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“My grandfather planted a turnip before winter. And a big, big turnip has grown ... ”. No, this article is not about turnips, but about onions, which avid gardeners prefer to plant in the fall. And most of them note that the onions planted before winter differ significantly in size from the culture planted in spring. Not many people dare to experiment like this, preferring the traditional spring planting. The only reason for concern is the low frost resistance of onions compared to garlic. Planting onions before winter on a turnip is not much different from spring, but there are some differences and nuances that it is better to know about in advance. Indeed, if the rules and terms of planting are not followed, the result can be disastrous in the most literal sense.
In the fall or still in the spring
Ten or fifteen years ago, when asked "Is it possible to plant onions in the fall?" any gardener would answer you unequivocally "No". But there are problems that almost everyone faces - onion shooting and low yields. Sometimes, even with proper care and adherence to all the rules, the bulbs grow small or poorly stored.
So what is the advantage of pre-winter planting of onions?
- The first and, perhaps, the most important thing is to save precious time in the spring. A busy schedule of work in the garden for the spring is scheduled literally by the minute.
- Early harvest is also a big plus in favor of planting onions on a turnip before winter. Winter onions ripen a month earlier than traditionally planted in spring. In July, there is not much work on the beds and you can slowly collect, dry and store the grown crop.
- Winter onions are more resistant to onion fly damage. And the reason here lies in the fact that by the time the pest activates and lays the larvae, the winter onions are already strong enough. But spring plantings, still tender and fragile, are an excellent breeding ground for this pest.
- The beds vacated in July can be sown with early ripening vegetables or herbs. Thus, you will harvest from one garden twice a year.
- Winter onions are stored very well.
- Bulb size also matters. Since the first shoots appear immediately after the snow melts, onions planted before winter have much more time to grow.
- When autumn planting onions additional hassle with seed storage can be avoided. In most cases, it is very difficult to keep the set until spring. For such a long period, it simply dries up.
- The economic component should not be ruled out either. The cost of vegetables in the period when last year's harvest is sold, and there is no new one yet, soars 3-5 times. And in the fall, sowing material is much cheaper than in the spring. The benefits, as they say, are obvious.
As you can see, there are many advantages. But, unfortunately, there are also disadvantages. Rather, one. These are unpredictable weather conditions. The weather can bring surprises both in the fall in the form of early snow or a long Indian summer, and in the spring in the form of frosts and lingering rains.
Autumn planting dates
If you nevertheless decided to plant onions on a turnip before winter, then the question is: "when to plant?" will be highly relevant. After all, the planting time is limited, and there is still a lot of work to be done before frost.
When planting onions in autumn the following factors must be considered:
- For rooting, the bulbs will need at least 3-4 weeks. So you need to have time to finish all the work in at least a month and stable frosts.
- Climatic features of the growing region.
- Ambient temperature.
You should not rush to landings. Onions planted ahead of schedule can sprout in the fall and you can say goodbye to the harvest. But it is also undesirable to delay it. Unrooted bulbs may freeze out.
In the middle lane, winter onions can be planted until the end of October, but in the Urals and Siberia, it is advisable to finish the work in the middle of the month. In the south of Russia, the work schedule may be shifted by two weeks, or even a month. In the southern regions, the optimal period when onions are planted before winter comes only in mid-November.
Residents of the northern regions with harsh winters should prepare for the fact that the plantings will need to be well insulated. And even in this case, it is difficult to guarantee a 100% result - when the temperature drops below -40˚С –45˚С, the seedlings can freeze out.
When determining the optimal planting dates, experienced gardeners are guided by the ambient temperature. The best indicator is + 5˚С. If the thermometer stably stays at this mark for several days, then the time has come when you need to plant onions on a turnip before winter.
Seed preparation
The success of any event, as well as yield, depends on the selection and preparation of seed. Therefore, it is necessary to approach this matter with a greater degree of responsibility.
What varieties of onions are suitable for autumn planting
To grow winter onions, you need to select varieties with the following characteristics:
- High frost resistance;
- Long shelf life and good keeping quality;
- Shooting resistance;
- High productivity;
- Disease resistance.
Separately, the following varieties of onions have these advantages: Mouzon, Panther F1, Tamara F1, Black Prince, Siberian One-Year, Arzamassky, Bessonovsky and others.
But even among the most popular varieties, there is hardly one that will contain all the qualities. Therefore, the best option for pre-winter planting of onions will be the choice of seed in favor of a zoned one. It is already adapted to local climatic conditions and there will be no particular trouble with it.
Planting material is divided into:
- Oatmeal (the diameter of the bulbs is less than 1 cm);
- Sevok (1 to 3 cm in diameter);
- Sample (over 3 cm in diameter).
The largest specimens can be planted for greenery. When planting onions before winter, they shoot very often when warm days come.
But for a turnip, oddly enough, you need to select the smallest bulbs. Even the smallest oatmeal will give a good harvest of onions.
Cooking onions
The seed must be carefully calibrated before planting. Select the smallest specimens, discarding the affected and sick. Calibration should not be neglected. Otherwise, part of the bow will go into the arrow, and your beds will look very unattractive: somewhere empty, somewhere dense.
Unlike the spring planting, you do not need to cut off the tops (or necks) of the sevka, otherwise all the planting material will be ruined.
Soaking the bulbs before planting is also not recommended. In case of unexpected frosts, wet onions will definitely freeze, and all your work will go to waste.
Soil preparation
When choosing the perfect landing site, you need to focus not only on lighting. Considering that you plant onions on a turnip before winter, the best option would be that part of the garden where the snow melts very early in the spring.
Interesting! Onion lovers will know that it is very easy to get rid of bad breath after eating it - it is worth eating 1-2 sprigs of parsley or a few kernels of walnuts, and the specific smell will disappear.
There should be no stagnation of moisture in the place intended for the onion bed. Otherwise, during the spring thaw, all planting material will inevitably die. To prevent this from happening, the beds can be raised by 20-25 cm.
The soil should be loose. Onion crops grow very poorly on clay soil and yield, most often, is low. If loamy soils prevail on your site, do not forget to dilute them with rotted manure or compost during the digging process. A small amount of sand can be added to the soil. Fresh manure should not be used when planting onions before winter.
Do not forget about the acidity of the soil. Too acidified soil must be deoxidized before planting by adding dolomite flour or charcoal when digging.
If the soil in your area is poor and does not differ in fertility, apply potassium-phosphorus fertilizers immediately before digging. Leave the garden bed for 5-7 days alone and only then start planting onions on a turnip.
Precursors for onions
When choosing a suitable place for planting onions on a turnip before winter, pay attention to which crop was grown on this site earlier. Often, even with the observance of all the rules of agricultural technology, the yield, alas, is not happy. And all because many do not take into account this important factor.
A good yield is obtained by planting onions on a turnip after the following vegetable crops:
- All kinds of cabbage;
- Cucumbers;
- Salad;
- Tomatoes;
- Early potatoes;
- Siderata: mustard, rapeseed, phacelia;
- Radish;
- Legumes.
It is undesirable to plant onions after:
- Parsley;
- Radishes;
- Carrots;
- Celery.
It is undesirable to plant onions after garlic for 3-4 years.
You can plant onions after onions, but not more than two years in a row. Subsequently, it will be possible to plant onions in this place no earlier than in 4 years.
Landing rules
The rules for planting winter onions before winter differ little from spring work.
- Level the area so that melt water does not stagnate in the spring. Onions do not like excessive moisture.
- At a distance of 20-25 cm, make grooves 5-7 cm deep.
- Spread shallow seedlings along the furrows. The distance between the bulbs should be at least 5-7 cm.
- Fill the grooves with earth, tamp lightly and carefully level the bed again.
It is advisable to plant onions in dry weather. The soil should be moist, but not wet.
During planting, please note that the neck of the bulb should be at least 1.5-2 cm below surface level. That is, the tops of the onions should not look out of the ground.
Please note that when planting onions on a turnip before winter, you do not need to water the beds. Only if there is no rain for 7-10 days, you can slightly moisten the area.
Follow-up care
The frost resistance of onions is much lower than that of garlic. And since, according to the rules, it must be planted shallowly, the risk of freezing is very high. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the planting from frost. At the first frost, the onion beds should be covered.
Too early to cover the onion is not worth it, so you can provoke active growth of feathers, and the risk of damping out in this case is also present.
As mulch, you can use:
- Lapnik is the most ideal option;
- Straw;
- Dry leaves;
- Dry sawdust;
- Peat.
Now you just have to follow the weather conditions.If the winter is expected to be stingy with precipitation in the form of snow, additionally cover the onion beds with lutrasil or film. It is advisable to cover them with a snow blanket after a snowfall. In a snowy winter, such events in the central regions can be skipped. But in areas with severe winters, additional snow cover for the beds cannot be avoided.
Spring work
In the spring, with the first signs of a thaw, it is necessary to open the beds with winter onions gradually, layer by layer, freeing the plantings from shelter. Throw away excess snow first. After 2-3 days, as soon as the soil warms up, remove the film. After a few more days, remove the mulching layer from the onion garden.
If the probability of frost still persists, do not rush to remove the entire mulch layer at once.
In the spring you have to carry out the following types of work:
- Regular loosening and weeding;
- Thinning - if the onion plantings are too thick;
- Watering as needed. You need to stop watering a month before harvesting;
- Top dressing;
- Planting along the edges of the beds of calendula or marigolds. This event will protect the culture from onion flies.
Onion planted on a turnip before winter ripens a month earlier than the culture planted in spring.
The author of the video will tell you about the advantages and rules of pre-winter planting of onions on a turnip:
Conclusion
There is nothing difficult in growing onions for a turnip before winter. If you are a supporter of traditional growing methods and are afraid of innovation, then plant a small garden as an experiment. Perhaps this activity will help you free up some of the precious time, the lack of which is so acutely felt during the spring planting season.
