Onion
Onion (Latin: Allium cepa) is a common vegetable crop; a perennial plant (biennial in cultivation) of the onion family.
Crop Characteristics
Onion is a herbaceous plant. In the first year of cultivation, the plant develops a bulb, and in the second year, a mother bulb and a flowering stem, which produces seeds. Onions are grown by sowing seeds in open ground or from seedlings. Onions are also grown by planting onion sets. The bulb is membranous and scaly, reaching 10-15 cm in diameter. The outer scales are yellow, purple, or white and always dry; the inner scales are white, green, or purple, fleshy, and located on a shortened stem (also known as the base). Buds form in the axils of the succulent scales of the base, which give rise to daughter bulbs. The leaves are green with a glaucous bloom, tubular. The flower stalk is long (up to 1. 5 m tall), hollow, and slightly inflated, ending in a multi-flowered umbel. The flowers are greenish-white and borne on thin peduncles. The perianth is six-petaled and reaches 1-1. 5 cm in diameter. The fruit is a capsule containing 4-6 seeds. The seeds are wrinkled, very small, triangular, and black. Flowering occurs in late June — early July. The fruits ripen in early August.
Growing Conditions
Onions are a cold-hardy plant, with an optimal growing temperature of 16-23°C (61-73°F). Seeds germinate at temperatures of 3-5°C (37-41°F), seedlings can withstand frosts down t o-1°C (14°F), and mature plants can withstand frosts down t o-5°C (21°F). Onions are undemanding in terms of growing conditions, but produce good, high-quality yields in fertile, well-fertilized soils with a neutral pH. They do not tolerate acidic soils well, requiring preliminary liming. Well-lit sites protected from northerly winds are preferred.
Growing Onions from Onion Sets
Before planting onion sets, the soil is dug over and wood ash, superphosphate, and well-rotted compost are added. Planting is carried out either in the fall or early spring. When planting in the fall, the beds are insulated with plastic film or sawdust. The distance between bulbs should be 8-10 cm, and between rows, 18-20 cm. The planting depth depends on the size of the bulb.
Growing Onions for Green Onions
Many gardeners, in addition to onions, grow onions from onion sets. Onions are planted in autumn, in cold regions at the end of September, in warm regions at the beginning of October. The distance between the bulbs should be about 5-6 cm, between the rows — 13-15 cm. The beds with plantings are mulched with peat or sawdust for insulation.
Care
Onions need regular watering, especially during sprouting; watering should be stopped a month before the bulbs ripen. The crop also requires fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers; they significantly accelerate the growth of onions and affect its quality. For fertilizing, it is advisable to use superphosphate and potassium salt; the row spacing can be sprinkled with wood ash. Weeding and loosening are no less important measures for caring for onions.
Pest and disease control
Quite often, plants are affected by peronosporosis, or downy mildew. The first signs of the disease are wilting and yellowing of leaves ahead of time. In humid areas, the disease manifests itself as a gray or gray-purple coating on the leaves. Downy mildew is transmitted from bulb to bulb. As a preventative measure, the day before planting, onion sets are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Among the dangerous pests of onions is the onion fly. It is very difficult to fight her. For prevention, it is necessary to sprinkle the row spacing with lime or wood ash.
Harvesting and storage
Lodging of the leaves indicates that it is time to start harvesting. As a rule, onions ripen in mid-August. The bulbs are carefully pulled out of the soil, dried in the sun, cleared of soil and tied into braids. You can also trim the leaves and place the dry bulbs in a net or nylon stocking. Store onions in dry, ventilated areas at a temperature of 3-5C.
Onions from seeds — in one video from sowing to harvesting! Watch the video and grow onions yourself!
