Onions have been known for more than five thousand years; they are rightfully considered one of the oldest vegetable crops. And during this time, it has not lost any of its popularity, since it is both an indispensable addition to most dishes and a means of treating many common diseases. Of course, if there is at least a small piece of land, everyone tries to grow onions on their own. But there are many varieties of onions.
But despite the simplicity of growing this vegetable crop, there are various factors that are important to consider in order to obtain a truly good and abundant harvest. In particular, as for any crop, there are favorable days for planting onions, which are determined by both weather conditions and the so-called lunar calendar. In recent years, many gardeners are increasingly turning to the experience of their ancestors, looking closely at folk signs, and the popularity of the lunar calendar is also increasing. After all, with its correct and wise use, you can avoid mistakes associated with the incorrect use of natural rhythms. Those who have been working on the land for a long time cannot help but know and feel them.
Moon calendar
Many experienced gardeners have probably been familiar with the lunar calendar for a long time and, perhaps, actively use it in their practice. For beginners, it may not be entirely clear what the favorable days for carrying out any work are associated with and why other days are prohibited.
In fact, there are few days when it is really better to put off all gardening worries. They are associated with the periods of new moon and full moon, which add up to about 6 days each month. This is the day of the new moon or full moon and one day before and after it.
If we draw an analogy with breathing, then these are the moments when inhalation changes to exhalation and vice versa.
Everything in nature seems to freeze, so it is highly discouraged to carry out any important work related to sowing, planting and replanting plants these days.
Two other equally important periods are associated with the waxing moon (from new moon to full moon), when all the juices of the earth rush upward, and with the waning moon (from full moon to new moon), when forces go down to the roots. It is clear that all plants, the main part of which is the above-ground part, for example, onions, are best sown and planted during the waxing moon. But plants in which the underground part is the main thing for a person, for example, turnips, are planted and sown during the waning moon.
Regarding the passage of the moon through the zodiac constellations, each group is known for its effect on a certain part of the plants.
| During this period the moon has an effect |
|---|---|
Moon under Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) | On the leaves |
Moon under Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) | On the roots and fruits that are in the ground |
Moon under Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) | For flowers |
Moon under Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) | On fruits that are above the ground |
Thus, for sowing and planting onions grown for greens, the best days will be when the moon is under the signs of Water. But it is advisable to sow and plant onions for growing turnips on days when the moon is under the signs of the Earth.
Basics of onion agricultural technology
In general, onions are a fairly undemanding vegetable crop in terms of growing conditions. It is quite cold-resistant, seeds can germinate already at a temperature of +2°C-+3°C. And onion seedlings can easily withstand short-term frosts down to -3°C-5°C. Therefore, onions can be grown in several ways:
- Within one year in the southern regions, seeds (nigella) are sown directly into the ground and by autumn full-fledged bulbs grow.
- In a two-year culture - in the first year, seeds are sown and at the end of summer small bulbs - onion sets - grow from them. It is collected and planted back into the ground in the spring of the second year. By autumn, full-size bulbs grow from it.
- Sometimes, to speed up development, onion seeds are sown in the ground indoors in February or March, and slightly grown seedlings are planted in open ground in late spring. Often onion planting material, especially small ones, is planted in the ground in the fall, before winter - this allows you to get an earlier harvest the next year.
- Finally, perennial onions are most often sown in beds in the spring months, when the earth warms up a little. But it can grow without transplanting for up to five years in one place and is one of the first to grow in early spring, when there is no greenery yet.
Landing dates
The most common onion crop is onions, and few gardeners grow them from seeds. Most often planted in the spring, onion sets bought in a store or at the market. But to get a good harvest, choosing the right time to plant onions on turnips is decisive. After all, the bulb itself develops to its maximum only with long daylight hours, no shorter than 12 hours. It is under these conditions that all nutrients pass without delay from the onion greens to the underground part. In our latitudes this time is from late June to early August. Until this moment, the green leafy part of the plant must still be well formed. Therefore, it is necessary to plant onion sets as early as possible.
On the other hand, onions planted too early may get frostbitten and end up deadheaded. It is necessary to find the most favorable period for planting onions and it is best to turn to nature again for advice. After all, plants in nature always take into account all the vagaries of the weather of the current year, so the dates are not constant, but every year they shift a little in one direction or another.
In most of the European territory of Russia, this time usually occurs in April - May.
But onion seeds can be sown much earlier. In the southern regions, depending on weather conditions, it is possible to sow in open ground even in March; perennial and annual onions will be able to germinate and grow quite enough greenery by summer.
In other regions, it is better to sow onion seeds at home as seedlings or, in extreme cases, under film. This is usually done either in February or March.
If we consider the optimal timing according to the lunar calendar, then when can plant onions in 2024? The table below shows the most favorable days for sowing and planting onions for both greens and turnips.
If it seems to you that there are too few favorable days, then you can use any days suitable for weather conditions, taking into account only the periods of the waxing and waning moon.
Using all the information above, you can adjust the timing of planting onions yourself and choose the most suitable days for your area. As a result, many problems in growing this valuable crop will be eliminated.
