It is not enough to grow high-quality onion sets; it is equally important to keep the harvested crop until next spring.
Adhering to the recommendations of experienced gardeners, it will not be difficult to preserve the seed until it is planted in the ground.
How to properly preserve onion sets until spring at home, at what temperature, read the article.
How to properly prepare for storage prior to planting?
Proper preparation of onion sets for storage combines several stages:
Timely harvest... The main feature of ripe onions is the yellow color of the tops. Typically, harvest time is in the last week of August.- Sorting - an important stage in the preparation of seed, since when planting bulbs of the same size, you can be sure that they will ripen at the same time.
First of all, damaged, rotten bulbs are separated. Then the bulbs are sorted into fractions. The smallest onions (no more than 14 mm in size) are very difficult to keep until spring, they are used for planting in late autumn.Medium in size (up to 21 mm) and large (over 30 mm) onions are stored well, they are planted in spring. Extra large bulbs are planted for green feathers.
- Drying. At this stage, the sorted planting material is laid out on a horizontal surface in a well-ventilated, warm, bright room (temperature at least + 25 ° C, humidity 45%).
Drying takes at least seven days. Periodically, the seed must be agitated. After the bulbs have dried well, they are manually exfoliated from the upper falling off scales, dried roots and tops.
Storage of planting material
In order for large bulbs to grow, and not arrows, you need to properly store the set before planting:
- The purchased bow is sorted out. Damaged and rotten seedlings are discarded, and a good one is transferred to a cardboard box.
- The bulbs are dried at a temperature of about 22 degrees Celsius for several days. During drying, do not cover the box with a lid or plastic wrap. Air must be supplied.
- Transfer the box of onions to a dry, dark place. Store at a temperature of 17 to 25 degrees. Periodically, the onions are mixed and sorted.
- A week before planting in open ground, the onion sets are warmed up to +35 near the battery: it will give a decent harvest and will not release the arrows.
Container preparation
When choosing a container, it is necessary to ensure that it is clean, dry, free of foreign odors, and special holes for ventilation should be located on its walls.
During storage, onions release moisture and, without the necessary air circulation, foci of rot and mold begin to appear on it very quickly.
There are a sufficient number of types of containers in which you can store onion sets:
Wicker baskets... Natural material of manufacture, natural weaving holes help to preserve onion sets from the moment of harvest until spring.- Cardboard boxes... When choosing such a container, it is necessary to ensure that the cardboard is strong, clean and dry. It is important that the boxes have ventilation holes.
- Wooden boxes very convenient for storage. Wood is a natural, durable material that allows air to pass through.
- Bag suitable for storage if it is no more than 20 cm full.Otherwise, the seed will heat up and start to rot.
Planting seeds and caring for seedlings
The prepared soil is poured into the container in a layer of 5-7 cm. Slightly compacted.
Planting small onion seeds, and even sprouted ones, is an occupation for very calm and diligent people. The work is very painstaking.
There are a lot of recommendations: and spread the seeds on a strip of toilet (soluble) paper, and glue them with gelatin to the thread at regular intervals, and dust them with chalk or talcum powder, mix them with dry sand and sprinkle them evenly over the marked groove. Many people prefer to drink this cup to the bottom and plant each seed separately, grabbing it with fine tweezers.
Here, as they say - everything is in your hands!
When planting is completed, the seeds are lightly sprinkled with sifted soil for seedlings (no more than 1 cm) and watered from a sprayer until the top layer of soil is completely moistened or a layer of snow is poured on top (3-4 cm). Cover with a lid with holes or plastic wrap (with small holes) and place the container on a windowsill or on an insulated balcony.
Do not forget to spread a layer of polyethylene on the windowsill beforehand; during the cultivation of the seedlings, water will pour out through the drainage holes, and the window sill can be hopelessly damaged.
After the emergence of shoots - the most delicate green needles, the film or cover must be removed from the container.
Daily care during the cultivation of onion seedlings on the windowsill or balcony at home consists in spraying water as needed.
With an interval of 2-3 weeks, it is necessary to feed and fertilize, preferably in liquid form.
In case of insufficient lighting when growing a house, reflectors made of white polymer film or corrugated foil are installed opposite the window. At the same time, they will protect the seedlings from excessive overheating from the heating batteries.
The ways
Depending on the variety, as well as the possibility of implementing certain conditions, there are three ways of storing onion sets.
Warm
Storing planting material throughout the winter at room temperature (18-25 ° C) is called a warm method.
In addition to the temperature regime it is very important to maintain the required moisture content (45-50%), as well as carry out regular ventilation.
A sharp drop in temperature and humidity can cause germination and decay of planting material.
Cold
Before cold storage mortgage, planting material must be thoroughly warmed up for ten days at a temperature of 35 ° C.
The onions prepared in this way can be stored in the refrigerator in the vegetable drawer (the best option for a small crop of planting material) or in the basement (preferable for owners of private houses).
The optimum air temperature for cold storage varies from 0 to + 4 ° С, humidity is 75%. After cold storage, the onion sets are reheated for fourteen days at a temperature of 35 ° C before planting.
A good alternative to cold storage of crops - in a bucket, outdoors... To do this, a layer of sawdust is poured into a suitable container, then carefully sorted, dried onion sets are laid out and a layer of sawdust is again laid out.
The container is closed with a lid and an earthen hole is placed, the depth of which should not exceed the height of the bucket by more than 20 cm. The bucket immersed in the hole is sprinkled with earth and left in this form until spring. With the arrival of heat, onion sets can be planted in the ground.
Combined
Combination of warm and cold storage - combined method, includes several stages:
the prepared, dried seed is stored in a warm place (temperature + 20-25 ° C) until the first frost;- with the arrival of winter, the room temperature is gradually reduced to 0 ° C;
- with the arrival of spring, the temperature is gradually increased to + 25 ° C;
- as soon as the degree on the thermometer has reached the desired mark, the temperature is reduced to + 20 ° C and the onion is stored in such conditions until the time comes for planting it in the ground.
Video for beginners how to grow onions on a windowsill
Fresh green onions not only stimulate appetite, but also contain a huge amount of vitamins. It is important to eat it for both adults and children.
As you already understood, there is no difficulty in growing greenery on the windowsill. To do this, you need to stock up on only planting material and a small amount of time. And the result will surpass all your efforts.
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offline 12 months
How to store in an apartment?
In the conditions of an apartment in a multi-storey building, the best option for storing onion sets is a warm method in cardboard boxes, plastic containers or bags.
Sorted and well-dried onions are packed in a suitable container and taken to the pantry... It is very important to ensure that the required level of humidity and air temperature is maintained in the room where the onion sets are stored.
If the amount of planting material is small, then it is convenient to store it in the refrigerator, in a special box for vegetables. To protect the bulbs from condensation, they are pre-packed in thick paper or cardboard.
During storage, it is necessary to periodically carefully inspect the onion sets and remove the spoiled, rotten heads (they can cause damage to the entire crop).
Choosing a storage location
You can store seed onions in different ways. The summer resident himself chooses the most suitable place for these purposes. You can store sevok in clean wooden boxes, trays, nets, plastic containers, bags. It can also be stored in bulk in the attic or on specially equipped shelves.
The best place to store fertile seed is in a dark, dry, relatively cool room. It is under such conditions that the onion sets will not start to sprout and rot.
Please note that the room temperature should not be too low. Also, its constant drops should not be allowed. For owners of private houses, the most suitable place to store onions will be a basement, where the ambient temperature does not drop below 0 degrees and the atmospheric humidity is comfortable enough.
There is also an old method of preparing sevka for the winter - in stockings or tights. This method is suitable for apartments. The filled stockings are tied a short distance from the floor in a dark, well-ventilated corner. From time to time, onion sets are also sorted out and calibrated.
You should pay attention to the type of onion from which the material is taken for storage. Some varieties cannot be stored for too long, as they require constant inspection and busting to avoid spoilage. For example, yellow bulbous varieties keep very well and effortlessly, as they germinate very slowly. But red and pink bulbs have a quick germination capacity, therefore, they require increased attention during storage.
What troubles can arise and how to deal with them?
The main problem that arises in the process of storing onions is the appearance of rotten, spoiled bulbs.
The reason for this situation can be fungal diseases, damage to the bulb by a stem nematode or an onion root mite.
The problem cannot be ignored. Single spoiled bulbs can ruin the entire crop.
To prevent the spread of corruption, at least once every three months it is necessary to carry out an audit of stocks onion sevka.
The spoiled bulbs are removed immediately. The husk with traces of rot is removed, the onion is dried and left in a warm place until a new, clean and healthy husk appears.
Planting onions on greens in a plastic bottle
Resourceful green onion lovers have long ago figured out a growing method for themselves that will not take up a large area on your windowsill. This interesting idea not only allows you not to clutter up the window, but also looks interesting and beautiful.
You can plant onions in a plastic bottle to create a tree effect. To do this, you will need a small pallet, a plastic bottle, soil, and sets. Cut off the bottom and neck of the bottle. Cut out circles along the entire circumference of the bottle, equal in diameter to the landing bow.
Place the bottle in the pallet and pour the soil into it until you reach the first part of the circles. Plant a bow in these holes so that it looks with the tips outward. By the same principle, add the earth to each new circle, planting onions. At the very end, when the onions are planted all over the bottle, stick the onions also on the top.
Place the structures on the sunny side of the house, on the windowsill. You need to water every other day, before the greenery appears. As soon as each bulb hatches, watering should be reduced to 2-3 times a week. Do not allow the soil to dry out too much.
Advice
It is important to follow these guidelines:
- You can make sure that the onion sets are well dried by the rustling sound that appears when rolling a small onion.
- By choosing a cold storage method for onion sets, the risks of early germination of seed are reduced to zero.
- You should not store onion sets on the balcony, since in such a room it is very difficult (almost impossible) to maintain a constant air temperature and humidity level.
- You can use old stockings to store onion sets in the basement. Filled with onions, suspended on hooks under the ceiling, they help to keep the planting material not only from damage, but also from being eaten by mice and other rodents.
Three weeks before harvesting, watering the beds must be stopped. This will help to harvest a better crop of planting material.
You can find a lot of useful information about onion storage here.
Growing onions on a windowsill in winter
Winter is a time of acute vitamin deficiency. It is at this time of the year that we crave fresh herbs and vegetables even more. It will not be difficult to grow a delicious piece of summer on the windowsill.
Planting onions on greens in winter is no different from planting at other times of the year. The basic methods remain unchanged. We discussed them a little higher. This is water and soil. Onions must be pre-prepared, peeled and disinfected in a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
For planting seedlings on greens, it is better to use bulbs with already slightly sprouted greens. If there is none, then it is better to trim the ends by 1-1.5 centimeters.
In the main material (water or soil), the onion should be at most 1/3 part. In other words, only the roots should be immersed in it. You can press the bulbs tightly together, because we are not going to grow a turnip.
