Dutch Crop tour Onions - week 30
Clear dividing line between onions in the north and south
Although the yields appear to be increasing in many fields, this varies considerably by region. Primarily in the south of the country, onion heads are now starting to buckle, and growers are seeing yields of onion at this stage. Consequently, MH spraying is already in full swing in the south of the country.
After a week of uneven rainfall across the Netherlands, the first seed onions are starting to emerge in the south of the country. This means they are ripening earlier this year than in most previous years. Some plots have already been sprayed with MH. Timely and carefully applied MH spraying is crucial for proper dormancy, and thus for the onions' longevity later in the season.
Onions begin to strike
The onions at Hubert Linders's farm in Nederweert, Limburg, are already well established. Hubert's field is now about 75% established, and he sprayed the MH last week (week 29). "They're still growing well, and once the crop reaches a decent yield, they'll also want to start establishing," he says. Due to the heat and low rainfall, the establishing process has started earlier, Hubert says. Brabantse Gewastour participant David de Wit from Lepelstraat sprayed his onions with MH last week. According to him, the conditions were ideal, and he deliberately watered the crop a seventh time (!) beforehand. "They were still standing nicely during the irrigation, and this also allows the crop to absorb the MH better," he says. David not only deliberately irrigated to improve the uptake of the product; he also believes that the foliage deteriorates faster if you wait until the onions are already starting to establish.
In Kortgene, Zeeland, Klaasjan Boer is having trouble with the rain. "We've had one nice shower of about 15 to 20 millimeters in the past two months. Otherwise, it's staying bone dry here." It's a frustrating situation for Klaasjan, and understandably so. "The onions really need to get wet, otherwise we'll notice a significant impact on the yield," Klaasjan summarizes. Klaasjan's Gewastour plot is on heavier soil this year. "The difference between heavier and lighter soil is incredibly noticeable this year. On the heavier soil, I'm experiencing dead leaf tips, and the crop has simply lagged behind in terms of foliage growth lately." Despite the drought, Klaasjan's onions are starting to yield. "Whether or not there's rain this week, I'll be spraying with MH at the end of the week. The crop also needs another fourteen days to absorb the moisture, which requires a fair amount of green foliage." Meanwhile, 10 millimeters of rain fell last night (Monday, July 21), a welcome shower for Klaasjan.
At Jan Berend Biesheuvel's place in Zeewolde (Flevoland), the first onions are also slowly starting to yield. Jan Berend reports that at the end of last week, his onions had about 10 to 11 percent leafless scales. "Towards this coming weekend, this will probably increase to 15 percent, a good time to apply the MH spray at that stage," says Jan Berend. Jan Berend expects an excellent yield: "The onions are looking absolutely fantastic, which wasn't the case last year..."
Onions sown later are not yet ready for MH spraying
Ruud Vossebeld from Beemte Broekland in Gelderland is one of those whose onions aren't yet ready for MH spraying. Ruud sowed his onions an average of a month later than the other Crop Tour participants. With his later-sown onions, Ruud is still in a younger crop stage, meaning his onions are still standing tall. Ruud is very pleased with the current state of his onions. "With this changeable weather, I'm on a five-day spray schedule. I haven't found any powdery mildew yet, but with the occasional showers, I don't want to take any risks."
Jan Willem Veldman
© 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.
