Planting out onion plantlets

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Crops, vegetables: 3

Planting out onion plantlets Afrikaans | Xhosa

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Most of the onion cultivars cultivated in South Africa, are first grown in seedbeds and then planted out onto the lands. Different methods are used, each having its advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the method of planting out, as many as one-third of the plantlets can die between planting out and harvesting.

What precautions can the onion farmer take?

The soil cultivation must be such that it does not pulverise the soil. It must, however, be as even as possible so as to give the plantlets the best chance to take.

There are 3 methods commonly used to plant out onion plantlets:

Slit trenches are made against a planting line with a spade or hoe. After the seedlings have been planted, the trench is filled up so that the white part of the seedling is covered by soil.

Furrows are made with a hand plough having a single share. After the seedlings have been planted, the furrow is covered up with the same little plough, simultaneously preparing the next furrow for planting. This method is suitable for both small- and large-scale planting.

Cogged rollers are used to impress planting holes in the soil. The cogs are welded onto the roller at the distances the farmer wants to plant the seedlings apart. The seedlings are then put singly into the holes and the soil is pressed down around them.

Click to enlarge! In each case the white part of the seedlings must be well covered with soil. It is recommended not to plant the seedlings deeper than 4 cm. If they are planted too deep, bulb forming is inhibited, leading to long bulbs that are not very suitable for sale.

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The handling of the seedlings from the seedbed to the land is very important. It is better not to cut off the leaves and roots, because such plants are dried out by the wind, and they die more easily of disease. The wringing off of the leaves and roots is not recommended at all.

Loosen the seedlings in the seedbed with a fork, then pull up small clumps of seedlings, and be careful not to bruise them. Pack them into boxes or cartons, but preferably not in bags, because this bruises them during transport. Sweltering in bags can lead to fungus diseases.

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After the seedlings have been planted out, they must be watered immediately. Losses will be limited if the plants are watered on the same day that they are planted out.

If plants are too large when they are planted out, they go to seed more readily. Such plants are also larger earlier in the season while it is still cold. Small plants, on the other hand, soon die if they get too little water, or are exposed to strong wind. The ideal plant size is between 4 and 6 cm (pencil thickness), with no swelling yet of the bulb.

Regarding plant density, dense planting results in going to seed, especially in late onions. Planting too far apart leads to large, split bulbs.

Approximately 600,000 plants per hectare, or 60 plants per m² are recommended, that is, 7 cm between plants in the row, and 25 cm between the rows.

P Coetzee
ELSENBURG / ARC Vegetable and Ornamental plant Institute / JW Seed