Onions have been grown in gardens for centuries. To this day, a dubious custom that is said to be conducive to the harvest is widespread in onion cultivation: folding over the green onion one to two weeks before harvest.

Cutting over the foliage is not advisable

Onion cultivation and care

Onion cultivation is widespread and is also practiced in the home garden. On the one hand, the cultivation of the different types of onions is like

  • onions,
  • shallots,
  • spring onions and
  • green onions

a simple matter that even garden beginners can quickly get to grips with.
Onions are generally undemanding and will thrive in any good garden soil. However, care must be taken to ensure that the bulbous plants get enough sun and water.

The time of maturity

An onion is ready for harvest when its greens die off. For summer onions, this is the month of August. The onions are now preparing for the coming winter and storing all the nutrients in the onion. Inevitably, the onion foliage reaches less and less food, it turns yellow. After a few days, the foliage will die off completely and fall over. Now is the time to mature.

Important measures before maturity

Before the ripening time arrives, care must be taken to ensure that no inflorescences form. Appropriate approaches are cut out immediately. If the development of the flower is allowed to develop, the bulb is lost for home storage. However, if you want to sow onions from your own seeds, you will be happy to see them bloom and dry the ripe seeds.

So that the leaves die off more quickly, the bulbs can be lifted slightly with the digging fork. The roots then no longer have a foothold in the ground and also no longer draw water. The ripe onion will dry out faster and can be removed from the bed.

The trampling of the leaves

The custom of kicking over the onion leaves while they are still in the sap is still widespread. The stepping over should cause the onion to ripen faster.
However, scientific studies have proven the opposite. Removing the foliage is an intervention in the final stage of the onion's ripening process. On the one hand, it is not yet fully ripe, on the other hand, valuable nutrients are prevented from migrating from the leafy green into the onion.
The onion reaches a state of emergency ripeness when the leaves are trampled down. As a result, the shelf life suffers.

Category:

Vegetable garden