The bulb is not only the edible part of the plant obtained by cultivating the crop, but also planting material. Therefore, every gardener needs to know how to properly store onions in the winter, which heads are suitable for planting, and how to perform these works with maximum success.
Meaning of the word
An onion is an escape that is underground and shortened. It has juicy, colorless scaly leaves that are attached to the bottom. At the top of the onion head is the main kidney, and in the sinuses of the scales - the side, from which new fruits will grow.
Soil preparation
The bulb is a rather capricious planting material, and despite the fact that it is recommended to plant this crop in the spring, it is customary to prepare the soil in the fall:
- First you need to decide on a place for future sowing. It is best to use the land on which cabbage, tomatoes, legumes or herbs have grown before. In no case should you plant onions in those ridges in which cucumbers, garlic or carrots were grown. In addition, such a root system does not tolerate the presence of fresh manure in the soil, so the places where this fertilizer was applied should also be excluded.
- Onions love the sun, so you should stay in high and well-lit areas.
- The soil should be neutral. In autumn, you need to dig it and make humus (5 kilograms per 1 m²) or ash (1 kg per 1 m²). Mineral fertilizers must remain in the upper layers, so that the roots of the plant can immediately gain access to useful substances.
Preparing planting material
The bulb is not only the edible part of the plant, but also the material used for planting, it is called sevoc. The diameter of such fruits does not exceed 3.5 centimeters.
First you need to sort out all the bulbs and weed out damaged, dried, sprouted or blackened specimens. They have already lost all their useful properties, and their planting will not bring any result.
Immediately before the work itself, the sowing must be warmed up near the battery, the temperature of which should be 35-40 ° C. You can also dip the bulbs in hot water for 15 minutes. Then the planting material is placed in a container with complex fertilizer. The procedure should not be less than 10 hours, after which the seeds must be washed and thoroughly dried.
Planting bulbs
For planting, the best time is considered to be the beginning of May, that is, the period when the earth warms up to a temperature of 10-12 ° C. It is best to use the following scheme:
- The distance between the bulbs should be no more than 10 centimeters, and between the rows - at least 20.
- Then planting material is deepened into the soil by about 3-5 centimeters.
- It is best to plant bulbs, starting with the smallest and ending with large samples.
Harvest preparation for storage
To answer the question of how to keep the bulbs until spring, you need to pay attention to preparatory work that will help the crop lie down for as long as possible.
Onions should be picked in mid-August, preferably after the 14th. In this case, it will be fully ripe. The presence of this factor is indicated by dried feathers and a dense skin. Experienced summer residents recommend letting the bulbs dry completely, leaving them on the beds for 5-10 days after digging.
If this is not possible, then the crop is dried under a canopy or directly in the room. The main condition will be the availability of good ventilation and purge.
Then it is necessary to trim the tails, leaving the shoot 3-5 cm. If you plan to braid onions in braids, then you should not trim them.
Onion storage methods
Each onion bulb can be stored for a long time using the following aids:
- Boxes. They can be purchased at the store or made independently. Both plastic and wooden samples are suitable. The main condition will be the availability of ventilation holes. Also, the boxes will save a lot of space, because they can be stacked on top of each other.
- Cardboard boxes are a handy and affordable tool. For such purposes, dense samples in which special holes will be made are suitable.
- Baskets. It is best to use several baskets with a depth of not more than 10 centimeters. Otherwise, the bulbs in the middle will quickly rot and deteriorate.
- Fabric bags. They must be made of natural materials such as linen or cotton.
- Thick paper bags. One package should be designed for a portion of onions in 4-5 kilograms, otherwise the vegetables can go bad.
- Polypropylene nets. They are the most common way to store. Such material is well ventilated, and in the case when one bulb begins to rot, it can be seen and removed without going through the entire crop.
Storage space
Many housewives wonder how to store bulbs. To begin with, it is worth remembering that the optimal temperature for these vegetables is 18-22 ° C. Based on this, the following places are selected:
- Before the onset of cold weather, onions can be kept on the balcony.
- Then it must be moved to the pantry, it is recommended to avoid the proximity to carrots, potatoes or beets.
- You can also store onions in the kitchen by placing vegetables in a free place.
- For small volumes, the lower cabinets of the kitchen set or the special compartment of the refrigerator are well suited.
You can weave a braid and place it on the wall. This method will also be an excellent decoration of the interior.
The onion is a moody planting material and at the same time the most common vegetable that is used in almost any dish. Therefore, every housewife should know the rules for its storage.