Onion care is easy

Caring for onions does not require huge amounts of labor from gardeners, but you should still know about the nuances of growing this vegetable crop in your garden plots.

In the initial stage of the growing season, the root system of onions develops the soil to a depth of about 20 cm, and when the formation of the bulb and leaf growth begins - up to 40 cm. In order to ensure the development of the root system, the onion plantings should be watered abundantly, followed by good loosening of the soil in order to prevent rotting . During the active formation of the bulb, water consumption for irrigation is reduced, but their frequency is increased.

Approximately 25-30 days before the expected harvest date, watering stops. This measure has a beneficial effect on the flow of nutrients into the bulbs; they ripen much faster, dry outer scales form on them, which then allow the onions to be stored longer. If you water the onion before harvesting, or if it is wetted by previous rain, the scales swell, pests and diseases penetrate under them, and such onions are prone to sprouting.

It would seem that onions grow on their own, but for a better harvest they require fertilizer. At the beginning of growth, it is worth feeding onion plantings with phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers. Onions also respond well to the addition of organic fertilizers to the soil - manure or chicken droppings infused in water. In the second phase of growth, onions are fertilized with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Organic matter added to the soil in the form of fertilizers often attracts insect pests, such as onion flies.To combat it, plants are treated with lime mixed with tobacco dust in a 1:1 ratio.

This simple onion care will allow you to grow healthy plants and get onions rich in nutrients for your table.