The goal of each grower is to get a good quality crop. Any culture has its own characteristics of growing. Planting and harvesting dates are interconnected. And the desire to receive products at an earlier date is understandable. There are various ways to accelerate the ripening of vegetables. Choice of ultra-early varieties and hybrids, as well as growing seedlings, can reduce the time for obtaining onions . Winter onions are a relatively new promising method that does not require special expenses, which allows to obtain a high-quality early turnip crop.
Method Advantages
Grow winter onions, planting and caring for which are different from traditional spring cultivation, on the shoulder of any grower, even a beginner. This method, subject to certain technological methods and requirements, allows you to get a larger turnip compared to spring onions, as well as increase its yield. Plants are more resistant to underlying diseases and less susceptible to darting. This method promotes early production. Ripening terms are reduced by 1-1.5 months. Seedling method in terms of maturation is 2-3 weeks ahead. There is no need to store onion sets in winter.
Technology features
How to grow winter onions? The growing technology is based on the use of short and medium-day varieties with good winter-hardiness. The ratio of light and dark time of the day is a factor affecting the development of plants. This technology provides stimulation of turnip formation under the condition of a short day and relatively low temperatures.
When to plant winter onions? Plants should go before winter with a strong leafy part. A green feather should have at least seven pieces. For this, the timing of sowing seeds and planting seeds is determined.
The autumn period is preparatory to the cold season. Regular fertilization at this time will allow the soil to accumulate a sufficient amount of nutrients. Before the onset of winter, winter onions should already be well formed.
Landing and care
The described culture requires compliance with biological and technological requirements. When choosing a site should consider the conditions of crop rotation. The cultivation of winter onions for several years in a row in one place is unacceptable. The best predecessors will be such crops as cereals, cruciferous families, corn, cucumber, tomato. Do not plant onions after plants such as parsley and celery, potatoes and beans.
Important is the quality of the soil. Winter onions are placed on fertile, with good drainage qualities, with low acidity soils. Before starting planting, mineral (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and organic fertilizers (humus) are introduced. Do not use fresh manure. Be sure to remove weed grass.
Optimal timing
Now we will decide when to plant winter onions. Landing dates should be given special attention. The future harvest depends on their observance and the right technology. Crops are carried out in the period from August 15 to 25. Sevoc is planted four weeks before the onset of steady frost. Plants must have time to take root.
Features of sowing and planting
How to plant winter onions? From the correct planting depends on how the plant wintered. If certain rules are not observed that are aimed at increasing the winter hardiness of a crop, some plants may freeze, which will lead to a decrease in yield.
The seeds of winter onions are sown with a four-string or three-line ribbon method. The distance between the rows is 35 cm. Before sowing, a plot for winter onions is carefully prepared. Planting and care during the sowing season is often characterized by adverse weather conditions. Typically, elevated temperatures and drought occur during this period. Therefore, only high-quality seed should be used, which is treated with growth stimulants or pre-soaked.
Prepared seeds are evenly distributed in the grooves to the same depth, which is 2.5 or 3.5 cm. This value should be observed. At a shallower depth, the bottom of the onion may freeze in the winter. With its increase in the spring, the formation of the bulb will be difficult. Crop care is simple. They are regularly watered. They monitor the soil layer, it must be loose. Weed dominance should not be allowed; weeding is needed.
Winter onion seeds are planted in rows, the distance between which is 40 or 45 cm. The depth of planting of onions is 3-6 cm. A distance of 5-6 cm is maintained between them. The seeds are selected to a small size up to 1 cm in diameter. It tolerates cold winters and practically does not shoot winter onions. Planting and care must be carried out in accordance with the depth of sowing and seeding. Covering crops for the winter also stimulates the preservation of plants at low temperatures. They should not be thickened. The beds of winter onions mulch for the winter. Before that they are spudded. As a covering material, straw and white agrofiber are used.
When snow falls, snow retention is performed. With sufficiently warm winters and thaws, you should ensure that the beds do not jam. This can lead to the death of plants.
Spring activities
After the snow melts, the mulching material is removed from the area where winter onions grow. Perform top dressing. Further care consists in loosening row spacing and removing weed grass. Produce regular hydration. This contributes to the rapid development of plants.
Pest and Disease Control
Winter onions are resistant to disease. However, even a small manifestation of a particular infection in the autumn period significantly reduces winter-hardiness and can lead to freezing of plants. Such diseases include peronosporosis. Infection winters on affected plants. Fungicides are used against it in the autumn. In early spring, re-treatment is carried out. An exception are plants designed for green feathers. They are not processed in the spring. The main pest is an onion fly, but it does not cause significant damage to winter crops. When a pest appears, fungicides with a short period of action are used.
Varieties
What varieties can be used when growing winter onions? Planting and care are designed for planting plants for a short day. This requires special varieties other than those suitable for spring onion cultivation. The use of spring varieties is unacceptable, the plants will freeze. Most of these bulbs will throw an arrow with the onset of spring heat. These plantings can be used on a green feather. At the same time, the surviving planting material will not please the crop.
Let us dwell on several varieties of winter onions, which are popular with vegetable growers. At present, high-quality seed material of domestic and foreign selection is on sale.
Grade "Ellan"
For winter cultivation, early ripening and winter-hardy plants are distinguished by good indicators. Among domestic it should be noted the grade "Ellan". It is characterized by early ripening maturity. With a fairly good yield, it has excellent quality and a fairly large turnip. The weight of the bulbs reaches 90-100 g. They are rounded and slightly flattened, saturated yellow. Plants are characterized by amicable growth and rapid bulb formation, high resistance to low temperatures and diseases. Sowing of seeds is carried out in late August or early September. Already in May or early June, you can start harvesting.
Grade "Winter"
Winter onions provide gardeners with a quality early harvest. Variety "Winter" early ripening. It has a high growth rate of the aerial part and the root system. High yield combined with good quality bulbs. They have a rounded shape and a dark yellow color. The average weight of turnips is 90-120 g. It is characterized by relative resistance to major diseases. Poorly damaged by pests. Seeds are sown in late August. Harvesting in late May or early June.
Hybrid "Wolf F1"
Among the varieties of foreign selection, this hybrid can be distinguished. He is an early ripe, Japanese type. It has a rounded shape. Bulbs of medium size reach 60 or 80 mm in diameter. The color of the integumentary scales is golden. A commodity bulb is formed in late May or early June. The hybrid is resistant to shooting and has good winter-hardiness.
Variety Stuttgart Riesen
This winter onion is high yielding. It is bred in Germany. It differs in early ripening. From regrowth of seeds to the maturation of commodity turnips, 65-75 days are enough. One hundred gram bulbs are quite dense, they differ in excellent lying qualities. The shape of the turnip is slightly flattened. Surface flakes are tan. The variety is recommended for planting sowing four weeks before freezing the soil.
You should also pay attention to such varieties as "Troy", "Centurion", "Hercules", "Radar".