When is the best time to plant onions?

Green onions have a special spicy smell and are a spicy vegetable . They are grown in many areas in northern China, and northern green onions are very famous. So when is the best time to plant onions? Let’s learn more about it below.

When is the best time to plant onions?

Green onions can be sown in autumn or spring. The best time to sow green onions is in early September in autumn, when the climate is more suitable. The general spring sowing time for green onions is around the end of March to the beginning of April.

How to grow green onions

1. Land preparation and fertilization

The selected land should have convenient irrigation and drainage, loose soil, avoid repeated cropping, and have good water and fertilizer retention properties. The base fertilizer should be mainly organic fertilizer and supplemented with chemical fertilizer. The soil for cultivation should be loam with moderate sandy viscosity, water and fertilizer retention, and moderate water and air permeability.

2. Planting

The spacing between rows and plants of green onions is determined by the characteristics of the variety itself. Generally, for varieties with a stalk height of about 30 cm, a row spacing of 50 cm is appropriate when planting. For varieties with a stalk height of more than 40 cm, the spacing should be widened to more than 70 cm. The spacing between green onions is generally between 5-8 cm to ensure that each plant has good space to grow.

3. Soil cultivation

The soil cultivation of green onions is generally carried out three times and should be accompanied by top dressing. Generally, when the height of the green onion grows to about 30cm, the first soiling is carried out. First, spread about 1000kg/mu of fully decomposed organic fertilizer between the rows, and then add soil. The topdressing fertilizer is pressed on the ridges through soiling. The height of soiling should be 5cm. If the soiling is too deep, it will affect the growth rate of the onion.

The second soiling is generally carried out when the height of the onions is about 45 cm. Before soiling, evenly spread about 30 kg of high-nitrogen and high-potassium ternary compound fertilizer on the small ridge surface of the last soiling. The thickness of the soil this time should reach about 10cm. The last soiling is done 20-25 days before harvest. The main purpose of this soiling is to increase the height of the green onions. A small amount of potassium sulfate can be added or no topdressing is required.

4. Watering

If the weather is not very dry after transplanting, it is generally not advisable to water again. In case of heavy rain, pay attention to drainage to prevent water accumulation in the onion ditch, which will cause high temperature and humidity, poor soil ventilation, and lead to root rot, yellow leaves and dead seedlings. Therefore, preparations for waterlogging and drainage should be made before rain. After the beginning of autumn, as the temperature drops, you can start watering, but water lightly. Later, as the plants grow vigorously, gradually increase the frequency of watering to keep the ground moist, and maintain 70-80% soil moisture.

5. Pest and disease control

The main diseases of green onions are purple spot disease, onion rust, soft rot, etc.; the main insect pests are onion thrips , leafminers, and fall armyworms, etc. In the early stage of purpura disease, you can spray with 500 times of thiophanate-methyl, 500 times of alum or 1500 times of chlorpyrifos. Once every 7-10 days, 3-4 times in a row. In the early stage of onion rust, spray with 3000 times of Dichlorvos, 1000 times of Mancozeb or 500 times of Chlorophyll-Methyl diluted. Once every 10 days, 2-3 times in a row. For onion thrips, use 4000 times of Kangfuduo or 2000 times of Aphidicide to control.

That’s it