When to plant onion seeds for seedlings and how to do it correctly
Miscellaneous / / April 06, 2023
When to plant onion seeds for seedlings
Onion and leek seeds need to be planted from late February to early April. In the southern regions, sowing begins in late February - early March. Onion seedlings are sent outdoors in early spring due to the warmer climate. In the central and northern regions, you can take your time and sow onions in March - early April.
But in order to guarantee a harvest of giant sweet bulbs of the Exhibition variety, regardless of the area, it is worth starting sowing in late February - early March.
Please note that with early sowing, you will have to provide seedlings with additional illumination with fitolamps. The daylight hours in February and March are still short, and the natural sun may not be enough for the bow.
How to choose onion seeds
Onions differ in the color of the bulb and are yellow, white and purple. At the same time, the aerial part (feather) is generally the same for everyone.
Mature bulbs can be of different sizes. Their shape is round or flat.
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Bow round shape. Frame: Diary of a summer resident: cottage, garden, garden, flowers / YouTube
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Flat onion. Frame: Svetlana Sadovaya / YouTube
The taste of onions, depending on the variety, can be sweet or more spicy and sharp. And onions have different ripening periods. The early one is ready for harvest in about 90–100 days, the mid-season one in 100–120 days, and the late one in more than 120 days. Only the last two types are suitable for creating stocks for the winter.
Another type of onion is Exhibition. Its fruits can grow to unusually large sizes and weigh 1 kg or even more. This variety has a sweet delicate taste. True, it is not suitable for a long storage.
Leek differs in terms of ripening. An early harvest is harvested after about 130-150 days from the moment of germination. This onion has thin stems and a delicate taste. True, it is not stored for long, so it must be immediately sent to the table. Mid-season varieties ripen in 150-160 days, late - in 170-210 days. They have thick, tough stems and a sharper taste. But such onions can be stored until spring.
In addition to varieties of onion and leek, there are also hybrids. They can be identified by the "F1" label next to the name of the onion on the seed package. As a rule, hybrids are less susceptible to diseases and pests, and also more resistant to weather vagaries.
How to plant onion seeds for seedlings
The process for onion, and for the Exhibition variety, and for leeks will be the same.
soak the seeds
If the package indicates that the seeds do not require pre-treatment, skip this step and start sowing immediately. This means that they are treated with disinfectants or growth stimulants at the production stage.
If nothing is said on the package, you can soak the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 1 liter of water). Dip the seeds completely in the resulting liquid and leave for 45 minutes. Then drain the water, spread the seeds on paper and dry completely: the mass should become loose again.
Prepare containers for seedlings
Onions have rather long roots, so for growing them you need to take large containers or boxes 15–20 cm high. As for the soil, universal soil for growing seedlings of vegetables is suitable for sowing seeds. Fill the container with earth, leaving about 2 cm to the edge. Compact the surface of the soil with the palm of your hand and moisten it abundantly with water from a spray bottle.
Using a ruler or stick, make grooves in the soil no more than 0.5 cm deep at a distance of 1.5 cm from each other.
Sow onions
Arrange the onion seeds in grooves 1 cm apart.
Sprinkle the seeds on top with soil. The layer should be no more than 1 cm. Lightly compact the soil with a spoon or palm.
Moisten the crops with water from a spray bottle. Do not overdo it so as not to erode the soil and turn it into a swamp. The soil should be slightly damp.
Cover the container with cling film or a transparent bag to create a greenhouse effect. Do not forget to write the name of the variety. Place the container with crops in a warm place with a temperature of 25-27 degrees - for example, near the battery.
Wait for shoots
They may appear within 5-7 days. As soon as you notice sprouting shoots, remove the cover from the container and move it to a cooler place with a temperature of 18-20 degrees. In addition, onion seedlings need additional illumination for 12 hours a day. If daylight hours are long enough, place the containers on a bright windowsill. If not, please post them below. phytolamps at a distance of about 20 cm. You can also use a conventional fluorescent lamp with a power of 36 W per 1 m2. With additional lighting, onion seedlings do not stretch and grow strong.
How to care for onion seedlings
Care will not bring much trouble, regardless of the type of onion.
Create favorable conditions for seedlings
For good development, the onion will need lighting for 12 hours a day. Keep seedlings under phytolamps or on the brightest window sill. Onion seedlings are not afraid of the cold, but due to excessive heat they can stretch. Therefore, in a room with plants, maintain the temperature in the range from 16 to 20 degrees.
Water the onion
Do not allow the soil to dry out or become waterlogged in the onion container. Water the seedlings as needed with room temperature water once the surface of the soil is slightly dry. Usually it is enough to carry out the procedure every 2-3 days.
Feed the onions
After about 3 weeks from the moment of germination, water the seedlings with a nutrient solution. For top dressing suitable nitrophoska or other fertilizer with a uniform distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - for example, 16:16:16. The consumption rate depends on the manufacturer and is indicated on the packaging.
Harden off seedlings
When the night air temperature does not drop below 6 degrees, you can take the container with seedlings to the balcony, where you can leave it until the very landing in the ground. In the cool, the plants will get used to outdoor conditions and will better endure the "moving" to the garden.
When to plant onion seedlings in open ground
Wait until the air temperature does not fall below 0 degrees at night and the threat of return frosts has passed. For example, in most regions of the middle lane, the right time is in mid-May. Onion seedlings aged at least 50–60 days from the moment of germination are suitable for planting on the beds.
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Text worked on: author Victoria Kuracheva, editor Alina Mashkovtseva, proofreader Natalia Psurtseva