Step-by-step instructions for forcing onions into greens at home and on the site

Onions are a source of fiber, vitamins and phytoncides. The plant is grown all year round in open ground or greenhouses; the vegetable is especially valued in the off-season and winter.

The article will tell you how to properly grow onions at home, in a greenhouse and in open ground.

What is onion forcing

Forcing onions - a set of measures to accelerate the cultivation of plants to quickly obtain greenery. The growth rate and product quality largely depend on the amount of incoming nutrients, which can be regulated in open and closed ground.

What bulbs are suitable for this?

For growing onions for greens, heads from the autumn harvest are suitable, dry and healthy, without damage.

The best varieties

The largest yield is produced by multi-primed varieties onions, which have several buds.

To check, the head is cut across and their number is determined. Good specimens have 3 or more rudiments.

The most popular varieties:

• Arzamas local - mid-season, cold-resistant, damaged by onion fly, not resistant to downy mildew;
• Bessonovsky local - early ripening, with 2-3 rudiments, rounded-flat heads, susceptible to infection with downy mildew;
• Rostov improved - early ripening, 2-3 growth buds, cold-resistant, relatively disease-resistant;
• Spassky - mid-season, 7-10 rudiments are normal, hardy in cold weather, but susceptible to diseases and pests;
• Chernigov - medium-late, mid-primordial, relatively resistant to pathogens, damaged by onion fly.

The average weight of planting material is 30-50 g, diameter is about 3-4 cm. Deformed and sprouted ones are also used, but planted separately.

Methods for forcing onions onto a feather

Methods for forcing green onions are divided into 3 directions: in water, soil and any substrate.

In the ground

For forcing, turnips with a diameter of 3-4 cm are planted in the garden in the spring., in March, or in the fall, in October.

For autumn planting, the ground is covered with a layer of humus; with the onset of warmth, the mulch is removed and a film greenhouse is placed over the rows. The average consumption of planting material is 10-13 kg per 1 m².

In water

To germinate bulbs in water, use a container of a suitable size, water at room temperature, with a small addition of mineral fertilizers.

A stand is made with holes of such a diameter that the heads go down and only the bases sink into the liquid. To prevent rotting, 2 tablets of activated carbon are mixed into the liquid.

Leaves will appear in a week, and after 10-14 days, part of the crop is already suitable for cutting.

In the sawdust

Sawdust is a completely suitable natural material that can be bought at a pet store.. Before use, they are doused with boiling water and spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Place wet sawdust on the bottom of the container and place the bulbs tightly. Water as it dries, making a solution of 10 ml of hydrogen peroxide per 1 liter of water several times. Sawdust cannot be reused.

In hydroponics

Hydroponics - growing technology plants without soil.

The method requires the following devices:

• lightproof containers with holes in the lid;
• water heater;
• compressor;
• fertilizer solution.

The optimal room temperature is +25…+27°С. The bulb is positioned so that the water touches only the bottom of the head. Connect the water heater and compressor to enrich the environment with oxygen for 30-40 minutes.

Important! It is recommended to change the nutrient solution every 7-8 days.

For the first 10 days, the trays are kept in a dark place.. Then, if there is a lack of natural light, phytolamps are installed. On the 13-15th day they begin to harvest.

Forcing in open ground

Onions are planted on greens in open ground using a bridge or strip method in spring or autumn. The first method saves space, since the sets are placed in dense rows. About 10 kg of raw materials are used per 1 m².

With the tape method make grooves at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other. In the fall, they are additionally sprinkled with a layer of rotted organic matter.

Seed method used quite rarely. It is not economically profitable, since the harvest is obtained only after six months.

In greenhouses

For forcing in nurseries and greenhouses there are a number of requirements:

• a sufficient number of racks for the volume of planting raw materials;
• daylight and artificial lighting at least 12 hours a day;
• irrigation system, air temperature control.

During the day the optimal temperature is +18…+25°С, at night +10…+12°С.

The greenhouses are occupied by planting onions from October to April, with the last sowing in early spring. The substrate is prepared from peat, humus, earth and sand in a ratio of 3:1:1. One mixture is suitable for obtaining 3-4 harvests.

To save space, plant using the traditional bridge method.. The first cutting begins after 20 days. For uninterrupted production, onions are planted every 10 days.

On the windowsill

At home for growing greens window sills are most often used. Onions are germinated in water or soil.

They are used as containers special containers, unnecessary plastic trays, jars with small necks.

Important! In water, the heads can be awakened a few days later, which delays the production of greens by 2 weeks.

How to wake up onions to greens? The set is placed on the neck of a container or lid made of solid material with windows of suitable diameter. Only the root area is immersed in water - if you drown it too much, rotting will begin.

Loose soil containing organic matter is suitable for onions.. Pour soil into the container, completely moisten it and place the heads at a distance of 1 cm. Lightly press, but do not deepen. Water as it dries.

Instructions for forcing onions into feathers

Regardless of the chosen growing technology, seed material requires proper preparation, planting, adherence to watering regime.

Preparing the bulbs

Sevok is prepared before planting:

1. Warm up by soaking in hot water, up to +50°C.
2. Remove all the husks that yield.
3. Treat in a solution of salt (50 g per 1 liter of water) or potassium permanganate for 2 hours.

Correct fit

Sequence of actions when landing:

1. Cut off the top of unsprouted specimens, less than 1/4 of the height.
2. Lay out on the surface of the soil, deepening only the root area.
3. Water at room temperature.

Care

Water moderately, avoiding stagnation of moisture., as this provokes rot. The dry crust on the ground is loosened, the leaves are periodically sprayed. In hot weather, water 1-2 times a day.

Feed after each cut nitrogen fertilizer, for example, urea or nitroammophos, at the rate of 1 g per 1 liter of water.

Optimal conditions

Onion is a cold-resistant crop; it needs +18...+20°C for normal development. At +30°C its growth stops. Optimal air humidity is 70-85%.

Most onion varieties are light-loving, forcing requires 10-12 hours of continuous lighting. If it is deficient, the shoots will be pale green or yellow.

Diseases and pests

Typically, onion plantings in open ground are susceptible to pests and diseases.

Powdery mildew

Spores are found on turnips, which do not differ in appearance from healthy ones.. Appears 2 weeks after planting as a white coating. Preliminary disinfection of seed materials and the application of nitrogen fertilizers with phosphorus significantly reduce the risk of fungal development.

Mosaic bow

Caused by a virus carried by aphids and nematodes. Veined spots appear on the leaves, then the entire bulb becomes infected. Affected plants are removed.

Onion fly

Late varieties suffer from it the most. To fight with onion fly water the ground, without getting on the feathers, with a saline solution in a proportion of 2 g per 1 liter of water.

The procedure is repeated from the beginning of leaf growth to harvest once every 2 weeks.

Stem nematode

Thin white worms that feed on plant sap. Treatment of planting material with water +40...+50°C will kill the larvae.

How to speed up the growth of onions on greens

Soaking in hot water is the easiest way to make onions grow faster.. It will be useful to immediately keep the seedlings in diluted aloe juice. 1 tsp. honey in 0.5 liters of water will also have a positive effect. Soak the seeds in any solution for 10-12 hours.

Use of stimulants

Stimulants will have a positive effect on onion growth:

• after planting, water with Heteroauxin solution to build up the root system.
• The seedlings are sprayed with Epin according to the instructions.
• if necessary, they are treated with “Oxiohumate”, which stimulates the development of even the weakest plants.

Features of winter, spring, summer and autumn forcing

In winter, it is recommended to take early ripening varieties for forcing.. Excessive watering will be harmful because it will cause root rot. Particular attention is paid to lighting and heating.

In spring and summer, the onion season for open ground begins. Varieties of different harvest periods are used. Planting is carried out at intervals so that the cutting of greenery is gradual. Since heating and additional lighting are not required, the cost of vegetables will be lower.

In the fall, onion beds are planted for next year. and move on to greenhouse cultivation.

Harvesting

Cut the greens when the feather reaches 25-35 cm in length. If it is more than 40 cm, it will begin to fade. They begin to harvest around the edges, since the most mature specimens are usually there.

2 days before the planned harvest, watering is stopped.

Forcing onions on an industrial scale

The business of growing green onions is always relevant - there is demand for the product all year round. Products can be obtained even in harsh climates, and strict adherence to planting and care rules minimizes losses.

The profitability of such a business

The economic efficiency of forcing onions into feathers primarily depends on the season. In summer it will be 50%, and in winter it will drop to 30% due to expenses for maintaining greenhouses. But if a good sales point is found, then profitability can increase to 200-300%.

Maximum prices occur in April-June, there are also sales spikes before the holidays.

To begin with, it is worth planting a trial batch in August-September and trying to implement the project. A successful result will pay off the investment and provide an opportunity for scaling.

Conclusion

Onions are an unpretentious plant that can be successfully cultivated in garden beds and at home in various containers. Selecting the best specimens for planting and following agricultural techniques are guaranteed to recoup the labor costs. When planning a business selling green onions, the demand is initially assessed and the sales volume is planned.