It is impossible to imagine a vegetable garden in a suburban area without onions. Usually this useful root crop is planted in the spring. The fact that it can be grown as a winter crop is not known to everyone. Meanwhile, this method provides a lot of advantages. The only thing is to choose the right variety.
Advantages and disadvantages of growing winter onions
All gardeners are well aware of how hard it is to keep sets until spring. When growing winter onions, this is no longer necessary. Nothing will rot and release arrows. Another advantage of this method is that the heads grow very large, since the time for planting in the spring will not be missed in any case. Watering the onion until mid-May is absolutely not necessary, since the soil still retains enough moisture. The freed up time can be devoted to planting and caring for other crops. Winter varieties of onions ripen two to three weeks earlier than ordinary spring ones. It will be possible to take onions for soups at the end of May.
Of course, this method of cultivation has its drawbacks. The main thing is that the yield of winter onions is somewhat lower than that of spring onions. In addition, it is believed that his headsstored a little worse.
Winter varieties of onion sets: selection rules
For winter cultivation, you can take only hybrids and varieties of short - medium daylight hours. They begin to form a bulb already at 12-14 hour day. Southern varieties of onions are not suitable for growing in the winter. Varieties intended for planting in the spring are also not recommended. The fact is that they endure wintering much worse, and when they freeze, they begin to shoot. Most often, as in the case of spring onions, varieties of Dutch selection are used for planting winter onions.
Variety Shakespeare
One of the most popular varieties for winter cultivation is Shakespeare. The heads of this onion ripen quite early (grow in 75 days). Their characteristic features include a rounded shape and large sizes. If we compare winter onions Shakespeare with other varieties, we can first of all note much denser integumentary scales. Thanks to this, it can withstand temperatures as low as -18 degrees. without snow cover. For comparison, most varieties of winter onions begin to freeze already at -15 gr. The color of the scales is brown.
Shakespeare winter onion is distinguished by white juicy pulp. The taste of this variety is considered peninsular. He is cared for as usual.
Sort Radar
Unlike Shakespeare, another promising winter variety - Radar - has an average ripening period. Its popularity is primarily due to the excellent taste of the bulbs and their very good keeping quality. The color of the scales of this variety is lightyellow. Another distinguishing feature is the large size of the heads. Grow bulbs in 150 gr. will not be difficult. In some years, with careful care, the heads of the Radar variety can reach 300 g of weight. Harvest onion Radar winter gives more than good.
Variety Ellan
Variety Ellan belongs to the short-day form. Straw-colored bulbs have a rounded shape. Their weight can reach 80-120 g. The flesh is white, has a sweetish taste. The Ellan variety ripens already in June, when the old stocks of onions are used up, and the spring heads are not yet ripe.
Other varieties
The winter varieties of onion sets described above can be attributed to the most popular. However, there are others that also deserve attention. For example, very often summer residents of central Russia grow winter onions Senshui. You can also plant in autumn such varieties as the popular and well-known Studgarten Riesen, Sturon common in Europe, early ripening Centurion, keeping Kip-Vell and some others.
Date of planting
Like winter garlic, winter onion varieties are planted about a month before frost. In central Russia, this is approximately mid-October. Landing should not be delayed. Unlike garlic, the dormant period of onions lasts until December - January. So he will not be able to release the arrows and freeze slightly in any case. Nigella is planted in the middle - end of August.
Choosing a seat
Winter plantings of onions feel good in sunny,protected from strong winds. In this case, the bed should in no case be heated in the spring. Otherwise, the heads will pop out. It is also impossible to choose for planting those places where at least some bulbs were grown during the previous five years. Crops such as beans, potatoes and celery are also undesirable precursors.
Preparing the beds
A bed for winter onion varieties should be started two weeks before planting. The soil should be dug as deep as possible. At the same time, fertilizers are applied to the beds. The best is considered humus. You can replace it with ecofoska (30 g per 1 m2 2), superphosphate (20 g) or potassium s alt (15 g). Increased doses of phosphorus help winter onions to overwinter well. This culture also responds very well to ash. The beds are best done high. This will reduce the chance of freezing.
What should be planting material
Whatever variety is chosen for cultivation, be it Radar winter onions, Shakespeare or Ellan, you should not take sets with a diameter of more than 1 cm. Small onions do not give arrows. In addition, the heads grown from them are much better stored in winter. Of course, the seedlings chosen for planting must be he althy. Bulbs that are stained, damaged or rotten should be discarded.
Planting onions
Before planting, the bed needs to be properly loosened. Bulbs are planted in a hole way at a distance of 10 cm from each other in a row. Leave 25 cm between rows. Some gardeners plant winter onions more often. Howeverthis is only worth doing if there is not enough space in the garden.
Preparing the beds for winter
In most cases, winter onion plantings are mulched for the winter. This reduces the risk of freezing. It is not recommended to use peat as mulch. The fact is that its degree of thermal conductivity is very low and in the spring it thaws for a long time, delaying the development of plants. Therefore, it is best to mulch the beds with foliage, straw, spruce branches or tops. This should be done when the soil is slightly frozen. Mulch is removed in the spring immediately after the start of thawing of the soil.
Spring and summer care
Winter varieties of onions require almost the same care as spring onions. In the spring, after removing the mulch, the bed should be fertilized with urea (10 g per 1 m22). Next, the landing is loosened. You can sprinkle the bed on top with a small layer of ash.
After the plants form about 4 leaves, you need to do another top dressing, this time 10 g of potash fertilizer and 20 g of phosphate fertilizer. Onions respond best to fertilizers applied in liquid form. Therefore, they should be dissolved in water or in a diluted infusion of herbs. Water the onions as needed, preventing the soil from drying out. After each watering, the bed should be loosened.
