Proven methods for keeping onion sets until spring at home

It is not enough to grow high-quality onion sets; it is equally important to keep the harvested crop until next spring.

Adhering to the recommendations of experienced gardeners, it will not be difficult to preserve the seed until it is planted in the ground.

How to properly preserve onion sets until spring at home, at what temperature, read the article.

How to properly prepare for storage before planting?

Proper preparation of onion sets for storage combines several stages:

1. Timely harvest... The main sign of ripe onions is the yellow color of the tops. Typically, harvest time is in the last week of August.
2. Sorting - an important stage in the preparation of seed, since when planting bulbs of the same size, you can be sure that they will ripen at the same time.

   First of all, the damaged, rotten bulbs are separated. Then the bulbs are sorted into fractions. The smallest onions (no more than 14 mm in size) are very difficult to keep until spring, they are used for planting in late autumn.

   Medium in size (up to 21 mm) and large (over 30 mm) onions are stored well, they are planted in spring. Extra large bulbs are planted for green feathers.

3. Drying. At this stage, the sorted planting material is laid out on a horizontal surface in a well-ventilated, warm, bright room (temperature at least + 25 ° C, humidity 45%).

   Drying takes at least seven days. Periodically, the seed must be agitated. After the bulbs have dried well, they are manually exfoliated from the upper falling off scales, dried roots and tops.

Container preparation

When choosing a container, it is necessary to ensure that it is clean, dry, without foreign odors, and special holes for ventilation must be located on its walls.

There are a sufficient number of types of containers in which you can store onion sets:

1. Wicker baskets... Natural material of manufacture, natural weaving holes help to preserve onion sets from the moment of harvest until spring.
2. Cardboard boxes... When choosing such a container, it is necessary to ensure that the cardboard is strong, clean and dry. It is important that the boxes have holes for ventilation.
3. Wooden boxes very convenient for storage. Wood is a natural, durable material that is breathable.
4. Bag suitable for storage if it is no more than 20 cm full. Otherwise, the seed will become warm and start to rot.

At what temperature and humidity?

You can save high-quality seed until it is planted in the ground subject to certain conditions:

• optimal storage temperature + 20-25 ° С;
• air humidity from 50 to 75%.

The ways

Depending on the variety, as well as the possibility of implementing certain conditions, there are three ways to store onion sets.

Warm

Storing planting material throughout the winter at room temperature (18-25 ° C) is called a warm method.

In addition to temperature conditions it is very important to maintain the required moisture content (45-50%), as well as conduct regular ventilation.

A sharp drop in temperature and humidity can cause germination and decay of planting material.

Cold

Before cold storage mortgage, planting material must be thoroughly warmed up for ten days at a temperature of 35 ° C.

The optimum air temperature for cold storage varies from 0 to + 4 ° С, humidity is 75%. After cold storage, before planting, the onion sets are reheated for fourteen days at a temperature of 35 ° C.

A good alternative to cold storage of crops - in a bucket, outdoors... To do this, a layer of sawdust is poured into a suitable container, then carefully sorted, dried onion sets are laid out and a layer of sawdust is again laid out.

The container is closed with a lid and an earthen hole is placed, the depth of which should not exceed the height of the bucket by more than 20 cm. The bucket immersed in the hole is sprinkled with earth and left in this form until spring. With the arrival of heat, onion sets can be planted in the ground.

Combined

Combination of warm and cold storage - combined method, includes several stages:

• the prepared, dried seed is stored in a warm place (temperature + 20-25 ° C) until the first frost;
• with the arrival of winter, the room temperature is gradually reduced to 0 ° C;
• with the arrival of spring, the temperature is gradually increased to + 25 ° C;
• as soon as the degree on the thermometer has reached the desired mark, the temperature is reduced to + 20 ° C and the onion is stored in such conditions until the time comes for planting it in the ground.

How to store in an apartment?

In an apartment in a multi-storey building, the best option for storing onion sets is a warm way in cardboard boxes, plastic containers or bags.

Sorted and well-dried onions are packed in a suitable container and taken to the pantry... It is very important to ensure that the required humidity level and air temperature are maintained in the room where the onion sets are stored.

During storage, it is necessary to periodically carefully inspect the onion sets and remove the spoiled, rotten heads (they can cause damage to the entire crop).

What troubles can arise and how to deal with them?

The main problem that arises during onion storage is the appearance of rotten, spoiled bulbs.

The reason for this situation can be fungal diseases, damage to the bulb with a stem nematode or an onion root mite.

The problem cannot be ignored. Single spoiled bulbs can ruin the entire crop.

To prevent the spread of corruption, at least once every three months it is necessary to revise stocks onion sevka.

The spoiled bulbs are immediately removed. The husk with traces of rot is removed, the onion is dried and left in a warm place until a new, clean and healthy husk appears.

Advice

It is important to follow these guidelines:

1. You can make sure that the onion sets are well dried by the rustling sound that appears when a small onion is rolling.
2. By choosing a cold storage method for onion sets, the risks of early germination of seed are reduced to zero.
3. You should not store onion sets on the balcony, since in such a room it is very difficult (almost impossible) to maintain a constant air temperature and humidity level.
4. You can use old stockings to store onion sets in the basement. Filled with onions, suspended on hooks under the ceiling, they help to keep the planting material not only from damage, but also from being eaten by mice and other rodents.

You will find a lot of useful information about storing onions here.

Related Videos

How to prepare and store onion sets, the video will tell you:

Conclusion

Strict adherence to all recommendations for storing onion sets will help in the future to get a rich harvest of high-quality onions.