By Fatima Muraina
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Site selection
Purchase or lease a land preferably with, Red loam or sandy loam soil. Onions grow well in the nature of the soil, owing to its looseness and well-drained nature.
Also, after securing suitable land, buy equipment such as Rollers, Bearings, Belted Chain Sprockets, Onion harvesters, Hoes, etc.
Choose a Suitable Onion Variety using the availability of Sunlight before choosing the specie to plant.
Categories of onions
Short-day onions, Intermediate-day onions and Long-day onions.
Planting of Onions
Onions are widely cultivated either by sets, seeds, or transplant methods.
Sets are the simplest method to plant. These are immature onion bulbs planted to produce a mature bulb with shortest duration for harvest and limited complications of the diseases. However, sets are more prone to bolting than seedlings or transplants.
In planting Sets, sort seedlings by size, plant bigger seedlings set together (2 inches apart), and smaller seedlings together at close spacing.
Seeds are all about sowing onion from seeds. The major disadvantage of this method is that seeds take a longer period to get mature (about 4 months). Sowing seeds, could either be done indoors or outdoors.
For Indoor: Drop seeds directly on the soil surface (do not cover with soil, it will germinate with the aid of light).
It takes about 2weeks for seedlings to sprout. Ensure seeds are indoors for about 6 weeks before transplanting to the main field.
For Outdoor: Sow seedlings in two rows, about 1 inch deep into the soil, and water them from time to time.
Pests and diseases control
Onions are more prone to insects, weeds, and diseases than other vegetable crops. They are commonly affected by pests and diseases such as maggots, thrips, pink roots, smut, etc.
Onion Maggots are white, legless worms that move in the queue from one bulb to another and feed on onion stems. To control maggot invasion, scatter plant onions throughout the field.
Harvesting of Onions
When your onion top turns yellow, it means it is ready for harvest. Use a garden fork to pull the onion up. Loosen the soil and lay them in a cool dry place for about 48hours. Once onions are completely dry, cut the tops to 1 inch. Now they are ready to be consumed.
Storage of Onion
Store onion in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place. The suitable temperature for storing onion is 40 to 50 degrees F.
When the outer skin of your onions is completely dried, put them in mesh bags to allow airflow. At intervals, check bags for spoilt onions and remove them to avoid causing damage to others.
