Onion turns yellow in the garden what to do. What to do when the onion turns yellow in the garden, folk and other remedies

Onions are a vegetable crop that grows literally in every garden, and almost every gardener sooner or later faces the problem of yellowing of the feathers of this plant. There are a lot of reasons for this phenomenon, but only one can be perceived by gardeners quite calmly - this is when the feathers turn yellow and lie down when the bulb ripens. All other causes of yellowing of onion arrows are unacceptable, and they must be known and able to be eliminated, otherwise you can be left without a crop. But before we take on the causes and start learning how to eliminate them, let's talk about how to protect your bow from yellowing of its feathers as reliably as possible.

Yellowing of onion stems. © Sven Spichiger

Simple rules for prevention against the yellowness of onion feathers

So, in order for the onion feathers to be of a healthy color until the very harvest, it is necessary to process the site correctly, water it on time, use modern means of combating diseases and pests, and take into account other rules for its cultivation.

Rule One - Crop Rotation

Rule two - the right top dressing

Fertilizers must be applied correctly and in the optimal amount, not forgetting that both a lack and an excess of fertilizers do not bode well.

Rule three - proper watering

Onions love moderate watering, but we can say constant. Strong drying of the soil and significant waterlogging of the soil should not be allowed either.

Rule four - do not run the site

If you notice that the onion feathers have begun to turn yellow, then it is better to remove them and burn them. In this way, the spread of an infection or pest can be stopped.

Rule five - deep digging

It is advisable to dig the soil for onions onto a full bayonet of a shovel with a reservoir turnover in order to minimize the number of harmful microorganisms in the soil.

These are the most important measures, one might say, to prevent the yellowing of onion feathers, but it also happens that they do not help, and the onion still turns yellow. What are the reasons and what to do about it?

Powdery mildew on onions. © Levon

There are quite a few reasons for yellowing onions, as we have already mentioned, it can be a manifestation of the vital activity of a pest or disease, incorrect agricultural practices, the influence of weather, or a lack of nitrogen in the soil.

Pests that cause onion yellowing

There are quite a few pests whose vital activity leads to yellowing of onions: onion moth, tobacco thrips, onion secretive proboscis, stem nematode and, of course, onion fly.

onion moth

Usually the onion moth is most active when it is hot and it rarely rains, the soil is overdried. At this time, the onion moth butterfly appears, little different from the domestic moth familiar to all of us. Its larvae, which hatch from the eggs laid by the butterfly, are harmful. The presence of larvae leads to the fact that the tips of the onion feathers first begin to dry out, and then the entire feather dries completely.

To know how to overcome the onion moth, you need to know its biology. For example, the onion moth makes its ovipositor near the bulbs in the soil. Caterpillars hatched from eggs have a light yellow color of the body and are about a centimeter long. Having spawned, they move to the feathers, climb into them and begin to gnaw out the fabric from the inside, which leads to yellowing and withering of the feathers.

Before using insecticides, such as Metaphos, for example, you should try to fight the onion moth with folk remedies, for which you can treat the feathers and the soil around the stove ash, scattering it evenly, as well as tobacco, you can directly from cigarettes, or spray the soil and plants with garlic infusion (a couple of cloves per liter of water).

Butterfly onion moth (Acrolepiopsis assectella). © Larry Hodgson

Tobacco thrips

Onion, or tobacco thrips - it also leads to yellowing of onion feathers. Thrips is smaller than aphids, it, like it, feeds on cell sap, which leads to yellowing and drying of onion leaf blades. Thrips overwinters in the soil and bulbs, those that were left for planting next year, therefore, planting seedlings even on an ideal site in all respects and observing all agricultural practices, onions can still suffer from this pest.

In order to prevent thrips from getting to your site with a set, you need to lower the set for a quarter of an hour into water with a temperature of 45-47 degrees above zero before planting, and then for 10 minutes into cold water.

If the pest has appeared clearly, then folk remedies are unlikely to help, here you need to use insecticides. To combat thrips, insecticides must be used, strictly following the instructions, such as Iskar or Konfidor.

Tobacco thrips larvae on onions (Thrips tabaci). © Travis Cranmer

Onion Stalker

His vital activity is another reason why the onion feather can turn yellow. The larvae of the secretive proboscis literally eat onion feathers and at first they change color to a lighter one, then turn yellow, wither and die. If the pest is not fought, then it can destroy most of the onion plantation.

The most annoying thing is that this beetle moves quickly, and even if you take into account crop rotation, top dressing and watering, take good care of the soil, it can still appear on your site, flying from a neighboring one.

In order to minimize the risk of the appearance of a beetle on the site, it is necessary to dig up the soil, remove and burn plant residues, and observe crop rotation. The soil around the beds must be sprinkled with wood ash or mustard or pepper powder, this can scare away the insect.

When a beetle appears in small numbers, these individuals can be harvested by hand. If there are a lot of pests, then it is necessary to apply insecticides, strictly following the instructions on the package. Previously, the drug Karbofos effectively helped, but then it was banned and other permitted analogues had to be looked for.

stem nematode

Another reason for the appearance of an atypical color of onion feathers is a stem nematode. In fact, this is a small worm that can penetrate the bulb and cause cracks on the bottom of the head, it begins to rot, and the leaf blades turn yellow and die. Usually the nematode is very small, no more than one and a half millimeters, but the harm from it can be enormous. If the nematode has already entered your site, then no crop rotation will most likely help, it can live in the soil for up to ten years, and sometimes longer.

To prevent the nematode from entering your site through onion sets, before landing, you need to lower it for a quarter of an hour in water heated to 45 degrees above zero, and then in salt water for half an hour.

Gardeners say that when the soil is infected with a nematode, an infusion of marigolds can help get rid of it - 2-3 kg of the vegetative mass of marigolds per bucket of water is the norm for 2-3 square meters of soil.

There are also insecticides to combat the nematode, these are Fitoverm and the new drug Nematofagin BT.

Onions affected by nematodes. © H. de Belem

onion fly

Almost the most common onion pest, the larvae of which eat any of its varieties with pleasure. Usually you can understand that it is the onion fly that is to blame for the yellowing of the feathers, you can by the way the leaves begin to deteriorate: at first they turn yellow, then they begin to wither.

To keep the onion fly out of the area, onion beds must be alternated with carrot beds. The aroma of carrots can scare away the onion fly, and the smell of onions can scare away the carrot fly, here you have a double benefit.

If the number of individuals is small and the harm from them is not yet very significant, then the affected plants can be treated with a solution of salt and ammonia, but remember that salt is dangerous for the soil and it is better not to carry out such treatments more than once per season. To obtain a solution, you need to dissolve 200 g of salt (no more!) And a tablespoon of ammonia in a bucket of water. After that, the soil and the affected plants can be treated with a solution, spending this amount per five square meters of the garden.

Much more favorable effect on the soil, but less effective on the pest, mixtures of ash and tobacco, as well as pepper and mustard in equal proportions. Per square meter you need 25-30 grams of these substances.

If folk remedies do not help, which happens very often, insecticides should be used. Drugs - Aktara, Sochva and Tabazol will help to cope with the onion fly.

Signs of onion damage by a leek or onion fly. © Sven Spichiger

Onion diseases

In addition to pests, diseases can also make onion leaves yellow, for example, such as bacterial rot, bottom rot, rust, and a number of other less common ones. Usually onion diseases are fungal or bacterial, they can appear on the site being introduced with planting material or insects.

Given this, when sowing onion sets, it must be carefully sorted out, removing all those onions that have signs of infection. The remaining bulbs should be placed in water with a temperature of +45 degrees for 10-15 minutes, then dipped in salt water (a tablespoon per 300 g of water) for 8-10 minutes.

Do not forget that diseases are more active in soil with excess moisture and in shaded areas, so you need to water the onion often, but moderately and select a leveled and well-lit area for it.

In addition, diseases can be transmitted with pests, so even if there are few pests on the site, you still need to deal with them.

If you don’t want to use chemistry to fight diseases, then at least treat the affected plants with copper-containing preparations: HOM, Oxych, Bordeaux liquid and others, if this is inappropriate on your site, then remove the affected plants to prevent diseases from spreading further.

Rust on the bow. © Sue in Suffolk

Mistakes in the care of onion beds

Any plant can suffer from improper care, and onions are no exception. The most common mistakes are planting onions for many years in the same place, improper feeding and watering.

Lack or excess of nitrogen in the soil

Onions are almost the only vegetable that is very picky about nitrogen in the soil. An onion feather can turn yellow both from a lack of nitrogen and from its excess, so you need to be more careful with the introduction of trace elements. If the feathers turn yellow, then dig out one bulb, if you did not find signs of pest infestation and the bulb looks intact, then the feathers may have turned yellow due to a lack of nitrogen.

To replenish it, you need to carry out foliar top dressing: it is enough to dissolve 45-55 g of ammonium nitrate in a bucket of water and spend the resulting solution on a couple of square meters of onion beds.

In general, onions can be fed only a couple of times during the season, the first time - as soon as shoots appear and the second - after 12-14 days. You can use nitroammophoska for this by dissolving a tablespoon of fertilizer in a bucket of water, this amount is enough for three beds.

With an excess of nitrogen in the soil, traces of decay will be clearly visible on the dug bulb. In this case, superphosphate and potassium sulfate must be added to the soil. Both of them need a teaspoon per bucket of water, this is the norm for a couple of square meters of the garden. After a week, you can loosen the soil and add wood ash at 100-150 g per square meter.

Wrong watering onions

If the onion is underfilled or poured with water, then its feathers will begin to turn yellow. You need to water the onions every day, preferably in the evening, with settled water at room temperature. A bucket of water is enough per square meter, but only if there is no rain and it is hot. If even a little rain has passed during the day, then watering can be omitted, if there is no rain, but it is cold (below +20 degrees), then the water rate can be halved.

Conclusion. So, as you understand, there are quite a few reasons why onion feathers begin to turn yellow. Before taking on chemistry, evaluate the condition of the onion, try to find pests, assess the condition of the soil, and so on, only then make a decision in favor of using chemistry. Sometimes the simple removal of a few atypical plants from the site and the observance of simple rules of care saves the situation. Do not forget about prevention, especially if you are sowing unfamiliar material.

In any garden or garden plot, there is always a bed with onions. But there are few happy gardeners who always grow this vitamin and healthy vegetable without problems. You are just about to collect a green onion feather for a spring salad, but it no longer causes any appetite - it turned yellow and wilted. Why this happens, how to prevent onion yellowing, how to treat onion plantings - let's figure it out together.

Why does the onion turn yellow in the garden

The yellowing of onions pleases only in one case: in August-September, the vegetable in a similar way signals its maturity, tells the gardener that it is time to harvest. If the onion feather begins to acquire a yellowish tint in spring or early summer, that is, during the period when the vegetable should actively grow, it is necessary to look for the cause of "onion grief" and urgently eliminate it, otherwise neither juicy greenery in summer, nor large heads in autumn will have to be expected. The following factors can be the culprits for yellowing onions:

• lack of nutrients;
• violation of the rules of care;
• pest attack;
• diseases;
• bad weather conditions.

Nutrient deficiency

If there is a deficiency of essential substances in the soil that feeds onion plantings, then the onion feather will definitely turn yellow. First of all, the lack of nitrogen will affect the appearance and juiciness of the pen. There is only one way to deal with this problem - timely top dressing and the application of nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizers.

If you are a supporter of organic farming, then please note that both during autumn digging and during spring preparation of ridges, only rotted manure can be used, and fermented infusion of organic matter can be used for top dressing.

How to apply ammonium nitrate and urea

These commonly available, common nitrogen-containing fertilizers are actively used for spring feeding of onions. Let's analyze the main differences between the drugs and determine in which cases it is better to add urea (carbamide), and in which - ammonium nitrate (ammonium nitrate):

• urea contains more nitrogen than ammonium nitrate. Nutritional properties of 1 kg of urea are equal to 3 kg of saltpeter;
• saltpeter is considered a mineral compound, while urea is considered organic;
• ammonium nitrate is recommended to be applied when preparing ridges for planting onions at the rate of 30 g of the substance per 1 sq. meter, as well as for dry top dressing of sprouted onions. In the second case, the fertilizer is scattered into shallow grooves made between the rows of crops and sprinkled with a 2–3 cm layer of earth;
• urea can also be applied to the soil in a dry form. In this case, it is immediately sealed to a depth of 3-4 cm to avoid evaporation of ammonia;
• urea can be used as a liquid and foliar top dressing. Carbamide is easily soluble in water, is considered a mild drug, does not burn the leaves;
• urea does not immediately begin to nourish the plant. She needs time before the start of active exposure, but her nutritional effect lasts longer;
• ammonium nitrate affects the acidity of the soil, so it is necessary to use fertilizer on onion plantings with caution - the culture does not tolerate acidity of the soil.

Ammonium nitrate is very explosive, requires special storage and transportation conditions, while urea is sensitive only to an excess of moisture.

Violation of the rules of care

The most common mistake when caring for onions, leading to yellowing of the feather, is the wrong watering regimen. If we talk about general recommendations related to moistening onion plantings, then we should focus on the following:

• in the initial period of the growing season, onions are recommended to be watered abundantly twice a week. If the onion plantings are mulched, then watering can be done a little less often, since the mulch perfectly retains soil moisture;
• watering is preferably carried out in the morning, with warm water (+ 18–20 degrees), under the root;
• about a week before harvesting, watering the onions should be stopped.

Drip irrigation is one of the successful methods of organizing irrigation.

Irrigation is conveniently combined with the introduction of liquid nutrient solutions to feed the crop.

pest attack

Huge damage to onion plantings can be caused by pests, among which the most dangerous are:

• onion fly;
• onion secretive proboscis;
• stem (onion) nematode;
• onion (tobacco) thrips;
• onion moth.

onion fly

This pest, or rather its larvae, is a danger to all types of onions. The female insect approximately in the second decade of May lays eggs, from which larvae appear about a week later. They penetrate the bulb and begin to feed intensively. As a result, the onion feather turns yellow, and if it is too late to solve the problem, the affected plant may die.

In favorable seasons with moderately warm weather and sufficient rainfall, onions can be attacked by 2-3 generations of onion flies.

There are many methods of protection against this dangerous insect and its larvae. Here are some of them:

• onions should be planted early, as soon as weather conditions permit. In this case, the plant, even before the pest takes off, will gain strength and be able to resist aggression;
• alternate rows of onions and carrots in the garden. The onion fly does not like the smell of carrots, and onions, in turn, will protect carrot plantings from the dangerous pest of carrots - the carrot fly;
• observe crop rotation. Planting onions in their original place can be carried out no earlier than after 3 years;
• treat the bed with planted onions with repellents. Wood ash, tobacco dust, ground pepper can act in their role. These ingredients are recommended to be mixed in the following ratio: 200 g of ash + 1 teaspoon of tobacco dust + the same amount of pepper;
• from chemical preparations, you can use Confidor, Leptocid, Mospilan (at the beginning of the pest's flight) and Creocid PRO (after the appearance of larvae and their introduction into onion heads).

Onion Stalker

If, upon closer examination of the yellowed onion leaves, you find eaten longitudinal passages in them, then the cause of the problem is the onion secretive trunk. It is his larvae that leave similar traces in feathers.

The female secretive proboscis makes a puncture in the onion feather and lays eggs, from which the larvae hatch.

To get rid of the pest, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• remove all onion residues from the site, since it is in them that the beetle hibernates;
• carry out deep autumn digging of the garden. The pest that appeared on the surface of the soil will not endure the winter cold;
• dust the aisles with deterrents: ash, ground pepper, mustard powder, tobacco dust;
• in case of mass spread of the pest, treat the onion plantings with Karbofos (according to the instructions).

It should be remembered that after treatment with chemical preparations, onion greens are not suitable for consumption within 30 days.

onion nematode

Bulbs affected by the nematode become unusable

Only preventive measures can help prevent the pest from entering the site:

• compliance with crop rotation. It is possible to return onion plantings to their original place no earlier than after 3 years;
• carrying out pre-sowing treatment of planting material in a saline solution. To prepare it, 3 tablespoons of salt are dissolved in 3 liters of water. Seed exposure time - at least 20 minutes;
• planting in the aisles of onion beds of marigolds or calendula. The smell of these plants repels the pest. An infusion of these plants can be added to water for watering onions.

onion thrips

Onion thrips is a small (up to 1 mm) insect with a yellowish or brownish camouflage color. It is dangerous not only for onions, but also for other garden plants, as it feeds on their juice. The pest spends winter in the upper layers of the soil, on plant debris, under onion scales. Effective measures to combat onion (tobacco) thrips include the following:

• compliance with crop rotation;
• removal of plant residues from the onion beds;
• carrying out pre-sowing treatment of seeds in hot (about +45 degrees) water. Exposure time - 10 minutes. Then the bulbs must immediately be immersed in cold water;
• in case of a mass attack of a pest, treatment of onion plantings with Confidor or Spark solutions (according to the instructions).

Adult thrips leave necroses on the leaves, resembling strokes in shape, and the larvae suck the juice

onion moth

If small (up to 1.5 cm) brownish butterflies appear above the beds with onions, then after a while expect yellowing of the tips of the leaves, the appearance of irregularly shaped longitudinal lines on the feathers of the onion. Gradually, the entire pen turns yellow and dries out. The harm in this case comes from the larvae of the pest - yellow-green caterpillars with brownish warts that penetrate the leaves of the plant, feed on their juice.

The main measures for the protection and prevention of onion moths are:

• correct crop rotation;
• removal of plant residues from the site;
• deep autumn digging of the soil;
• spraying plantings during the flight of the pest with a solution of Sparks (according to the instructions).

Onion diseases

Despite the fact that the Russian proverb says: “Onion heals seven ailments,” the culture itself can also get sick. The main onion diseases that lead to yellowing of the feather are:

• rust;
• bacterial rot;
• bottom rot.

Rust

This is a fungal disease, which is signaled by light yellow, dotted pads on onion leaves. After some time, the growth of the onion feather and heads stops, the leaf turns black and dies. Rust is highly contagious, quickly spreading from one plant to another. The pathogen overwinters on plant debris, and is able to endure even very severe frosts.

The development of rust is facilitated by cool and damp weather in the spring, as well as in early summer, the application of high doses of nitrogen fertilizers, as well as excessive plant density.

To prevent the appearance and spread of rust spores, you should pay attention to the following points:

• carefully remove plant residues from the beds;
• avoid crowded landings;
• observe crop rotation;
• warm up the planting material for 12 hours at a temperature of about +40 degrees;
• for prevention, treat the beds with onions with a solution of copper oxychloride (1 tbsp of the drug + 1 tbsp of liquid soap per bucket of water) or a solution of the HOM preparation (40 g of the drug + 40 g of liquid soap per bucket of water).

The main carrier of infection is poplar, so onion beds must be isolated from poplar plantings.

If, when cutting the head, you find a dark layer of softened tissue, this means that the onion is affected by bacterial rot. Carriers of infection are onion pests. Externally, the disease is manifested by yellowing of the leaves, oppression in growth.

The first signs of rot infection become noticeable on the leaves - yellowish spots first appear on them, then they increase in size and reach the neck

Effective methods of control and prevention of the disease include:

• culling of infected bulbs during preplant inspection. To do this, cut off the neck by about half a centimeter so that all the scales are clearly visible;
• the soil in the garden should be treated with Hom (40 g per bucket of water). Solution consumption - 0.5 liters per 1 sq. meter.

bottom rot

The source of Fusarium rot is in the soil. First of all, the disease affects the bottom of the bulb, and then quickly spreads to the entire plant. His leaves turn yellow, and then the leaves die off, the roots gradually rot.

The causative agent of the disease is always present in the soil and spreads with diseased onion sets, seeds, irrigation water

The development of bottom rot is promoted by high humidity, hot weather during the ripening of the bulbs, and harvesting in damp rainy weather. The agrotechnical measures to combat this disease include the following:

• the right choice of site for landing. Beds should not be made in low places where there is a threat of flooding during floods;
• compliance with crop rotation. If onion plantings were affected by Fusarium rot of the bottom, then the next time onions in this place can be planted no earlier than after 5 years;
• compliance with the harvesting deadlines and high-quality drying of the bulbs (at least a week) before storing;
• creation of an optimal storage regime and mandatory disinfection of planting material in a solution of potassium permanganate or by heating.

Bad weather conditions

“Nature has no bad weather,” a well-known song goes. True, the bow does not think so. If the weather is abnormally cold, rainy or, conversely, hot, the vegetable in the garden may turn yellow. Such vagaries of the weather have a bad effect on the harvest of both family, and onions, and other types of onions. In this case, it remains only to rely on the mercy of nature, water the onion plantings in time, and protect them from spring frosts.

The ideal protection against the surprises of the weather is to grow onions in a greenhouse, where comfortable conditions can be created for the feathers to be green and juicy.

Video: onion feathers turn yellow

Folk remedies for yellowing onion feathers

In the arsenal of gardeners, there is a huge amount of additional means for processing onion plantings from yellowing. They are time-tested, low-cost, affordable, give a good effect. In addition, folk remedies are absolutely safe for the health of people, animals and beneficial insects in comparison with some chemicals, but they have a detrimental effect on pests and pathogens of agricultural crops. We have already mentioned dusting the beds with tobacco dust, ash and ground pepper, as well as planting repellent plants. Here are some more interesting and simple recipes:

• 5 liters of water + 0.5 kg of baking soda + 1 teaspoon of iodine + a bag of potassium permanganate. When mixed, a concentrated solution is obtained, which must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10, and only after that water the onions. The positive effect of this treatment is that iodine and potassium permanganate have a detrimental effect on pathogens, and soda deoxidizes the soil;
• 1 glass of diesel fuel or kerosene + 1 glass of wood ash per 10 liters of water. The solution is used for irrigation;
• Pour 200 g of tobacco dust into 2 liters of hot water and infuse for 3 days. Then bring the volume to 10 liters by adding water, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of liquid soap and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of ground pepper;
• in a bucket of water, dilute 3 tbsp. spoons of ammonia. The resulting solution is poured over the onion in the evening under the root.

Watering is best done in the grooves made between the rows of onions, since the ingress of the above compounds, as well as saline solution, onto the leaves of the plant can lead to their burns.

How to feed onions with yeast

To saturate the soil with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and oxygen, to help the onion cope with spring problems, to strengthen the plant's immunity, yeast dressings are used. There are many recipes with yeast, here are some of them:

• chop nettles, dandelion greens, put in a large container, pour water and leave in a warm place, preferably in the sun. Within a week, the vitamin composition is fermented, while it must be periodically mixed. Then add 0.5 kg of raw yeast and leave for another 3 days to ferment. For 10 liters of water, add 1 liter of the resulting sourdough and use it to water the onions;
• 10 liters of warm water + 10 g of dry yeast + 50 g of sugar are infused in a warm place for 2 days. Before watering, dilute with water in a ratio of 1: 5;

For the preparation of yeast dressings, you can use not only raw, but also dry yeast.

Remember that yeast fungi will have a beneficial effect on the plant only if the soil warms up well and the air temperature is not lower than +20 degrees. Top dressing at low temperatures will not give an effect, yeast fungi will simply die.

Top dressing with infusions using yeast can be used no more than 3 times per season. The fact is that yeast increases the acidity of the soil, leaching out potassium and calcium.

How to Salt an Onion

This folk method of processing onion plantings has been used for a very long time. Its purpose is to protect plantings from the onion fly. Salt solution is prepared at the rate of 200 g of salt per 10 liters of water. The effectiveness of the drug will increase with the addition of a small amount of ammonia or a few crystals of manganese. The first treatment is recommended when the length of the onion feather reaches 7–8 cm. 2–3 treatments will be required per season, since about a month after the first generation of the pest, new larvae appear that will attack the onion.

It should be remembered that the frequent application of this solution can lead to soil salinization. It will contain an excess of chlorine and sodium, which inhibit the growth of many plants.

Video: ammonia and hydrogen peroxide - super remedies for garlic and onions

Every gardener who knows how and with what to water the onions so that the feather does not turn yellow can get a rich harvest of strong bulbs and healthy greenery. Using proven means and folk recipes to protect the crop from diseases and pests, following the timely sowing and watering, you can achieve the perfect result. Onion plantings will delight you with their bright green color all summer long, and in the fall you will reap a rich harvest!

There is practically no such garden where the owners would not grow onions. Gardeners are often interested in the question: what factors contribute to the fact that the onion feather turns yellow? Why does the onion turn yellow in the garden? After all, land owners make every effort to care for it: they regularly water onions, feed them, get rid of weeds, and perform other activities.

What could be the reasons for the yellowing of onions, and how to deal with them? Consider the main factors affecting the condition of the onion in the garden. The reasons for the yellowing of onion feathers include the following:

Insufficient nitrogen content in the soil

Most often, onion yellowing is caused by a lack of nitrogen in the soil. When it's hot in summer, onions are deficient in nutrients, especially nitrogen, since onion roots receive nitrogen only in dissolved form.

Excessive watering or frequent rains also adversely affect onion roots. This is due to the fact that water can wash out all the useful nutrients from the soil, which the onion especially needs during June-July.

Influence of pests

What is dangerous onion moth

This is a not very bright, in appearance, butterfly, has a dark brown color and light gray wings. The length of her body reaches only 8 mm. May appear in late spring. It harms the bow, as a rule, at night. Then the females lay larvae, which after 7 days will turn into caterpillars. These green pests are small in size, but they do a lot of damage.

How to deal with onion moth

Effective action of the drug "Iskra": you need to take 1 tablet and dilute in 10 liters of water. A high result can also be achieved by using the preparations "Dachnik", "Metaphos".
You should start sowing onion sets as early as possible. This is necessary so that before the onset of this problem it is already possible to harvest.

Advice ”] Moth plantings will not be threatened if onions are planted next to carrots. The soil must be loosened. The soil is treated with decoctions of tobacco, tincture of garlic and ash.

Well "shows itself" mixture for feeding. Take: wood ash, pepper, tobacco dust. The procedure is carried out during the period when dandelions bloom.

Onion moth harms leeks and onions in hot, dry weather

It happens that one of the reasons for the yellowing of the onion feather is tobacco (onion) thrips. Along the length of its body, this pest is smaller than aphids. Despite its small size, the insect causes serious damage not only to onions, but also to other cultivated plants.

How to proceed in such a case? Start with preventive measures. In order for everything to be good on the beds, they will be protected by a simple procedure: the seed material must be lowered into hot water, the temperature of which is from 44 to 46 degrees, for 10 minutes. After that, it must be placed in cool water. Onion thrips dies from such a procedure.

When a small pest began to show its activity on the onion beds and the feather turns yellow, the special chemical preparation "Confidor" will come to the rescue. You can use Spark.

Onion (tobacco) thrips harms onion crops in beds in the open field and onion sets during storage

Onion fly, and how to destroy it

This insect is difficult to distinguish from the common fly that we know and often see in the summer. This pest is about 8 mm in size, gray in color (with shades of yellow and ashy). In addition to the fact that the fly irritates all the inhabitants of the land by being present among cultivated plants, it also seriously harms. In the garden - it's just a disaster. Females can lay their eggs both in the garden and directly on vegetables. The larvae, as soon as they hatch, will immediately begin to eat the vegetable, while the onion feathers turn yellow and dry out.

The pest is active from mid-spring to the end of summer. Over the entire period, there is a change of 2-3 generations of this insect. The onion fly lives in different parts of the world, and also poses a threat to crops such as: lettuce (all types), garlic, tulips and other types of flowers. It is important to carry out activities aimed at combating this pest.

Ways to deal with onion fly:
Both the use of chemicals and folk methods are effective. If you choose option 1, then there is a risk that the quality of the onion crop will not be high, since a certain part of the poisons remains in the turnip.

Using folk methods:

• Onion beds should be sprayed with tinctures: mint, wild rosemary, fir, tomato, pine needles, valerian.
• When planting, you need to alternate carrots and onions in the same row in the garden. It is carrots that with their smell will scare away not only onion, but also carrot flies.
• Onion beds should be watered with a solution of kitchen salt. For 1 bucket you need to take 300 grams of salt. Watering should be carried out only after the green onion sprouts reach a height of 5 cm. After 2 or 3 weeks, watering should be repeated, but this time for 10 liters. water take 450 grams of salt.
• Regularly planting should be sprinkled with wood ash. It will perform the functions of fertilizer and protection against pests.
• It is worth observing crop rotation.

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In autumn, it is necessary to dig the garden as deep as possible.

• Before planting onions, they are soaked in diluted manganese.
• Effective chemicals are: "Flycat", "Aktara" or "Karate Zeon".

Preparations based on chemical compounds are often used when large areas are sown. They are not used for processing garden plots.

In appearance, the onion fly resembles a cabbage or housefly, only much smaller.

stem nematode

Also, one of the reasons for the yellowing of onions may be a stem nematode. This is a small worm. Due to its penetration, the bottom of the bulb cracks and begins to rot, and the onion feathers turn yellow. This pest, despite its size - 1.5 mm, can cause irreparable damage. The main problem is that the nematode can live in various parts of the garden, and it can live in the soil for many years.

This is a small beetle. The body is gray in color, has the shape of an oval, and is approximately 2.5 mm long. In winter, these pests hibernate. After they wake up in the spring, they immediately damage the onions. As a result: white spots appear on it. For them, new shoots are a delicacy.

After the weevils lay their eggs, and after 2.5 weeks, their offspring are already born. As soon as the babies - weevils are born, they immediately pounce on the vegetable. As a result, the leaves turn yellow and dry on the onion.

During the growing season, the weevil can populate from 50 to 100% of onion feathers, up to 32 larvae per plant.

What is sick onion

Rust

Onions, most often, are sick with rust. This disease is manifested by the appearance of yellow dots on the feathers, from which the leaves dry out and die. Methods of dealing with this disease are:

Bulb rot caused by bacteria

You can see this disease only when the onion is cut. Among the scales, which have a healthy appearance, dark layers of softened substance are visible. Infection of the bulb does not occur without the help of insects. There is no point in storing this bow, as it will quickly deteriorate. When such bulbs are planted, the culture, visually, looks unattractive. The feather of the bow will turn yellow, and the arrows will quickly dry out.

To prevent this type of disease, you must:

• carefully sort all the onions to be planted, separating the infected bulbs;
• before planting plants, the soil is treated with metronidazole (or other special preparations).

Fusarium (bottom rot)

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This fungal disease can affect all existing varieties of onions and its types. The spores of these fungi live in the soil and can harm the bulb. Green onion feathers turn yellow, and then dry out and die.
Ways to deal with this type of disease:

• competent choice of a place where onions will grow;
• seeds should not be planted in the lowest part of the garden, as during heavy rains the water will flood the crop;
• it is necessary to change the landing sites of onion beds;
• onion seeds that are planned to be planted must be carefully processed and disinfected;
• it is worth planting seedlings strictly at the right time, and for this, the gardener's folk calendar is suitable;
• when the crop is harvested, it is necessary to create good conditions for its storage with the necessary temperature and humidity.

In the event that these measures are carried out correctly, the bottom rot will not appear.

Rot affects onions in the soil, and especially during storage. The leaves of young plants begin to turn yellow and die.

Alternariosis

This disease manifests itself in the form of white spots on the feathers. The disease progresses in this way: the spots increase in size, and acquire a lilac (with brown) hue. It is already manifested, thus, the spores of the fungus. It happens that the spots have a white rim. The disease from the feather passes to the bulb, which becomes covered with brown or black mold.

The cause of the disease is too much nitrogen in the soil, or a high moisture content in the soil.

How to fight:

• monitor crop rotation;
• after the onion crop is harvested, all the husks should be removed from the beds.

In rainy weather, treatments are carried out for the purpose of prevention, using the following drugs:
- Shirlan 500 SC.
- "Consento";
- "Acrobat MC",
- "Cabrio Duo";
- "Polyram DF".

Alternariosis - onion disease photo. The disease affects onion scales, feathers break, the plant rots.

Failure to follow the rules for onion care leads to yellowing of the onion

Plants most often get sick from the fact that site owners do not properly care for them, do not carefully remove all “traces” of vegetation after harvesting, and also do not take measures to disinfect the storage room.

Watering is not carried out according to the rules, or not in full

It is necessary to be informed about what means, and in what quantity, it is necessary to water the onion in order to avoid its yellowing. When it takes root, it is necessary to water it with water, which has a temperature of +18 to +25 degrees. The first half of the day for watering is the ideal time. When mulch is applied, watering should not be as frequent.

Feeding shortage

An important question is this: what to use as a top dressing so that the onion feather does not turn yellow. Fertilizers are combined with watering. The funds must be mixed by taking 50 g of ammonium nitrate, 20 g of potassium salt, 20 g of superphosphate, and dissolved in 10 liters of water.

The very first watering with this solution must be performed when the onion shoots rise 3 cm above the ground. The procedure is repeated after 7 days. Before harvesting (for 5-6 days) top dressing is stopped.

Video: Why does the onion feather turn yellow?

The above tips may turn out to be ineffective, since nature can make its own adjustments to this process. The season can be too dry, or very wet when it rains.

This will cause the onion to turn yellow and disappear, no matter what the gardener tries to do. In order for a healthy crop to be harvested from onion beds, it is advisable to build a greenhouse on the site.

Onions turn yellow in all gardeners, but not everyone knows what to do if the onions begin to turn yellow. In this note, I will try to clearly state the reasons why the onion turns yellow and share my experience on how to water the onion if the onion feather turns yellow. And I will also touch on the question of how to feed the onion so that it does not turn yellow. I think this topic will be interesting to you, and most importantly useful. I want to clarify that I will talk about the yellowing of onions in the open field, but to the question why when growing green onions, I wrote earlier. And so, let's get started...

Yellow onion in the garden

Every year I had to watch how the onion turns yellow in the garden in the open field, and this constantly happened for various reasons. Through various trial and error, I still managed to identify several reasons why the onion turns yellow and managed to cope with this scourge. For several years now, my onion has been growing completely healthy and the onion feather begins to turn yellow only before the onion. These misfortunes include: insufficient preparation of the bed for onions, improper watering of onions, onion diseases, pests of onions, and the most fun, it would seem, is the natural yellowing of onions before harvesting onions from the garden. And here's why it's funny.

Why onions turn yellow for a natural reason

I remember how my onion grew for the first time, it went very well, and then all of a sudden bam and it all began to turn completely yellow. I noticed this "ailment" in mid-July. Immediately sounded the alarm and began to think why the onion turns yellow. First of all, of course, I got on the Internet and began to read articles about why the onion feather turns yellow, but as usual there was no sense. All articles are written, don’t understand how and don’t understand for whom, so I decided to solve the problem on my own why my onion turns yellow every year in the garden. What I just didn't do. I dug onions - but all the bulbs are healthy and large, checked the roots - they are slightly wet and no diseases were found, cut the bulbs and onion feathers for pests - they are not. So several days passed, I still did not find the reason why the onion turns yellow. For that, everything became clear three days later, when all the onions began to fall on the beds. It turned out that the onion was fully ripe and the fact that the onion turned yellow was a natural phenomenon before harvesting. Onion feathers naturally turn yellow when fully ripe. Onion feathers are each layer of the bulb, so the middle leaves of the onion begin to turn yellow later than the side ones. And the side feather of the onion turns yellow at the time of the formation of scales. Those same yellow scales that we are used to seeing after drying onions.
But not every year was so smooth.

Onions turn yellow in the garden due to illness and what to do

I don’t know who and how, but I came across one vile disease due to which the onion turns yellow. The main reason for the appearance of this onion disease is the non-compliance with the rules of agricultural technology in the process of growing onions, as a result of which the onion feather turns yellow. And now we are talking about a fungal disease of the bottom of the onion - Fusarium. Onions become infected with this disease very quickly and are also quickly transmitted after each watering. Apparently, the spores of the infection are carried by water from one bulb to another. Identify Fusarium onion is very simple. It is enough to tear out the bulb from which the feather turns yellow and press near the bottom with your finger. If the result is like a photo (see photo), then this is it.

Photo: Fusarium - Donets rot
What to do if the onion turns yellow due to Fusarium. Here are the basic rules of agricultural technology, after which I no longer met Fusarium onions in my beds.
- Before planting onions, the bed must be milled and the earth must be loose. Onion roots love good aeration. In the process of growing onions, the ground in the garden must constantly be loosened.
- Before or nigella, treat the bed with antifungal drugs. Personally, I treat the soil with Fitosporin. I have been using it for many years, both in the open field and in the cultivation of green onions. The result is always impressive and the question of what to do if the onion turns yellow disappears by itself.
— Heat treatment of planting material. Soaking onions before planting in warm water with temperatures up to +50 affects the best way. It is desirable to add such preparations as phytosporin, epin-extra, potassium permanganate to the water. You can add all at once, as they do not conflict with each other.
Onion bottom rot is one of the reasons why onions turn yellow. But this is only part of the measures, what to do if the feather turns yellow near the bed in the garden, which I constantly apply. I'm sure there are still ways to fight, which I will write about in other notes after the experiments.

Onions turn yellow due to pests and how to water

Onions have a lot of pests, but the most harmful of them are thrips and onion fly. When they hit the bulb, the onion turns yellow. Unlike onion flies, thrips are easier to deal with. Therefore, I will not concentrate much on it. It is enough to water the bed several times with Previkur. It gives very good results.
It is more difficult to fight an onion fly, even using chemical agents. The first thing you need to do is what to do if the onion turns yellow in the garden. Cut the onion and inspect for the presence of larvae. If you find larvae as in the photo (see photo), then this is.

Photo: Onion fly
I will now tell you a trick on what to do if the onion turns yellow in the garden due to the onion fly and how to water it. The fact is that only you cannot get an onion fly. As a rule, it begins to affect areas at the time of mass planting of onions and if there are fields with onions nearby.
- So, in order not to become a victim of this insidious pest, plant onions half a month earlier than the main, mass planting date, or half a month later. In fact, if you are not growing onions for sale, planting dates do not matter. If the onion is planted earlier, then it's okay. Onion culture is cold-resistant and will start growing earlier. By the time onions are planted everywhere, and by the time the onion fly strikes, your onion will already be strong enough.
- You can also resort to folk methods of struggle. Well, this is if you are a zealous supporter of environmental friendliness and want to know how to water if the onion turns yellow in the garden. For example, if the onion feather turns yellow, you can pour it with ammonia or saline. Although I am for the environmental friendliness of growing onions, I do not accept these methods. Although I confess, I used it very successfully on separate beds as an experiment. But both options harm the soil in which I grow different crops every year. I applied watering onions with ammonia and was surprised by the positive result. So if it suits you, then use it and do not bother with the question of how to water the onion if it turns yellow.

Onions turn yellow in the garden due to watering

So I came to the simplest question of why the onion turns yellow in the garden. It's about watering. Everything is simple here. Underwatering or overwatering can be the reason why the onion turns yellow. What to do if the onion turns yellow in the garden due to watering.
- Onions need constant balanced watering. The onion turns yellow in the garden if it is not watered for a long time, and then because of guilt, daily long-term watering begins. Such watering swamps the soil, the soil loses its ability to aerate and the roots "suffocate".
- Rainy summers and intermediate long-term watering also have a bad effect on onion growth. Especially if after that the soil is not loosened.
It is necessary to water the onion once every three days with short-term watering. Even if it's a hot dry summer.

Onions turn yellow - how to feed

I want to say right away that if the onion has already begun to turn yellow, top dressing will not help much. However, feeding onions helps them stay green while growing onions. If you are interested in how to feed the onion if it turns yellow, I will tell you about my methods. I feed onions in two ways.
- Top dressing with nitrogen fertilizer. Of course, they are saltpeter. I water the onion with top dressing at the moment when the onion feathers are elastic and green, the bulb itself began to pour. I breed saltpeter in water at the rate of 50 gr. per 10 liters of water and pour 0.5 liters of solution under the root. The lack of nitrogen greatly affects the growth of the green mass of the plant and its color. But make it a rule to feed the onion with saltpeter only once. If you feed the onion several times, then the bulb will pour very slowly, but the green mass will grow even more. This entails a decrease in yield.
- Onion feathers respond very well to leaf feeding onions. I share with you how to feed the onion if the onion turns yellow in the garden. This method helps very well when the onion feather turns yellow at the initial stage. It is necessary to spray it in the evening with a solution of boric acid and a solution of succinic acid. It is necessary to spray with solutions in turn in one day with an interval of one to two hours. First we spray with boric acid, after an hour or two with succinic. You can buy these drugs at any pharmacy. Boric acid must be diluted at the rate of 1g. for 5 liters of water. Dilute succinic acid at the rate of 10 tablets per 5 liters of water. This is a very effective way to feed onions on a leaf, and also take note, this is used successfully on the leaves of grapes and strawberries with raspberries. Well, now you know how to feed the onion and what to do if the onion turns yellow in the garden.

It seems that everything told you about the reasons for what to do if the onion turns yellow, why the onion feather turns yellow and how to water the onion if it starts to turn yellow. To summarize: loosen the beds, treat with antifungal drugs, get rid of pests by chemical means, use watering with ammonia or saline, plant onions earlier than usual, monitor the frequency of watering onions. I am sure that using these methods, you will never encounter this problem, and if it overtakes you, then you know what to do when the onion turns yellow in the garden.
I hope the note was interesting and useful, do not forget to share on social networks and leave comments.

Onion is a widely popular plant that is grown by all gardeners. Even if the plot is very small or it's just a flower bed, onion lovers will still find a place for a couple of rows of onions. And in this case, it is especially important to get a quality crop. After all, quite often the onions in the garden begin to turn yellow and do not grow, so you need to know what to do if this happens even before the harvest season.

Reasons why onions turn yellow

Yellowing onions in the garden in the middle of summer threatens with crop loss, therefore, in order to properly deal with the problem, you first need to establish the causes. Onion feathers may begin to change color in summer as a result of:

1. Pest infestations.
2. Diseases.
3. care mistakes.
4. weather conditions.
5. Nitrogen deficiency.

If the onion has stopped growing or its yield has decreased, the cause may be a lack of watering.

Salvation of onions in case of damage by pests

Among the variety of pests, the following species prefer to feast on onions:

• onion moth;
• nematode;
• secretive proboscis;
• thrips.

To prevent onion damage by these insects, it is recommended to plant it every year in a new place. You can return to the first bed only after four years.

In order not to breed an onion fly, onions should be planted as early as possible and not far from the carrots. Feed the onion beds with a mixture of pepper and tobacco dust. Top dressing is carried out at a time when the dandelion blooms. To combat the flies that have already settled, pour the bulbs (but not feathers and beds) with a salt solution at the rate of 200 g per bucket of water.

They get rid of the appeared onion moth and the secretive trunk by the method of completely removing the remnants of the upper shoots of the onion from the site and deep digging the site immediately before frost.

So that the onion does not turn yellow due to damage by nematodes and thrips, before planting, lower it for 10 minutes in hot water.

Calendula and marigolds planted between the rows of onions repel pests with their aroma.

Prevention of onion diseases leading to yellowing

To prevent fungal diseases that cause yellowing of the onion, before planting it is laid out for 12 hours under direct sunlight for heating. Planted onions must be poured with a solution using copper oxychloride (1 tbsp) and laundry soap (1 tbsp) in a bucket of water.

So that onion plantings are not damaged by bottom rot, onion beds cannot be made in a lowland.

Correction of errors in the care of onions that caused them to turn yellow

To prevent yellowing of the onion as a result of care errors, it should be properly watered. For irrigation, use only warm, settled water, water strictly under the root, preventing the soil from washing out on the bulb. Mineral fertilizers can be added to water for irrigation.

One month before the start of harvesting, watering must be stopped.

What to do if the onion turns yellow due to weather conditions?

With a lack of precipitation in a dry summer, onion beds should be watered more often. And during the period of prolonged rains, it is better to cover the plantings in the greenhouse.

How to prevent yellowing of the pen from a lack of nitrogen?

In cases where the watering is correct, and there are no diseases with pests, and the onion still turns yellow, the cause may be a deficiency. In this case, the onion must be fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizer (special complexes or humus).