Whether or not to soak onion sets is a serious subject of controversy for gardeners. And here there are no only right ones, because both of them have their own arguments. But the procedure, indeed, can be at least useful. The main thing is to choose the right composition for soaking.
Why do it?
Probably the first reason is the heating of onion sets. Large and medium onions are best kept warm, at + 22 … 25 degrees. A small onion is stored at an average temperature of + 4 … 8 degrees. But, if the onion is not stored in the conditions that it prefers, the samples will predictably deteriorate. And a spoiled set will give out an arrow from which a good bulb will not work.
Moreover, if the onion is your own, grown on your site, everything is known about its quality, storage conditions. But if it was bought in a store, on the market, from hands, it is completely unclear under what weather the crop was harvested and under what conditions it was stored. Your onion is usually stored in a cellar (or something similar), before planting it is kept warm and dry for 3 weeks (which means at home), and that’s it – it is ready for planting.
Purchased onions do not have such control, it is not clear what temperature and humidity were during storage. Therefore, such a bow is often subjected to additional processing.
Seed bulbs are also processed in order to accurately disinfect the plant. This is a preventive procedure, preparation for planting, which does not harm the onion in any way (if everything is done correctly), but it will have a positive effect on the quality of seedlings and the final harvest.
And it could also be the diseases that attacked the site this season. Therefore, the onion harvested for sowing could become a carrier of these diseases. In order not to risk it, it is better to soak it, and definitely disinfect it.
That’s why sevok is still soaked.
For good growth. In regions where summer is very short, you need to hurry the same bulbs in growth. That is to stimulate growth itself. Those specimens that are treated with special nutrient solutions predictably accelerate growth. So, they will ripen ahead of time, which was necessary.
For disease prevention. In the root crop there may be fungal spores or pest larvae invisible to the eye. And if you soak the onion in a disinfectant solution, this problem will be removed.
To protect against shooting. And once again about it. Often onions shoot prematurely, the fruits are depleted ahead of time. That is, the harvest will not be full, high-quality. If you properly soak the sevok, it will receive some support, activate the accumulation of substances for normal growth after planting.
And it is also believed that soaking increases the immunity of the plant, improves its germination, and even protects against decay. Yes, there are many examples when, even without soaking, onions grew to the envy of everyone. But for beginner gardeners, as well as for those who did not harvest the best crop last year, soaking can be a well-reasoned procedure. If it is decided that the treatment will be, it remains only to choose the appropriate composition.
Soaking methods
There are a lot of options for compositions in which the onion will definitely not be bad, where it will become stronger, perhaps get rid of some pathogens.
in salt water
Generally, processing is not limited to this method. The method really works well in the complex.
Let’s see how the processing takes place.
First, the onions need to be sorted, and prepare what it will eventually be stored in.
Then you need to prepare a saline solution. It is done like this: 2 tablespoons of salt per 2 liters of warm water. Mix salt well in water.
Salt lumps must be filtered through a sieve if they do not want to dissolve in water.
You need to soak for 3-4 hours.
After the procedure, the onion must be dried well.
Salt is the element that can stimulate onion growth. Therefore, in areas where summers are short (or where cold summers are predicted), this treatment can be very useful.
In potassium permanganate
If the onion has already been soaked in salt, it is better not to carry out manganese “baths”. In other cases, it can be well combined with other compositions.
How to do it right.
The onions are already sorted, and when 4 days are left before planting, you can proceed.
30-40 g of manganese should be diluted in 10 liters of water until completely dissolved. If there is a lot of sevka, then the number of components of the solution increases proportionally.
Before processing, small cuts can be made on the surface of the sevka.
The onion is wrapped in a cloth (or stocking) and dipped into this solution.
It should lie in it for 2 days.
After processing for at least a day, the onion should be dried. After that it is ready to use.
Manganese solution is a well-known disinfectant. Therefore, it is in it that the acquired onions or their own are more often soaked, but obtained from the garden, on which pathogens and pests were noted.
in soda solution
This is also a popular disinfectant, and also a cheap remedy. But how soda will affect the formation of arrows, there is a lot of controversy. Most likely, they depend on the storage methods of the sevka.
This is what the processing looks like.
It is scheduled for a couple of days before sowing.
Soda solution is prepared as follows – 1 teaspoon of soda per 1 liter of water. And you will also need any fabric similar to stockings, or they themselves.
Mix the solution well, and then immerse the onion in the cloth into it.
Just 10-20 minutes at a water temperature of +40 degrees is enough.
Soda treatment usually precedes manganese, and in tandem they are indeed quite effective.
In “Fitosporin”
This is a well-known biological product that will rid the seed of fungal spores that may well remain in it. It is safe, affordable, and has long been proven effective.
You need to dilute “Fitosporin” like this – 1 tablespoon of the drug in 10 liters of water. And now the onion sets should lie in this solution for a couple of hours. Then it must be dried, and you can plant it.
other methods
These were the most popular compositions, but not all.
What else can be soaked sevok.
In copper sulfate. It is a well-known anti-fungal chemical. 30 g of blue powder is diluted in 10 liters of water. Onions in this solution are kept for only half an hour, then they are washed with clean water, dried a little, and they are ready for planting.
- In birch tar. This is an excellent antiseptic that leaves no chance for pathogens. At the same time, it is natural. And he also has a special smell that repels the onion fly. First, exactly a day of sevok must be kept on the battery, that is, warmed up. Then for 3 hours it is soaked in a solution of birch tar. A fly in the ointment is mixed with a liter of water (only water should be exclusively at room temperature).
- In ammonium nitrate. It is also excellent at disinfecting plants. In 10 liters of water, you need to dilute only 3 g of saltpeter. In this solution, the onion is kept for no more than 15 minutes, after which it can immediately be sent to the garden.
- In ammonia. The vegetable will be enriched with nitrogen, and the onion feathers will be strong, juicy, long. You need to take 2 tablespoons of alcohol and mix them in 10 liters of water. Soaking lasts 1 hour, after which the seed must be thoroughly dried.
- In hydrogen peroxide. 40 ml of the product must be diluted in 1 liter of water. The onion will lie in the solution for 2 hours. It is not necessary to rinse the sevok after this, just dry it.
- In the ashes The fertilizer itself is very nutritious for the plant. Moreover, it repels many pests, the same weevils and aphids. It is better to take 3 cups of ash and 10 liters of water. Only the water must be hot. The solution should be infused for a day, and only then the sevok will go into it. It will lie in the solution for 2 hours.
- In mustard. Also a good option for disinfection. Mix 2 tablespoons of dry mustard in half a liter of water. Seed material should lie in this composition for 3 hours. Periodically, the onions need to be stirred. Then the material must be washed and dried.
Of course, you can use special preparations. For example, “Maxim”, “Epin-Extra”, “Energen”, “Zircon” and others.
Useful Tips
Soaking is not the only secret of a successful spring onion planting and subsequent good harvest.
Here’s what else will help to plant really high-quality material.
Sort. It is necessary to inspect literally every bulb. If somewhere it has rotted or dried out, these specimens must be discarded. Then you should sort the onions by size.
Warming. This has already been discussed, and this moment is really important. If anything helps to prevent shooting, then this is it (though not with a 100% guarantee). Planting material should be placed where the constant temperature is 40-45 degrees. You won’t find a better place for a battery. The bulbs should lie there for 40 minutes.
Drying. To do this, pour the onions on a newspaper or cloth (natural) so that there is at least a small gap between the bulbs. So they dry out faster. From time to time they need to be mixed so that all sides dry evenly.
And, of course, all this will not make much sense if the bulbs are planted in unprepared land for this. From the garden, you need to remove the remains of vegetation (with a root), and then dig up the site. When digging, compost is introduced into the soil, about 6 kg per square. Instead of compost, you can take rotted manure. It would also be useful to add potassium-phosphorus compounds to the soil, about 30 g per square meter.
And it would be nice to carry out all these procedures in the fall. But if they didn’t do it in the fall, then in the spring it must be done.
And on the eve of planting, you need to do the following: dig the site, level the soil with a rake. Spill the earth with copper sulfate – the solution is made at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water / square meter. Only the solution should be warm. From above, the bed should be covered with a film to stimulate all the preparatory processes.
