Batun onion: how to plant on the windowsill

If you wish, you can have a whole vegetable garden on the windowsill and grow onions, lettuce, peas and various herbs in pots and containers. And if you are the happy owner of a spacious glazed loggia, then you can add tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and even eggplants to the list of plantings. But in this article we will talk specifically about the onion. Do not expect a large harvest in an apartment, but you will have some of the freshest greenery at hand every day.

Onion

Originally from East Asia, the batun has spread throughout the world and has become extremely popular. Its taste is much softer than that of onions, it does not form a large onion, putting all its energy into growing greens. Over time, onion feathers form a lush bush, when you cut them - new ones grow quickly, so growing it at home you will always be provided with vitamins. And there is no doubt about the benefits of onions - its greens are rich in essential oils, they contain in different proportions potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, vitamins C, A, B1 and B2. And a large amount of phytoncides makes the onion a natural antibiotic, which is not only useful for food, but also as a houseplant that disinfects the air in your home. Onion is useful for colds, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as high blood pressure. If you decide that a bush of onions is needed on the windowsill, then you can achieve the result in two ways. First, grow it from seed. And secondly, to transplant a two-three-year-old bush from the garden - first we will tell you exactly about this option.

Batun onion: replanting a bush from the garden

So, the spring onion has been growing in your garden for a couple of years now, you managed to appreciate all its taste and useful properties and at the end of summer you decided to take some vitamins to the city. Start by choosing a container: a spacious pot is enough for one bush, it is better to plant several plants in a box at a distance of at least 10 cm from each other. Keep in mind that you will mix the plant with a lump of earth and, as a result, it should not be cramped. Lay the drainage at the bottom, a layer of about 2 cm.Dug up the onion bushes at the beginning of autumn, before frost (pre-water it so that you can take more soil when digging up and not injure the root system) and place in prepared containers, if necessary fill up the earth, compacting it well. Place the pots or containers with onions in a warm, bright place and provide it with high air humidity - this way it adapts to new conditions faster. Keep in mind that in conditions of short daylight hours, the onion will need additional lighting, since any greenery needs a lot of light for active growth.

Growing from seeds

If there is nowhere to dig up the onion, then we go the longer way - we grow it from seeds. The bushes that you grow will provide you with greenery for two years. The best time to plant is March or April. Almost any soil is suitable for growing onions: both coconut fiber and ordinary garden soil, as long as it is highly nutritious. The earth should be pre-treated: spill with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, or steam for 30 minutes in a water bath, or an hour in a double boiler. This way, you disinfect the soil and at the same time destroy possible weed seeds. When planting, the soil should be at room temperature. Now that the land is ready, let's start with the seeds. To begin with, we will carry out the disinfection procedure, for this we soak them in a light solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour.Then we move the seeds into warm water (not hot!) For eight to ten hours, change the water a couple of times during this time. This is necessary for the "awakening" of seeds and acceleration of germination. After that, we dry the seeds and proceed to sowing (sowing dry seeds!). The seeds should be deepened into moist soil by one and a half to two centimeters, covered with glass or film and placed in a warm place awaiting shoots. After the sprouts appear, move the container to a place where the temperature does not rise above + 17 ... + 18 degrees for about a month. This is necessary so that the young onion grows stronger and does not stretch out in thin threads. After a month, it can be moved to a permanent place - light and warm.

Care and feeding

For growing onion, the most suitable will be the southern, southeastern or southwestern window sills, with additional illumination, the western and eastern window sills are suitable. He needs 11-12 hours of daylight hours. So in late autumn, winter and early spring, additional illumination with a phytolamp will be required (ordinary lamps do not benefit the plants). Water the onion with water at room temperature as needed: in spring and summer, in sunny weather, more water, and in the autumn-winter time, watering can be slightly reduced. To keep the soil moist, cover it with coarse sand or bark. Do not water the onions with cold tap water, many plants perceive this watering as frost. In warmer months, if possible, put containers with onions on the balcony - the air and sun will give the greenery a richer color. As in the garden, on the windowsill, the onion will need regular fertilization. What should be fed with it? You can use complex mineral fertilizers, they are sold in bulk, as well as in tablets and sticks. You can also purchase bulk or liquid biohumus. In the summer season, you have the opportunity to prepare organic fertilizer yourself: pour 120 grams of chopped nettle with 3 liters of water, close tightly and leave for 3 days. Water the onion with this infusion, as a result you will get a 100% eco-friendly product. Collecting greens can be carried out at any time by cutting off feathers, which branches by 15 centimeters or more. In late autumn, the greens need to be cut off completely, watering should be reduced and feeding should be stopped. The optimum temperature at this time is +18 degrees. In February, the greens will begin to grow with renewed vigor, so the whole process of watering and fertilizing is resumed. If you have small children, involve them in the process of planting and growing onions. Then you will be rewarded not only with delicious greens, but also with the joy of a little gardener who will grow and collect his first harvest.