by Is it possible to help onions whose feathers have begun to wither, dry out and fall off? It is possible if you find the reason that led to this problem. However, you need to start the operation to save the vegetable as early as possible.
Yellowing of the feathers is most often caused by errors in onion care and pest attacks.
Insufficient watering
One of the possible reasons that can lead to yellowing of onions is insufficient watering. Onions, especially at the beginning of the growing season, need a lot of water. Thanks to it, the active growth of the above-ground part occurs, and nutrients and liquid accumulate in it. If the weather is hot and the plant does not have enough moisture, the feathers lose elasticity, begin to turn yellow and break. Check the soil: if the soil is dry at a depth of 3-5 cm, then the onion needs watering.
How often should you water onions? Of course, it depends on the weather conditions. If there is no rain in June – early July, the onions are watered at least 1-2 times a week at the rate of 10-15 liters of water per 1 sq.m. Then the amount of watering is reduced, and two weeks before the bulbs ripen, it is completely stopped. Otherwise, the taste of the onions will deteriorate, they will not be stored well and will begin to rot.
Nitrogen deficiency
Yellowing of onion feathers in May-June often indicates a lack of nitrogen in the soil, which is essential for plants at the beginning of development. In this case, yellowing is often accompanied by a small number of feathers, which grow short and narrow.
To replenish the deficiency of this element, feed the onion with any nitrogen fertilizer.
If you prefer mineral fertilizers, then take urea (carbamide) – one of the most concentrated nitrogen fertilizers. Dissolve 10-15 g of the preparation in 10 liters of water and water the plantings.
Organicists can use an infusion of mullein, horse manure or chicken manure. A good effect is achieved by combining organic and mineral fertilizers. In 10 liters of water, dilute 1 liter of mullein and leave for several days, then add 1 tbsp. of urea. Water the onion plantings with the prepared fertilizer.
An excellent nitrogen fertilizer is also a grass infusion. Chop up freshly cut grass, the seeds of which have not yet ripened, and fill a container with this mass by 2/3. Then top up with water and leave for about a week. When the infusion is ready (foam will no longer form in the container), dilute it with water 1:5 and water the onion beds with this fertilizer.
Pests of onions
Yellowing of onion feathers can also be caused by pests infesting the plants. Most often, the culprit of the problem is onion fly – the most common pest of onions.
In mid-May, the onion fly begins its flight. This insect itself does not cause harm to your plantings – its larvae do. The onion fly lays eggs on the bulbs, feathers and soil near the plants, from which larvae emerge within a week. They gnaw into the onion pulp and can destroy the entire bulb if no measures are taken.
To make sure that the yellowing of the onion occurred for this reason, dig up several plants and carefully examine the stem and bulb. If you find small white worms there, then the onion fly is indeed to blame and you need to start fighting it without delay.
If you do not destroy this generation of larvae, in early July, after pupation, they will turn into flies, which will produce another generation. And your onion and garlic crop will be under threat again.
How to fight onion fly? We will name the most common methods. However, remember that you will not be able to cope with this pest in one go – you will have to regularly treat the plantings during the season to prevent the fly from multiplying and save the remaining plants. In addition, the sooner you detect the pest, the higher the chances of victory.
Dusting
Sprinkle the beds with wood ash or tobacco dust several times per season. You can also use a mixture of 1 tbsp. tobacco dust, 1 tbsp. pepper, 1 cup of ash, mix it all and sprinkle the plantings. This composition is used not only to combat onion flies, but also to prevent fungal diseases.
Birch tar
Another remedy that effectively fights onion flies is birch tar. Dissolve 10 g of laundry soap and 30 tbsp of tar in 1 liters of water. Water the beds with the resulting solution every two weeks. Perform at least 2-3 such waterings per season.
A good way to prevent the appearance of onion flies is to soak onion sets before planting for 30 minutes in a tar solution: 1 teaspoon of tar per 1 liter of water.
Ammonia
This remedy will help to cope with two problems at once: lack of nitrogen in the soil and onion fly larvae. In 10 liters of water, dilute 3 tablespoons of 10% ammonia (sold in pharmacies). Then add enough potassium permanganate to get a pink solution. Mix everything. Water the plantings with the resulting solution once a week on pre-moistened soil. The number of waterings will depend on the degree of damage to the onion by the pest: sometimes two times is enough, sometimes you have to water at least five times.
Insekticidы
If you can’t cope with the onion fly using folk remedies, you will have to use insecticides – chemical preparations for fighting insect pests. Mukhoed and Alatar have proven themselves well. Use them strictly according to the instructions so as not to harm yourself and your plantings.
As a preventive measure, many gardeners use joint planting of onions and carrots in one bed. The onion fly does not like the smell of carrots, so it does not lay its eggs near this plant.
Fungal diseases of onions
Pull the plant out by the roots and cut the bulb. If it emits an unpleasant putrid smell, the cut shows affected scales (they are grayish or transparent), and there is white or yellow mycelium on the bottom, the roots have begun to rot, and the bottom has become soft, then your onion has been affected by one of the most dangerous fungal diseases of onions – fusarium (bottom rot)With this disease, the tips of the onion feathers begin to turn yellow, and the bulb itself becomes soft and watery.
How to fight fusarium
First, as with pests, you need to remove all plants that show signs of damage. This will protect your plantings from the rapid spread of the disease.
Secondly, water the bed with a strong solution of potassium permanganate or biofungicides Fitosporin-M or Agat-25 Super (dilute according to the instructions). These preparations effectively combat fungal diseases, but the treatment should be carried out at the first signs of the disease. Otherwise, you will have to use stronger fungicides, such as Maxim.
Even such a simple crop as onions needs constant attention. Only regular inspection of plantings will help to identify the problem in time and solve it quickly. Thanks to this, you will be able to save your plants and get a rich harvest.
