HOW DO I PLANT ONIONS?
Planting onions may be different from planting crops like maize and beans. The procedures require technique and knowhow. Onions can be planted from seeds or bulbets. Sowing onion seeds is not as easy as you may think. There are various ways of sowing and this are:
1. BROADCASTING
Seeds are broadcasted on the nursery beds randomly ensuring each seed falls out individually to avoid congestion after germination. A thin soil layer is then applied.This method has been proved to work well with almost 100% crop stand after germination. Caution must be taken not to broadcast very many seeds at a single square unit as this may lead to damping off and other diseases.
2. FURROW
This is another method that works out well. Furrows are made about 15cm wide and slighlty low at 1 inch. Seeds are spread on the furrows and covered thinly with soil. Very small furrows will lead to a low germination rate as seeds will fall on each other and create congestion.
3. DIRECT SEEDING
This depends on variety and some varieties can be planted directly to the seedbed.
PLANTING ONIONS
Onions are first planted on a nursery bed and covered with mulch immeadiately after sowing. After germination, the mulch is raised about 1.5m above the tender plants to prevent direct sunlight. Irrigation is done regularly and the correct spray program and management practices applied all through the nursery stage which may take between 45-60 days.
The shade is reduced and completely removed 1 week before transplanting. This helps in hardening the crop, preparing it for the harsh conditons at the seedbed. To understandall stages involved here better, we have designed a tool for you. THE " ONION PRODUCTION MANUAL" covers all stages from nursery operations all the way to harvesting and storage. It also gives you some insights on the market structure for onions. Click on the link below to download your PDF e-copy.
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