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The human body constantly needs vitamin substances. Fresh onions contain a lot of useful vitamins and minerals. But it is not always possible to purchase natural, fresh greens with a minimum of additives and chemicals. But you can grow onions for feathers and other greenery at home on the windowsill. And this does not require any special financial costs or a large amount of time. You just need to arm yourself with information on how to grow onions on the windowsill and begin landing.
Correct selection of planting material
What are the features of growing onions on a windowsill? In order to plant onions on greens on the windowsill in an apartment, you first need to choose the right planting material. Planting seed material can be done from the head or onion seeds. According to the experience of many gardeners, the easiest and fastest way to grow green feathers is from onions. Bulbs planted in an apartment in winter contain a large amount of essential nutrients, which, under the right conditions, will be able to ensure the growth of feathers.
How to grow green onions on a windowsill in winter? To grow onions on a windowsill in the ground, you need to choose the right planting heads. It should be round or oval, the structure should be dense, without signs of a putrefactive process. The onion roots should be large, without signs of damage. Thanks to a good root cup, green feathers on the windows will sprout faster. To grow onions on a windowsill, you should select large, slightly sprouted heads with shiny scales.
If there are no roots, carefully cut the bottom of the head so that the green feathers come out faster. There are 2 ways to grow onions on a windowsill: in the ground or in water (hydroponic method). Before how to plant onions on the windowsill, an onion is recommended soak in heated water. This procedure will be needed if onions are planted on a windowsill in the ground. If onions are grown at home in a container of water, soaking is not necessary.
It is important to provide conditions for this plant. It is cold-resistant, the optimal temperature conditions for it are 18-19 degrees above zero. To grow onions on a windowsill in winter, you need to take into account that there should be no heating sources nearby. The window sill should be on the side where there is no direct sunlight, otherwise the onion may get burned.
Requirements for soil parameters
If an onion is planted on a windowsill using the hydroponic method, it is important to ensure that only a third of the bulb is under water, otherwise its lower part may begin to rot. For hydroponically grown onions, it is recommended to cut cardboard with a hole in the center and place the planting material there.
Onions do not like high humidity. But to ensure the juiciness of the green feathers, you can periodically spray the growing stems, avoiding liquid getting on the bulb itself. To cultivate onions in the ground, they will need to prepare the right soil. It should be neutral acidity, loosened. You can purchase ready-made soil material at specialized sales points.
Requirements for containers
For feathers grown from onion seeds on a windowsill, you will need to ensure stability, since the root mass will lift the head during growth. Therefore, you will need to create a depression during planting. You will need the following materials:
- a container with pre-prepared soil mass (you can take a wooden or plastic container);
- container with prepared depressions (if hydroponics is used).
It is important to ensure that the onion heads are fixed in such a way that only their roots are under water, otherwise they will rot and emit an unpleasant odor.
Helping green mass grow
When the first shoots appear, they can be helped to accelerate their growth. To do this, remove the scales and keep them in warm water. If there are no roots, you can speed up their appearance by soaking with a solution of potassium permanganate. The top is cut off by about one centimeter. Soaks overnight.
Regardless of the planting method, it is better to place the container in a cool, slightly dark place for a week. This way the root system of the onion will develop quickly. After seven days, move the container to a bright windowsill. To accelerate the growth of green mass, you can artificially lengthen daylight hours using additional illumination with a lamp. You can add light to the plant around the clock.
The harvest will be better if you place the container with the planted bulbs on a loggia or on a glazed balcony and equip it with lighting. The longer the lighting, the faster the feathers will grow and the more massive the feathers will be. If the temperature is too low, the greens will grow slowly. The temperature must be at least 25 degrees.
So after two to three weeks you can grow onions from seeds and get feathers about 30 cm long. To maintain the desired temperature, you can use any heating source. To prevent overheating in the sun, the container is wrapped in foil.
Features of growing in water
The easiest way to plant onions in water is the hydroponics method. To grow green feathers, it is recommended to simply dip the head in a small container of water. But this method has its drawbacks - the container takes up a lot of space, and the liquid darkens over time and becomes cloudy. There will be very little product.
A large onion head makes it possible to get up to ten feathers. Therefore, it is better to use it in the spring; during this period it will germinate on its own. However, it is not necessary to put it in a glass jar. Can be planted in a pot with any indoor flower. The main positive aspect of this method is that it is not necessary to use soil mass to force feathers.
For a more compact placement of onions grown on a windowsill, it is recommended to use special containers with cells.
Features of cultivation:
- pour preheated water into the container, adding it periodically if necessary;
- The top of the container is closed with a lid, which is equipped with holes, and the bulbs are lowered into them;
- It is very important to change the water as often as possible; you can install an aerator to supply air inside the container. Before replacing the fluid, it must be settled.
Features of growing in soil
The mechanism of cultivating onions for greens in the soil mass is that the heads will not increase in size, but will dry out, so it is very important to plant them as close to each other as possible.
The dishes used for planting onions must have holes to drain excess moisture into the tray. If greens are grown in containers with a solid bottom, this can lead to the green mass becoming creased and falling off. The container should be of such a height that after the feathers germinate, the bulb does not rise to the surface, since the root system will push it out of the container. You can purchase ready-made containers to grow greens in the soil.
Onions are unpretentious to the soil; they release all the nutritional elements of the greens. It is recommended to choose loose soil with an acidity of at least 6. You can also use sawdust and moss. To eliminate possible pathogenic microorganisms and causative agents of various plant diseases, the soil should be steamed. The bottom of the container is covered with drainage (you can take sawdust for this). This will help retain moisture in the dishes. You need to lay a layer of soil on top - about 10 cm. Plant the heads so that a third of them are visible on the surface.
You should also avoid overheating the plant in the sun. Watering is carried out as the soil dries out.It is better to irrigate frequently, but little by little. If there is a lack of fluid, the feathers will not be juicy and tasty. This method of cultivating onions at home ensures high yields over a long growing period.
Using fertilizers
You don't need to use any fertilizer for onions. You can also add complex fertilizers purchased in specialized stores. It is important to dilute the fertilizer, strictly following the instructions. It is better to feed with a syringe.
Periodically, it is recommended to add a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide or diluted potassium permanganate to prevent rotting of the root mass.
By following all the simple growing rules, you can get an excellent harvest of green onions, juicy foliage, and a large amount of vitamins, regardless of the season.
