Content
What to do if onions dry out for no apparent reason is a question that summer residents have been asking from generation to generation. In this case, the tips of the tops turn yellow, as they lose chlorophyll and cannot synthesize oxygen. The gardener needs to think twice about why the crop behaves this way. Her life is probably in the balance, and only the right treatment can save the onion.
Why do the tips of onions dry out?
Onion leaves can dry out for various reasons. Often this is the result of a violation of care.
Improper watering
Without water, not only onions, but also other plants dry out. This is a vital component, without which the growth and formation of the bulb is impossible. On the other hand, even waterlogging can become a problem.
The summer resident can only balance between two extremes
In general, onions are not the most moisture-loving vegetable. Humidification is necessary only in the initial stages of cultivation.By the end of July, the intensity of irrigation is reduced, and 20 days before harvesting, they completely stop pouring water.
If the soil itself is moist, watering is not always necessary. Here again we turn to external signs.
Lack or excess of fertilizers
If the tips of the onion feathers dry out, you need to remember the last time the summer resident used fertilizer. Yellowness and drying out appear due to a lack of nitrogen. This element is responsible for the growth of greenery; it is urgently needed at the beginning of the growing season. Signs of nitrogen deficiency are softening of the tops and slow growth.
When onions dry out due to lack of nutrients, the beds are “reanimated” with a solution of cow manure. You can also use chicken manure or complex fertilizers, which are sold in the store.
The other side of the coin - when there is an excess of fertilizers - leads to a similar result. Paradoxically, sometimes onions simply cannot “digest” substances. This applies to areas with clayey substrates and high acidity.
Bad weather conditions
The answer to the question of why green onions dry out at the beginning of summer may be unsuitable weather conditions. In Russia, summer comes later than in other countries, and reverse frosts appear in June. In the northern regions they occur even more often.
As a result, both the underground and above-ground parts of the onion become sick, lose strength and dry out.
When choosing a landing time, you need to look at the nearest forecast. Forecasters know this better than the average summer resident. Without waiting for the soil to warm up normally, the summer resident risks the harvest.
Pests
Insects pose a serious threat to crops:
- Bulb fly. The pest becomes active at the end of spring, infesting onions with larvae. They feed on the sap, which causes the tips of the plant to dry out. Fighting a fly is not easy.
In advanced cases, all that remains is to destroy the plantings and spray the remaining specimens with insecticide
- Nematode. The appearance of an insect is signaled by the curling of the shoots. The tips of green onions dry out quickly and grow slower. If you look under the affected leaf, you can distinguish many worms.
Affected samples are burned, healthy ones are processed
- Secretive proboscis. As a result of the damage, the onion not only dries, but also turns yellow. The larvae of the secretive proboscis are caterpillars - they pose a danger to the beds.
The parasites are so voracious that the leaves begin to resemble a sieve after their meal.
- Thrips. The insect is difficult to detect due to its miniature structure. The symptoms remain the same - the onion dries out and begins to lose chlorophyll. But a white coating is added to everything else.
Plaque grows over time, so you need to act immediately
Diseases
If, even in a greenhouse, the tips of the onions dry out and turn yellow, it is probably due to disease. They could be:
- Rust. Appears when there is an excess of vapor or condensate. The leaves become covered with rusty spots, which soon take over the onions.
Soon after the defeat, the plant completely turns black and withers
- Bacterial rot. The carriers of the disease are thrips, secretive proboscis, and bulbous flies. As a result of the damage, both leaves and flowers dry out.
With bacterial rot, the roots also rot
- Fusarium.Like most fungal diseases, fusarium occurs due to waterlogging of the soil.
The onion loses its growth, its tips dry out and die
What to do if onion feathers dry out
Processing must begin immediately as soon as the summer resident notices that the onions have begun to dry. To restore the beds, they resort to folk and store remedies:
- Saline solution. Works great against insects. To prepare it, fill a bucket of water, mix it with 15 g of ash and 200 g of salt. To be on the safe side, you can add a few drops of ammonia.
The solution is used no more than once a month
- Herbal infusion. Another folk recipe that is effective in pest control. The bucket is filled with dandelion, calendula or other aromatic plants and filled with water. The infusion is stored in a dark place, covered for two days. After filtering, dilute it again with water (1:10) and add a little soap.
Water with the mixture 1-2 times a month
- Fitosporin. An excellent remedy for fighting diseases. The substance prevents onions from drying out.
The solution is bought in the store and prepared according to the recipe on the package
Watering should be done on a calm, cloudy day. It is generally advisable to do this in the evening or early morning.
Preventing onions from drying out
To prevent the crop from drying out, it is necessary to adhere to agrotechnical rules. They differ among different varieties. As a preventative measure, it is useful to periodically spray the beds:
- Urea. The substance contains a large amount of nitrogen, which makes the fertilizing nutritious and prevents crop depletion.First you need to prepare a solution of bird droppings, pour it into a bucket of water, add urea, mix and pour into a 10-liter container, filling it to the top with water.
When using urea, it is important not to overdo it, otherwise the soil will be oversaturated with nitrogen.
- Ammonia. If the feathers dry out, the following recipe will help: add 60 ml of ammonia to a bucket of water, mix, and water the beds.
Ammonia is an analogue of ammonia, but the solution must be prepared using protective gloves and a respirator.
Conclusion
When the onion dries, you need to act according to the circumstances. For example, stop watering if there is excess moisture, fertilize if there is not enough nutrients, treat with insecticides when pests bother you, spray with fungicides in case of illness.
