Do you plant onions year after year, but instead of juicy heads you get small, diseased bulbs?
The culprit may be hidden infections in the planting material.
Simple pre-planting treatment will not only save the harvest, but also turn it into the pride of the garden.
Why do onion sets require "bathing"? The surface of tiny bulbs often hides fungal spores and bacteria that destroy plants even before the roots form. Without disinfection, the risk of losing up to 80% of the harvest increases several times.
Bordeaux mixture - protection without risk
Unlike aggressive copper sulfate, which damages sprouted shoots, Bordeaux mixture is safe due to its lime content.
Mix 1 tbsp. copper sulfate and 1 tbsp. lime in separate containers with water, then combine the solutions, bringing the volume to 3 liters. Soak the sets for 30 minutes - this is enough to destroy pathogens.
Potassium permanganate or "Maxim": cheap vs. reliable
A dark pink solution (1 teaspoon per 2 liters of water) will disinfect the bulbs in 20 minutes.
If diseases have attacked last year’s plantings, use the drug “Maxim” – it creates long-term protection against rot and mold.
Quick Start for Bow
After disinfection, proceed to the "vitamin bath": add 1 teaspoon of potassium humate, 2 tablespoons of wood ash and 2 drops of the stimulant "Zircon" to 2 liters of water. Soak the seedlings for 1-2 hours - the ash will enrich them with potassium, the humate will strengthen the immune system, and "Zircon" will activate root growth.
Do not skip these steps, even if the onions seem healthy. Prevention is always cheaper than fighting diseases. In a couple of months, you will see: the half hour spent will pay off with an unprecedented harvest of crispy, large onions.
Author: Elena Shimanovskaya