1. Some top
onion farming tips
Planting
To start with, you should select a location that is free of shade
and one that can access full sun directly. The soils of the area need to be
well drained and with high nitrogen content. Loose soil is the most preferable
since compact soil lowers bulb development.
Nourishment tips
Apply aged manure during planting or use fertilizer on the fall
before planting. Note that onions are one kind of a plant that show heavy
feeding and demand continued nourishment for them to produce large bulbs
desired in the market. During planting, it’s advisable to mix in some nitrogen
fertilizer. Side dressing at the end of every two weeks is an excellent idea too.
It is paramount to note that onion seeds are short-lived. Start with
fresh seeds each year when planting seeds indoors. Start seeds indoors prior to
transplanting and preferably before six weeks. Plant onions at late March and
April and ensure that the temperature remains above -7°C.
2. More tips
during planting
For transplants, plant the smaller sets 1 inch in depth with a
spacing of 4 to 5 inches between each plant and 12 to 18 inches apart between
lows. Keep remembering that an onion is a leaf plant, not a root plant and
therefore, should not be buried more than 1 inch deep. If the onion is buried
deeper, bulb growth is restricted.
Onion caring
tips
Stop fertilizing when soil has been pushed away by the onion and the
process of bulbing has started. Avoid putting the soil around the onions since
this could prevent the bulb from emerging from the soil. Ensure that you water
the onions during the dry seasons. Ensure that the soil is well drained. Use
mulch to retain moisture.
3. Harvest and
storage tips
The tips are as listed below:
- Loosen the soil to fasten drying.
- Pull the onions when the colour of the tops changes to brown.
- Ensure that you harvest your onions in late summer, mature onions may spoil quicker if otherwise harvested.
- Let the onions dry for few weeks before storing them in the storage area.
- Ensure that storage is done at a temperature of between 4 to 10°C with stems broken off.
- Store the mature bulbs in a cool and dry place.
4. Pests control
To test for the presence of thrips, which are very tiny insects,
knock the onion tops against a dark piece of paper. If the insects are present,
you will notice their coloured bodies on the paper. Continued treatments with
insecticidal soap will kill them. Ensure that you strictly follow the package
directions. The thrips should disappear after spraying the plants twice in
every three days.
The above onion farming tips have been proved to be very effective
for a majority of farmers worldwide. Farmers who have applied them have
realized very high profits. Go on and give them a try to see the magic
difference in your productions.
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