For its special taste, the content of nutrients onions is widely used in cooking and traditional medicine. Gardeners seek to harvest this valuable vegetable in their plots. However, growing onions from sevka is not such a simple matter as it seems. A good crop yield contributes to the correct irrigation of onions grown in open ground.
What water to water onions
The main component of the onion is its head, the onion, which requires sufficient moisture to develop. If it is missed, the process of bulb formation will stop, which will lead to crop failure. Therefore, onions periodically need watering.
Warm water should be used for it, having a temperature in the range of 16-18 ° C. Water of this temperature can be obtained if a storage tank (barrel) is installed on the site. Liquid can be poured into it with a hose from a water supply system or a bucket from a well. Water is left in the barrel for 1-2 days to warm in the sun, then it can be used for irrigation.
The water in the barrel is heated in the sun and used for watering.
The temperature of the water in the barrel will be about the same as the ambient temperature near the bulbs, and they will not experience stress due to sharp jumps in temperature. Cold liquid causes damage to the vegetable culture by various fungi and bacteria, for example, downy mildew.
Onion watering mode
Onion sets are usually planted in early May. During the period of growth of the green mass of onions after planting them in open ground, it is necessary to ensure that the soil on the ridge is always in a wet state and does not dry out.
Onions need moist soil due to its shallow root system.
The lack of moisture leads to the fact that onions, like wild ones, will grow bitter and shallow. Abundant watering will cause rotting of the vegetable.
The moisture content of the soil can be checked with a thin wooden stick, a splinter. For this purpose, it is stuck into the ground to a depth of about 10 cm, then the stick is pulled out. If there are particles of soil left on it, the ground is moist, when the moisture is not enough, the stick will remain dry.
Undoubtedly, the climate in which the crop is grown affects the intensity of irrigation. In addition, you should know that at different stages of growth, onion requirements for soil moisture are not the same.
At different stages of development, onions need a different degree of moisture
The plant needs moisture very much:
- the first 2 weeks after planting;
- when shoots appear, within 2-3 weeks after that, since in such a period the root system begins to actively grow and develop.
However, it must be remembered that watering at both stages needs moderate.
Table: watering onions during the growing season
| Month | Watering frequency | Amount of water per 1 m2 of land |
| May (after landing) | Once a week | 6-10 l |
| June | 1 time in 8-10 days | 10-12 l |
| July (1st-15th) | 1 time in 8-10 days | 8-10 l |
| July (16-31 number) | 1 time in 4-5 days | 5-6 l |
When the weather is rainy after planting the onions, it may have enough natural rainfall. He will not need additional watering. The color of his feathers, which instead of green, will turn pale green, will become watery, can indicate oversaturation with moisture. The lack of moisture can be judged by the appearance of the feathers: they will turn yellow, become flatter, and the tips will dry out.
Yellowing and drying tips of the feathers indicate a lack of moisture
To avoid burns from the bright sun, water the onion in the morning or evening hours.
In dry weather, watering is increased to 2 times instead of one, as indicated in the table.
When to stop watering
2-3 weeks before harvesting, the vegetable crop is no longer watered. At the time when the feathers of the onions begin to lie on the ground, we can conclude that the heads have developed and matured completely. Usually this moment comes 2 months after planting the seed. Watering at this time will adversely affect the quality of the vegetable.
2-3 weeks before the onions finally fall to the ground, watering is stopped
For a long time we had to grow onions from the set of both yellow and red. Knowing that onions do not like excessive humidity and its lack, almost always we got a good harvest of this vegetable crop. Watering was done about once a week. When the onion lay, it was not watered at all. Water for irrigation was taken from a barrel.
Video: on proper watering of onions
If you comply with the requirements for watering, its frequency, then the abundant harvest of large and beautiful onions will serve as a reward to every gardener for his work.
