How to prepare onions for planting

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When growing any crop, the process of preparing for planting plays an important role, and onions are no exception. You need to choose the right site for planting, choose the right seed material, and provide the plants with normal conditions. Preparation of onions for planting in spring should be carried out according to all the rules, consistently and at the right time. And it doesn't matter whether the bulbs are grown for a turnip or greens for a feather - preparation is important in both cases.

Preparing onions for planting in spring

Planting options for spring onions

There are several options for planting onions, each with its own benefits. But the preparation of onions for timely planting differs depending on the selected seed and planting time. There are even differences in planting material, depending on whether it will go for a turnip or for a green feather. And it is with these differences that we need to figure it out. First you need to understand in what situation one or another seed material is used for growing onions:

• Use of seedlings for spring cultivation. Preparing onion sets for planting includes pickling from pests and diseases, as well as selecting suitable onions. And here everything is done according to the following principle: a medium-sized set, from 1 to 2 cm in diameter, goes for classic spring planting, and a larger onion is useful for planting on a green feather.
• Using a set for growing winter onions. In this case, it is worth separating those onions that are more often rejected due to their small size. They are planted in the fall so that in the winter they wait under the snow, and in the spring they immediately start growing.
• Planting onions with seeds or nigella (as they are also called). There are three options here. The first option is to prepare the seed for planting after it has been grown from seed. Used in most cases. The second option is to grow nigella beds, without also preparing the onion sets for planting. The third option is to obtain seedlings for further planting.

Regardless of which option was chosen, the planting material still needs to be properly processed and prepared. This includes preparing the soil for onions, treating seeds or onions for normal storage, planting on time, and initial maintenance of the beds. Remember that each step is important. If you choose the wrong site for growing, the beds simply will not rise, and without processing the seed material, it can deteriorate even before it is in the ground.

If we talk about the selection of seed, then there are a few simple rules.Firstly, it is necessary to weed out too soft bulbs, which will not even go for planting before winter and will not last until spring. Then - remove all rotten rhizomes, as well as those eaten by insects. Those bulbs that are affected by diseases or fungi, in principle, it is advisable to separate and burn, and after that - sort by size, deciding what type of planting they are suitable for. This is done before other preparations begin.

Seed storage before planting

Before the onion beds are planted, the gardener still needs to save the seed until spring. It should lie in the fall, winter and part of the spring. Inevitably, some of the bulbs deteriorate and become unsuitable for further planting. But how to prepare the harvested onion sets for further planting in the garden? Firstly, you need to know the certain differences of this plant, which allow you to extend storage. And secondly, there are drugs that help keep the bulbs intact.

One thing every novice gardener should remember: the duration and success of storing the bulbs always depends on which variety they belong to. And here it is worth remembering: spicy varieties are stored for the longest. It doesn't matter if the vegetable will be used for planting on greens or on the head. So it turns out that, for example, a family beloved by many is stored for a long time and without problems. Sweet and expensive varieties are necessarily processed before being stored.

The storage procedure itself also plays an important role. First, you need to choose a suitable storage location. It should be dark, low humidity, and not too cold. There are 2 main methods used to store onion sets. The first is the warm method, in which the temperature ranges from 17 to 22 ° C, and the humidity does not exceed 70%. With the cold method, the temperature is -1-3 ° C, and the humidity does not increase 80%.

Seed processing for further storage

For better preservation of seed, many gardeners prefer to process it with certain preparations. The best fit for these purposes is Fitosporin-M, or similar substances. A weak solution is used here: no more than 3-4 g per 1 liter. They treat the head of each onion so that the entire surface is moist. After that, before storing, the entire set is thoroughly dried. And here is what they write on the forums about processing with salt or potassium permanganate:

“Theoretically, in order for the seed to be stored better, it can be treated with a solution of sodium chloride or potassium permanganate, but this treatment does not always bring the desired results. These substances work better when soaked in them before planting, and Fitosporin is better suited for long-term storage. But there is one more thing to remember here. The colder the winters in a given region, the easier it is to store seedlings there, although additional processing will still not be superfluous, as it will help preserve additional seeds. "

Soil for onion beds

Even before the seed is selected, it is necessary to process the soil in the place where the onion beds will be located. Moreover, if this vegetable should be planted in the spring, then the preparation begins in the fall. First, you need to remove from the site all the tops, tree leaves and other similar debris that interferes with future sowing. If this is not done, then the crop may be affected by various diseases and pests. All of them are able to spend the winter in the organic matter left on the site and wake up in the spring.

Preparing the soil for planting onions also includes timely digging and fertilization. It is necessary to dig up the selected area to the depth of the bayonet of the shovel, while in the fall you should not additionally loosen it. To improve the quality of the soil for planting, it is worth additionally fertilizing it. This crop, like a number of other vegetables, loves phosphorus and potassium.But don't overdo it with fertilizers. For example, superphosphate per 1 sq. m usually bring no more than 30-35 g.

Potash dressings are made even less - 15-20 g per 1 sq. m, depending on the recommended concentration. We shouldn't forget about nitrogen either. An excess of this element in the soil leads to the fact that the green feather begins to grow more actively on the onion, and the bulb becomes loose and is worse stored, although this is acceptable when growing this crop for greens. An excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is undesirable in any case. In addition to mineral fertilizers, organic matter, compost and chicken or rabbit droppings can be used.

Selection and additional processing of a site for onion beds

Before starting all other preparations, you need to make sure that the chosen place is suitable for growing green or onions. First, there is usually no way to grow large, strong bulbs near the trees that shade the beds. Secondly, future sowing is hampered by the proximity of groundwater to the soil surface. When planted in such soil, turnips begin to rot, and green feathers become watery and are affected by fungi. It is not possible to get either the harvest or the seeds here.

Onion beds need more than just sunlight and moderate soil moisture. They also do not tolerate the increased acidity of the soil very well. You can determine the acidity level using an ordinary litmus test. And this level is lowered with the help of liming - the introduction of slaked lime, cement dust or other similar methods into the ground. It is also worth paying attention to wood ash: it not only contains potassium, which is needed by the bulbs, but also lowers the general acidity of the earth.

Before you start cultivating the land and sowing bulbs or seeds, you still need to look at what previously grew in the chosen place. For onions, cucumbers, zucchini, legumes, and even cabbage are good predecessors. The principle "tops first, and then roots" works here. Onion bulbs are allowed to be planted even after nightshade plants. It is one of the few crops that grows quietly in the same land where tomatoes, eggplants, peppers or potatoes were planted.

Additional soil disinfection

Like many other plants, onions are vulnerable to many diseases and pests, which can sometimes halve the yield. A young bulb is almost a delicacy for many insects. In the same way, seeds are sometimes eaten, although pests like young onion shoots more. And to prevent this from happening, the soil should be pre-treated with various insecticides and fungicides. Moreover, the range of tools used is very wide and for everyone you can find your own application.

Many gardeners prefer only to pickle onions with a solution of potassium permanganate or using ordinary salt. This method is also worth considering, but it is still not recommended to give up tillage. For these purposes, usually a weak solution of potassium permanganate (the same potassium permanganate) is used. But here it is worth considering the fact that manganese, although good for onions, in this form increases the acidity of the soil. Its effect is usually compensated for by liming or ash treatment.

You can also use copper sulfate and other preparations containing copper: they are the best means for preventing fungi. Insecticides are helpful against pests such as onion flies or tobacco thrips. They are introduced into the ground in the form of granules or powders, where they gradually dissolve, making the soil unsuitable for insects. Moreover, both systemic and contact drugs are used. But contact insecticides and fungicides can be applied only long before fruiting, otherwise there is a threat of poisoning.

Processing the bulbs just before planting

In order to better protect the onion head from pests and diseases, in order to increase germination, it is processed immediately before planting. This treatment is the usual soaking in a specific solution. But there are a great many options for planting solution and they are used for different purposes. Some are needed to protect against viruses and bacteria, others protect against fungi, and still others accelerate growth. Each of these remedies is useful under certain conditions. Each gardener will have to choose independently.

Processing with potassium permanganate and salt

Most often, gardeners use soaking in potassium permanganate or in saline solution. A solution of salt is easy to make: 1 tbsp of water dissolves in a liter of water. l. table salt, and then the bulbs are kept in it for 3 hours. The advantages of this method are as follows: it is simple, convenient and literally costs a penny. But salt does not help against all pests and diseases, although for lack of the best it can be used for soaking it, despite the fact that various solutions of potassium permanganate are often used.

It is best to use a weak solution, which is made from 3-4 g of powder and 1 liter of pure water. Since it is most convenient to prepare the onion sets for planting precisely when using such proportions, most gardeners resort to them. 1.5-2 hours is enough for the soaking to work in full force. There is also an accelerated method: 10 g of potassium permanganate is taken for 1 liter, in which the seed is kept for 40-50 minutes. This method is used somewhat less frequently.

Processing of seedlings with other preparations

Often, gardeners use other substances in order to increase the future yield and the safety of planting material. In particular, substances such as copper sulfate and Fitosporin are used to protect against fungi. The proportions here are easy to remember: literally 3-4 g per 1 liter of water is enough for the solution to work. It is kept in it for 2-3 hours. Other copper-containing products are also suitable, for example, Champion. They also provide excellent protection against fungal diseases.

To increase the yield, many people use growth stimulants, but here there is one important detail that should also be remembered: soaking in such substances causes a rapid growth of green mass, therefore they are used only when planting onions on a feather. From such means we can recommend GUMAT. It is enough to prepare a five percent solution and soak the seed in it for a couple of hours.

Conclusion

Getting ready for planting onions is very important. It doesn't take too long. But it allows you to save the future harvest and make a big profit.