Determining the timing of planting onion sets in open ground
Small bulbs grown from seeds are the most common planting material for turnip production. When to plant onion sets in open ground, and how to do it?
The harvest of onions depends on many factors, including proper soil preparation and adherence to agricultural practices after planting. But the timing of planting in the beds is critical.
Planting dates for onion sets
The time when, when planting onion sets in open ground, you can get a generous harvest of excellent quality, depends on the weather and regional conditions.
The soil warms up to a comfortable temperature in the middle lane in the last decade of April. But spring weather is changeable. Therefore, experienced summer residents are often guided by signs. Blooming bird cherry can serve as a signal for preparing the beds. When onion sets are planted in the open ground in the Moscow region and other areas of the middle lane, it is still too cold to the north, and there is a high risk of frost.
Hurrying to land, the summer resident exposes the bow to great danger. Returning cold is detrimental to germinating bulbs and future crops. According to long-term weather observations, favorable conditions for the Leningrad region, when it will be completely safe to plant onion sets in open ground, come a week later.
With a delay of several days, they are engaged in landings in the Ural region and Siberia. After warm days, changeable spring weather can bring an unpleasant surprise in the form of a sharp cold snap with snow. A certain guarantee of safety for seedlings will be stable air warming up to 5-10 ° C and higher.
Onion shoots appear one week after planting. An unfavorable weather forecast should give the summer resident a signal to thickly mulch the beds and cover the green young feather with a film or dense non-woven material.
High ridges help not to wait for favorable weather and get the earliest, friendly and high-quality harvest. This agrotechnical technique is widely used when onion sets are planted in the ground in the Urals, Siberia, the North-West of the country and throughout the Non-Black Earth Region. Due to this agricultural technique, it is possible to raise the soil temperature by 5-10 ° C, compared to the rest of the plot, and not be afraid of frost on the soil.
All the given time frames are valid if onions are grown for turnips. Sevoks can be planted on greens almost throughout the warm season, then providing plants with:
- loose soil;
- lack of weeds;
- sufficient moisture;
- complex nutrition.
If we are talking about planting winter onion sets, then they are planted in open ground 25–35 days before the average daily temperature drops to +5 ° C. By the time it gets cold, the smallest bulbs, namely, they are used in this case, manage to give from 5 to 7 feathers and take root well. This method of growing a vegetable crop allows you to harvest an excellent harvest in the first half of summer.
How to plant onion sets in the open field
The onion is photophilous, grows well on light, loose soil and needs regular but moderate watering. The site for planting is chosen based on these requirements, as well as the rules of crop rotation.
In cases where onion sets are planted in open ground in spring, in the fall, the beds are dug up on a full bayonet. The acidic soil is deoxidized, sand is added to the dense heavy substrate. In parallel, well-rotted organic matter is introduced. In the spring, the digging is repeated, the soil is additionally fertilized with potassium and phosphorus.
To destroy the pathogenic microflora, a week before planting the onion, the furrows are shed with a solution of copper sulfate, phytosporin or another complex agent.
A sand shirt is also made at the bottom. Before planting the sets:
- Dry for 2-3 weeks at a temperature of about 20 ° C;
- then the bulbs are kept at 30–40 ° C for several hours.
Another method of processing will help save time. Small onions intended for planting are immersed in water at a temperature of 45-50 ° C for a quarter of an hour. After the bulbs are poured into cold water for the same time. A contrast bath, like a growth stimulant, perfectly activates vegetative processes. Pink solution of potassium permanganate disinfects.
The pre-sorted seed is planted in the furrows:
- with a diameter of up to 1 cm with an interval of 4–5 cm;
- with a diameter of 1.5 cm at a distance of 6–8 cm from each other;
- for sizes over 2 cm with an interval of up to 10 cm.
A gap of 20 to 45 cm is left between the rows. The bulbs are buried 3-4 cm from the shoulders, the soil is tamped and watered after backfill. To prevent moisture from evaporating longer, the beds are mulched thickly with a layer of up to 3 cm.
Care for onion sets in the open field
The care requirements for onions are very simple. The culture needs loosening of the soil, regular weeding and watering, while the bulb is forming and the greenery is actively growing. Such measures are taken even before the emergence of seedlings.
At an early stage, it is especially important to prevent the formation of a dense airtight crust and overgrowing of the beds with weeds.
Watering needed in May and June, when juicy scales are formed and poured. Each square meter should receive about 8 liters of water. 20 days after planting, in the care of onion sets in the open field include feeding with infusion of mullein or humus. Later, with the formation of a superficial skin, the need for moisture decreases. If the onion does not gain weight well, it is fed again. At the same time, the top of each bulb is freed from soil. Watering is completely stopped 2-3 weeks before harvesting. The turnip is cleaned after the feather has lodged.