When and how to sow Exhibition onions for seedlings

Sowing Exhibition seedlings allows for an earlier and more abundant onion harvest, as plants need more time to develop when grown directly from seed in open ground. This method also allows you to select the strongest and healthiest onion varieties for cultivation, which also contributes to a higher yield.

The best time for planting depends on your region and the lunar calendar. Generally, it's recommended to begin planting in the second half of February or during March, depending on the region, when daylight hours begin to increase. However, weather conditions and the phase of the moon should be considered beforehand to ensure the best results.

Deadlines

Of course, you can choose any convenient day for sowing, but we suggest doing it differently, that is, more scientifically: take advantage of the many years of experience of agricultural technicians and look at the lunar calendar.

It will tell you when:

• work directly with plants;
• fight insect pests;
• it's better to feed;
• put your tools aside and plan your work for the next six months to a year.

The dates indicated in it are:

• favorable for planting and working with vegetable and garden crops;
• unfavorable;
• prohibited for working with plants;
• neutral.

All these days are important for gardeners, as they determine the planting date for any plant, transplanting seedlings, sanitation work, and so on. However, work should also be planned based on the region, air and soil temperatures, and weather forecasts for the coming weeks.

By the way, have you already read What will spring be like this year??!

Favorable days

There are two ways to grow onions. The first is to purchase ready-made seedlings, or "sets," as they're called. The second is to cultivate them yourself. This method, while more labor-intensive, is less expensive (sets are expensive in stores), and it offers a virtually 100% guarantee of a good harvest.

Table of "lucky" days for sowing (when the moon is waning):

To guarantee a bountiful harvest, combine the lunar calendar with the information on the seed packaging, add information from weather forecasts, and calculate the timing of transplanting future seedlings to the garden beds based on the region where you live or the area where you will be transporting the seedlings.

And now the forbidden dates when you should definitely not do any work (New Moon, Full Moon, and the days before and after them):

The remaining days that are not listed here are neutral.

By region

The Exhibition variety can be grown in various regions of Russia: the Moscow region, the Urals, Siberia, and other areas. This variety has almost no bitterness, is juicy, and boasts impressive size. Its only drawback is poor shelf life. It cannot be preserved for future use. The technology is the same for all regions; only the timing varies.

1. In the Urals and Siberia, it is sown for seedlings in late March. Weather permitting, by the end of May the seedlings can be brought outdoors to harden off and planted in the garden in early June. Due to the unstable weather conditions typical of northern regions, they are covered with plastic at night.
2. Weather conditions in central Russia, including the Moscow region, allow for direct planting outdoors as early as mid-May. However, every year is different, and spring and summer can be delayed. If weather forecasts are unfavorable, it's still best to plant from seedlings, choosing the first two weeks of March.

In the northwestern region, the timing is the last ten days of March to the first ten days of April. And in the south, the earliest is the second half of February.

Features of cultivation

The Exhibition onion is a beautiful, large plant (a single fruit can weigh up to 900 grams), so it requires special attention. It tolerates winter planting very well. Experience has shown that it sprouts faster this way than with the standard spring method, and has a stronger immune system.

Preparing seeds and soil

Like seeds of other varieties, they need to be sorted to avoid any non-viable ones—those that won't germinate. Place them in a glass of warm water and let sit for 60 minutes. Discard any that float to the surface, and keep those that sink to the bottom.

After an hour, remove the seeds and place them in clean water. Place them on a paper towel, moisten them, and leave them for 7 days until seedlings appear. As they dry out, moisten them with warm water.

Seeds that have sprouted are planted in a common container or in separate cups.

Exhibition prefers light, loose, and nutritious soil, so it's recommended to assess your garden beds and prepare the soil. You can enrich the soil by:

• humus (you will need 2 buckets of fertilizer for each m²);
• sand (regular river sand will do);
• charcoal (it needs to be finely crushed).

It grows best in sandy or super-sandy soil, and requires mineral fertilizers and frequent loosening.

Planting and care

The onions presented here can be planted in a variety of ways, choosing the one that's suitable for their growing region: from seeds, seedlings, or sets. The first method has one major drawback: the bulbs don't grow as large as those grown with other methods.

Their maximum weight does not exceed 300 g, while with other methods, one specimen will weigh on average 800-900 g. This variety is sown by seeds both indoors and before winter, but in already frozen soil before severe frosts or at their very beginning.

When planting in open ground in spring or early summer, follow this plan:

• They select seeds, leaving only those that are guaranteed to germinate;
• disinfect;
• prepared by gluing seeds with a special solution onto strips of thin paper;
• prepare the soil: loosen it, fertilize it with wood ash, treat it with fungicides, and make furrows.

Place the paper seed-side up in the prepared furrow, cover with soil, and water thoroughly. To prevent the paper from freezing, cover the entire thing with a special covering.

Soil preparation is essential. For winter cultivation, select a well-lit, sunny site and create raised beds.

Since not all seeds germinate with this method, they are not placed in furrows but rather scattered thickly. Once covered with soil, they should be thoroughly watered with warm water and mulched.

If the "winter" Exhibition grows in northern regions where frosts are possible until the end of spring, mulching is done again when the snow melts.

Planting seedlings is a method that allows the bulb to reach its maximum weight. They are grown indoors or in greenhouses and hardened off two weeks before transplanting to their permanent location.

To do this you need:

• dig up the soil, level it, remove weeds, water the soil and make holes;
• shorten the roots of the seedlings by 1/3, plant them at a depth of 3 cm, keeping at least 20 cm between the seedlings;
• sprinkle with earth, water;
• feed after 20 days.

The third method is using onion sets, which is not common, but possible. These are small bulbs prepared in advance. The rules are the same as those described above.

Fertilizers and pest control

The Exhibition variety achieves its maximum sweetness and juiciness if the soil and fertilizer are suitable for it.

The second type is organic or mineral fertilizers: chicken manure, mullein, complex fertilizers containing potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and urea. Fertilizing can be done less frequently, once every 25-30 days.

Prevention begins as early as seed selection and disinfection. To achieve this, seeds are treated with fungicides and hardened off before planting. This ensures that the future harvest develops a strong immune system and can resist diseases.

Common diseases:

• bottom rot;
• smut;
• stem nematode infestation (small worm).

If rot is detected (it appears on the roots and then spreads to the bottom), the bulb should be removed from the garden bed to prevent the disease from spreading to neighboring fruits.

Smut (a fungus) is an easy-to-spot disease. When the disease occurs, plant leaves become striped and dark-ash-colored. Removing these leaves promptly can save the crop and stop the disease.

The nematode settles in the very center of the bulb; you can see the plant's foliage begin to lighten and curl. If this happens, the plants should be uprooted and burned, and the soil in the area treated with pesticides.

To prevent pests and diseases, it is recommended to use only tested and treated planting material, as well as to treat the soil before planting. This can be done by alkalizing the soil with dolomite flour or lime.

Tips for a Bigger Harvest

A single Exhibition bulb can weigh over 1 kg, which is considered a large harvest. A single bulb requires plenty of space and nutrients, so avoid planting too close together. However, to ensure all bulbs in a bed are equally large, it's worth heeding the advice of those who have been gardening for years:

1. This type of onion grows slowly, especially at first, so when germinating seeds at home, it will require additional lighting.
2. Don't overwater. Excess water makes this variety watery and tasteless. Water only when the beds dry out.
3. Don't forget to treat your plantings for downy mildew. This disease slows plant growth, preventing the bulb from reaching its desired varietal weight.