meter,
• potassium chloride – 15-20 g per square meter. meter.

Advice! On peat soils, the dose of phosphorus fertilizers increases by 1.5 times, while nitrogen fertilizers can be eliminated altogether.

To disinfect the soil, it is spilled with a solution of copper sulfate (15 g per 10 liters of water). This amount is enough to process approximately 5 square meters. meters of beds. Treatment with copper sulfate is carried out one day before adding the main complex of nutrients.

In autumn, you can also combine the use of organic matter and mineral fertilizers to feed onions. In this case, per sq. per meter, 5 kg of humus is added in combination with 35 grams of granulated superphosphate.