We all know onions and how it's highly demanded in the market, but everybody thinks it only grows in the northern part of Nigeria. I want to tell you that onion actually grows in the south. TESTED and PROVEN.
SO HOW WILL YOU PLANT YOUR ONIONS?
1. SITE PREPARATION
You need to make a bed just like every other vegetable.
If you are planting in the dry season let the bed be very low so that you don't need to water too much and your onion will be able to get the little water it needs to grow.
Apply poultry droppings 2 weeks before planting.
2. NURSERY
Onion is not directly planted into the field. So you need to nurse it and transplant to the well prepared bed in 15 days.
see what you need for the nursery
1. Hybrid onion seeds
2. Wood shavings also known as 'sawdust'
3. Dried poultry droppings
4. Flat tray or trough
PROCEDURES
Step 1. Mixed the wood shavings and the poultry droppings together and water to make it moist, then place the mixed content on the tray or trough.
Step 2. Make horizontal lines on the tray at 2cm apart then sprinkled your hybrid onion seed exactly on the lines and cover it with little dry soil.
Step 3. Wet every evening but don't allow water to touch the line you planted the seeds.
If you follow the procedures above then you onion seedlings will be ready for transplanting in 10 days.
Onions are in high demand in Nigeria and the price soars during dry season.
One can make a lot of money growing onions commercially.
The choice of onion variety matters a lot when it comes to commercial farming / agribusiness. This is because a farmer has to calculate the input costs and the output costs in order to maximize profits.
Optimum temperature for onions development is between 15 to 30 .C, whereas temperature of 20 to 25’C is favourable for seedling growth.
Generally, high temperatures favor bulbing and curing. However, in cases of extremely high temperatures, maturity is hastened and bulbs do not grow to maximum size hence lowering yields.
Fertile, well drained soils are good for plant growth. The optimum pH is between 6 to 7.5.
For irrigation, drip or overhead irrigation can be used.
Onions at bulbing stage need a substantial amount of water.
Excessive moisture, however, must be avoided during growing season.
Avoid too much application of fresh manure, as this will cause the plant to develop thick neck and too much leaf at the expense of bulb formation. Fresh manure could also host important insect pests.
Crop husbandry
Weeding; can be done by use of hand or chemical applications/herbicides. Mulching can also be done to suppress the weeds
Raised beds; this improves drainage and prevents damping-off disease.
Mulching; maintains and enriches soil organic content, prevent soil borne diseases and suppress weeds.
Crop rotation; this is important to avoid build-up of pests and diseases e.g. nematodes, Fusarium and Sclerotium
Insect pests
Important insect pests that attack onions include; Thrips, Whiteflies and Aphids and would require insecticide applications.
Thrips are more severe in dry seasons. Hence one should keep the plants well irrigated at such seasons.
One can reduce pests’ populations by pulling out weeds since they act as alternate hosts for the pests.
Chemical applications can also be made i.e. insecticide.
Plants extracts have also been used and prove to be effective. example is Neem and Garlic extracts. These are sprayed on attacked plant parts. The plants extracts should be tested for phytotoxicity before any applications are made.
Chemical Applications
Fungicides: This can be classified as curative or protective fungicides.
Protective fungicides are chemicals which have the Active Ingredient
Mancozeb e.g. Milthane, Oshothane, Dithane, e.t.c. This is applied when weather conditions would likely to favour development of the disease i.e. blights.
Curative fungicides are applied to plants that are already infected by the fungal diseases e.g. Pink Rot, Purple blotch and blights (early & late blight).
In this case, applications are made on the infected regions i.e. bulbs, stems.
Harvesting
Harvesting can be done as from 90 to 150 days after sowing. The onions are ready for harvest when the leaves collapse. The necks can be twisted and its leaves bent over and left to dry for 10 to 12 days or less depending on whether conditions.
The crop is pulled out by hand and kept for some days in the field with bulbs covered with leaves.
This is called windowing/curing process.
Leaves are then cut off and the mature bulbs stored.
So here we are. If you are passionate about venturing into agribusiness then onion might be the wonder crop to start with.
Have any questions, please ask me in the comment box.
Thanks for this article. my problem is the curing process where one has to leave the harvested onions in the farm for some days. this is because of thieves.Is there any other methods that can be applied to get the same result.
ReplyDeleteYou can alternatively gather and cure in a secured place
Deletehow did you sale the onions seeds for planting
Deletethanks for this but i was wondering if onions will still thrive if planted alongside corn
ReplyDeleteThe corn will shade the onions.. However, adequate spacing can be provided
DeleteThanks for this article.How can one prevent theft during the curing process.Is there any other methods that can be applied to get the same result.
ReplyDeleteYou can alternatively gather and cure in a secured place
ReplyDeletewill onion thrive in loamy kinda soil.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing,I appreciate. Please, can we add sand or soil to the mixture of poultry dropping and sawdust in the tray for nursery before planting the onion seeds.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great article. I love it. Please, how and where can one procure the onion seed?
Contact 08151050921
DeletePlease where in the south can I go for on hand learning on how to grow onions. The explanation is ok but I need practical learning. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for the lecture. But please where can one buy hybrid onion seed or seedlings?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the article sir, am about putting it to practical what i have learnt here, please where can i get the hybrid seed?.
ReplyDeletePlease where can I get the seed to buy
ReplyDeleteWe sell onions seeds. We can waybill to your location. Contact us via this website contact page.
DeleteThanks you so much.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I get onions hybrid seedings?
This is great. But please where can one get the onions seed for that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this article but what type of soil does Obvious need
ReplyDeleteplease, how can get onions seed or nursery? please any contact?
ReplyDeleteAm inn please be my coach.
ReplyDeleteNeed urgent reply
I have onions seeds already can I still plant this December with irrigation system. Please I need an urgent reply. Thanks
DeleteYou can plant with irrigation if the variety adapts to this period of time. Note that onions is photoperiodic
DeleteThanks for the article. Where can one source onions seedlings that are not GMOs?
ReplyDeleteI noticed a lot of the comments was on onions seeding. Not all onions seeds can be planted at anytime of the year. It is very important you do more research into Onions farming practically before you venture. Yes it is crop that return investment also one that can end one up in tears .
ReplyDeleteAlso we have our own Nigeria onions seeds which are not GMOs.
I think I've said that.. Each onion variety is suited to a particular period.
DeleteAnyone who needs onion seeds should please contact us through out contact page. Our phone numbers are there.
ReplyDeleteWe have onions suited for different planting times.
What is the spacing distance for planting onions?
ReplyDeleteThank you for this wonderful, eye opening post. But when exactly (the month) when one can pant onion in the west or south west, and how can I get hybrid seed to buy.Thanks
ReplyDeletePls where can i get the onion seeds in southeast?
ReplyDeleteWith the recent stupid but nice blockage of onions from the northern parts to the southern parts of the country, now is the time to take this article more seriously!
ReplyDeleteIn the absence of saw dust, what is the substitute for the nursery stage?
ReplyDeleteWhen on commercial hectares of farming. Nusery can't be done. Is it advisable to go on direct planting of onion seed.
ReplyDeleteAm Ogunsola not unknown. When is the response to my comment on the hectares farmland.
ReplyDeletePlease do you sell other vegetable seeds?
ReplyDelete