Why do they prune onions when planting before winter and is it necessary to do so?
Many gardeners prefer to plant onion crops before winter in order to get an earlier harvest for next year. This method requires certain preparation of planting material - in particular, pruning the bulbs. However, not all farmers know why this procedure is carried out and whether it is worth doing.
The article will tell you whether you need to trim onion when planting before winter and how to properly prepare it for planting.
Advantages and disadvantages of planting onions before winter
The autumn period is not the busiest in terms of caring for crops in the garden, so it is worth paying attention to the preparation of planting material. Onions are an unpretentious crop that can be planted not only in spring, but also in winter or late autumn.
Advantages and disadvantages winter planting are presented in the table.
| Advantages | Flaws |
| Winter plantings begin to sprout earlier than spring ones by 3 weeks; harvesting time occurs in June-July | Difficulty in determining planting dates:
|
| After harvesting the winter onions, there is still room for planting other crops | It is necessary to cover the beds for the winter |
| When planting small seedlings, bolting does not occur | The planting rate should be 10-15% higher than the base rate, taking into account freezing in winter |
| In autumn there are no pests and fungal diseases (rot, powdery mildew), you do not have to spray vegetables against onion flies and other insects | Late plantings always freeze |
| Planting in winter allows you to harvest a larger and better harvest than when planting in the spring. | Improper trimming and preparation of vegetables spoils them. |
| Onions planted in winter are stored for a year | Spring onions are stored better and longer than winter onions |
How to choose a place on the site for winter planting
The location for planting onions in winter must meet the following parameters:
- loose soil;
- neutral reaction, pH about 6.0, 6.4–7.9 is allowed;
- the place is well lit and ventilated, not under trees or fences;
- high so that the water does not stagnate.
It is best to plant onions where the snow melts faster each year.
Reference. You can check the pH with litmus paper, which is sold in gardening stores. If the soil is acidic, add lime in proportions of 250 g per 1 m².
Crop rotation and predecessors
The rule of crop rotation speaks of the need to alternate crops and their combinations in the same bed.
Main principle – onions are not planted in the same place for more than 2 years in a row. Violating this rule will lead to the accumulation of onion flies and fungi in the garden bed.
Particular attention is paid to previous cultures.
For winter onions:
- positive for growth and development - beets, peas, rapeseed, corn, lettuce, mustard, cucumbers;
- negative for growth and development - potatoes, legumes, parsley, celery, alfalfa.
Preparing the bed
After choosing a place for winter onions, beds are formed. Soil preparation begins in September. It is more effective to dig up an area for onions than to treat it with a walk-behind tractor. After loosening, the soil is given time to settle and compact.
Then fertilizer is added, for example, humus (5-6 kg per 1 m²), mineral mixtures.
The furrows are made deep 5-10 cm or the width of your palm, with the expectation that the earth will be poured on top in a mound.
Before planting, add ash to the bed at the rate of 200 g per 1 m².
Why do they prune onions when planting before winter?
Before winter planting Gardeners prepare onions using standard methods - soaking and trimming. This allows the bulbs to take root more firmly, not rot in the ground, also speed up germination and increase productivity.
Depending on the purpose, there are two pruning technologies:
- for growing greens - cutting off the top by 1/3 of the bulb;
- To obtain a turnip harvest, trim the dry tail of the set (to fix it in the soil).
Most gardeners also advise cutting off the dry roots of the bulbs to quickly germinate young roots.
Is it necessary to do this
Should onions be trimmed before planting in winter? Pre-winter planting in most cases does not involve pruning - this technique increases the risk of bulb growth in the middle of winter. For the bulbs, a good winter will be provided by insulation and shelter from snow and cold wind. However, with proper care and a favorable climate, it is permissible to prune the bulbs: if the seedlings do not die, the yield will be much higher.
How to properly trim an onion
The main rule for pruning bulbs is not to damage the seedling. For a visual example, you can cut one onion and study it.
The germinal sprout is located in the neck of the onion, and it is very easy to cut it off along with it, but then the vegetable will not germinate.
Advice. For pruning medium-sized bulbs, it is better to use pruning shears on a spring; for large vegetables, it is better to use a knife.
Bulbs are prepared in one of three ways:
- on small onions, make a cut in the upper part;
- on large ones, trimming the top part is done by 1/3;
- Divide the bulbs lengthwise into two parts.
Top trimming procedure
Trimming the top for a feather:
- choose large heads;
- With a sharp tool, remove 1/3 of the onion at the top.
Pruning for turnip harvest:
- select small and medium heads;
- cut off the tails.
Do I need to trim the tails of onion sets?
For winter planting of onions, the tails are usually cut off. You cannot cut off the top of the feather, otherwise the head will freeze.
Preparation of planting material
Planting material for winter onions is prepared in stages:
- sorting;
- soak;
- pruning
Sorting excludes diseased and damaged heads from planting material and separates the bulbs by size. The first planting category consists of bulbs with a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm. The second planting category includes heads from 1.5 to 3 cm.
If there are small onions left (austral onions, less than 1 cm in diameter), then they are removed; they are not suitable for harvest before winter. Larger onions can be halved by cutting lengthwise.
Processing and soaking
After separating rotten and damaged bulbs, the planting ones are soaked 10-20 minutes before planting. A suitable solution for this is:
- 1 tbsp. l. table salt;
- 1 liter of water.
A solution of copper sulfate is also used: add 1-1.5 tbsp to 10 liters of warm water. l. copper sulfate. Soaking time – 2-3 hours.
The traditional method of disinfection involves long-term soaking in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (about 6 hours). After this treatment, drying of the bulbs is required.
Landing rules
Onions are planted 25 days before the onset of frost so that they have time to take root. The average daily temperature on the day of planting is about +5°C. For the southern regions this is the end of October - the beginning of November, for central Russia - October.
The optimal size of planting material is heads from 1 to 3 cm.
Onions are planted before winter according to the following technology:
- The soil is loosened and furrows are made.
- Before winter, they are planted in rows or in the form of nests of 3-4 pieces.
- The sets are buried to a depth of 2-3 cm or 4-6 cm (for large heads), the interval between them is 10 cm, and the distance between the rows is 15-20 cm.
- Place the bulbs vertically in the ground, root down, lightly squeezing them with your fingers, and sprinkle with soil or humus.
- Water the soil if it is dry.
- Insulate the soil with material of organic origin (fallen leaves, hay, legume waste). Spruce branches or branches are placed on top to protect from the wind and retain snow. For covering, you cannot use film, as well as small organic matter (peat, sawdust).
Caring for winter onions
Caring for winter onion beds includes:
- fertilization;
- insulation from snow and cold wind (leaves, straw, small branches);
- in winter, shoveling snow onto the bed, which creates an air cushion and shelters young feathers from wind and frost;
- in spring, removing covering material and loosening the soil;
- watering if necessary in spring.
Fertilizers
Fertilize the onions three times:
- a week before planting, add 15-20 g per 1 m² of lowland peat to the soil;
- on the day of planting, add potassium sulfate (5-8 g per 1 m²);
- During planting, ash is added to the furrow.
Advice from experienced gardeners
To get a good harvest, experienced gardeners recommend:
- store planting material in a dry place with good ventilation;
- thin out dense shoots to an interval of 5-6 cm;
- do not fertilize the soil with fresh manure;
- use joint planting (in spring, plant calendula, marigolds, and carrots next to onions to protect crops from pests);
After harvesting winter onions, it is recommended to sow beets, turnips, daikon, radish or greens in order to have time to harvest other crops.
Conclusion
Planting onions in winter produces a harvest of strong bulbs that will last throughout the year. Particular attention is paid to the preparation of soil and planting material.
In particular, many gardeners prune onions, although this procedure can lead to the death of the set in the event of severe frosts. However, under favorable weather conditions, pruning will only benefit the plants.