Content
You need to feed onions with urea in early spring and early summer. The product is used as a source of nitrogen. It is absorbed by plants gradually, which ensures uniform saturation. The product is inexpensive and quite effective. It allows not only to increase productivity, but also to protect the plant from fungal infections.
Is it possible to feed onions with urea in the spring?
Most onion varieties are undemanding to growing conditions. Compared to tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other crops, they do not require regular fertilization. However, during April and May, onions should be actively growing. Growth processes are provided by nitrogen, which is part of proteins.
In case of its deficiency, the onion begins to clearly lag behind in development, which is noticeable by visual signs:
- weak and short arrows;
- pale or even yellow tops;
- dying off of the tips of the foliage, and then the main part;
- Root crops decrease in size and ripen ahead of schedule.
Therefore, in the spring, onions need fertilizing, which can be obtained from urea. This is especially important for depleted soils. If you do not apply fertilizer, a number of adverse consequences will occur:
- plants will develop poorly;
- productivity will decrease;
- due to a lack of urea, onions will be weak and may suffer from diseases and pests, temperature changes and other harmful factors;
- There will not be much greenery; it will begin to fade quickly.
Pros and cons of using urea for onions
Urea (urea or carbonic acid amide) is an organic fertilizer, a source of highly digestible nitrogen. Chemical formula of the substance CH4N2O. They are produced in the form of white or transparent granules, odorless and highly soluble in water. Urea is also produced in the form of tablets in a special shell, which allows the main component to dissolve for as long as possible and evenly supply the soil with nitrogen.
Urea is produced in the form of granules and powder
Pros:
- Nitrogen is absorbed by plants gradually. The soil is saturated evenly, so growth is maintained throughout the season.
- Unlike inorganic nitrogen sources (such as ammonium nitrate), urea does not cause leaf burns. Therefore, it can be used for foliar feeding.
- The substance is rich in nitrogen - mass fraction 48%, this is quite enough for all plants in the garden.
- Provides rapid growth of green mass, promotes good yield of root crops, increases onion immunity to bad weather, pests and diseases.
- The composition can be used on any type of soil, including acidic and light (sandy).
- It is well retained by the soil and is almost not washed out by melt water and precipitation.
- The fertilizer is universal, suitable for all types and varieties of crops, including demanding ones, for example, red Yalta, white, shallots and others.
There are not many disadvantages of urea, but they also need to be taken into account.
Minuses:
- If the onion is withering and urgently needs to replenish the nitrogen deficiency, it is better to fertilize with any type of nitrate, since the substance is absorbed from urea for quite a long time.
- The drug should be stored in low humidity conditions, as the granules absorb water well.
- Concentration must be observed, since an overdose can cause the onion to burn; moreover, it will become green, while the root vegetables themselves will remain small.
When to treat onions with urea
To get a good harvest, you need to follow the timing of nutrient application. Onions are fertilized using urea several times a season:
- On the eve of sowing (3-4 weeks before). Granules are applied to the soil in an amount of 5-10 g per 1 m2. In this case, the embedding depth should be 4-5 cm so that the released ammonia does not evaporate, but turns into nitrogen compounds.
- Directly during sowing, fertilizing is applied if this has not been done in advance. The quantity is the same - 5-10 g per square meter. In this case, the onion seeds and the preparation itself must be separated by a 4-5 cm layer of soil, otherwise chemical burns are inevitable. Along with the main fertilizing, it is recommended to apply superphosphate in the amount of 20 g per 1 m2.
- When the onion feathers reach 8-10 cm in height, apply new fertilizer in the amount of 15 g per 1 m². It is at this stage that plants need large amounts of nitrogen for further growth.
- Two weeks later (no later than the second half of June), you can give foliar feeding by dissolving 10 g in 10 liters of water. The liquid is poured into a sprayer and the plantings are treated in the late evening or early morning.
The granules are embedded in the soil immediately after the surface layer has thawed and melt water has disappeared (early April). Quantity – 10 g per square meter.
How to treat onions with urea in spring
Treatment is carried out in two ways - root (watering at the root) and foliar (spraying the above-ground part). To do this, you need to prepare a weak solution, carefully observing the proportions. It is better to water and spray plants in the late evening or early morning.
Fertilizing onions with urea
The main method of fertilizing is root feeding (watering onions). To prepare the solution you need:
- Measure out the required amount (5-10 g).
- First dissolve in a small volume of settled water at room temperature.
- Then bring to a total volume of 10 liters (standard bucket).
- Gently water at the root, trying not to get on the green part.
It is better to take measurements using scales or buy powder with a pre-measured mass, for example, packaged in 10 g. You can also use household appliances:
- 1 glass with a volume of 200 ml holds 130 g of product;
- 1 match powder – 15 g;
- tablespoon – 10 g;
- teaspoon – 5 g.
To feed onions, dissolve 5-10 g of the product in 10 liters of water.
When applied in early spring (before planting), you can simply scatter the granules in the required amount per square meter. Then they are covered with a small layer of soil. It is not necessary to water, since after the snow melts the soil has not yet had time to thaw. If it is already dry, after a few days they give a bucket of water for each square meter.
They help increase productivity, and also increase plant immunity and resistance to adverse weather conditions.
Pest treatment
Urea is used not only for feeding onion plants, but also as a pest control agent. It helps to cope with the following diseases: peronospora, powdery mildew, scab, purple spot.
In this case, the solution should be as concentrated as possible - about 40-50 g per 10 liters. The treatment is carried out in cases where the leaves are covered with a grayish or whitish coating, foreign spots, and begin to fade. Also in April you can carry out preventive spraying.
Healthy plantings are treated with more powerful agents, for example, Bordeaux mixture, Fundazol, Skor, Tattu and other fungicides.
Precautionary measures
Urea is a fairly effective fertilizer for onions. But its use requires certain precautions:
- The use of the indicated dosages is usually no more than 15 g per 10 liters.
- Compliance with frequency and frequency - no more than three treatments are carried out per season with an interval of 3-4 weeks.
- The last time fertilizing is done no later than the second half of June, since in summer the plant no longer needs nitrogen, but potassium and phosphorus.
- While working, you need to wear gloves and a mask, and not be distracted by talking or eating. Prevent children from accessing the site.
- The solution is not stored for a long time - it is prepared in the amount that can be used at a time.
- The urea itself (granules for feeding onions) is stored at temperatures from -11 to +30 degrees in conditions of reduced humidity (up to 50%).
It is better to work with powder with gloves
Conclusion
You can feed onions with urea only in the middle, at the end of spring and at the beginning of summer. It is at this time that the plant needs a supply of nitrogen compounds. The product ensures rapid growth, good yield and prevention of dangerous infections.
