Exhibition is a hybrid onion variety. It looks similar to onions, but is distinguished by its large size (up to 15 cm in diameter) and high yield (up to 5 kg of harvest can be harvested from one square meter of bed, depending on the size and weight of the bulbs).
Exhibition onions have a pleasant taste and do not give off a strong smell, unlike onions, so they are good for eating fresh or in dishes, such as salads.
It also combines well with other crops and is easy to care for.
The only downside of this variety is that it is poorly stored and is not suitable for winter preparations, so you should not discount the usual onions.
Onions are constantly in use in the kitchen, which means they will be appropriate in the garden bed
Favorable days for planting
In order for onions to grow strong and large, and subsequently bring a large, tasty harvest, it is necessary to choose favorable days for sowing and preparing seedlings, transplanting, and so on. Factors such as climate, weather forecasters’ forecasts for a certain period and, of course, the phases of the moon are taken into account here.
Dates according to the lunar calendar
Gardeners have long been using the influence of lunar phases on plant growth. The waxing Moon influences the vegetative processes of everything that is above the earth:
- stems;
- leaves;
- shoots;
- flowers fruits.
During this period it is good:
- engage in transplantation;
- to plant plants;
- loosen;
- water and irrigate;
- fertilize and feed.
It is not advisable to prune and graft trees and shrubs; this may have a negative effect. They may begin to get sick, which will lead to death.
The waning moon provokes the growth of the underground part of crops:
- bulbs;
- roots;
- root vegetables;
- mycelium.
The phase is extremely negative for all work related to the garden.
To loosen, hill up and dig, it is better to wait another time. But for removing weeds, this is the best period. When growing onions, this is especially useful, because most of it grows underground.
Separately, the new moon and the full moon should be designated. These are special days. It is better to give all garden crops a rest. The only thing that is not prohibited is pest control.
Table of favorable days for sowing.
| Month | The most successful days for sowing exhibition onions |
| January | 1-9, 26-31 |
| February | 1-8, 24-29 |
| March | 1-8, 25-31 |
| April | 1-7, 24-30 |
| May | 1-6, 23-30 |
Planting dates by region
In the middle zone, Moscow and the Moscow region there are periods for successful landing. The region of central Russia is excellent for growing exhibition onions.
It can be sown for seedlings in early March, and for beds in early June (a month/one and a half after sowing the seeds)
In Siberia and the Urals, spring begins somewhat later than in other regions, so I begin to plant seedlings towards the end of February. This is necessary because it takes a little more time for preparation and hardening, since summer is not very warm, and even at this time unexpected cold weather may begin. This way, the seedlings will be ready for planting in open ground at the beginning of summer.
It is recommended to plant onions two months after planting the seeds.
In the southern regions of Russia (Crimea, Krasnodar Territory, and so on), exhibition plants are usually not planted as seedlings; they feel great when planted directly in open ground.
If you need to get an early onion harvest, you can plant the seedlings in February, as soon as the temperature at night stops falling below zero.
Prohibited days for landing
Days when the Moon is waning are unfavorable for planting onions. The full moon/new moon, as stated above, is prohibited for any work.
| Month | Bad days for sowing cabbage | Full Moon/New Moon |
| January | 11-24 | 10, 25 |
| February | 10-23 | 9, 23 |
| March | 10-23 | 9, 23 |
| April | 9-23 | 8, 23 |
| May | 8-22 | 7, 22 |
With the support of the influence of the Moon, and knowledge of what periods it is reflected negatively, you can help plants be stronger and avoid troubles.
Is it possible to grow Exhibition without seedlings?
Naturally, it is not necessary to sow seedlings. But when choosing this method, it’s worth remembering that you won’t be able to get huge root vegetables. Sowing is carried out immediately on the beds, in the prepared soil. Depth - one and a half centimeters. Subsequently, the onions will need to be either planted or thinned out.
Pros and cons of growing
Exhibition onion is an extremely successful hybrid, and yet there are pros and cons of growing this variety.
Advantages
The advantage of the exhibition variety is the ability to grow it in any region of Russia. If planting and care techniques are followed, it is unpretentious and adapts to different weather conditions.
The variety produces a large harvest, has fruits of large size and weight (from 0.7 kg to 1.5 kg). Of course, to obtain such a harvest, it is necessary to create all the conditions and use the lunar calendar
Both the turnip and the green feather part are used, that is, it is not necessary to plant several varieties to obtain one or another type of onion.
Due to its pleasant taste and lack of odor, it is suitable for dishes, both ready-made and after processing.
Flaws
The main disadvantage of the exhibition variety is that it is poorly stored; the preparations will not survive until winter, so it is better to eat it fresh or pickle it in rings.
The variety is considered mid-season; the harvest will have to wait up to four months. A large harvest and large fruits have a long life.
Landing on a waning moon
It is necessary to say a few words regarding sowing exhibition onion seeds on the waning moon.
In general, any summer resident will say that it is undesirable to sow seeds on the waning moon. And indeed it is. But there are some exceptions.
Onions are essentially root vegetables, that is, they “grow down.” This means that the seeds of exhibition can be sown on the waning moon too!
In 2022, the moon wanes on the following dates:
- in January from 1 to 12 and from 29 to 31;
- in February from 1st to 10th and 28th;
- in March from 1 to 12 and from 29 to 31;
- in April from 1 to 11 and from 28 to 30;
- in May from 1 to 10 and from 27 to 31;
- in June from 1 to 9 and from 25 to 30.
Features of cultivation
Growing the exhibition variety is somewhat different from growing, for example, onions. To get a special harvest, you should take into account the peculiarities of planting and care.
Seed preparation
First, you need to purchase seeds. Here it is better to choose well-known manufacturers and pay attention to the production period; the younger the seeds, the more likely there will be fewer defects among them.
All defects are removed from the seed:
- damaged;
- flat;
- moldy seeds.
Seeds that have passed the sorting are soaked. To do this, place them in settled water, slightly warmer than room temperature. This is necessary so that the seed membrane becomes softer. After three hours, the seeds will swell and will need to be removed from the water.
Soaking seeds in water
Next you will need wet gauze (you can use bandages) or cotton wool (not discs, but a roll). The seeds are carefully wrapped in material soaked in water and sent to a dark, cold place for three days. This process is called stratification.
After stratification is completed, treatment is carried out against parasites, diseases and fungi. To do this, make a mixture of potassium permanganate and clean water at room temperature and place the seeds in it for a couple of hours.
The final stage is to rinse the treated seeds, now they are ready for planting.
Soil and container
Suitable soil for seedlings can be purchased ready-made - this is the best option for seedlings.
The second option is to prepare the soil yourself. Exhibition onion is not a very capricious plant, so garden soil and humus (mix in equal proportions) are suitable for it; to improve water permeability, you can add river sand.
Preparing the soil for seedlings
This mixture is prepared in the fall and before planting it must be dried, cleared of debris and disinfected. For disinfection, you can use boiling water, a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.
Treatment is done immediately before planting so that the soil is moist. Summer residents also advise calcining the soil in the oven instead of treating it with chemicals and moistening it with clean water before planting.
There is no need to process the purchased mixture.
You can plant seedlings in a common box, observing the correct intervals, in a container like a honeycomb, or in separate pots. Any containers are also pre-disinfected. To do this, the container is washed with soap and a brush, and then poured with boiling water.
Proponents of chemical treatment use manganese copper sulfate in a weak solution. There must be drainage holes at the bottom of the containers
Landing
Before planting seeds, it is necessary to fill the container for seedlings with prepared moist soil.
Next, the seed is placed in the soil at a depth of 1 cm; if this is a common box, then it is necessary to maintain an interval of 2x2 cm between seeds. After this, the planted seeds are sprinkled with dry soil and irrigated with water.
Now the preparation for seedlings needs to be covered with film and put in a dark place until shoots appear for about a week or a week and a half.
At the initial stage, it is important to maintain a temperature of 25 ° C and regularly lift the film to allow air to enter
As soon as the first shoots appear, the seedlings are removed to the light and the temperature is reduced to 17 oC.
Why is stratification needed?
Stratification is an extremely important part of growing exhibition onion seedlings. Stratification is the process of cooling seeds that encourages them to germinate. Often it is necessary to grow wild plants, you have to recreate the natural process. In this case, onion seeds are placed in cold water for three days, after which they are ready for planting.
Without stratification, seeds will not germinate.
Description and characteristics of the variety
Exhibition onions are grown as an annual crop, most often by sowing seeds for seedlings in winter or early spring. It takes 130 days from germination to harvest. The onion head is ovoid, elongated; the average mass of one bulb weighs 170–550 grams, but with good care individual bulbs grow up to 800 grams. Onion scales are dry, straw-colored, and white when cut.
The upper scales of the Exhibition onion are straw-colored, and fresh ones are white.
Exhibition is a salad variety with a delicate taste. When cutting such onions, few essential oils are released, so they do not irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes. The shelf life of onions is up to four months .
Seedling care
In order for seedlings to produce a high-quality, healthy harvest, they must be properly cared for. Care includes special requirements for watering, lighting, temperature conditions, and so on.
Temperature
Before the first shoots appear, the optimal temperature for seedlings is about 25 oC. As soon as the seeds have sprouted and a green sprout appears, the temperature is reduced to 17 °C.
If the seedlings are standing on a windowsill or other cold surface, it is necessary to use thermal insulation (for example, a special stand), since the roots of immature seedlings cannot be allowed to freeze.
Insulation for seedlings
Humidity and lighting
The optimal air humidity for exhibition onion seedlings is about 70%. If the indicators are higher, this is fraught with rotting and the formation of fungus.
Also, the seedlings should be exposed to light for about 16 hours. As a rule, it is enough to expose them to the sun, but if this is not enough, add artificial lighting (regular or phyto lamp).
Watering
The first week, while the seedlings are still under the film, they are not watered. Next, water it 3 times a week with warm water, standing for two days, from a syringe (so as not to overdo it). Every week the amount of moisture gradually decreases.
A couple of hours after the seedlings have been watered, it is necessary to loosen the soil so that water and air reach the roots
Top dressing
Exhibition is a hybrid, slow-growing variety, so it needs to be fed.
There are several recipes for mixtures.
- Urea (10 g) + superphosphate (20 g) + potassium chloride (5 g) + warm water (10 l).
- Saltpeter (1 g) + water (1 l).
- Chicken manure (10 g) + water (1 l).
Experienced gardeners recommend using ready-made mineral mixtures, such as “Gumat”, “Zircon”, “Epin”. The main thing is not to overdo it with fertilizing; it is done 2 times with an interval of two weeks.
Sodium humate fertilizer
Picking and hardening
Picking (transplanting) is done when young onion shoots reach a height of 3 cm, usually this happens after a month and a half.
This is necessary so that the root system has more space for growth and development. The transshipment method is suitable for onion seedlings. 1-2 weeks before planting in open ground, seedlings begin to harden.
Hardening is necessary, because the plants are accustomed to ideal conditions, and they need to be prepared for the harsh external environment
First, the onions are taken outside for a few minutes, and this is done every day, gradually increasing the time in the air.
One day before transplanting, the seedlings should spend the whole night outside, after which there is no fear that the seedlings will die, unable to withstand the drop in temperature.
Harvesting
Onions sown with seeds or planted under cover through seedlings are harvested in July-August. In the Urals and Siberia, the harvest is harvested from August 15 to September 5. It all depends on weather conditions.
When the feathers turn yellow and lie down, as well as the neck softens, the onion is ready for harvest. It is pulled out by hand or dug out with a pitchfork. This procedure must be carried out in dry, cloudy weather.
The collected heads are laid out on the floor under a canopy and dried for 3-5 days. After this, they are cut off, leaving a neck of 10 cm. Most often, it remains juicy even after the bulb is fully formed and does not dry out for a long time. Therefore, after harvesting, it is tied with a thin rope to speed up drying.
The bulbs are placed in small boxes or nets and sent for storage in the basement, balcony or veranda. They are also often braided and hung in attics and sheds. The cut heads are placed in small boxes or nets and sent to the basement, balcony or veranda.
Exhibition onions can be stored for 4 months. It can be used in preparing first and second courses.
Fertilizers and pest prevention
Pest prevention is carried out at all stages from sowing seeds to harvesting. After transplanting into open ground, regular treatment is also carried out either with purchased products or with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate.
It is important to monitor the moisture level so that the onions do not start to rot. If water drainage is necessary, small ditches are made
Fertilize monthly, alternating organic and mineral complexes. A month before harvest, fertilizing is stopped.
How to care for onions for a big harvest
In order for onions to produce an excellent harvest, they need to be properly cared for. For this purpose, the plant is systematically watered, and the soil is regularly loosened and weeded to remove weeds. If necessary, add fertilizing. Before rooting, water as often as possible. It is then made more rare as needed. It is worth focusing on weather conditions.
A couple of weeks before harvesting, watering is completed. After each procedure, it is recommended to loosen the soil. Fertilizing may not be necessary if planted in fertile soil. But if desired, a couple of weeks after planting, you can add nitrogen products and then add potassium. You need to feed the onions twice, maintaining an interval of 2 weeks.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to immediately sow seeds in open ground?
It is possible in the south of Russia, where there is no winter as such, or in the middle zone if spring began early. Here at your own peril and risk, since in the middle zone return phenomena are observed until the beginning of May, even if spring is early, a cyclone that arrives for a couple of days can destroy the crop.
When to plant seedlings in open ground?
Seedlings can be planted when the air temperature reaches 18'. In this case, about 4 months must pass from the moment of planting the seedlings and all preparatory work must be carried out, including hardening.
How can you stimulate seeds for further growth?
Stratification is a mandatory step to stimulate growth. If it was done correctly and the seeds are of high quality, they will definitely germinate. This process takes a lot of time, but if it is still necessary to speed it up, special growth stimulants are used.
What to do if onion seedlings do not grow?
If all the preparation has been done correctly and all conditions have been met, you can help germination with a growth stimulator, use it strictly according to the instructions.
Also, the seeds may be too deep and the soil is preventing them from breaking through to the surface.
Some aspects of growing Exhibition onions from seeds in open ground
Planting material for the variety is offered by many foreign and domestic producers. For ease of planting, seeds are produced in granulated or pelleted form, as well as placed on special belts.
If you want to get a high-quality harvest, give preference to planting material produced by proven agribusinesses, Aelita, Gavrish, etc.).
Original Dutch seeds from Bejo are more expensive, but they undergo special training, which guarantees fast and friendly germination; stimulation of growth in the early stages; plant resistance to weather stress and diseases; uniformity of products and improvement of the taste of the bulbs.
In the photo – seeds of the “Exhibition” onion variety in packages from various manufacturers
To obtain a turnip harvest on small plots of land, many vegetable growers prefer to grow Exhibition onions from seeds obtained on their own, and to simplify sowing, they stick them on ribbons of rolled toilet paper. Fresh “homemade” seeds provide high germination. They can be sown both in spring and autumn. The bulbs grow smaller in size than with the seedling method, but according to the standards they correspond to the large category, since they gain an average of 170 g (maximum about 300 g).
It is recommended to sow after the soil on the site has warmed up and the threat of “return” frosts has passed (for the middle zone, the optimal period is the first ten days of May).
The beds are shed with warm water, and then grooves no more than 3 cm deep are laid on them at a distance of about 30 cm from each other. The bottom of the grooves is dusted with ash. Chernushka is sown not very thickly, at intervals of 4-5 cm, sprinkled with earth, peat or sand, and the bed is mulched.
To ripen large heads, the seeds are placed at a sufficiently large distance from each other
Using a dense planting pattern results in the formation of unmarketable bulbs. Thickening the crops speeds up the ripening process. At the same time, there is an increase in overall yield, but a decrease in marketable yield due to an increase in the number of small heads. Planting too densely also increases the risk of plant damage from pests and diseases. The greatest danger is posed by the onion fly and the secretive proboscis, as well as the caterpillars of the winter moth and other gnawing cutworms. The variety is prone to severe downy mildew.
Pre-prepared (soaked or germinated) seeds do not require additional watering - the first shoots will appear on the surface in a week. But dry ones need to be carefully watered, and they will sprout no earlier than in 10 days. Basic agrotechnical measures, including weeding, watering, regular loosening of the soil, and fertilization are similar to the standard care rules recommended for growing onions from sets.
Diseases of onion seedlings and their treatment
During the seedling period, with normal care, onions are rarely affected by diseases or pests, but troubles of this kind still happen. Among the pests, the onion fly can annoy the seedlings; to combat it, solutions of insecticides such as Aktara, Muhoed, Zemlin or other similar preparations are used.
In the photo: Onion seedlings planted in the ground
Seedlings can be affected by blackleg, which develops against the background of systematic waterlogging of the soil, and peronosporosis, or downy mildew - fungal diseases, the causative agents of which die when seedlings are treated with a one percent solution of Bordeaux mixture, and in the development phase of 4-5 leaves, it is better to treat seedlings with Ridomil Gold MC.
In general, with proper care, onion seedlings rarely get sick, and onion flies rarely appear at home.
Lunar calendar 2022
Many gardeners use the lunar calendar when planning sowing work. If we talk specifically about the Exhibition onion, then, according to astrologers, it is recommended to plant it as seedlings on the days of the waning Moon, since at this time the downward movement of liquid in the plants begins to deposition of nutrients and growth points. During the growing moon, fertilizing, loosening of the substrate, and picking are carried out. The table below of favorable and unfavorable days will help you determine the optimal sowing time:
Selection of containers
To grow Exhibition onion seedlings, you can use both general containers (shallow flower pots, plastic containers, wooden boxes) and individual containers (cups, peat pots and tablets, special cassettes with cells). However, the second option is considered the most convenient, since it does not require picking seedlings, which poses a risk of damage to the roots and, as a consequence, deterioration in plant survival. And the longer the onion takes to recover after transplantation, the lower its yield will be.
Note! All containers, with the exception of peat cups and tablets, must have drainage holes to allow excess water to drain when watering plants.
What are some tricks in growing
- The root system of Exhibition in the initial stage of growth is very weak and delicate. If the container with seedlings is on the windowsill, then the earthen ball can be greatly cooled by the air coming from the window. You need to insulate the container with foam rubber or film.
- Exhibition is the champion among onion varieties in size. But in order to grow a head weighing 1 kg, it is necessary to grow seedlings in separate cups, the height of which is 12-15 cm. You can make them yourself from old film or lutrasil.
- Many gardeners trim the grown onions. This is done so that the root system develops better. The tops are cut off to 1/3 of the height.
