When growing onion sets, it's important to plant them promptly. Very cool weather conditions can lead to bolting. If you delay, the vegetable won't have time to develop healthy roots, and all its energy will be devoted to producing greens. This will seriously reduce yield. When choosing when to plant onion sets outdoors in 2021, consider the variety, the purpose and conditions of cultivation, the climate, and the recommendations of the Lunar Calendar.
Planting days for onions
Lunar calendar planting onion sets Astrologers have developed a calendar for 2021. To avoid harming your harvest, experienced vegetable growers advise not to ignore the lunar recommendations. Scientists annually compile a calendar based on the phases of the moon. It helps understand favorable and unfavorable dates for planting a particular crop. To understand when to plant, the moon alone isn't enough. You need to consider the location and weather. Although onion varieties aren't fussy about heat, they thrive in warm, sunny summers. Planting days for onions:
| Month | Favorable days for planting onions | Unfavorable dates for planting onions |
| January | 4-9, 13, 16, 17, 20-23, 26, 27, 30 | 2, 3, 10, 14, 15, 25, 31 |
| February | 2, 4, 7-9, 12-14, 17-20, 23-25 | 10, 11, 21, 22, 26, 27 |
| March | 3, 5, 8, 13-22, 24-28 | 9-11, 19-21, 25, 26 |
| April | 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 25, 26, 28 | 11, 12, 13, 27 |
| May | 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29 | 10, 11, 12, 26 |
| June | 2, 3, 6-8, 16-26, 29, 30 | 1, 4, 5, 10, 14, 15, 27, 28 |
| July | 4, 7, 13-17, 19-23, 27, 28, 31 | 1-3, 10, 24, 25, 29, 30 |
| August | 1, 5, 6, 10-15, 17-19, 23, 24, 27-31 | 7-9, 20, 21, 25, 26 |
| September | 1, 2, 3, 15, 16, 24, 25, 29, 30 | 6, 7, 8, 21 |
| October | 12, 13, 21, 22, 26, 27 | 5, 6, 7, 20 |
| November | 2, 3, 8, 9, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 | 4, 5, 6, 19 |
| December | 1, 2, 5-11, 14-21, 29-31 | 3, 4, 12, 13, 22, 23 |
Planting onions before winter should only be done on the recommended dates. Winter onions are healthy and can be harvested in early spring. Planting onions in the fall is popular in our country.
Changing the landing date according to the conditions
When growing onions, timing the planting is crucial. Once the snow melts, wait until the night frosts end and plant the sets promptly. When planting onions in the spring, consider the following factors:
- Climatic conditions in the growing region.
- Stable weather.
- Possibility of return of night frosts.
- Depths of soil heating.
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In the southern regions of the country, onion planting begins after March 15. In central Russia, the planting date is pushed back a month.
Depending on the region
Russia is vast and its weather varies greatly. Therefore, applying average figures for each region is impractical. In 2021, the time for planting green and turnip crops depends on the weather. The appropriate period is determined by the soil temperature. The ideal substrate temperature is around 12°C. OC. For different regions this indicator is achieved at different times:
- In the Moscow region, planting will begin on April 20.
- In the southern regions from April 15.
- For Siberia and the Urals, planting begins in early May.
You can roughly determine soil readiness by following folk wisdom. You can plant the vegetable as soon as the bird cherry blossoms. If you plan to grow onions indoors, in an unheated greenhouse, plant them 15-28 days earlier than in the garden:
- In the southern territory – from March 20.
- In central Russia – from March 28.
- In Siberia and the Urals – from April 15-18.
If you plan to grow seeds for seedlings, sow them in late winter. This process will take approximately 60 days.
Taking into account the characteristics of the variety
If a vegetable grower prefers to plant onion sets before winter, they need to choose the right variety and the right planting material. Many specialized winter varieties of this vegetable crop have been developed. Small onion bulbs are ideal for winter sowing. Early and mid-season varieties that mature in 60-90 days are preferred.
Winter sowing has its advantages: vegetables can be harvested earlier, and onion flies will not harm the crops.
Rules for growing onions
When undertaking any gardening project, it's important to know the intricacies and rules. Planting onion sets in the garden in spring is no exception. The techniques are simple, but it's essential to know all the preparatory steps.
Proper preparation of the substrate and open-ground site for onion sets is crucial. This will help create the perfect growing conditions and increase yields. It's important to prepare the area at your dacha in the fall or at least a month or so in the spring before planting. Follow these steps:
- It is necessary to clear the garden of dirt and weeds.
- Next, add fertilizer (since a bountiful harvest can only be achieved in fertile, nourishing soil!). To do this, add compost or humus to the garden (5 kg per square meter), then dig it to a depth of 350-400 mm.
- It is also necessary to add wood ash (200 g per m2). It serves not only as a fertilizer, but also as an excellent acidifier (and the plant does not tolerate acidic soils).
- When the soil is acidic, it must be deacidified. Dolomite flour in the garden (200 g per m) helps well.2).
Regardless of when the garden was prepared, it's essential to fertilize it with minerals in the spring. It's a good idea to add a complete fertilizer that contains equal amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, such as Nitroammophoska. Alternatively, you can use:
- Ammonium nitrate (20 g per m2).
- Double superphosphate (25 g per m2).
- Potassium sulfate (30 g per m2).
After the described preparatory measures, it is necessary to thoroughly loosen and level the soil with a rake.
Preparing and planting bulbs
To prevent problems later, it's necessary to prepare the bulbs. The most important preparation before planting in the spring is heating, which will help protect the vegetable from bolting. The planting material should be placed in a location with a temperature of 40-45°C. O(for example, on a radiator) and heat for 8-10 hours. After this, be sure to treat the bulbs with a fungicide before planting them in the garden to protect them from diseases. It's best to plant according to a specific pattern. The schematic plan and rules for planting onions in garden beds are basic. However, despite their simplicity, it's important to follow the method carefully and act with caution. The simplest and most convenient method for planting vegetables in the spring is:
- Rows are spaced 200 mm apart. The furrow depth should be 50-70 mm.
- Water the holes thoroughly.
- Place the bulbs in rows, bottom down, deepening them to the "shoulders" (neck). Space the bulbs 10 cm apart (if they are very small, a 6-7 cm gap can be maintained).
- And then you need to sprinkle the plantings with soil so that there is 20-30 mm above the bulbs.
Sowing onions in autumn is carried out according to the same scheme.
If planted too deeply, the bulb will develop slowly and will have an elongated shape when ripe. And if planted too close, the rhizome will not be properly enriched with nutrients.
Care tips
To enjoy a bountiful harvest, it's important not only to plant the onions wisely in the spring but also to carefully care for them. When green shoots appear above the planting soil, open the onion "shoulders" (necks) by pulling back a little soil. This careful attention will help you get the largest onions and ensure timely ripening of the harvest.
Basic rules for caring for onion crops into open ground the following:
- Don't forget about watering. During the active growing season, water the head of vegetables 1-2 times every 7 days. The soil should be kept constantly moist. Once July arrives, and the crop begins to actively ripen, reduce the frequency of watering; ideally, once every two weeks. Don't water the garden for 21 days before harvest.
- A crucial element of onion gardening is loosening the soil. Regularly loosen the bed to improve oxygen supply to the roots. This process is simple but extremely beneficial. Failure to do so can lead to a crust forming on the bed, preventing oxygen from reaching the roots. It's important to loosen the soil shallowly, not too deeply, to avoid damaging the roots.
- Weeding is necessary from time to time. This is essential when cultivating crops.
- Fertilizing your crops is the key to a high yield in terms of both quality and quantity. Initially, fertilize 21 days after planting. The correct method is to use bird droppings (1 part fertilizer to one and a half buckets of water) or well-rotted manure (1 part to 10). The normal amount of fertilizer is 10 liters per m.2 plantings. The second fertilization is performed 21 days after the initial feeding. Potassium sulfate and ammonium nitrate are used as fertilizers. Fertilize at a rate of 15 g of each product per m2 before watering.
Fertilize as needed. This can be determined by the plantings themselves: slow growth, pale foliage. For example, a very small green tuft and shortened tops indicate a nitrogen deficiency; drying out of the bulbs indicates a phosphorus deficiency; and grayish tops and jagged edges indicate a potassium deficiency.
Don't hill up onion sets! If you follow the care instructions, you'll be rewarded with a bountiful harvest.
Onion pests
As soon as the weather warms up in the garden, the first greenery appears. Perennials and onions planted in the winter begin to sprout. And often, when the green onions turn yellow and dry out, they begin to wilt. Although this vegetable crop has a significant number of medicinal properties and independently protects many vegetables in the garden from pests, it is also susceptible to attack. Most often, crops suffer from:
- Onion fly.
- Onion thrips.
- The hidden proboscis beetle.
- Onion moth.
To ensure protection of plantings, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures, spraying with insecticides and fungicides.
A bountiful harvest of onions from your garden plot is a true joy for every vegetable grower. The planting process is simple. The key is to do everything with high quality and meticulously, and to adhere to the recommended cultivation techniques.
The culmination of the entire process described is harvesting, the timing of which varies by region but typically falls between July 28 and August 15. The timing should be based on the plantings themselves. Before storing, the onions must be dried.


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Favorable days for planting onion sets in 2021 according to the moon, taking into account the regions
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