Irrigation produces the most onions per m2

The onions of the Boerenbusiness Crop tours are in full development. Some growers have started irrigating again. How is the turnout compared to last year?

In many fields, dual cropping is a problem and some growers are considering spraying contact herbicide on areas of the onion field. Poor or few onions will come through this year, mainly on heavier parts of the fields.

This year, many growers watered first before cultivation and again after sowing to get the soil as fine as possible and to provide the onions that had no access to moisture with moisture.

In order to be able to compare between the different plots, it was converted to 3,8 units per plot. This is so that you can compare the differences properly. Kortgene (Zeeland) has the least attendance per m2 and the plot in Wezup (Drenthe) with 115 per m2 has the most.

The plot in Kortgene cannot be irrigated. This is probably also the main reason why the turnout here is less than in the other plots. Wezup has so far been irrigated most often of all onions. "The plot is a sandy soil with a high organic content, which requires few treatments," according to the grower.

Kortgene is deteriorating the most compared to last year. A difference of 19 plants compared to the previous year. The grower has sowed more units than last year and a little deeper to germinate more onions and have enough emergence for the new crop.

Tollebeek also has less turnout, but has also sowed with fewer units this year than last year. The rise of the plot in Kimswerd is almost the same as in 2019, but the grower has sown fewer units than last year and has been able to achieve a comparable turnout.

Heijen and Wezup have a significantly higher turnout than 2019. In Heijen, the grower has irrigated more than last year. "I have irrigated twice this year for emergence, I should have done that last year too, but I didn't. This makes my onions look very nice and better than last year."

In Wezup, the grower watered during the emergence, in order to germinate the last onions and to provide all onions with moisture. "During development we also received precipitation of around 20 mm. Last week I also provided the lower parts of the plot with 15 mm and the higher with 25 mm. I can clearly see that the irrigation has helped and I am very happy with my turnout this year", the grower says Boerenbusiness know.

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.