How to prepare onion sets for planting in spring?
To get a good onion crop, you need to have knowledge in the field of agricultural technology and sufficient experience, since this is not easy to do. You can carry out the correct watering, make the necessary fertilizers, but still not get the desired result. This happens because novice gardeners do not always properly prepare onions for planting.
Features of the procedure
Most often, sevok is used, which, in turn, is obtained from seeds. Such an onion is perfect for crops on a feather and a head, but before it can be processed, it is necessary to make a selection. Prevention helps not only to get a good harvest, but also to protect it from diseases. The earth must definitely warm up by six centimeters by the time it is decided to sow. If this requirement is not met, then the bulbs can be carefully prepared for use, but they will still freeze.
After selection, they will need to be cut and disinfected. This will not only reduce the shooting process, but also protect against fungal infections. Fitosporin is ideal.
Special requirements apply to the landing area. The soil should be loose and fertile, you can pre-fertilize.Some gardeners recall the times when no one did any preliminary preparation, only poor-quality seed was removed. Today, ecology and climate force gardeners to take a more responsible approach to the process of planting onions. Each step is for:
- growth stimulation;
- disinfection from bacteria;
- decay prevention;
- activation of the plant's immune system;
- increase resistance to sudden temperature changes.
You can buy sevok or use your own, it does not play a decisive role. It is impossible to determine by eye whether the bulbs are infected, so decontamination is required in any case. On the market you can find many drugs that can solve the problem, just follow the instructions on the package. The easiest way is to use manganese, in which the seed is soaked for half an hour before planting.
You can use a simple solution of table salt, which is applied both to the bulbs and to the soil. You should not abuse this tool, because the composition of the soil can really spoil for a long time.
If the gardener wants his sevok to germinate quickly, then it is not a sin to use growth stimulants. The safest and most easily accessible today is ash. It is rich not only in potassium, which is so necessary for onions, but also has antiseptic properties. This procedure promotes rapid growth and is an excellent prevention of decay.
The landing time also needs to be chosen correctly, since a lot depends on compliance with the temperature regime. There are gardeners who boldly declare that it is best to plant sevka in the fall.In fact, this is true, but only if you want to get an early harvest on the feather and do not plan to achieve a quality head.
Planting for the winter deprives the bulb of all the forces that it could spend on the formation of a root crop. The rest go only to the germination of greenery, which is already visible on the surface in the middle of spring.
Use as seed for the winter is only small onions, the diameter of which is up to a centimeter. They still won’t be able to lie down until the planting season, but this way the summer resident will be able to get at least some benefit from them.
In the south, some gardeners sow black onion seeds. This is done in order to harvest the set next year and use it for planting on the head. Thus, you can save money on the purchase of planting material.
As for the middle lane and the north, there is no nigella sown for the winter, because the seeds simply disappear in the ground. Here they try to grow early greens under the film, thereby accelerating the process of the appearance of the first shoots. Greenhouses and even indoor greenhouses are actively used. Seedlings can be transferred to open ground in spring when the temperature rises.
We can say with confidence that the germination of onion seeds at home is a very painstaking process, so many gardeners prefer to buy sets. In spring, the soil at a depth of six centimeters should warm up to 15 degrees so that you can start planting.
It is worth following a number of simple rules:
- planting material is immersed in the ground by its size;
- for medium-sized heads, the distance between them must be at least 7 centimeters;
- between the beds can not be less than 25 centimeters;
- strictly monitor soil moisture and stop watering just before harvesting onions;
- if you plant an onion next to chamomile or calendula, it can be protected from pests.
Varieties
On the turnip
The gardener is not always interested in greenery, most often the onion is planted on the head, since it is necessary for most twists, and you can just cook it for the winter. Achieving a large head is not easy, especially if you are not careful about growing. Head processing is an indispensable step, even if the seed is obtained from seeds. Family planting material may also be affected.
For landing, it is worth picking up material with a diameter of no more than two centimeters. If the summer resident manages to prevent the appearance of arrows, then all the forces of the plant will go to the formation of a large head. The seeds formed in the arrows greatly weaken the bulb, so it quickly becomes unusable and cannot be stored for a long time.
If the seed material is warmed up, then at the growth stage the procedure has a positive effect on the shooting process, or more precisely, it is practically absent. But if you plant onions in unheated soil, then as a result you can get a large number of seeds, but there is no question of forming a head.
On pen
If you plan to plant onions on a feather, then it must also be soaked. To do this, you can use several methods, they will be discussed below. It is advisable to remove the exfoliated and dry husk, cut off the top. The pen will not keep you waiting, and there will be no creases at all.
Stages
If the gardener follows the stages of seed processing, then in the spring he will receive a high-quality feather, and in the fall he will be able to harvest a good harvest.
Sorting
No matter how much you want to discard the sorting process, you need to sort out the planting material. Do this a few weeks before planting onions in the ground.
The summer resident is required to evaluate:
- quality;
- dimensions;
- health.
Those that are less than a centimeter are removed to the side, as are damaged, dried up or with a sign of rot. Larger specimens are planted first - they germinate more slowly, and they are most often used on a feather, since it will not be possible to achieve a high-quality head.
Then medium-sized material is planted, and small ones are used last. They give the best harvest, the first feathers appear in a week in warm weather.
Drying
Once the material has been collected and the bad bulbs sorted out, it is time to transfer them to a warm, dry room where the drying process takes place. The most comfortable temperature is 18 degrees with a plus sign. It is desirable that the room was not humid. Very carefully turn the bulbs over, the top layer should not be damaged.
The ideal place for drying are:
- attic;
- cabinet cover;
- windowsill.
Warming up
Warming up takes place in several stages. This is one of the most protracted processes during the preparation of the seed. The temperature in the room should be between 20-25 degrees. Under such conditions, the onion is aged for about twenty days. It is imperative that the room is dry, but at the same time it is ventilated.
When the first stage is passed, the temperature rises sharply to 40 degrees. To do this, you can use a battery, a heater, but there should not be a direct effect, since the heads can simply prohibit. Twelve hours is enough.
Next, the seeds are immersed in a nutrient solution, which is a growth stimulator. Finished products are on the market.Only after this, the seed is dried again and planted in the ground.
If everything is done correctly, then arrows will not form at an early stage of growth, which means that all the juices will go to the growth of the head.
It also happens that there is absolutely no time to warm up, then you can do it easier and fill the seed with water, the temperature of which should be no more than 50 degrees. After the bulbs are cooled. Completely such a procedure will not get rid of shooting, but the process will slow down significantly.
Soak
It is necessary to soak the material in a timely manner, and in compliance with the requirements.
Several solutions are suitable for this:
- complex fertilizers at the rate of 1 tablespoon per bucket of water for ten hours;
- saline solution, which is an excellent prevention of onion flies;
- a teaspoon of copper sulfate per ten liters of water, soaking time - fifteen minutes;
- weak solution of manganese.
It is impossible to do without disinfection of the seed, because if you leave the harmful microflora, the plants will get sick, and you will not see a quality crop.
After soaking, the bulbs will need to be rinsed.
Humate solutions will help improve the immune system and stimulate growth. You can use zircon.
The summer resident can independently choose a variant of seed treatment that is convenient for him, all of them are effective.
For processing also use:
- baking soda;
- ammonia;
- Birch tar.
Manganese is best for fungal spores.
Subtleties of cropping
If the gardener has a large plantation, then, of course, it will take a long time to cut each bulb, so some omit this stage, although in vain. In fact, the removal of the upper part not only accelerates growth, but also generally favorably affects the plant during the growing season.
If the procedure is carried out correctly, then the effectiveness of disinfection increases significantly. In the future, there will be no unpleasant surprises with diseases.
Do not trim the top too much, as this can cause the bulb to rot in the soil. Experienced gardeners remove only 1/3 part, this is quite enough to make room for feathers to germinate. If planting is aimed at obtaining high-quality root crops, then only the tail is removed.
There are varieties of onions that can be cut on both sides at once. Thus, the gardener achieves rapid germination of feathers and a good formation of the root system. In a few days, the result will be visible. If the bottom is left dry, then the roots on it will form later, respectively, the plant will not receive nutrients immediately.
Gardeners say that the benefits of removing the dry top are obvious. When there is a solid barrier in front of the feathers, it is not so easy to break through it. It is this factor that is the main reason why seedlings do not appear immediately.
If you weigh all the pros and cons, it becomes clear that all procedures are necessary. Time costs are not so big, but it is possible to improve the quality of the seed. The reward for the work done will be a good harvest.
If there is a desire, any gardener can independently create their own onion processing recipes. When it is decided to grow a culture on a feather, the processing process is reduced.
Soil preparation
It is important not only to devote time to the seed, but also to properly prepare the beds in the open field.
It’s worth starting to prepare by choosing the right place for landing. Onion is a culture that loves the sun very much, therefore it is recommended to plant it in open space.Sufficient moisture is a prerequisite for a good harvest. It is worth irrigating the soil regularly, without waiting for cracks to appear on the ground. However, it is not necessary to fill the site, otherwise the crops will simply rot.
The earth must be dug up and loosened since autumn. The necessary fertilizers are applied, manure or humus is ideal as top dressing. You also need to fertilize correctly if you want to achieve a positive result. Before planting, additives are not added, only at the time of digging.
Particular attention should be paid to the level of soil acidity. If it goes off scale, you can add lime.
The key to success lies in following a few rules:
- plant onions in a well-ventilated area, as this avoids infection by fungal infections that love moisture;
- if there is not enough daylight, the bulbs may be small;
- the culture actively consumes nutrients from the soil during the period of vegetative development;
- if there is not enough moisture, the culture comes to a state of rest and stops growing;
- an abundance of water in the soil will reduce the shelf life of the bulbs.
What diseases does disinfection protect against?
Fungal viral diseases attack almost all crops if the planting material is not disinfected. This also happens with onions when one side starts to get wet and a white coating appears. Even if you use manganese, you will not be able to cure the seed, because the bacteria have already penetrated deep into the integument. Such sevok is thrown out and not used for planting.
Lack of processing leads to the appearance of peronosporosis on green onions. It appears as white spots. You can try to treat with Bordeaux liquid, but throw away this instance.Such a disease is easily carried by the wind, so there is a risk of infection of all crops in the garden.
Disinfection also protects against insects such as wire beetle, onion fly or weevils that infect the head before harvesting. Creolin is considered an excellent tool, which has an unpleasant and rather distinct smell.
If you follow the rules of processing, the care of the gardener guarantees a quality harvest in the fall.
The following video clearly shows the process of preparing onion sets for planting.