One of the proven methods that can significantly enhance results is soaking seeds before planting. But should this technique be applied to onion sets? Let’s find out.
Why is it important to prepare onion sets for planting?
Proper preparation of onion sets not only accelerates their growth but also minimizes the risk of bolting and disease infestations. To achieve this, it’s sufficient to follow a few simple steps.
Steps for preparing onion sets
1. Heating
Before soaking the onion sets, they need to be warmed up. One day prior to planting, place the bulbs in a warm location—such as on a radiator—and leave them there for 8-11 hours. This simple measure significantly reduces the likelihood of bolting, which is especially crucial for obtaining a quality harvest.
2. Disinfection
After heating, the onion sets undergo disinfection. This protects the planting material from fungal infections and pests. You can use the following for this purpose:
- Manganese solution
- Salt solution
- Commercial antifungal agents
Each of these methods has its own characteristics.
How to properly soak onion sets: two popular methods
Salt solution
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Remove excess skin from the bulbs, but do not expose them completely.
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Prepare the solution: add 1 tablespoon of table salt to 1 liter of room temperature water.
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Mix well until the salt is completely dissolved and immerse the bulbs in the solution for 3 hours.
This method not only cleans the bulbs but also provides protection against pests.
Manganese solution
This method is considered classic among experienced gardeners:
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Prepare a saturated dark manganese solution.
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Before spring planting, soak the bulbs in the solution for 2 hours. If planning for winter planting, soaking them for just 5 minutes is sufficient.
The manganese solution effectively kills fungal spores, preventing infection.
A successful harvest is the result of proper preparation
By following these simple recommendations, you can not only protect onion sets from diseases but also ensure their rapid growth. Heating, disinfection, and proper soaking are the key steps towards a bountiful harvest.