Onion is one of the most popular vegetable crops grown in summer cottages. Each gardener knows that for better productivity it is more correct to grow a vegetable from seeds. How to get planting material, what are the features of care and storage of onion sets - read about it below.
How to get onion seeds?
When buying planting material in a store, you cannot be sure of its quality. In order to obtain consistently high yield indicators, it is better to independently grow onion seed plants on the site, which guarantees the authenticity of the variety.
Important! In order to avoid cross-pollination between different types of seed onions, it is necessary to grow only one variety, which will preserve the quality characteristics and productivity of the vegetable crop.
Instructions for obtaining onion seed:
- In order to grow high-quality seed, it is necessary to select well-wintered bulbs in an amount of up to 10 pieces, they must be with shiny scales, elastic to the touch, without sprouts.
- In the spring of mid-May, bulbs are planted in pre-prepared holes, 5-10 cm deep, the distance between which is 40 cm.
- 150 g of compost are laid at the bottom of the planting holes and the bulb is introduced, then they are buried in the soil and watered.
- The period of maturation of the testes is from 100 to 130 days, during which it is necessary to carefully take care of the plants. Watering is carried out 2 times a week, regular loosening of the soil, to enrich the rhizome with oxygen.
- Arrows fired by a bow must be tied to a peg to avoid breaking.
- After flowering, it is necessary to pull the plant out of the soil a little, so that more nutrients enter the arrow.
- In early September, the shooters with seeds are cut to the root, bundled and suspended to dry in a dry room.
- After 30 days, the seeds are freed from excess husks and additionally dried on a newspaper.
Preparing the soil for sowing onions
Planting onions is made in loamy or sandy loamy soils, the composition of which contributes to rapid emergence and improvement of taste. Soil acidity should be neutral or slightly alkaline.
Soil preparation, in open ground conditions, begins in the autumn, fertilizers must be applied and neutralized with acidic soil.
In addition, the soil preparation process includes:
- digging soil with peat to a depth of 20 cm in the amount of 3 kg per 1 m²;
- reduction of acidity by adding dolomite flour 300 g per 1 m²;
- fertilizer application superphosphate 30 g and potassium 15 g per 1 m².
It is necessary to mix in equal proportions:Important! Onion culture will not develop on dense, clay soil, which forms a dense crust around the plant and prevents the growth of the root system.
- peat;
- fertile soil layer;
- sand.
Onion seed preparation
Before sowing, disinfection of planting material should be carried out in order to prevent diseases and pests. It is possible to carry out dry and wet seed disinfection.
Dry disinfection:
- Spread the seeds on clean paper and expose them to direct sunlight.
- Stir planting material 2 times a day.
- Dry disinfection lasts for 4 days.
Sowing Onion Seeds
Landing pattern:
- To plant onion seeds, you must first loosen the soil for planting.
- Planting material is sown to a depth of 2 cm, a distance of 30 cm is maintained between the furrows for sowing.
- Between the seeds, a gap of 3 to 5 cm is made.
- After seeding, the wells are covered with earth, without an embankment.
Did you know? In ancient times, onions were added in large quantities to the food of warriors, since it was believed that a vegetable gives a person energy, strength and courage. And people believed that the smell of onions can drive away diseases.
Seedling Care
The application of the method of planting onions through seedlings with proper care will allow you to get a rich harvest.
Caring for sprouted seeds is:
- watering, which is carried out every 3-4 days;
- removal of weed grass, which prevents the development of onion crops;
- loosening of the soil is carried out after each irrigation and rain to enrich the root system with oxygen and prevent the development of mold.
- after 10 days after planting, it is necessary to apply organic top dressing in liquid form (dilute 2 kg of bird droppings in 10 l of water), use the solution on 10 m²;
- feed the minerals after a month, use 15 g of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer per 1 m².
Harvesting and storage of onion sets
Onion sets ripen 100 days after planting. 3 weeks before harvesting, it is necessary to stop watering, so that the bulbs have time to dry out and gain nutrients. Digging out the fruits is done with a pitchfork, so as not to injure the peel of the vegetable once again. After digging, the seeds are laid out in the open air under sunlight for drying.
Before harvesting, it is necessary to trim the feather of the bulb, leaving 10 cm of neck, leave 5 cm from the rhizome.
Did you know? Onion juice applied to a bee or wasp sting has an analgesic effect.
It is better to keep sevka in wicker baskets, in a dry room at a maximum temperature of + 25 ° C, in order to avoid premature germination.
Onions grown from seeds are more resistant to diseases, and also bring a larger crop. Obtaining onion seed material is not an easy task. However, subject to the rules of planting and caring for the uterine bulbs, you can get high-quality seeds for sowing.