We follow the rules of crop rotation: what can be planted after onions next year and what should not be planted

Garden owners often experiment, planting different crops from year to year: vegetables, berries, spices, medicinal herbs and others. They all interact with the soil - they take nutrients from it and transfer their own. Proper alternation of plants in the same area replenishes the fertility of the land, reduces the risk of disease development and increases productivity.

Even ordinary onions are subject to the rules of crop rotation. What is advisable to plant after onions next year, and what is not recommended to plant, what plants will be the best companions for the onion family, you will learn from this article.

Rules for crop rotation when growing onions

Crop rotation implies proper alternation of crops, which reduces the risk of plant diseases and increases soil fertility.

Crops of the onion family feel good in non-acidic, moderately moist soil with good air permeability. The area where you plan to plant onions should be well heated by the sun. The culture does not like heavily shaded beds: lack of light has a bad effect on the size of the developing bulbs.

Onion beds should not be fertilized with fresh manure. The best fertilizers will be mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus and wood ash.

Reference! Wood ash not only saturates the soil with useful substances, but also prevents the occurrence of fungal diseases.

If the soil is highly acidic, it is deoxidized by adding dolomite flour or slaked lime. Litmus paper will help determine the acidity level. To do this, dissolve a little earth in a glass of water and place an indicator in the solution. With increased acidity it will turn red.

Maintaining the soil in a consistently moist state will have a beneficial effect on crop yields, while excess moisture will lead to putrefactive processes.

Why is it important to follow them?

The main reasons why crop rotation is necessary:

1. Proper rotation of crops maintains soil fertility.
2. The principle of crop rotation prevents the accumulation of pathogens and insect pests.
3. Proper planting of crops helps improve soil health.

If you plant the same plant in the same bed for several years, this will lead to soil depletion. In addition, pathogens characteristic of this crop will intensively develop in it.

Some plants not only do not deplete the soil, but, on the contrary, saturate it with nutrients. These plants include legumes, green manure and winter crops. After them, the soil is rich in nitrogen and other useful compounds.

Features of crop rotation after onions in the greenhouse and in open ground

Unlike crop rotation in open ground, where rotation occurs annually, greenhouse conditions allow one crop to be grown in one place for 2-3 years. But this is only possible with an annual change of the top layer of soil.

In renewed soil, plants do not suffer from lack of nutrition and are not affected by remaining fungal spores. Many gardeners have greenhouses that are heated and used year-round.

Greenhouse soil is dug up twice a year – in autumn and spring, and are saturated with useful elements by adding organic fertilizers or a full complex of minerals. After digging, the soil is disinfected by pouring a hot solution of potassium permanganate and spraying it with a solution of Fitosporin.

Reference! "Fitosporin" is a contact fungicide and is used to prevent the development of fungal diseases.

Onions extract a lot of useful substances from the ground, and if they are planted in the same area again, the yield will noticeably decrease. In addition, after it, pathogenic spores and pest larvae accumulate in the soil. Therefore, it will not be possible to grow high-quality bulbs in open ground in the same place.

Does the earth need rest after onions?

The main rule: after onion crops, the land needs a three-year rest from plants of this family. The soil needs such a long rest for two reasons: soil depletion and the accumulation of diseases and pests.

What can you plant after onions next year?

Next year, in open ground after onions, you can plant plants of the Solanaceae, Pumpkin, and Legume families, as well as winter crops and root crops. These plants are immune to diseases dangerous to onion plants, and the composition of the soil is quite conducive to their full development.

It is best to plant potatoes and peppers next year after onions. These plants will do well in onion beds. In addition, they suffer from various diseases - pathogenic organisms preserved in the soil will not harm potatoes and peppers.

The table clearly shows what can be planted in the garden after onions next year:

1. Top Followers - legumes (beans, peas, chickpeas, soybeans), root vegetables (carrots, beets, turnips), nightshades (potatoes, peppers), pumpkins (cucumber, squash, melon, zucchini).
2. Possible Followers - eggplants, tomatoes, cabbage.
3. Invalid followers - onions (leeks, spinach, shallots), garlic, wild garlic, corn.

What is best to plant immediately after harvesting onions?

It is possible to plant on the beds after harvesting onions in August:

1. Salad. It is always necessary on the table and serves as a decoration for any dish. The main thing is that the packaging bears an inscription stating its suitability for summer sowing.
2. Early ripe cabbage. Hybrids with ultra-early ripening are considered an excellent option.
3. Early varieties of carrots and beets. The only disadvantage of such plantings is that these vegetables are not suitable for long-term storage, but they will perfectly complement the taste of any vegetable dish.
4. Radish (daikon). When planting radishes after onions, do not bury the seeds too deeply.
5. Radish. During long daylight hours, this root crop goes into the arrow. Therefore, planting in mid-August is the best option for radishes.
6. Dill.

What should not be planted?

After onions, you cannot plant its fellow onions of the Onion family. These include onions and garlic. Depleted soil will not be able to provide them with the necessary nutrition, even with the addition of mineral fertilizers. Such plantings will significantly reduce yields and lead to shredding of the bulbs. In addition, plants can be affected by “family” diseases, the spores of which are preserved in the soil.

Also, flowers such as amaryllis and hyacinth will not take root in onion beds.

After onion planting, the soil is dug up and potassium fertilizers are applied.

The best predecessors before planting onions

The best predecessors for onions are:

• zucchini;
• green manure;
• beans;
• beans;
• peas;
• potato early;
• cucumbers;
• pumpkin;
• cabbage.

After these plants, the onion will not only grow quickly, but will also delight you with a good harvest.

Also, favorable soil is considered to be one in which organic fertilizers were applied in large quantities before planting. After planting and during the growing season, organic matter is not added to the onion beds, as this harms the plant.

Winter sets are planted after corn, tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers.. A cold-resistant crop will sprout at an air temperature of +5…+7℃. But do not forget that the lower the temperature, the later the shoots will appear.

After which crops is it better not to plant onions?

The following are considered unacceptable precursors for onions:

• strawberries;
• greenery;
• spicy herbs;
• carrot;
• turnip;
• radish;
• radish;
• onion;
• garlic.

The best and worst neighbors in the garden

A plant from the onion family tolerates being next to strawberries well. But to the question whether it is possible to plant onions after strawberries, the answer is clear: no. Strawberries have deep roots, so it is best to plant plants with shallow root systems in those beds.

Companion plants for the onion family also include: carrots, celery, beets and lettuce.

But next to the beds on which beans, peas and sage are planted, the bitter vegetable will not get along.

Reference! The classic combination is onions and carrots. They protect each other from diseases and pests. Carrots drive away the onion fly, which causes considerable harm to the crop.

Advice from experienced summer residents

Next year, it is best to plant legumes and winter crops in the beds after onions. Onion plants take up a lot of nitrogen for their development, and legumes fill depleted soil with nitrogen. You can also sow nightshade crops after onions, having previously enriched the soil with minerals and wood ash.

The crop grows faster in well-warmed beds, so it is planted in sunny or slightly shaded places. In strong shade, the onion will not fully develop. It is also not recommended to plant it in lowlands, in places with high groundwater and in cold soil.

The beds for onion crops are dug up in the fall with the addition of compost and ash. But adding fresh manure is not recommended, as it is destructive to almost all plants.

Experienced summer residents recommend planting seedlings after potatoes. But you need to make sure there are no pests: nematodes and wireworms.

Conclusion

Violation of crop rotation when growing plants of the Onion family will lead to degeneration of the crop. First, the yield will noticeably decrease, then the fruits will be crushed.

There is no point in trying to cope by adding organic matter and minerals in large quantities; such a technique will also negatively affect the plantings. In addition, the likelihood of pests and diseases increases. But if agrotechnical rules are observed, not only soil fertility will be preserved, but also plant productivity.