Planting onions in the fall. How to plant onions before winter so as not to rot and give a generous harvest

With the arrival of autumn, many summer residents are interested in how to plant onions before winter in order to grow a rich harvest and, most importantly, when, in what time frame? What is the agricultural technique, at what depth to plant, at what distance, whether it is necessary to water after planting, whether it is necessary to soak the seedlings before planting, which variety to choose, what to cover for the winter - a number of questions, the answers to which will help you grow winter plantings without any problems ...


planting onions before winter - in the photo

When to plant onions before winter - timing

Experts say that onions can be planted in the ground not only in spring, but also in autumn. However, the latter method was not widespread until recently and only today has gained popularity among gardeners. It is worth choosing for this special - winter varieties of onions that are not afraid of cold weather and perfectly wait out the winter right in the ground.

Autumn planting onion before winter starts in late September and ends in the first decade of November, depending on the region of planting and weather conditions. The temperature on the outdoor thermometer, which remains at around +5 ° C for several days in a row, may become a signal to start planting wild oat, while the night temperature should not be lower than -3 ° C. As a rule, the soil temperature will be +3 ° ... + 4 ° C, which is necessary for planting onion sets before winter.

Some summer residents prefer not to be mistaken for sure. In this case, if you trust the heavenly body, keep in mind that the weather can be unpredictable, and the likelihood of getting a rich harvest will be minimized. Sudden thaws or severe frosts, which are not to the liking of winter plantings, will simply destroy the planting material, one way or another.

Experienced farmers do not trust dates and are guided by weather conditions: before it gets colder outside, the onion should let the root system. It is impossible to allow the appearance of green sprouts - feathers. If the onion is planted in the ground ahead of time, it will germinate and then freeze. Late planting will lead to the fact that the seedling does not have time to root and rot.

Territorial features of growing onions before winter

The requirements for how to plant onions before winter will differ depending on the area. So, for example, when to plant onions before winter in the Moscow region, Leningrad, Pskov, Smolensk, Kostroma, Lipetsk, Voronezh regions, depends on temperature conditions on the street. In this case, special attention should be paid to a too frosty winter. In order to prevent, when severe frosts occur, a lot of snow is thrown on the beds with onions, and in snowless winters they mulch with peat and leaf litter. If the winter is snowy, then under the cover of snow, the onion is not threatened with freezing.

The technique of how to plant onions before winter in the Urals and Siberia differs in that it is necessary to start planting earlier, at the beginning of autumn, it is better to do this until mid-October, or even earlier, due to the climatic characteristics of the growing region. It is also worth noting that not every variety of winter onions is suitable for cultivation in this zone, you need to choose varieties with high winter hardiness. Covering the landing is a must!

Planting onion sets in the Kuban and throughout the Krasnodar Territory, the Astrakhan, Volgograd, Rostov regions, as well as in the republics of Adygea and the Crimea, can be carried out much later than the conventional terms, sometimes it is warm here until November, respectively, and planting is carried out at a later date.

Winter onion planting rules

The low yield of onions can often be attributed to the poor preparation of the owner of the plot for growing vegetables. Few know how to plant onions before winter in order to get rich offspring. First of all, do not forget that onions after onions can be planted only after two years, then the planting site must be changed. Optimally plant winter onion after crops such as cereals, beets, tomatoes, cabbage. It is not recommended to plant onions after potatoes or beans.

Before planting onions before winter, and so that there is a large fruit, it is necessary to properly prepare the set for planting. Onions must be sorted by size, they are divided into wild oats (less than 1 cm in diameter), sets (1-3 cm) and a selection (more than 3 cm). For green feathers, the last option is suitable; for large fruits for the winter, it is better to plant a small seed. Large bulbs in most cases go into the arrow.

Many gardeners are wondering whether to cut the onion before winter or not? Agronomists have a clear answer - no, you cannot cut off. If you prune it, you can lose your crop, because cutting the top tail in the spring promotes faster germination of the bulbs. Cut off the bottom of the sevka in the fall, it just won't take root in you and will rot in the ground in winter.

It is important to choose the right soil where our vegetable will grow. The ideal option is a humus-sandy-type drained soil or loam rich in humus. The soil must be rich in nutrients so that, in poor soil, a good harvest can not be expected.

Next, you need to figure out how to plant onions before winter, to what depth to do it. In the prepared bed we make grooves, the depth of which is about 5 cm, and the distance between the rows is 20 cm. Place the bulbs after 7-10 cm with the bottom down and sprinkle with earth. Planting to such a depth is considered optimal so that the seedlings do not die in winter and sprout well in spring. No need to water. You can plant the sets thicker, after 3-5 cm, then in May it will be necessary to thin out the garden bed, pulling the specimens onto the greens and leaving the onions in the ground on a large turnip.

If the soil is fertilized, a little wood ash can be sprinkled into the grooves before planting, which is not only an excellent fertilizer, but also resists fungal diseases. Humus (1/2 bucket), compost are added to depleted soils, mineral complexes are added. Fresh manure is not applied when planting onions in the fall. With the onset of cold weather, the bed must be mulched with any available material - dead foliage, peat, sawdust, spruce branches, etc.

A lot of controversy arises about the fact that onions are planted only on greens before winter - it's not true, they are also planted on a large turnip. Advantage winter planting consists in the fact that the bulbs grow larger and the crop can be harvested in early July. It is worth noting that it is not produced in the fall.

In the spring, when the soil warms up enough and the threat of frost passes, remove the mulch from the beds. It is important to do this in time, before the onions begin to sprout. Remember to loosen the soil and fight weeds and pests.

The most popular varieties of winter onions

What varieties of onions are especially popular among leading experienced gardeners before winter? Let's talk about a few:

  • Ruby is a variety bred by Donetsk breeders. The vegetable has a light purple color, large bulb size, suitable for long-term storage
  • Buran is a versatile variety; it is characterized by a large round bulb with a bright yellow color. The variety has a high level of productivity, is well stored, its main drawback is the instability to peronosporosis
  • Black Prince is one of the varieties of purple onions that have a round, dense onion and a pungent taste.
  • Onions before winter Radar is a Dutch variety that is resistant to both frost and drought. The bulbs are characterized by a high density and a beautiful yellow color.
  • Siberian onions are the best option for growing on a feather. The shape of the bulb is flattened at the poles, the color is yellow. The variety is not only well kept, but also resistant to the appearance of arrows

These are not all winter varieties, Sturon is also suitable, but now you know how to plant onions before winter! Good harvests to you!

That onion can be planted before winter, it has been known for a long time, but this method has not become widespread, and only recently has interest in it increased. Until recently, such a landing was not written in the literature, or only mentioned about it, without going into details.

In 1993 in St. Petersburg a brochure by L. S. Borisenkova “Onions and Garlic” was published. It describes well different types onions, methods of cultivation, storage and use. About podzimny planting only one sentence: "small bulbs (less than 1 cm in diameter) are planted before winter" - and that's it.

What are the basic rules for planting onions before winter?

Onions are planted, like garlic, 30-35 days before the onset of stable frosts, for the Leningrad region this is the first half of October. One "experienced" gardener advised to plant onions before winter in the second half of November, fearing early shoots. This is not true. For planting before winter, onion varieties zoned in our country are suitable, and they have a dormant period until the end of December - mid-January. But the southern varieties of onions are unsuitable for planting on a turnip. The diameter of the seed should be no more than 1 cm. The soil is prepared in advance, dug deeply, fertilizer is applied, preferably humus, if not, mineral fertilizers - superphosphate - 20-25 g, potassium salt 10-15 g per square meter. I made an ecofosca - 30 g per square meter. It is recommended to add ash before planting. They make high beds - it's cold on low onions. The beds are carefully loosened. The grooves for planting are made deeper so that there is another 3-4 cm of soil above the seed. The distance between the rows is 20-25 cm, between the bulbs is 7-10 cm. Some gardeners plant more often, after 5-7 cm, but I think that this does not provide enough nutritional area, and I plant after 8-10 cm. The grooves are covered with humus , leveled with the back of the rake, slightly compacting. It is often advised to mulch the bed with peat or sawdust, forgetting to advise when to start mulching and when the mulch is removed. Peat has a high heat capacity and low thermal conductivity. It thaws slowly in spring and delays the onset of the growing season in plants. Therefore, you should not make peat cover.

For planting, choose a dry, sunny place. The earth is preliminarily loosened or dug up - depending on the type of soil. It is advisable to add compost or humus by mixing them with wood ash. The best precursors for onions are cucumbers, tomatoes, legumes, and potatoes. The beds should be high - 18 - 20 cm. Before planting, the prepared soil should have time to settle and compact a little.

For autumn planting, it is best to take onions of spicy varieties and, preferably, local ones - zoned. Recently, special varieties of winter onions have appeared: Kip-Well, Radar, Shakespeare.

Onion sets are usually divided into categories based on their size:

The first is 1 - 1.5 cm in diameter;
- the second - 1.5 - 3 cm in diameter;
- samples - more than 3 cm in diameter;
- wild oat - non-standard bulbs, less than 1 cm in diameter.


The best onions grow, as a rule, from the set of the first category, as well as from wild oats. It is generally recommended to plant wild oats only before winter - until spring, it will most likely simply dry out. The planting depth of such an onion is 2 - 3 cm. If you close up a shallow set to a depth of more than 4 cm, then in the spring it may not have enough strength to germinate, which will lead to the death of the bulbs.

Sevok of the second category, like samples, is planted before winter not to get turnip onions, but in order to have it early in spring green feather... If he is not removed to the green, then in the summer he will most likely shoot himself. This onion is planted to a depth of 4 - 6 cm and quite tightly.

For autumn planting, you can plant onions both in rows and in nests of 3-4 jokes. Fill up - with a mixture of peat and humus, or just garden soil. It is better not to cut the neck of the bulbs - it should be deepened into the soil by 1.5 - 2 cm.The distance between the plants is usually no more than 10 cm, and 15 - 20 cm is left between the rows.

Planting the bulbs must be completed before the soil freezes - for successful wintering, they need to root. Winter onions are planted at about the same time as winter garlic.


After planting, the garden bed is best mulched. Any organic material is suitable for this: dry leaves, hay, sash from beans and beans, but not polyethylene film... To prevent the mulch from being carried by the wind, dry branches or spruce branches are placed on top. In early spring, as soon as the snow melts, the shelter must be removed. If this is not done, the bed will warm up very slowly, and seedlings will appear much later. Sometimes it is advised to cover the winter onion plantings with peat or sawdust. But, as practice shows, in spring it is difficult to remove such mulch without breaking thin sprouts.

When enough snow falls, an additional layer of this best natural insulation should be thrown onto the garden bed. In the spring, water stagnation should not be allowed on the garden bed, as this can lead to soaking of the bulbs.
Immediately after the snow melts, the mulch and leaves are removed from the garden. For faster and more friendly germination, it is advisable to rake very shallow grooves above the rows. But this must be done carefully so as not to damage the seedlings.
The state of the sub-winter planting will be clearly visible already in April, and in case of failure (severe snowless winter), you can make adjustments with the remaining onion sets of large fractions or sell surplus sets if the sub-winter planting is in good condition.


To obtain larger heads at this time, the onion must be fed with a mullein solution or bird droppings (1:10) and cover with foil stretched over wire arcs.
In mid-May, it is necessary to carry out a second feeding with nitrofosky, 1 tbsp. l. per 1 m2 or feed it again with a mullein. At the beginning of the formation of the bulbs, it is necessary to feed with superphosphate and potassium sulfate, and on sufficiently acidic soils, replace this feeding with wood ash. Until July, regular watering is required with the obligatory loosening of the soil. By the beginning of August, the onions are ready for harvest.

Podzimny onions ripen a little earlier than planted in spring and usually produce one large onion, regardless of varietal characteristics. Plants are usually not damaged by the onion fly, since by the beginning of its flight a large root lobe forms on the bottom of the set, and it becomes inaccessible to the fly for laying eggs.
In addition, the planting material of wild boar is 3 times less than the weight of a standard seed, and it costs much less in autumn than in spring.
Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds in sowing wild boats in winter. The reason is the violation of the conditions for its cultivation, which we have just talked about: early or too deep planting, lack of mulching of sowing and spring snow retention. Compliance with the proposed technology will provide you good harvest onions and turnips from wild boats.

Planting care:

Before the arrival of the first frosts, it is necessary to mulch the beds with the planted onion sets, you can simply use sawdust or peat. The mulch layer must be made from 2 to 3 centimeters. Correct and timely mulching will save your bulbs from freezing. After the arrival of spring, it is necessary to collect a layer of mulch so that it does not interfere with the heating of the soil in time and so that the seedlings appear on time. If, however, the winter turned out to be little snow, then it is necessary to add additional snow to the beds. In the spring it is necessary to ensure that there is no standing melt water on the beds with onions, the bulbs under such a combination of circumstances can "get wet".

The performed actions allow our onions to winter well, and give good, healthy shoots. When planting is thickened, onion thinning is allowed, with an interval between plants from 5 to 6 centimeters. The extra onion that was pulled out can be used for cooking.

  • The diameter of the seed should be no more than 1 cm. The neck of the onions is not cut off.
  • The earth is prepared in advance, dug up deeply, fertilizer is applied, humus is better, if it is not there - mineral fertilizers - superphosphate - 20-25 g, potassium salt 10-15 g per square meter.
  • It is recommended to add ash before planting. The beds are made high, since it is cold on low onions.
  • The grooves for planting are made deeper so that there is another 3-4 cm of soil above the seed. The distance between the rows is 20-25 cm, between the bulbs is 7-10 cm.
  • The bulbs are buried so that the neck is 2-3 cm below the soil level.
  • After planting, the seedlings are not watered.
  • For onions, autumn is the best time to plant. You can, of course, plant in spring, but then the onion turns out to be very bitter and comes up late. If you sow sevok in the fall, you get a very strong, and most importantly tasty and slightly sweet onion in the spring. And he rises much earlier than his spring brother.
  • An onion planted before winter is not harmed by an onion fly, it is less often affected by powdery mildew.
  • If you just plant a small onion, not a set, before winter, then there will certainly be arrows.
  • A large set, more than 3 cm, also goes into the arrow.
  • The beds in the spring, after the onions have sprung up, are carefully loosened.

The topic is immense, read more:

Onions are not the easiest culture. If the summer is damp, it can start to deteriorate right in the garden; if it is dry, it tends to throw out the arrows. Some gardeners are beginning to put into practice a new method of planting onions - before winter. But, like any new endeavor, it is not always successful. To get a good harvest, you need to know and follow certain rules of agricultural technology.

For planting, choose a dry, sunny place. The earth is preliminarily loosened or dug up - depending on the type of soil. It is advisable to add compost or humus by mixing them with wood ash. The best precursors for onions are cucumbers, tomatoes, legumes, and potatoes. The beds should be high - 18 - 20 cm. Before planting, the prepared soil should have time to settle and compact a little.

For autumn planting, it is best to take onions of spicy varieties and, preferably, local ones - zoned. Recently, special varieties of winter onions have appeared: Kip-Well, Radar, Shakespeare.

Onion sets are usually divided into categories based on their size:

The first is 1 - 1.5 cm in diameter;
- the second - 1.5 - 3 cm in diameter;
- samples - more than 3 cm in diameter;
- oatmeal - non-standard bulbs, less than 1 cm in diameter.

The best onions grow, as a rule, from the set of the first category, as well as from wild oats. It is generally recommended to plant wild oats only before winter - until spring it will most likely simply dry out. The planting depth of such an onion is 2 - 3 cm. If you close up a shallow set to a depth of more than 4 cm, then in the spring it may not have enough strength to germinate, which will lead to the death of the bulbs.

Sevok of the second category, like samples, is planted before winter not to get turnip onions, but in order to have an early green feather in spring. If he is not removed to the green, then in the summer he will most likely shoot himself. This onion is planted to a depth of 4 - 6 cm and quite tightly.

When planting in autumn, onions can be planted both in rows and in nests of 3-4 jokes. Fill up - with a mixture of peat and humus, or just garden soil. It is better not to cut the neck of the bulbs - it should be deepened into the soil by 1.5 - 2 cm.The distance between the plants is usually no more than 10 cm, and 15 - 20 cm are left between the rows.

Planting the bulbs must be completed before the soil freezes - for successful wintering, they need to root. Winter onions are planted at about the same time as winter garlic.

After planting, it is best to mulch the bed. Any organic material is suitable for this: dry leaves, hay, sash from beans and beans, but not plastic wrap. To prevent the mulch from being carried by the wind, dry branches or spruce branches are placed on top. In early spring, as soon as the snow melts, the shelter must be removed. If this is not done, the bed will warm up very slowly, and seedlings will appear much later. Sometimes it is advised to cover podzimnye planting of onions with peat or sawdust. But, as practice shows, in spring it is difficult to remove such mulch without breaking thin sprouts.

The advantages of planting onions in autumn are obvious:

No need to worry about preserving small onion sets during the winter;
- bulbs from wild oat grow as large as from the second category seedlings planted in spring;
- planted before winter, wild oat does not give arrows;
- podzimny onion ripens earlier than usual, spring, and is well stored throughout the winter;
- the onion grows healthier - a weak and diseased set dies in winter;
- turnip onions are less damaged by the onion fly, because by the beginning of summer a dense root lobe has already formed on its bottom, which prevents the fly from laying eggs;
- saving time for planting, which is so lacking in spring;
- there is a noticeable saving of funds for the purchase of planting material - in autumn it is much cheaper than in spring.

The reason for the failure could be:

Soaking the bulbs in the spring with a delay in the beds of water;
- planting bulbs too deep;
- planting the seed too early - the bulbs had time to germinate before frost;
- repeated freezing and thawing of poorly mulched bulbs due to weather conditions.

A multi-tiered bow is also planted before winter. The best time for this is the end of August, so that it has time to take root, germinate and accumulate a supply of nutrients. Next year, up to 20 leaves and 3 to 4 arrows with tiers of air bulbs will appear from each bulb. In addition, 2 - 3 basal "babies" grow at the mother's bulb. In the second and third years, the number of bulbous arrows usually increases. This onion is perennial. You don't need to dig it up for the winter.

Planted multi-tiered onions in rows, with a distance of about 20 cm between plants. Planting depth - 3 - 5 cm. The distance between the rows is at least 20 cm.

Planning for the future harvest begins in the fall. How to find out if the winter method of planting onions is suitable for your own garden and local climatic conditions? This can be done only by conducting a small experiment on at least 1 - 2 beds.