Nigella onion: how to grow (video tutorial and step by step instructions)

If this is the first time you hear “nigella onion”, do not be surprised, this is not some kind of this plant. The fact is that such a name was given to small seeds of ordinary onions. Seeds are obtained from these seeds, from which, therefore, one-year-old onions will be obtained, which will have a long growing season, or a two-year-old culture, which will be a small onion. And if you have not dealt with black onion seeds before, then this article can be very useful for you. It will be devoted to growing black onions and useful tips that relate to this topic.

Growing for seedlings

Growing onions from seedlings is beneficial not only in the sense that the growing season will be longer, but also in terms of savings (much less planting material is used). By the way, some varieties are recommended to be grown exclusively from seedlings. Nigella onion seeds begin to be sown in greenhouses or greenhouses in the first decade of March. If you live in the city, then you can easily plant black onions on the windowsill in your own apartment. But you need suitable conditions regarding heat, light, moisture and, of course, soil.

Since the day at the beginning of spring is still quite short, it is necessary for the plants to extend it – fluorescent lamps are perfect for this. Watering is carried out as needed, here you need not to overdo it with water, so that the seedlings do not begin to rot. It is best to spray with a spray bottle. Also, for planting black onions for seedlings, you need to prepare containers and soil in advance. As for the containers, this should not be a problem – take any boxes of your choice (it does not matter, plastic or wooden) of suitable sizes. The soil should include several elements that should be mixed in equal proportions: garden soil, compost, and peat with sand, so that the mixture is soft. You can also add a little wood ash and treat the soil with drugs to protect against diseases and weeds, but do not overdo it with chemistry.

The seed must also be checked for “professional suitability”. About a month before planting, take a dozen or three seeds and place them in a damp cloth for 2-3 weeks. After this time, at least 80% of the total amount should germinate, in which case the similarity can be considered satisfactory. The bulk of the seeds, which is intended for growing seedlings, must be soaked for 12 hours in a warm solution of potassium permanganate. Further, immediately before sowing, they should be thoroughly dried to flowability. Additionally, you can process the soil, to protect against various diseases. Nigella onion seeds in containers can be randomly placed or sown in a row, the main thing is not to be very dense. Place the seed at a depth of 1 cm, lightly slapping the soil on top.

By the end of April, at least 2-3 feathers should already appear on the onion, and the plants themselves can already reach 15 centimeters in height. Seedlings can now be transplanted into open ground.

Sowing in the ground in spring and before winter

Nigella onion seeds are planted very early in the spring, it is possible even in the frozen ground. It will be very prudent of you to prepare the site in the fall – loosen the soil, level it, mulch it with peat, make sure that there are no lumps. It is not worth delaying planting – this is fraught with late ripening and reduced yields. Usually, when planting black onions, the seed is placed at a depth of 1,5-2 cm, but on light soils it is advisable to increase the depth to 3 cm (because in this case the top layer can be swept away by the wind), or roll the soil after planting. The distance between rows should be approximately 20 centimeters. It is worth sowing sparingly, so that the seed consumption per 1 m80 is approximately 2 units, if you want to get an annual onion. Immediately after germination, thinning should be done, leaving 5 cm between the seedlings, after three weeks you already need to leave 6-1 cm. Sowing in this way, you will spend more than one and a half grams of nigella per XNUMX m². If there is a calculation of sowing for sowing, then it should be thick enough. Watering is not necessary for some time, as a crust may form, which will make it difficult to germinate. Then periodic watering and loosening of the upper ball of soil are needed, top dressing is carried out if necessary. Harvest is already in early September, it must be harvested before the first frost.

Sowing before winter is not much different from spring sowing. The bed is prepared in a similar way: they level it, break up the lumps, add a ball of humus from above after sowing. Similarly, grooves are made for the nigella and seedlings are cared for. You should not plant nigella twice in a row in the same place, it is also not advisable to plant onions after cabbage, potatoes, cucumbers. In winter, you should pay attention to the fact that the area with black is under a layer of snow. Later, when it comes down, it is advisable to cover the soil again with a two-centimeter layer of humus or peat. Experienced gardeners sow nigella in the fall, because spring onions may not fully ripen by autumn, and, as a result, will not be able to be stored for a long time in winter.

Cultivation from seeds

Nigella onion seeds are much easier to buy on the market than to grow yourself. The most popular varieties are Strigunovsky, Myachkovsky, Zolotnichok, Spassky, there are also Spirit, Standard hybrids. But you can grow nigella yourself, despite the fact that it is troublesome. First things first, you need to select a few large suitable bulbs and plant them in the spring immediately after the snow melts, or before winter in well-prepared ground. By the summer, flower stalks will appear from the bulbs, then umbrellas will form, containing a black seed.

Video “Niger onion”

This short video provides a brief overview of the most popular black onion varieties, as well as tips for planting seeds.