Agrotechnology for planting family onions and caring for them in the open field
Experienced summer residents especially appreciate vegetables, which retain their presentation and valuable properties for a long time. Consider the rules for planting a family onion and caring for it in an open garden. This will help create a culture on your site. It was noticed that under certain conditions, plant heads are actively used for food for 12 months.
Gardeners appreciate the family onion for its multi-bud effect. This increases the yield of the crop. For example, from an area where one bulb usually grows, at least 6 or 9 copies are obtained. In addition, it has a delicate taste and a rather pleasant smell. But how to grow family onions in your garden and collect a bountiful harvest? Find out what the experts are saying.
Features of a unique culture
The form depends on the variety of culture and it happens:
- cuboid;
- rounded;
- elongated;
- jug-like;
- ovoid;
- oblong.
On average, the bulbs weigh from 15 to 60 g. The scales are colored golden, purple, scarlet and bronze. On cut, the heads are most often white, purple-pink or reddish. The green feathers are thick and hollow, covered with a light layer of waxy coating.
The number of heads sometimes reaches 20-30 in one socket.
Breeders are constantly working to create new and improved onion varieties. They come with different ripening periods.
The most popular are the following early maturing species:
- Emerald. It is characterized by rounded heads. There are up to 5 pieces in the nest.
- Snowball. Ripens in 1.5 months. A distinctive feature is the white husk.
- Sprint. Up to 10 heads are formed in the socket. Each of them weighs approximately 40 g.
- Albic. Rounded, slightly flattened onions weighing up to 30 g.
Late-ripening varieties include Kunak, Krepysh and Siberian altar. A maximum of 7 heads are formed in the nest, weighing from 25 to 55 g. The ground part of the culture grows from 30 to 50 cm. Depending on the variety, ripening occurs in about 60-80 days.
Basic principles of planting family onions and crop care
Experts note that the yield of a plant directly depends on the type of soil in the garden. Clayy and heavy soil with good drainage is suitable for lumping. Its acidity level should be neutral.
Excess moisture leads to rapid decay of the root system.
The best predecessors of culture are:
- potatoes;
- carrot;
- eggplant;
- cabbage;
- pumpkin.
If you plan to plant a family onion and care for it in the spring, then the garden bed is prepared in the fall. It is carefully dug up after adding humus, superphosphate and potassium salt. And in the spring, just before planting the crop, the soil is fertilized with ammonium nitrate.
For 1 m² use 7 g of ammonia feed.
Ideal planting dates
Most farmers prefer cold-resistant crop varieties. Some of them can withstand temperatures as low as -6 ° C. Despite this, the planting of family onions in the ground begins in the second half of April or from the first days of May, when the air warms up to + 15 ° C.In too hot soil, the root system develops slowly, while the greenery actively rises above the ground. As a result, crop yield suffers.
Preparation of planting material
Suitable bulbs are cleaned of dry husks, as microscopic pathogens often hide underneath. Then they are placed in a special solution for 20 minutes for etching. It is obtained quite simply: a tablespoon of copper sulfate is diluted in 10 liters of pure water. After the procedure, the bulbs are thoroughly washed under the tap.
During storage, the heads of the family onions dry out. At the same time, they lose valuable nutritional components. Soaking the planting material in a complex fertilizer for 10 hours helps to restore the supply of substances, and the lack of moisture. However, first, the heel is cut off at the heads, leaving clean white scales.
In the family onion, there are up to 6 primordia, from which large heads are formed.
Often, novice gardeners ask whether it is necessary to cut family onions before planting in order to get a bountiful harvest? Experts advise a simple scheme. First, the heads are folded into a container or box. Cover and take to a room where the temperature is maintained between +5 and 16 ° C. When roots up to 5 mm long are formed, the bulbs are cut in half so that each half has rudiments. Usually 3-4 bulbs grow from one part of the head, beautiful in appearance. It turns out that the area for plant nutrition remains unchanged, and the yield doubles. The main reason is that larger specimens form in the nest. Next, we will learn in detail how to plant family onions in spring and before winter at their summer cottage.
Landing algorithm
Even an inexperienced gardener will master the procedure. The first step is to carefully loosen and level the soil in the garden. Form grooves, about 10 cm deep. The distance between them is up to 20 cm. If the ground is dry, moisten with a watering can. Sprinkle with wood ash or humus... Spread the bulbs at a distance of 10 cm from each other. The grooves are closed, forming a mound, about 2 cm high. If necessary, the bed is mulched with straw.
The distance is changed, taking into account the type of culture and the desired result.
And when and how to plant family onions in Siberia to get a natural product? Timing is an important aspect. They directly depend on the climatic conditions of the area. Most often, onions are planted in spring, when a layer of soil, about 15 cm thick, warms up to + 8 ° C. Usually, this time occurs in the first ten days of May. If the crop is planted earlier, it shoots arrows. As a result, the growth of the head stops. Such agricultural techniques are widely used when growing family onions for greens, which are cut as needed.
Regardless of the area, the culture is planted according to the scheme established by agronomists. First, prepare the bed and make grooves. Then sprinkle with fertilizer, lay out the chopped onions, cover with earth and compact. Cover with mulch if necessary.
It is important to know whether it is possible to plant family onions before winter without fear of frost. It turns out that almost all varieties of multi-germ crops are suitable for such agricultural technology. The plant miraculously tolerates low temperatures and manages to reliably root in the garden.
The only condition for autumn planting is that the onions are planted 2 months before the onset of frost.
Care rules
To obtain a bountiful harvest, the crop is properly watered.
It includes a number of simple activities:
- moistening the beds once a week;
- use of rain or settled water;
- the liquid is left in the sun for natural heating.
Sometimes, with moderate watering, the feathers begin to turn yellow. Usually the reason lies in the lack of minerals. Therefore, the plants are fed with a solution of ammonium nitrate or powdered with wood ash.
Mulching the garden
The procedure helps to save time, energy and life-giving fluid. Mulch is made from grass-fed materials:
- dry grass (hay);
- sawdust;
- needles;
- straw;
- tops of vegetable crops;
- freshly cut grass.
Thanks to the coating, the soil does not dry out and is reliably protected from the scorching heat and winds. It is not easy for weeds to break through a dense layer, so they die "at the beginning of their path." In addition, the mulch-covered bed does not need to be weeded.
Fertilizing crops
As a rule, a family onion does not need additional feeding. However, in some cases it is necessary.
In case of yellowing or wilting of feathers, use solutions obtained from the following components:
- 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 15 g of potassium salt are placed on 10 liters of pure water;
- chicken droppings are diluted with water at the rate of 1:20.
Top dressing is applied directly to the soil, rationally distributing it over the entire area of the garden. The next day after watering, the soil is thoroughly loosened.
During dry periods, cracks and a hard crust form on the soil. Such land needs regular weeding.
As you can see, the farming technique for planting a family onion and caring for it consists of simple procedures. First, a variety is selected. Then the heads are prepared for planting, according to the accepted scheme. At the set time, the culture is planted in the garden. Competent care consists in moderate watering, feeding and regular loosening of the soil. As a result, a bountiful harvest of quality onions can be harvested in autumn.