The best varieties of onion seeds for greens and cultivation algorithm

Most gardeners grow green onions on their plots. Its greens contain many vitamins and minerals. The leaves of the plant are not only healthy, but also tasty. They have a characteristic onion aroma and piquancy, but not as rich as in the case of root vegetables. In summer and autumn, such greens sometimes completely replace regular onions.

To achieve high yields, specially designed varieties are chosen for feather forcing. In this case, the plant will spend energy and nutrients on greens, and not on turnips. Read on to learn how to choose the right variety and grow green onions from seeds.

Suitable varieties of onions for greens

To get a rich harvest of greens, choose onion varieties specifically designed for forcing the feathers. As a rule, they do not form roots, but have a thick green mass.

There are several varieties of onions that are suitable for forcing feathers. These include:

Batun

Perennial. It is distinguished by large cone-shaped feathers. All greenery is the same height. The onion aroma and pungency are pronounced. Feathers are cut several times per season. The seed pods of this type of onion must be cut off, which negatively affect the taste of the greens.

To varieties batuna for feather forcing include: April, Baron, Baia Verde, Emerald, Tenderness, Russian size, Seryozha, Russian winter. All varieties are frost resistant. Their yield varies between 3.5-4 kg per 1 m².

Leek

It has flat, wide leaves reminiscent of garlic leaves. It has a delicate onion aroma and a slightly spicy taste. Has average resistance to cold weather. It is grown only in the garden.

TO varieties, suitable for feather forcing include: Vesta, Casimir, Calambus, Bluewing, Winner, Alligator, Elephant, Tango. Productivity varies between 2-3 kg per 1 m².

Chives

It has thin cone-shaped feathers that resemble needles. They are tender and juicy, with a slight tang and a characteristic aroma. Feather length - 30-50 cm. Suitable for growing at home and in the garden. It has bright fragrant inflorescences that attract pollinating insects.

All varieties are resistant to cold weather and immune to diseases. To varieties chives, suitable for feather forcing include: Prague, Bohemia, Siberian, Khibiny, Chemal, Honey plant, Vesenny. Productivity varies between 3-4 kg per 1 m².

Shallot

It has a delicate onion aroma and a sweet-spicy taste. The feathers are cone-shaped, thicker than those of chives, but thinner than those of batun. Frost resistance is low, immunity is average. Productivity - up to 2 kg per 1 m². The following are usually used to force feathers: varieties: Airat, Cascade, Bonilla, Vitamin basket, Strong, Sophocles.

Slime

The leaves are flat, wide, with rounded edges. The aroma is onion-garlic, the taste is spicy-sweet. Produces greens quickly and has a long growing season. It grows in a greenhouse all year round, and in open ground until the onset of cold weather. Popular varieties - Green, Dwarf, Leader, Belarusian, Charm. From 1 m² up to 3.5 kg of greens are collected.

Egyptian, or multi-tiered

The most unpretentious variety. The feathers are cone-shaped and thick. The taste is spicy, the aroma is onion.It differs in that at the end of the arrows, not a box with seeds is formed, but small aerial bulbs. Chelyabinsk, Likova, Pamyat - varieties used for feather forcing. Productivity varies between 3-4 kg per 1 m².

Timing for planting onion seeds on greens

The question of planting timing arises only in the case of growing onions in open ground. The frost-resistant crop easily tolerates temporary cold spells, but during prolonged frosts it stops growth.

From late spring to late summer, onion seeds are re-sown at any time. During this period, temperature does not affect its growth. Some early ripening varieties are planted even in August.

Before winter, onion seeds are sown when the temperature reaches 2-3°C. In this case, the seeds will not have time to germinate before the first frost and will not die from the cold. Only late varieties are suitable for this method of growing onions.

Green onions are grown in the greenhouse all year round. It is most cost-effective to do this from mid-autumn to the last month of winter or the first month of spring.

Regardless of the month of sowing, experienced gardeners advise paying attention to the indicators of the lunar calendar. It has been proven that plants sown on the correct lunar day take root more easily and have high yields.

Favorable time for sowing onion seeds for greens in 2020:

Growing green onions

Although onions are an unpretentious crop, it is important to know the basic rules for growing them. If the rules for processing planting material, soil preparation and plant care are not followed, the plantings will begin to get sick and their yield will decrease.

Seed preparation

To increase seed germination and obtain strong, healthy plants that will grow quickly and produce a good harvest, planting material is prepared:

1. Pre-soak — promotes swelling of seeds and their rapid germination. Planting material is soaked in water at room temperature for a day. During this time, change the water three times.
2. Disinfection - reduces the likelihood of plant infection. Seeds are immersed for 30 minutes. in hydrogen peroxide or for 60 minutes. into a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. Commercial products (Fitosporin), soda (1 tsp per 1 cup of water, soak for 12 hours), aloe juice (diluted with an equal amount of water and immerse the seeds for 12 hours) are also used as a disinfectant.
3. Growth stimulation. Planting material is soaked for 12 hours in Epin or another growth stimulant.

Some gardeners additionally germinate seeds. To do this, they are placed on a damp cloth and covered with a layer of damp material.

Important! Seeds over 2 years old are best suited for forcing feathers.

Soil preparation and sowing

For onions, choose well-lit areas. Groundwater on them should not lie too close to the surface. It is important that onions and other greens do not grow in the selected beds the year before.

It is better to prepare the beds in advance. When planting in open ground in spring, this is done in the fall. If the winter method is used or the crop is planted in a greenhouse, then the soil is prepared a month before sowing the seeds.

The selected area is cleared of weeds and remains of cultivated plants, and then dug up. If necessary, for every 1 sq. m add 4 kg of humus or compost, 25 g of superphosphate and 15 g of urea. The beds are leveled with a rake, mixing fertilizers with the soil.

Onions love slightly acidic soils.If the acidity level is elevated (checked with litmus paper), then for every 1 sq. m add 1 tbsp. ash.

2-3 days before sowing the seeds, water the beds with a hot solution of copper sulfate - 1 tbsp. l. onto a bucket of boiling water.

How to plant onions

There are 3 ways to sow onion seeds on feathers.

In open ground

Grooves 1-1.5 cm deep are made in the soil. To get a lot of greenery and save space, create groups of three grooves. The distance between them in each group is 5 cm, and between groups - 15 cm. Seeds are planted often - 1 g per 1 square meter. m. Then the planting material is sprinkled with earth and watered with water at room temperature. On cold days and at night before the first shoots appear, the beds are covered with film.

Seedling method

This is the fastest way to grow onions. Seeds for seedlings are sown in boxes filled with universal soil to a depth of 1 cm. The plantings are watered and covered with film. This is done 1.5-2 months before planting in the ground.

Before emergence, the room temperature should be 25°C, then it is reduced to 10°C for a week, after which the onions are grown at room temperature. When the plants grow to 20 cm and 4 feathers appear on them, they are planted in the ground, after cutting off the greenery by a third. The onions are buried 4 cm, leaving a distance between plants of 5 cm and between rows of 10 cm.

Growing in a greenhouse

In a greenhouse, onions are grown according to the principle of sowing in open ground (seeds are sown directly on the beds) or by seedling method. Then boxes with seedlings are placed right in the greenhouse, which are transplanted into the beds when they reach 20 cm.

Note! Planting onion sets and large onions differs from sowing seeds. In the first case, the bulbs are planted close to each other.

Features of growing in open ground

In open ground, gardeners pay minimal attention to crops:

1. Watering. The first 6 weeks after sowing the seeds, the beds must be watered. This is done as the top layer of soil dries. Watering should not be abundant so that the water does not stagnate. Only settled water at room temperature is suitable for moistening the soil. Further, the onions are watered only during drought.
2. Loosening. After watering, the soil must be loosened. Do this carefully so as not to damage the roots. This procedure destroys the earthen crust, which prevents full air exchange.
3. Weeding. Young onions must be weeded. Weeds interfere with the development of plant roots, gradually leading to their death or reducing productivity. It is convenient to do this during the loosening process.
4. Thinning. After the appearance of 3 true leaves, the plantings are thinned out. Leave a distance of at least 5 cm between plants.
5. Mulching. It is recommended to sprinkle the beds with a layer of peat or fresh straw.
6. Feeding. Fertilizing is carried out 2-3 times during the entire period of growing onions. Natural nitrogen fertilizers are suitable for the development of greenery. For example, chicken manure diluted 1:10 with water, silage, ash solution (1 kg of ash per bucket of water).
7. Arrows. If the bow throws out its arrows, they break them off. They spoil the taste of greens.

Features of growing in a greenhouse

Caring for green onions in a greenhouse is not particularly different from growing them in open ground, but it is important to provide suitable conditions indoors:

1. Lighting. Since onions are often grown in a greenhouse during the cold season, when the days are short, it is important to equip it with fluorescent lamps. The greenhouse should have light for at least 10 hours a day.
2. Location. A greenhouse for growing greens is installed in an open, unshaded area to save on electricity required for lighting.
3. Heating. During the cold season, onions are grown only in a heated greenhouse at temperatures up to 15°C.
4. Ventilation. It is important to ensure good ventilation in the greenhouse. Otherwise, the roots and greens will begin to rot.

Diseases and pests

Even such an unpretentious crop as onions is at risk of infection. The following diseases are dangerous for greenery:

1. Downy mildew. Small whitish spots appear on the leaves. Over time, they enlarge and become covered with a purple coating. The feathers begin to turn yellow and dry out. Black mold or mildew appears on them.
2. Rust. The feathers are covered with red, raised spots, which turn black over time. Gradually the plant dies.

These diseases are of fungal origin, which specifically harm onion greens. The infection overwinters in soil or plant debris. To prevent infection, attention is paid to disinfecting the soil and garden tools, maintaining crop rotation, and proper watering.

It is important to disinfect the seeds and soil before planting onions. Since greens absorb chemicals that are used to treat fungal diseases, such a crop will be hazardous to health.

Pests are no less dangerous to the crop. These include:

1. Western onion-tailed proboscis. The larvae gnaw yellowish tunnels in the onion feathers. Adult insects go into the ground where they lay new eggs. It is impossible to get rid of a pest that has infected plants. Prevention is considered to be soil disinfection, crop rotation, and removal of plant residues.
2. Onion moth. The leaves begin to turn yellow, dry out and wither. The larvae eat the onion inflorescences. Spraying with a solution prepared from a bar of laundry soap and a bucket of water will help fight the pest.
3. Onion fly. Lays larvae in the roots of the plant. The leaves become covered with white spots, stop growing, turn yellow and dry out. Adhesive tape and wormwood decoction will help protect plantings from flies.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing greens from seeds

Growing onions from seeds has its advantages:

• low cost of planting material;
• high productivity;
• healthier and tastier greens (all nutrients go into the feathers);
• less chance of infection;
• duration of harvest.

The disadvantage of seed cultivation is the duration of seed germination. The first harvest is harvested no earlier than 2 months later.

Reviews

Reviews about seed growing of onions are mostly positive. This is the method that most gardeners use.

Irina, Zheleznogorsk: «I grow green onions only from seeds. In my garden there is a perennial trumpet plant, which I sowed once in the winter, and shallots, which I plant every year. As fertilizer I use a mixture of silage with the addition of ash. I make it from nettles, which I infuse in water for at least a month. I don't use any chemicals. I make sure to hang some sticky tapes near the beds. I have no problems with diseases or pests. Already in May I cut off the onion feathers of the batun.”

Igor, Lipetsk: “I grow chives from seeds, I like their rich aroma and slightly pungent taste. I plant it near a bed of cucumbers to attract pollinators. I came across a description of a slime in a store and planted it last year. Very tasty onions with a slight garlic flavor.Goes well with meat and salads.”

Conclusion

Growing onions from seeds is a long but simple process. This crop requires minimal attention from the gardener, being unpretentious. At the same time, it is enough to plant many varieties once so that they provide a harvest for several years.

This method of growing has many advantages. After all, it is in this case that it will be possible to obtain the most abundant harvest, which can be harvested several times during the season.