Content
Onions are one of the must-have crops for planting in the garden. Its shoots improve the taste of dishes, they contain vitamins and minerals. Among the frost-resistant and tasty varieties, the April onion stands out. It is planted in summer cottages; at home, forcing on a feather is performed.
Features of the variety
The onion is a representative of the onion family. The plant was brought from Asian countries; it is found naturally in China and Mongolia.
The aboveground part of the culture resembles an ordinary onion. Shoots are long, densely arranged. Their taste is more refined and mellow than that of onion varieties. Batun does not have a large bulb. Green feathers are eaten.
April onion-batun is an early ripening variety with a high nutritional value. The culture is grown on a feather for fresh consumption. The plant produces green broad feathers, reaching 1 m. Shoots are juicy, tender, do not coarse for a long time, with a sharp taste. Inflorescences are spherical, composed of many small flowers.
The period from the moment of landing to the first cut is 100 days. The Aprelsky variety has an excellent taste and is used for preparing salads, first and second courses.
Plant weight 200-300 g. Productivity from 1 sq. m landings - 2 kg. Feather collection begins in early spring and ends in late autumn. Shoots are cut 3-4 times per season.
The advantages of the Aprelsky variety:
- harvesting after melting snow;
- increased content of vitamins and ascorbic acid;
- large and high-quality harvest;
- low susceptibility to disease;
- frost resistance;
- planting during spring, summer or winter.
The onion is grown as an annual or perennial crop. Every year the culture grows and takes up more free space.
3-4 years after planting, the onion loses its beneficial properties. The plant produces a large number of arrows, which negatively affects the appearance and yield.
Growing in the garden
April spring onions are grown from seeds. Pre-prepare the soil and planting material. The plantings are looked after by watering, loosening the soil, applying fertilizers.
Soil and seed preparation
Best of all, the onion grows on fertile sandy loam, chernozem or loamy soils. On peat and sandy soil, the plant tends to form a large number of arrows.
The culture does not tolerate stagnant moisture that provokes rotting of the bulbs. Therefore, April onions are planted on drained soils that allow moisture and air to pass through well.
The precursors for onions are potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, peas, beans. After such plants, the soil contains less weeds... After garlic, cucumbers and carrots, planting is not performed.
The planting site is changed annually. The site should be fully illuminated by the sun, light partial shade is acceptable. The cultivation of April onions is permissible in damp places where there is no stagnation of water.
In the spring, the soil is loosened to a depth of 10 cm and fertilized with minerals. For 1 sq. m plantings take 20 g of urea, 30 g of potassium sulphide and 50 g of superphosphate. The components are embedded in the soil.
Pre-treatment of seeds of the Aprelsky variety helps to accelerate the emergence of onion seedlings.Before planting, the material is left in warm water for a day, which is changed every 6 hours. Additionally, the seeds are placed for an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Another way to stimulate the germination of seeds of the Aprelsky variety is bubbling. The seed is kept in warm water with a simultaneous supply of air. The procedure speeds up the emergence of seedlings by a week and increases the yield of onions.
Planting onions
The Aprelsky variety is planted in any period from late April to mid-August. For autumn planting at the end of October, the harvest is obtained after the snow melts.
The order of planting the April onion-batuna:
- Furrows are made on the bed, 20 cm are left between them. The number of rows depends on the width of the bed. It is most convenient to care for plants planted in 3 rows.
- Seeds are placed at a depth of 1-2 cm, maintaining a gap of 5 cm. Seed consumption for growing a perennial crop is 2 kg per 1 sq. m. Annual onions are planted more often and consume 3 g per 1 sq. m. m.
- The planting material is covered with earth and watered abundantly.
If there is a risk of spring frost, then the planted onions are covered with agrofibre (spunbond, lutrasil). Shelter is especially important at night. Due to modern covering materials, it is possible to increase the temperature for planting by 5 ° C. The emerging seedlings are thinned out, leaving a gap of 5-10 cm.
For the cultivation of April onions in order to obtain an early harvest planting is performed in the fall... For winter sowing of onions, the April plot is prepared in summer. When the temperature drops, when the temperature drops to +3 ° C, the seeds are planted in rows, leaving 20 cm between them. The soil is mulched with peat and covered with agrofibre. In the spring, the onions are thinned out.
Care scheme
April spring onion needs regular maintenance. The beds are watered taking into account the weather conditions. In a drought, water is brought in every other day. After watering, the soil should be saturated with moisture 20 cm deep. For irrigation, use warm, settled water. The soil between the rows must be loosened.
A week after germination, the onion is watered with a mullein solution in a ratio of 1:15. In the future, it is enough to dust the plantings with wood ash.
Landings attract onion flies, weevils, and moths. Pests destroy the aboveground part of the plants. When insects appear, the April onion is sprayed with the preparations Fufanon or Karbofos. After processing, they wait for several days, and only then they use the onion for food.
Growing at home
April onions are successfully grown at home. Onions grow on the balcony from April to October, on the windowsill - throughout the year. Before planting, prepare the soil and process the seeds. The plantings are provided with the necessary conditions: humidity, lighting, temperature conditions.
Soil and seed preparation
When planting Aprelsky onions, fertile neutral soil is prepared in room conditions. Previously, it is steamed in a water bath or poured with a hot solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.
Soil options for planting April onions:
- vermicompost and coconut fiber;
- compost, peat and humus.
It is best to use fresh planting material collected 1-2 years ago. Before planting, April onion seeds are soaked for 12 hours in warm water. For disinfection, the seeds are kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for an hour.
Planting onions
After preparing the seeds and soil, they begin planting the Aprelsky variety:
- A drainage layer is poured into the container in the form of pebbles, broken brick or expanded clay pieces.
- Lay the substrate on top.
- On the surface of the soil, grooves are made with a depth of 2 cm.
- Seeds are placed in furrows, covered with soil and watered well.
- The plantings are covered with foil to obtain a greenhouse effect.
- When shoots appear after 1-2 weeks, the containers are rearranged to a lighted place.
If the onion is already growing in the country, then it can be dug up in the fall and grown at home on the windowsill.Then fresh onion feathers are obtained in winter.
On the site, plants are chosen at the age of 2-3 years. They are dug up together with an earthen clod and transplanted into containers filled with nutrient soil. First, the onion is stored at zero temperature for 1-2 months. A dormant period is required for plants to get a good feather yield.
The April variety is kept at home at temperatures from +18 to +20 ° С and humidity 80%. The greens are harvested after 3 weeks.
Care scheme
A high yield of the Aprelsky onion is obtained when grown on the southern, western and eastern windows. Landings are provided with a certain microclimate.
Seedlings are kept for 10 days in a cool place and partial shade to strengthen the root system of the onion. The place should be away from heaters and windows. During the month, the process of growth of the April onion variety is slow, but in the future, you can get fresh greens throughout the year.
Care for April onions includes:
- continuous lighting for 10 hours;
- moderate watering;
- airing the room;
- lack of drafts;
- constant feeding.
If necessary, install additional lighting. Phytolamps are fixed at a distance of 30 cm from the plants. They are turned on in the morning or in the evening so that the bow receives the necessary lighting.
Plantings are regularly watered with warm, settled water. Excessive soil moisture is detrimental to onions. Water is brought in when the soil begins to dry out.
Periodically, seedlings are fed with a solution consisting of 3 g of superphosphate and potassium salt per 1 liter of water. The agent is introduced into the soil by irrigation. An interval of 2-3 weeks is observed between dressings.
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Conclusion
The Aprelsky variety is valued for its frost resistance, excellent taste and high yield. The variety is adapted to any climatic conditions. The culture is grown as a perennial, then the plants are replaced every 3-4 years.
To care for onions, it is enough to water the plantings, loosen the soil and apply additional fertilizing. Forcing at home allows you to collect fresh herbs in the fall and winter. Plants are provided with good lighting, soil moisture, the supply of nutrients and access to fresh air.
