A Detailed Guide to the Latest Welsh Onion Seed Prices and Growing Methods

The Welsh onion is also known as green onion, four-season onion, and "peacemaker herb," among other names. It is a biennial herbaceous plant in the Amaryllidaceae family, genus Allium. It is very commonly grown in northern China, with production areas mainly distributed across the northwest, northeast, and north China regions. It holds an extremely important position in China's vegetable production, and its cultivated area accounts for 10% of the total vegetable sown area. Now let's take a look at Welsh onion seed prices and growing methods!

How much do Welsh onion seeds cost?

The price of Welsh onion seeds varies greatly depending on the variety. For example, Yamamoto Kongo high-yield, high-quality stiff-stalk Welsh onion seeds cost about 240 yuan per box, while non-splitting-leaf Japanese imported Welsh onion seeds cost about 320 yuan per box. For raising Welsh onion seedlings, use fresh seeds from the current year, with a sowing rate of 3-4 kg per mu, which can provide transplants for 6-8 mu of land. If using old seeds stored for one year, the seeding rate should be increased by more than double; seeds stored for more than two years can no longer be used.

Growing Conditions for Welsh Onions

1. Temperature: The Welsh onion originated in semi-cold regions. It produces high yields and good quality in cool and warm climates, has strong cold tolerance, and can endure temperatures as low as -20°C. Seedlings can safely overwinter at -10°C, and it can withstand high temperatures of up to 45°C.

2. Light: The Welsh onion does not have high requirements for light intensity, and its requirement for day length is neutral. As long as vernalization is completed under low temperatures, it can normally bolt and flower regardless of day length.   

3. Water: The leaves of the Welsh onion are tubular and covered with a waxy layer, giving it drought resistance and the ability to reduce water evaporation. Its root system lacks root hairs and has poor water absorption capacity, so water supply must be met at all growth stages for it to grow vigorously.   

4. Soil: The Welsh onion actually does not have strict soil requirements, but its root mass is small, it lacks root hairs, and its ability to absorb fertilizer is poor. If high yields are desired, soil that is loose, deep, fertile, well-drained, and rich in organic matter must be selected.

Variety Selection for Welsh Onions

1. Spring planting and autumn harvest: Generally, seedlings are raised from March to April, transplanted from May to June, and harvested from October to December. Varieties are required to grow quickly, tolerate heat and rain, and have high yields. Options include Puwei Star No. 3, No. 4, Minghui, and New Champion, etc. Generally, small-leaf varieties are not chosen.

2. Spring planting and winter harvest: Generally, seedlings are raised from March to May, transplanted from June to July, and harvested from December to January of the following year. Varieties are required to have good market quality, a high marketable rate, strong low-temperature tolerance, and high yields, such as Uto Welsh onion, Star No. 2, Mingmen, Changfeng Welsh onion, and Fengyu Ippon, etc.

3. Summer-autumn planting and spring harvest: Generally, seedlings are raised from May to September, transplanted from September to November, and harvested from May to July of the following year. Varieties are required to resist bolting, resist disease, have high yields, and allow delayed harvesting, such as Puwei Long Summer, Chunhuo Late Bolting, and Mingjiang Late Bolting, etc.

4. Winter planting and spring-summer harvest: Generally, seedlings are raised from September to October, transplanted from November to December, and harvested from May to July of the following year. Varieties are required to tolerate low temperatures, resist bolting, have strong disease resistance, and allow delayed harvesting, such as Puwei Long Summer, Chunhuo Late Bolting, Mingjiang Late Bolting, Star No. 2, and Fengyu Ippon, etc.

Growing Methods for Welsh Onions

1. Sowing time: Climatic conditions differ between northern and southern China, so sowing times also vary. The optimal time is determined by the size of the seedlings before overwintering. If they are too large, they easily pass through vernalization and bolt the following spring; if too small, they cannot safely overwinter. The standard for pre-winter seedlings is to grow to the two-leaf-one-heart stage.

2. Preparing the seedbed: The seedbed should be chosen from land that is level, fertile, close to a water source, and convenient for drainage. Plow shallowly and harrow finely, apply 50 kg of compound fertilizer per mu as base fertilizer, and at the same time apply 2.5 kg of carbofuran per mu and 0.5 kg of carbendazim powder to kill underground pests and pathogens.

3. Sowing method: Before sowing, first take out the covering soil from the bed, then irrigate the bed with enough water. After the water has infiltrated, mix the seeds with sandy soil and broadcast them twice in the bed, then cover with soil to a thickness of 1.5-2 cm. For a seedling-raising field, use 1.3 kg of seed per mu, which can be transplanted to 3-5 mu.

4. Timely transplanting: Welsh onions sown in summer are transplanted in early to mid-September, while those sown in autumn are transplanted in March to April of the following year. Use a row spacing of 80 cm and a plant spacing of 1.5-2 cm, and transplant in furrows. Before transplanting, first grade the onion seedlings strictly, then treat them with chemicals to eliminate root maggots and ensure a full stand.

5. Reasonable watering: After transplanting Welsh onions, the focus of management is promoting root growth, so watering should be controlled. Drain after rain to prevent waterlogging and avoid causing root rot, yellow leaves, and dead seedlings. If it rains continuously after transplanting, it will lead to root rot and dead seedlings, so timely drainage should be carried out. In case of high temperature and drought, water to lower the temperature.

6. Timely topdressing: After the Beginning of Autumn, apply a “leaf-promoting fertilizer,” with 1500-2000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure and 20-25 kg of superphosphate per mu. After White Dew, apply a “plant-promoting fertilizer” twice in combination with watering, each time with 15-20 kg of urea and 10-15 kg of potassium sulfate per mu.

7. Timely hilling: Hilling is an important measure for softening the leaf sheaths, preventing lodging, and improving the yield and quality of the white stalk. From the Beginning of Autumn to before harvest, generally hill three times. Combine the first two hillings with intertillage, banking the ridge soil into the onion furrows, and after the End of Heat, fill the furrows level.