Dutch Crop tour weekend 12
Conditions for onion sowing good, waiting can pay off
After the wet and cold period at the beginning of March, the sun is now breaking through for the onion growers. The drying plots are turning grayer and the growers on sandy soils are starting to sow the onions. It looks attractive with the current structure of the soil, but more is needed for uniform emergence and unfettered growth.
Where the seedbed was irrigated last year before preparation, growers now have to wait until the soil is competent enough. In the south of the Netherlands and on the sandy soils, onion growers have started sowing, others are patiently waiting for their chance.
Every year the south of the Netherlands is ahead of the north. This is mainly due to the higher temperature in the south and the type of soil. Before sowing, the temperature should not be too low. With low temperatures, the crop develops irregularly and slowly, so that the emergence is not optimal. With a warm soil temperature, the germination process goes much more smoothly.
Uniform attendance
A uniform turnout is very important for the rest of the season. A flat seed bed helps with this, so the load-bearing capacity of the soil must be good enough. A uniform emergence also helps in weed control. Moreover, there is less chance of plant failure, because the crop is in the same stage. It also bears fruit later in the season with the MH spraying and the harvest.
Primed seed offers a solution for soils with a slightly slower emergence, such as clay soil that dries and warms up more slowly. Primed seed has already been pre-germinated and germinates immediately as soon as it comes into contact with moist soil. The advantage of this is that the seed emerges faster and more regularly. There are also plots with primed seed in the crop tour, at the plot in Eenrum (GR) and Oeffelt (NB).
Be careful with the structure of the soil
Sowing onions normally starts around the beginning of March and the last plots are usually sown at the end of April, with some exceptions. An example is this year, where the first onions were sown in February under good conditions.
Arjan Bos van Hazera confirms that: 'depending on what type of soil you are in' waiting for a competent soil is wise. It may still be too moist. "We have had cold and wet days. In many cases the soil is not ready yet. The short period of frost has done the soil good, so that the structure is good in many places."
Because the soils that are now being prepared for sowing fall quite finely, it is wise to keep an eye on the weather forecast. "With a fair amount of precipitation, crust formation is imminent after sowing, which can have a negative effect on the number of plants," says Bos. "And a good emergence is again important to reduce the risk of dust damage in the early growth of the crop. Good dust cover control, especially on the sand, is one of the preconditions for the success of the crop."
Jesse Torringa
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