When to Start Sowing Onion Seeds? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Sowing Times

Onion, as a vegetable with a pungent odor, is distributed throughout our country. And because onion has high nutritional value, it is also welcomed by many people. When growing onions, the sowing work is very important. When sowing, we first need to determine the sowing time for onions. So when is the best time to start sowing onion seeds? Below, the editor will briefly introduce this to everyone. Let's take a look!

1. Sowing Conditions

Onion is a vegetable that likes to grow in a cool and dry environment, and its tolerance to heat and high temperatures is relatively poor. Onion seeds can germinate at a temperature of about 4 degrees, but the optimal germination temperature is generally around 16-17 degrees. It must not be too high; if it exceeds 25 degrees, the growth rate will decrease significantly. The growth of onion seedlings requires keeping the soil moist, and the soil pH should also be controlled at around 6; it must not be saline-alkaline. Onion is a vegetable of the green-plant vernalization type. When its seedlings grow to a certain size, they can undergo normal vernalization under suitable temperature and time conditions.

2. Sowing Time

When determining the sowing time for onions, we must first base it on the region. Because regions differ, their climatic environments will differ greatly. Therefore, their sowing times will also differ. For example, if growing onions in South China, sowing is generally needed when winter is approaching. If growing them in the Yangtze River Basin, autumn sowing is mainly used. However, if conditions permit, they can be grown year-round using greenhouses. Be sure to control the sowing time well to avoid sowing too early or too late, which would affect the growth and yield of onions.

3. Making Beds and Fertilizing

Then we must also pay attention to making the beds well. The height of the beds for onion sowing should be maintained at about 1.5 m, and the width should be controlled at about 27 cm. After making the beds, level the bed surface, and then apply an appropriate amount of fertilizers such as superphosphate per mu. Also apply sufficient decomposed farmyard manure as base fertilizer, and then after the onion seeds emerge, spread an appropriate amount of quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer together with watering, generally mainly urea, to ensure normal growth of the onion seedlings. At the same time, pay attention to the prevention and control of underground pests. Together with land preparation, apply an appropriate amount of phorate and evenly turn it into the soil, then level it.

4. Timely Sowing

After leveling the bed surface, the sowing work can begin. First water, then evenly broadcast the seeds on the soil, and then cover with a layer of about 1 cm of nutrient soil to ensure full emergence. After sowing, if poor soil moisture prevents onions from emerging normally, then spray water appropriately to promote emergence. The seeds can also be pre-germinated; the method is similar to that for other vegetable seeds. Only by ensuring the emergence rate of onions and the survival of seedlings can sowing be done better.

The above is a brief introduction to when to start sowing onion seeds. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!