Planting onions before winter. Onions before winter - choose varieties of vegetable crops
Gardeners began to show interest in planting onions for the winter relatively recently. Previously, such a landing method was rarely written about in the literature, and if it was mentioned, it did not go into details.
In St. Petersburg, back in 1993, a brochure by L. S. Borisenkova was published under the title “Onion and
". This publication described in detail the types of onions, methods of cultivation, use and storage. Only one phrase was written about planting onions for the winter: “Small bulbs (less than 1 cm in diameter) are planted before winter.”
But what is the main method?
Onions, as in other things, and garlic, are planted before the onset of permanent frosts, for example, for Leningrad region it's the beginning of October. Some "experienced" gardeners advise planting onions before winter at the end of November, this method is wrong. For the planting method before winter, zoned onion varieties are suitable, which have a dormant period until the second half of December - the second half of January. And, for example, southern varieties are not suitable for planting on a turnip. The diameter of the sowing should be no more than 1 cm. The soil must be prepared in advance, having dug deep, fertilized, humus is suitable, and if it is not there, then you can use mineral fertilizers, for example, superphosphate or potassium salt is suitable.
Just before planting, it does not hurt to add ash. The bed must be made high (about 18-20 cm) - the onion will freeze on a low bed. The earth must be carefully loosened, the grooves should be made deeper so that there is 3-4 cm of earth above the sowing. The distance between the rows is 20-25 cm, and between the bulbs 7-10 cm. There are gardeners who plant every 5-7 cm, but this does not provide the site with sufficient nutrition. The grooves should be humus, leveled, slightly compacted.
Care:
There are tips that the bed needs to be mulched with peat or sawdust, but when to start mulching and when to remove the mulch. In spring, peat slowly thaws and delays the vegetative period of plants, as it has high level heat capacity and low thermal conductivity. From this it follows that peat coating should not be done.
For planting, you must choose a dry, well-lit place. Digging up or loosening the earth. It is better to make compost, or humus mixed with wood ash.
Crop rotation:
The best predecessors for onions are cucumbers, legumes, potatoes and tomatoes. Allow the soil to settle and compact a little before planting.
For planting in the fall, give preference to onions sharp varieties and preferably zoned.
The best varieties of winter onions:
"Shakespeare".
This is one of the most popular winter varieties. The fruit is round big size, the pulp is white, juicy, the taste is semi-sharp. The scale is dense, strong, golden color, protecting the vegetable from low temperatures down to -18C. In terms of ripening, Shakespeare belongs to the early varieties. For planting, it is better to choose a sunny place where water does not stagnate. Responsive to top dressing: compost, humus, mix with ash.
Planting time is early October.
"Radar F1".
A hybrid of Dutch breeders, distinguished by its frost resistance, able to withstand temperatures down to -15C, in snowless conditions, and up to -23C under snow cover. Not exposed to bolting, has good resistance to diseases and pests. The fruits are round, slightly flattened, large, sometimes reaching a weight of up to 400 grams. The skin color is golden. The advantages of the "radar" are its unpretentiousness, good keeping quality, as well as the ripening period, the crop is harvested in May-June.
Vegetation period is about 250 days. In one place, you can plant it for two years in a row, after which you can take a break for 5 years.
"Ellan".
"Ellan" is a rather rare guest in the beds in our country. But, over time, the trend changes, because this is the most useful onion of all, due to the high content of carotene. It perfectly strengthens the immune system and nervous system. The head is rounded, weighing about 100 grams. It has a pleasant, sweet taste. Winter cultivation occurs from both sets and seeds. The variety is considered to be quite cold-resistant, but it is recommended to mulch it in the fall with the help of dry peat. Harvest in early June. Fertile, loose soil is suitable for a vegetable.
Landing: from the end of September to the end of October.
"Senshui".
Early maturing, high-yielding, winter-hardy. The heads are medium in size, have a rounded shape, slightly flattened. The color of the husk is yellow-brown. Fully ripens in July, but in the spring they are harvested in the form of bunched greens. It has good keeping quality, can be stored up to six months, resistant to false powdery mildew, and shooting.
"Stuttgarter Risen".
Mid-season variety of German selection. It takes about 100 days from the first sprouts to maturity. He fell in love with both amateur gardeners and professional farmers, because of his productivity, palatability, and excellent trade dress. The bulbs are large, up to 250 grams, on average about 120 grams, the shape is round, slightly flattened. The color of the husk is yellow-brown.
"Sturon".
The ripening period is average, about 110 days. The bulbs have the shape of an ellipse, the husk is golden in color. Designed for cultivation in the southern and central regions, you can try to cultivate "sturon" in more northern areas. They have excellent keeping quality, and retain their taste for 7-8 months. high yielding variety, is a new selection of the popular "Stuttgarter Riesen".
Red Baron.
One of the best for planting before winter. It matures quickly and produces good yields. The bulbs are large, they have a high content of vitamin C, the taste is sharp. The husk is red in color, the fruits have excellent keeping quality, and good resistance to cold.
"Centurion".
Popular "centurion" due to its one hundred percent germination, hence the consistently high yield. The shape of the vegetable is round, slightly flattened towards the top, its size is medium, the taste is medium sharpness. It ripens quickly, has good resistance to cold and disease.
"Kip Well".
The literal translation sounds like "well kept". This is the main advantage of this variety. The heads are medium in size, weighing up to 150 grams. They cope well with diseases and pests, endure frosts.
"Bamberger"
Mid-late variety of German selection. Bulb elongated, small size, husk yellow color. An excellent option for growing winter onions from sets. The taste is slightly spicy.
Categories of sevka:
Sevok, depending on its size, is divided into the following categories:
- the first - with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm;
- the second category - with a diameter of 1.5 -3 cm;
- category "samples" - more than 3 cm in diameter;
- category "oatmeal" - diameter less than 1 cm, non-standard bulbs;
Most good bow usually grows from oatmeal or sevka of the first category
. In general, it is recommended to plant oatmeal exclusively before winter; when stored until spring, it will dry out. The onion planting depth should be 2-3 cm. And if you plant a seed in the ground more than 4 cm deep, then in the spring the seed will not have enough strength to grow and it will die.
The sevok of the second category and the category of samples are planted for the winter in order to obtain a green feather; these varieties are not suitable for obtaining turnips from it. It is necessary to plant 4-6 cm deep and plant tightly.
When planting in autumn, onions can be planted in rows or nests of 3-4 pieces. From above, fill up a family with peat and humus, or you can just use earth. The neck of the set is not cut off, but deepened into the ground by 1.5-2 cm with a row spacing of 15-20 cm, and between the plants themselves no more than 10 cm.
Onions must be planted before the soil freezes, the sets must take root.
After planting the sowing, it is advisable to mulch the bed. Organics are best suited for this: dry leaves, hay, but not plastic wrap. To prevent the mulch from being blown away by the wind, spruce branches or dry branches should be placed on top. In early spring, as soon as the snow begins to melt, the shelter must be removed. If these measures are not taken, then the bed will slowly warm up, and the sprouts of the crop will appear later.
In winter, when a sufficient amount of snow has already fallen on the garden bed, it is necessary to throw in another layer of natural insulation. In turn, in the spring, water should not be allowed to stagnate in the garden, because this will lead to the moisture of the bulbs.
Immediately after the snow melts, the mulch and leaves are removed from the garden. For a quick and friendly onion shoot, you can rake very small grooves over the rows. But this must be done carefully so as not to damage the future crop.
situation winter landing can be assessed in April. And in case of failure weather conditions(for example, a severe snowless winter) it is necessary to make corrections to the remaining onion sets of a large category.
If you wish to receive large heads onions at this time it is necessary to feed with a solution of mullein or bird droppings (1:10) and cover plastic wrap, which should be pulled over the wire arcs.
In mid-May, the following feeding procedure should be carried out with nitrophoska, 1 tablespoon per square meter or re-fertilize with mullein. At the beginning of the formation of the crop, it is necessary to fertilize with fertilizers, for example, superphosphate and potassium sulfate, and on soils with an acidic composition, this fertilizer must be replaced with wood ash. Until July, onions need constant watering and obligatory loosening of the soil. By the first half of August, the crop can be harvested.
The winter onion ripens a little earlier than the one planted in the spring, and usually produces one large onion, regardless of the characteristics of the variety. Plants, as a rule, are not damaged by insects, for example, by an onion fly, since by the beginning of the activity of the fly flight, a large root system, and it becomes inaccessible to the fly for laying eggs.
It is noteworthy that planting material oatmeal needs 3 times less than a standard set, and its price in autumn is much lower than in spring.
But, the winter sowing of oatmeal seedlings is not successful for everyone. Violations result in wrong conditions its cultivation: either it is an early or too deep planting, lack of mulch and spring snow retention. Proper observance of all the rules of the proposed technology will ensure a rich collection of onion-turnips from oatmeal sets.
Onion planting care:
Before the first frosts, it is important to mulch the beds with planted onion sets, for example, with sawdust or peat. A layer of mulch should be made 2-3 centimeters. Proper and timely mulching will help save the bulbs from freezing. After the beginning of spring, you need to remove the layer of mulch so that it does not interfere with warming up the soil and so that shoots appear on time. And if the winter was not snowy, then it is important to add an additional layer of snow to the beds. In the spring, it is important to ensure that there is no stagnant melt water on the beds, the plant gets wet under such circumstances.
The rules followed will allow the vegetable to overwinter well, and give good, large, healthy seedlings.
With a dense planting, thinning is allowed, leaving an interval between seedlings of 5-6 centimeters. And the onion that was pulled out can be used for food.
A vegetable that more than one housewife can do without, a storehouse of vitamins and microelements useful for the body - onions, occupies significant beds on country beds and vegetable gardens. His agricultural technique is not complicated and, if followed correctly, he will generously thank bountiful harvest. How and when is it better to plant onions? Is it possible to plant onions before winter? All these questions are answered in the recommendations of experienced gardeners.
Sowing onions before winter
A well-tested method of planting onions before winter gave excellent results. She has a large number of advantages over traditional drop-off times.
Benefits of planting onions in the fall
Favorable conditions for rooting and earlier ripening of the crop;
no need to store planting material.
Onion planting is carried out mainly in the first half of autumn in warm, dry weather 25-35 days before the onset of stable frosts. This allows the plant material to be well strengthened, it is not subjected to waterlogging and dryness. Thanks to this technique, the vegetable gives friendly shoots, and the plants are actively developing, which leads to good harvests.
Onion planting is carried out mainly in the first half of autumn in warm, dry weather 25-35 days before the onset of stable frosts. But when using this method, you must carefully consider the planting period and pick up good seed material.
Varieties of onions for planting before winter
In the autumn, the main types of onions are sown or planted: black onions (sevok), batun, shallots.
Today, new, reliable winter varieties of onions "Shakespeare", "Kip-Vell", "Radar" have gained great popularity.
| Name | Description |
| "Shakespeare" | The variety is early ripening - it ripens in 75 days. Sheath brown. The pulp is white, juicy, semi-sharp. The bulbs are large and rounded. Weight 100 g. The shell is dense, allows you to take out low temperature(up to -180°С). Disease resistant. |
| "Radar" | Mid-season variety. Excellent taste qualities. Maybe long-term storage. High yield. Large bulbs. Weight up to 150 g. The color of the husk is light yellow. |
| "Kip Well F1" | Early ripe hybrid. Bronze bulbs, large. Weight up to 350 g. Round shape. Drought and frost resistant. Very well kept. |
Chernushki - seeds of onions, which are sown in autumn to obtain onion sets;
Sevok - small bulbs for large crop bulbs.
Shallot and batun are onions sown to obtain early greens (“pen”), which is not only useful, but also a decoration of the spring garden.
The popular shallot gives excellent harvest using early ripe varieties"Belozerets 94", "Family", "Vitamin Basket", "Cascade", "Emerald"; varieties of medium ripening: "Bonnila F 1", "Garnet", "Chapaevsky", "Earring" and late varieties: "Ural violet", "Fortress", "Siberian amber".
Onion Skvirets is suitable for planting before winter Batun onion, which, due to its excellent taste, has become a favorite in gardeners' beds, is most popular in the varieties: "Salad 35", "Serezha", "April" (early ripe); "Russian winter" "Baia Verde" (mid-season); "May" (late-ripening).
The main stages of work when planting onions before winter
Selection of the optimal site and soil preparation: onions grow well in areas where their predecessors were cereals, potatoes, cucumbers, legumes. The soil is carefully dug up and brought organic fertilizers (wood ash, compost and humus).
seed preparation: seed sorting (oatmeal, seedling, onion-selection) and treatment with a weak solution blue vitriol(one tablespoon per 10 liters of water). In order to prevent the bow from giving arrows, the shock method is used: the bulbs are placed in boiling water for a minute.
planting planting material: onions are planted in rows, keeping a distance between plants of 5-10 cm
Onions are planted in rows, keeping the distance between plants 5-10 cm. After planting the onion, the beds are mulched. To do this, use spruce branches, pine needles, dry leaves. If the forecasts promise a cold winter without snow, then the bed on top of the mulch can be covered with a film.
Video on how to plant onions before winter
As you know, onion contains a lot of vitamins and phytoncides useful for immunity, it is a natural spice and can enhance the taste and aroma of many products. You need to plant at a distance of 6-7 cm between the bulbs in grooves, the depth of which is 5 cm. The distance between the grooves is 15 cm. Personally, I prefer to plant in holes, and the rest of the parameters remain the same.
Onion varieties for planting for the winter
Agro winter. One of the best varieties for winter sowing.
Azelros. The onion variety Azelros was created at the All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Breeding and Seed Production (VNIISSOK).
Ailsa Greig.
An early onion variety with very large bulbs.
Crimson ball. Early ripe (from germination to feather lodging 85-90 days) variety for growing in an annual crop from seeds.
Blonde. Mid-season (from germination to feather lodging 100-120 days) salad variety.
When to plant onions before winter
In the fall, they plant the smallest set, the diameter of which is less than 1 cm. First of all, this is done because such onions very rarely survive until spring. Work is carried out 2 weeks before the start of the first frost. In the ground, these seeds will be perfectly preserved, they will not shoot an arrow, and in the spring they will give good harvest as there will be a long growing season. Onion preparation before planting occurs in the same way as in spring.
Winter onion growing technique
Before planting, the seedlings must be sorted. It is best to do this in dense material or cardboard, where a hole about a centimeter in size is made. All bulbs that can pass through it should be set aside for planting. To get a good harvest, it is recommended to treat the onion before planting with a warm, weak solution of copper sulfate. 
When is it better not to plant onions?
In general, one should be guided by the weather: the onion should have time to grow roots before the onset of cold weather, but sprouts should not be allowed to appear. If you plant a bow ahead of time, it will go into the arrow and die from frost, with a late planting there is a risk that the roots will not have time to develop, and the seedling will freeze in the ground. Some gardeners believe that planting onions in the ground at the end of November - optimal solution However, in this case, the result depends only on luck.
Onion care after planting in the fall
There is no need to talk about specific planting numbers for onions. Sevok is planted when the earth warms up to a depth of 6-10 centimeters.
If you focus on the weather, then early and warm spring landing can be done at the end of April. Onions should not be planted in cold ground. In the spring, after the soil is warmed up by the sun's rays, the garden bed must be prepared for the ripening of the crop.
– Should be removed from crops insulation material by breaking up the soil.
- After about a week, it is worth fertilizing with urea or ash.
- Loosening the soil should be done after rain, watering.
– Timely remove the grown weeds.
- The release of four arrows indicates the ripening of the bulb. During this period, it is necessary to thread the onion and fertilize the soil a second time.
Watering onions after planting in the fall
The frequency of watering onions depends on the weather. If it is quite hot outside, then watering is necessary twice a week. During bulb ripening high humidity soil is harmful. Onions treated for seed have the highest moisture requirement during flowering. The lack of moisture during flowering leads to a decrease in seed yield.
Fertilizing onions after planting in the fall
Fertilizers rich in nitrogen include manure, bird droppings, urea, ammonium nitrate and others. The component included in them affects the growth of onions, its full development. When top dressing is applied, the feather begins to develop intensively. Lack of nitrogen will stunt growth vegetable crop. As a result, the plant will be weaker, and the yield will be low.
Loosening and weeding onions after planting in the fall
Removing weeds on onion plantings is very important to combine with loosening the soil. Weeds suck up nutrients from the soil, preventing the bulbs from ripening. Onions for planting, soak in water at a temperature of +5 C, an average of 10-15 minutes. Next, carry out " shock therapy". Immerse the seeds in cold water again for 10-15 minutes. Thus, it will be more resistant to frost. 
The entire set intended for planting. It is necessary to treat with a warm, slightly diluted solution of potassium permanganate. The bulbs are immersed in the solution for 6 hours.
Propagation of onions
The propagation method depends on the type of onion and the gardener's preferences. Some people like to propagate the plant by seeds, someone is more comfortable with the vegetative method.
Cleaning and storage of onions
Onions are harvested when lodging 75 - 80% of the feather. The onion root system is cut with a flat cutter 5–6 cm below the bottom of the bulb two weeks before the planned harvest (10–15% lodging of the tops). After drying, the onions are placed in bags, bags, other containers and sent for use or storage. But before that, bulbs damaged and affected by diseases and pests should be thrown away. All bulbs should be dry, with tightly fitting scales. 
Benefits of growing winter onions
- You can use the smallest set of oatmeal, which cannot be saved until spring;
- Bulbs take root since autumn, and in spring, with the first warmth, they begin active growth, making full use of the melted moisture;
- Seedlings gain strength before weeds and before pests become interested in them;
- The feather of such an onion, as a rule, is more juicy than that of a planted in spring, and the bulbs are larger.
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Diseases and pests of onions
Onion root mite everywhere damages onions in open and protected ground, storages. Ticks preferentially colonize damaged or diseased plants. These pests are hardly noticeable on onion beds, since the mites are very small (0.5-1 mm). The bulbs are penetrated through the bottom. Spread with the remains of damaged plants, soil, inventory.
Onion western secretive trunk - pest larvae gnaw longitudinal whitish passages in the pulp of leaves, translucent through the skin.
Onion moth causes significant damage to onions, leeks and garlic in warm, dry weather. Damaged leaves, starting from the tops, turn yellow and dry.
The onion fly is a danger to onions, leeks, garlic and other onion crops.
Starting from the end of July, all onion watering should be stopped and the rows slightly opened, and in August, when the tips of the feather begin to dry out, the onion plants can be slightly pulled up, partially breaking the connection between the roots and the soil, which contributes to better ripening of the bulbs. When the onion feather lies down, the onion is pulled out of the soil and laid out to dry. After 5-7 days, when the feather dries completely, it is crushed and separated from the bulbs. The whole thick onion with green juicy leaves must be eaten, as it is unsuitable even for short-term storage. Ripe onions are dried for 5-7 days in a room at a temperature of 20-25 ° C, and then for another week at a temperature of 30-35 ° C and with good ventilation. It is advisable to weave the onion dried in this way into braids and hang it. So it is better stored. True, it should be remembered that when growing onions by sowing seeds in one year in our zone, it is rarely possible to obtain a large percentage of mature turnips.
Planting dates for onions in the fall.
It has long been known that onions can be planted both in spring and autumn, but for some reason, planting onions in winter was not widespread until recently. Particularly wary was the planting of onions for the winter in cold regions - in Siberia, the Urals, and in the Moscow region, and in fact today there are many varieties of winter onions that winter well in the ground, but next year they give an early harvest. How to plant onions in the fall, when to plant winter onions, how to protect them from winter frosts- we will answer all these questions in this article.
If you believe lunar calendar, then the most auspicious days for planting onions in autumn 2018 - September 1, 8, 27–28, as well as 6, 7 and 25 October. Who did not have time on these dates, there are still November 2, 3, 21, 22, 29, 30.
The best time for planting onions in areas with not very cold winters is from late October to early November - 30-35 days before the onset of stable cold weather. Keep an eye on the outdoor thermometer: if the temperature drops to 5 ºC and lasts for several days, then it's time to plant onions.
When is it better not to plant onions?
In general, one should be guided by the weather: the onion should have time to grow roots before the onset of cold weather, but sprouts should not be allowed to appear. If you plant a bow ahead of time, it will go into the arrow and die from frost, with a late planting there is a risk that the roots will not have time to develop, and the seedling will freeze in the ground. Some gardeners believe that planting onions in the ground at the end of November is the best solution, but in this case the result depends only on luck.
Planting winter onions
After what crop to plant onions.
Often, not knowing what to plant onions after, gardeners make mistakes that lead to low yields. good predecessors for onions, all grains are considered except oats, corn, beets, mustard, rapeseed, phacelia, peas, beans, vetch, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and any cabbage. To avoid nematode infestation, do not plant onions after beans, potatoes, parsley, celery, alfalfa, and red clover. You can grow winter onions as a second crop after harvesting rapeseed, winter barley, beans, peas, radishes, carrots and table beets, if you managed to harvest the first crop before the third decade of July. The question is often asked whether it is possible to plant onions after onions. Onions can be grown in one place for no more than two years, the next time onions in this area, as well as in the area where garlic grew, can be planted no earlier than four years later.
Onions before planting - preparation.
Onion planting material is divided into oatmeal (bulbs with a diameter of less than 1 cm), sets (bulbs in diameter from 1 to 3 cm) or onion selection - bulbs larger than 3 cm. goes to the arrow, and a small set is planted to get a turnip bulb. Therefore, sort the seed before planting in the ground, separating the small set from a larger sample, do not cut the necks of the bulbs. Professionals recommend sevok and oatmeal just for winter planting because they are over time winter storage indoors they can dry out, and if they are planted in the ground, then next year they will give large bulbs.
Ground for onions.
One of the components successful cultivation winter onion is right choice site. Where to plant onions to create optimal conditions for its growth and development? The soil for onions should be light - well-drained humus-sandy soils or humus loam on a southern or southwestern slope, protected from the wind, are most suitable tall plants. Onions have a weak root system, so they need fertile soil. The most remarkable onion grows on silt deposits in the valleys of warm rivers. Before planting, the soil must be dug up in advance with humus (5-6 kg per m²) and mineral fertilizers at the rate of 10-15 g of potassium salt and 20-25 g of superphosphate per m². Instead of mineral fertilizers you can make ecofoska from the same calculation. Before planting, it is advisable to scatter ash over the area at the rate of 10 g per m².
Planting onion sets before winter.
How to plant an onion? Level and compact the surface of the site, make grooves in the soil about 5 cm deep at a distance of about 15-20 cm from each other. Spread dry small seedlings along the grooves after 5-7 cm, cover with dry earth and lightly tamp it down. It is not necessary to water winter onions after planting - it is possible to moisten the site, if there is no rain, in ten days. When frosts come, mulch the area with winter onions with dry leaves, spruce branches, pine needles, and press the shelter from above with branches so that it is not swept away by the wind. If a cold and snowless winter is expected, you can cover the area on top of the mulch with a film. You won't need a film in snowy winter.
Planting batun, which is grown solely for its greenery, is no different from planting onions, but for shallots, the necks are cut before planting and then the bulbs are kept for a day in water with a temperature of about 30 ºC.
Onion care after planting in the fall.
Planting and caring for onions in the open field are simple and easy. As soon as the soil begins to warm up in the spring, remove the film from the winter onion, and after a week remove the mulch, sprinkle the area with ash at the rate of 10 g per m², and loosen the soil. If you remove the cover too late, the onion can get wet under the film, and the mulch will delay the passage of sprouts through the thickness of the earth. It is advisable to loosen the soil after each rain or watering, while freeing the site from weeds. The formation of four leaves in the seedlings indicates that the bulb has begun to form, which means that it is time to make a second top dressing, but before that, thin out the onion if it grows too thick. Pulled plants can be eaten. As a second top dressing, 15-20 g of superphosphate and 10-15 g of potash fertilizer are applied per 1 m² of planting, and it is better to pre-dissolve superphosphate granules and ash in a solution of fermented herbs. It is possible to apply liquid instead of mineral fertilizers chicken manure. If the spring is wet, the onions are watered infrequently, but if it is hot and dry, you will have to arrange watering twice a week. So that the onion fly does not ruin your crop, plant marigolds or calendula around the perimeter of the area with onions - this is guaranteed to save you from trouble. Winter onions ripen about a month earlier than those planted in spring.
In the photo: Growing onions in open ground
Features of planting winter onions
Planting onions before winter in the Moscow region.
Planting onions in the Moscow region is almost no different from cultivating in Ukraine or other warm regions. Too much can be a problem Cold winter, but if the temperature does not drop below -15 ºC, and you cover the onion for the winter, then freezing does not threaten it. If the frosts are stronger, but there is a lot of snow, then it remains to be hoped that in this case everything will go well.
Planting onions before winter in the Urals.
Planting and caring for winter onions in the Urals are somewhat different from growing this crop in areas with temperate climate. For example, planting dates are shifted closer to the beginning of autumn - from late September to mid-October. Shelter for the winter in the Urals is mandatory, in addition, not every variety can be planted before winter in the Ural climate, but only those that have high winter hardiness.
In the photo: Young onion
Planting onions before winter in Siberia.
Unfortunately, severe Siberian frosts do not allow us to speak with confidence about the possibility of cultivating winter onions in this region. If you guess right with the planting dates, with the variety and with the winter weather, it is quite possible that your efforts will be crowned with success. But if you are unlucky, you can always sow onions in the spring.
Varieties of winter onions
We offer you an acquaintance with some varieties of winter onions, among which you can choose those that are suitable for growing in your area.
- Ruby- a variety of Donetsk selection. An early ripening onion with a growing season of 72-85 days with good keeping quality and a yield of 3 kg/m². A round bulb weighing 50-80 g of light purple color with a silvery sheen.
- Siberian annual- an early ripening variety with a growing season of 60-70 days, strong foliage, semi-sharp taste, round-flat yellow bulb. A variety with good keeping quality and resistance to shooting. Yield 4 kg/m².
- Robin- has the most juicy red color of all red onions. This hybrid has a powerful root system, it tolerates drought well, and is productive. The bulb is in the shape of an amphora. A variety has been bred for cultivation in the southern regions.
- Mouzon- medium-early variety, ripening from sevka in 90-110 days. Bulbs are dense, round, white color, weight - 100-120 g. Onions of this variety are stored for two months. Cold-resistant.
- Lugansk- late-ripening variety with a sharp taste and good keeping quality. The bulb is round - flat or oval, the integumentary scales are yellow or yellow-brown, the mass of the bulb is 70-145 g.
- Buran- a variety of Ukrainian breeding for universal use with a round dense bulb of intense yellow color weighing up to 100 g. Good keeping quality, stable yield, but affected by downy mildew.
- Tamara F1- mid-early hybrid with dense bulbs with yellow-brown scales and semi-sharp taste. It is stored for a long time, resistant to fusarium and pink rot, high-yielding.
- Black Prince – mid-season variety Russian selection of high keeping quality with a semi-sharp taste and dense rounded bulbs of dark purple color.
- Stuttgarten riesen- German variety with flat and flat-round bulbs of golden brown color, spicy taste. The keeping quality is good, but it is affected by neck rot and powdery mildew.
- Panther F1- a variety of Japanese breeding with a bronze-brown bulb of a rounded shape and a thin neck. The variety is resistant to bolting and cold-resistant - can withstand -28 ºC.
Winter planting of onion sets has a number of advantages. Winter onions ripen a little earlier than those planted in spring. Plants are usually not damaged by the onion fly, since by the beginning of its flight a large root lobe forms on the bottom of the set, and it becomes inaccessible to the fly for laying eggs. The main thing is to determine optimal timing landing, choose suitable grade and prepare a landing site.
Planting dates for onion sets before winter
Seedlings are planted from the end of September until October 15, when stable cold weather sets in and the soil temperature drops to -1-2 ° C (usually this coincides with the onset of serious autumn morning frosts). At the same time, the planting rate of this onion should be increased by 20-25% compared to spring plantings. Before the soil freezes, the sevok has time to take root, but does not germinate.
Varieties of onion sets for planting before winter
For winter planting, small onion sets with a diameter of less than 1 cm of most zoned varieties are best suited. A small supply of nutrients in the bulb does not allow the formation of an arrow, and in the spring it begins to develop much earlier than usual. Such onion ripens by the end of July and is well preserved in winter. In addition, now on the shelves of stores have appeared and specially designed for winter crops hybrids.
- Forum,
- Radar,
- troy,
- Shakespeare and others
Radar is just as good for growing in Central region , as well as varieties:
- Stuttgarter Riesen,
- Bessonovsky Local,
- Strigunovsky Local,
- Danilovsky 301,
- Arzamas Local,
- Supra,
- Turbo,
- Carmen and others
Place for planting onion sets before winter
Sowing onion sets in a non-flooded area spring waters. When digging the soil, organic and phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizers are applied:
- rotted manure or humus (3-5 kg per 1 m²),
- ash or potash fertilizers (15 g per 1 m²),
- superphosphate (20 g per 1 m²).
The scheme of planting onion sets before winter
At a distance of 20-25 cm, rows are marked and, after 3-4 cm, bulbs are planted in them to a depth of 3-4 cm. Due to insufficient deepening of the bulbs during planting in the spring, they may bulge out of the soil. Close up with soil and then mulch with humus or peat with a layer of 1.5-2 cm. You can cover the surface of the bed with dry leaves.
When enough snow falls, an additional layer of dry foliage should be thrown onto the bed and plant residues(without signs of illness) - the best natural insulation. In the spring, immediately after the snow melts, the mulch and leaves are removed from the garden.
For faster and more friendly shoots in the spring, it is advisable to rake very small grooves over the rows. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the seedlings. With the beginning of the regrowth of leaves, onion sets are fed. It is best to use slurry in a ratio of 1:5 or bird droppings 1:10 for this. A bucket of solution is enough for 2-3 m².
Olga Pochekutova, agronomist
Read more about how to grow a healthy rich crop big onion and how to properly care for it, read the articles:
Planting onion sets before winter (video)
For more information about the experience of winter planting onion sets in the suburbs, see an amateur gardener. Onion sets are planted from late September to mid-October (Pokrov day). With more later dates sowing, care must be taken to cover the beds so that the earth does not freeze and remains soft until planting. For planting before winter, special varieties and medium-sized bulbs are chosen. Before planting, the bed is fertilized with compost and ash, bone meal, superphosphate and Fertika. The soil is dug up and grooves are prepared. Onions are sown at a distance of 5-7 cm.
More about autumn plantings onions before winter, read the articles and watch the video: