What is feather forcing and what is the technology?

What do we miss most in our bodies in winter? That's right, vitamins. To do this, we try to constantly eat vegetables and fruits. But it is not necessary to buy them in stores, because some vegetables can be grown at home, for example, greens. Forcing onions on a feather is a very popular option for growing vegetables, which is easy to carry out even in a city apartment. In addition to the fact that green onions contain many useful substances, their use in various dishes also gives a special charm and taste. The technology for forcing onions on a feather is not complicated, and with the help of this article we will help you figure it out.

The main rules of cultivation

Forcing onions on a feather can be carried out at any time of the year, because it is not difficult to create suitable conditions. The growth of green onions is largely dependent on the nutrients supplied to the bulbs, so there is virtually no difference where to grow onions - in a greenhouse, nurseries or insulated beds. But still there is one caveat - adhere to the methods of proper agricultural technology and fulfill all the requirements regarding the conditions for the growth and development of the plant. Not only will you be able to harvest high yields of quality green onions, but these methods can help shorten the forcing period.

First of all, you need to choose the right variety, because not all are well suited for forcing, in some the underground part develops much faster. These are multi-primordial species, from each primordium up to five leaves can form, respectively, and more greenery will turn out. Soviet varieties Strigunovsky, Rostovsky, Spassky were very popular at one time, now Amber and Black Prince are also grown. They were planted at the end of October. Closer to winter, Arzamassky, Soyuz, Bessonovsky are planted, Sprint and Siberian yellow are well grown at home. Most likely, you will have to deal with modern varieties, since it is very problematic to get Soviet ones these days. In addition to varieties, attention should be paid to the types: leeks, shallots, batun, multi-tiered, slime onions are best suited for forcing on a feather. Each of them is endowed with distinctive properties and characteristics, has its own advantages, so make a more detailed choice based on personal preferences.

You can grow onions on a feather in a greenhouse or in the open field. It is planted in open soil either in the fall, about two weeks before frost, or in early spring, immediately after the snow melts. It is advisable to lightly prepare the bulbs before planting: soak them in warm water for about a day, and just before planting in the ground, slightly cut the top. Thanks to such ingenuous measures, forcing will occur faster, and yields will significantly increase.

Forcing onions on a feather in a garden bed is carried out in two ways: bridge and tape. In the first case, the bulbs are placed close to each other, so about 10 kg of vegetables will be needed per 1 square meter. Sprinkle earth on top with a thin layer of earth. The tape method involves placing the bulbs in grooves at a distance of two to three centimeters, the distance between the rows is 10-15 cm. If this whole thing happens in the fall, then you should additionally “cover” the seedlings with a layer of manure or humus five centimeters thick.

You can also grow onions in the open field for feathers and from seeds.This method is rarely used, it attracts gardeners only because of its cheapness (the cost of seeds is much lower than that of turnips), but it takes a lot of time - you need to sow in July, and you will get the harvest only in spring. Mulching is also added to the usual care measures (soil preparation, fertilizing, watering) (as a rule, straw is used, it is very good if there is peat). It is clear that for a good harvest, only high-quality bulbs should be used, but some gardeners separately plant old, small or rotten specimens, because they will still have to be thrown away, and this will result in a small contribution to the main crop.

You can grow onions in a greenhouse all year round. Only the bridge method is used. The soil should contain as much nutrients as possible, so feel free to add manure, humus, peat, fertilizers (but only mineral fertilizers, any chemical preparations are categorically contraindicated!). Additionally, you can treat the soil with wood ash.

As with planting in open ground, first soak the bulbs in warm water for a day and cut the tops, only it is not necessary to sprinkle it with earth in the greenhouse. It is best to plant in separate boxes, it is much more convenient and simpler. Care is not difficult - periodic watering, a couple of times to make top dressing, monitor the air temperature (it is undesirable for it to drop below 20 degrees, do not allow drafts). Watch closely so that the plants do not get sick, immediately remove the infected, until the entire plantation is killed. It is recommended to collect a feather after it reaches a length of 25 -35 cm, depending on the variety.

Forcing on hydroponics

Forcing onions on a feather using hydroponics is a convenient way to have greens almost all year round for your own use and for sale. This method allows you to harvest green onions in a very short time. First of all, you should also decide on the variety. You can use the same ones as for open ground, there is not much difference. It is not complete without preliminary preparation. As in the previous method, you can simply cut the top of the bulb, you can make two shallow (about a third) cross-to-cross cuts. In the second case, it is necessary to give the incised fruits a little time to "heal wounds" by placing them in the shade for a couple of days, but then the feather will grow at an accelerated rate. There is another way to speed up germination - soak for at least 10 hours in warm water, adding a little wood ash.

The next step is to prepare the necessary equipment, there are special plates for hydroponics, mats are widely used. You will also need special liquid fertilizers, which can be easily purchased at various specialized stores. It is worth planting onions only in a moist substrate so that it can immediately receive nutrients.

If you are planting bulbs that have already begun to grow feathers, then give them more free space: there should be the same distance between rows and bulbs in a row - 2-3 cm.Experienced gardeners still recommend sprinkling with vermiculite.

For the first week, the "plantation" should be kept in a cool and dark place. During this time, the root system will have time to develop, which will become the key to successful feather growth. Further, on the contrary, plants need a lot of light for the growth of greenery. Therefore, take care of the light sources in advance. This is especially true in winter, when the daylight hours are very short, so the use of lamps is inevitable to achieve a high yield. But in addition to lamps, you will have to use devices to increase the temperature, it must constantly be at least 25 degrees. This will also accelerate the growth of the feather, and in two weeks it can reach a length of up to 30 cm.

Most gardeners agree that forcing onions on a feather is more profitable using hydroponics, especially if you build your business on it.A huge advantage is due to the ability to grow in winter, while not spending extra efforts. But it doesn't matter for what purpose you will grow green onions, the main thing is that this activity should give you pleasure, and to have some benefit from this is another pleasure. We hope that our advice was not in vain and will be useful to you in the future.

Video "Forcing onions on a feather"

This video covers preparing an onion for planting in sawdust for forcing on a feather. Onion-turnip salad variety.