Author of the article
Daria Vorontsova
Reading time: 9 minutes
AA
The maximum amount of useful substances is stored in greenery for only a few days after cutting.
Growing green onions in a bottle on the windowsill is one way to always keep a vitamin-rich seasoning for your dishes on hand.
The design allows you to plant dozens of bulbs in a small space.
If you approach the preparation of the container correctly and follow the planting rules, caring for an impromptu garden bed will not require much effort.
Advantages and disadvantages of the growing method
There are several ways to grow onions at home: in plastic or glass containers on water, using a hydroponic setup, or in a traditional bowl with soil. Compared to other methods, planting onions on a windowsill in a five-liter bottle has a number of advantages:
- Saving space on the window due to the vertical design;
- Availability of containers for planting;
- Longer harvesting period for greens compared to growing onions in water;
- Easy care for growing bulbs.
However, the method has several disadvantages. They are mainly associated with the preparatory period. Making a container for planting from a plastic bottle takes a lot of time and skill. Cutting holes in accordance with the diameter of the heads is a painstaking job that requires accuracy. Filling the container with soil and planting the bulbs is not without debris and dirt.
Tips and tricks
Experienced gardeners and housewives give useful advice to those who first decided to grow onions in an eraser bottle:
- There is a way to grow onions in bottles without soil - in toilet paper, mineral wool. Beginning gardeners are better off opting for traditional planting in the ground. This makes it easier to monitor the moisture content of the substrate and completely eliminates the need for plant feeding.
- Try to make holes for medium-sized bulbs. For bulbs that are too small, it is difficult to select appropriate bulbs, and large ones will leak water.
- To make the feather grow back faster after cutting, treat the plantings with aloe juice. Chop 2-3 lower aloe leaves and add 250 ml of boiled water. Insist for 24 hours. Bring the volume of liquid to 5 liters and store the solution in a dark place. This natural stimulant can be used on all plants in the house and garden.
Growing conditions
As a rule, people think about planting greens at home in the fall, when the harvest period in garden beds ends. Sprouting onions does not require special conditions. However, maintaining optimal temperature conditions and sufficient lighting affect the quality and quantity of greenery.
| Temperature | Onions begin to germinate at normal room temperature +18-20°C. When the air warms up to +23-25°C, the fastest feather growth is observed. At temperatures of +30°C and above, green growth stops, so on sunny days you should protect the plastic bottle with onions from overheating. In a cool room (temperature below +17°C), the growth of green mass slows down. |
| Lighting | Green onions are picky about the degree of illumination. Juicy, long feathers of rich color grow under the condition of diffused sunlight for 10-12 hours. During the winter months, it is recommended to place the container with the bulbs on a south or south-east window sill. For uniform illumination, you should rotate the bottle with onions 45° every week. |
Observations on forcing green onions
I decided to describe in detail how the bulbs will behave during the process of forcing them into feathers, and how long it will take before the first vitamins are cut off.
On the third day , the first green sprouts appeared on about 7 bulbs.
The third day.
On the seventh day , only 5 bulbs “did not hatch.” The rest went into active growth.
Seventh day.
The feathers of some bulbs can already be cut off, while others are just sprouting.
On day 11 - the onion is already ready for cutting in some bulbs. However, 2 onions do not give life yet.
Eleventh day.
After 2 weeks , you can safely cut the onion and use it as an ingredient for preparing various dishes. For example, pies with green onions and eggs, or a delicious salad with boiled chicken, omelet and green peas.
Exactly two weeks have passed.
True, two of the bulbs never sprouted. But the rest showed themselves in all their glory. The onions were cut almost every day, but they kept getting longer and longer.
Preparing containers
To grow onions, it is advisable to use a 5 liter plastic bottle. The container is thoroughly washed with cold water and rinsed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will protect the plantings from harmful bacteria. The use of bottles in which liquids not intended for internal consumption were stored is not permitted.
Before planting the bulbs, you need to make holes in the container for future sprouts. To do this, you can use the following option:
- Make holes around the perimeter of the bottle in a checkerboard pattern, 2-3.5 cm in diameter, for the germination of feathers. The distance between the holes is left in accordance with the diameter of the selected bulbs.
- Cut off the tapered top 1/2 of the way up.
Helpful information
Daria Vorontsova
Amateur gardener. He is interested in growing various greens at home.
It is convenient to make holes in plastic containers using hot objects. But be careful - under the influence of high temperatures, chemical compounds that are dangerous to humans are released. Work in a thoroughly ventilated area.
Soil preparation
It is recommended to use purchased soil for vegetable seedlings as a nutrient substrate.
It contains a supply of necessary elements and is free of pathogens and pest larvae. If soil from the garden is used, it should be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or calcined in the oven. Alternatively, you can use coconut shavings or finely chopped foam rubber. For the first time, the supply of nutrients accumulated in the bulbs themselves will be enough.
It is undesirable to use sawdust and paper instead of soil. In a humid environment, mold quickly grows in them.
Onion varieties
To grow onions on a windowsill in a bottle, any bulbs purchased in a store or collected from your own garden are suitable. If you have the opportunity to choose planting material, then you should pay attention to multi-primed onion varieties with low light requirements. Popular varieties include:
- Rostovsky;
- Black Prince;
- Arzamas;
- Slime (Ferrous);
- Chives;
- Timiryazevsky.
Another popular onion variety for forcing is shallot. It surpasses regular onions in the amount of nutrients. An additional advantage of the variety is the absence of flower shoots. Feathers reach a length of 35-40 cm.
Landing technology
Bulbs for germination are pre-prepared according to the following instructions:
- Select onion heads 2-4 cm in diameter, without rot or damage;
- Soak for 20 minutes in hot water (+50-55°C) with potassium permanganate (pink solution);
- The bulbs are washed and placed in cold water for 10 minutes;
- Take the onion out of the liquid, dry it and cut off the top by 1-1.5 cm.
This preparation promotes rapid germination of feathers, prevents rotting of the bulbs, and protects against fungus and bacteria.
Next, they start planting green onions in a plastic bottle on the windowsill.
Landing rules
To make it easier to care for planted onions and extend the harvest period, they adhere to a certain technology. The step-by-step process of filling a container with substrate and planting material involves a number of steps:
- A drainage layer of expanded clay or foam chips is placed at the bottom of the bottle in a layer of 2-3 cm;
- Soil is poured on top to the level of the lower holes and compacted;
- Fold the bulbs, carefully pressing the cut end to the holes made in the bottle;
- Cover with a layer of earth, repeat the procedure until the five-liter container is completely filled with soil;
- The upper heads of the onion are placed horizontally.
The last layer of soil in the bottle should not reach 2-3 cm to the edge. Growing roots lift the soil, and it can spill over the edge.
The container prepared for forcing greenery is placed on the windowsill. It is advisable to use a wide tray for the bottle, into which water will flow when watering. The collected liquid must be removed from the pan.
How to grow green onions in a 5-liter bottle on a windowsill
The maximum amount of useful substances is stored in greenery for only a few days after cutting.
Growing green onions in a bottle on the windowsill is one way to always keep a vitamin-rich seasoning for your dishes on hand.
The design allows you to plant dozens of bulbs in a small space.
If you approach the preparation of the container correctly and follow the planting rules, caring for an impromptu garden bed will not require much effort.
Advantages and disadvantages of the growing method
There are several ways to grow onions at home: in plastic or glass containers on water, using a hydroponic setup, or in a traditional bowl with soil. Compared to other methods, planting onions on a windowsill in a five-liter bottle has a number of advantages:
- Saving space on the window due to the vertical design;
- Availability of containers for planting;
- Longer harvesting period for greens compared to growing onions in water;
- Easy care for growing bulbs.
However, the method has several disadvantages. They are mainly associated with the preparatory period. Making a container for planting from a plastic bottle takes a lot of time and skill. Cutting holes in accordance with the diameter of the heads is a painstaking job that requires accuracy. Filling the container with soil and planting the bulbs is not without debris and dirt.
Growing conditions
As a rule, people think about planting greens at home in the fall, when the harvest period in garden beds ends. Sprouting onions does not require special conditions. However, maintaining optimal temperature conditions and sufficient lighting affect the quality and quantity of greenery.
| Temperature | Onions begin to germinate at normal room temperature +18-20°C. When the air warms up to +23-25°C, the fastest feather growth is observed. At temperatures of +30°C and above, green growth stops, so on sunny days you should protect the plastic bottle with onions from overheating. In a cool room (temperature below +17°C), the growth of green mass slows down. |
| Lighting | Green onions are picky about the degree of illumination. Juicy, long feathers of rich color grow under the condition of diffused sunlight for 10-12 hours. During the winter months, it is recommended to place the container with the bulbs on a south or south-east window sill. For uniform illumination, you should rotate the bottle with onions 45° every week. |
Preparing containers
To grow onions, it is advisable to use a 5 liter plastic bottle. The container is thoroughly washed with cold water and rinsed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This will protect the plantings from harmful bacteria. The use of bottles in which liquids not intended for internal consumption were stored is not permitted.
Before planting the bulbs, you need to make holes in the container for future sprouts. To do this, you can use the following option:
- Make holes around the perimeter of the bottle in a checkerboard pattern, 2-3.5 cm in diameter, for the germination of feathers. The distance between the holes is left in accordance with the diameter of the selected bulbs.
- Cut off the tapered top 1/2 of the way up.
It is convenient to make holes in plastic containers using hot objects. But be careful - under the influence of high temperatures, chemical compounds that are dangerous to humans are released. Work in a thoroughly ventilated area.
Soil preparation
It is recommended to use purchased soil for vegetable seedlings as a nutrient substrate. It contains a supply of necessary elements and is free of pathogens and pest larvae. If soil from the garden is used, it should be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or calcined in the oven.
Alternatively, you can use coconut shavings or finely chopped foam rubber. For the first time, the supply of nutrients accumulated in the bulbs themselves will be enough.
It is undesirable to use sawdust and paper instead of soil. In a humid environment, mold quickly grows in them.
Landing technology
Bulbs for germination are pre-prepared according to the following instructions:
- Select onion heads 2-4 cm in diameter, without rot or damage;
- Soak for 20 minutes in hot water (+50-55°C) with potassium permanganate (pink solution);
- The bulbs are washed and placed in cold water for 10 minutes;
- Take the onion out of the liquid, dry it and cut off the top by 1-1.5 cm.
This preparation promotes rapid germination of feathers, prevents rotting of the bulbs, and protects against fungus and bacteria.
Next, they start planting green onions in a plastic bottle on the windowsill.
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Landing rules
To make it easier to care for planted onions and extend the harvest period, they adhere to a certain technology. The step-by-step process of filling a container with substrate and planting material involves a number of steps:
- A drainage layer of expanded clay or foam chips is placed at the bottom of the bottle in a layer of 2-3 cm;
- Soil is poured on top to the level of the lower holes and compacted;
- Fold the bulbs, carefully pressing the cut end to the holes made in the bottle;
- Cover with a layer of earth, repeat the procedure until the five-liter container is completely filled with soil;
- The upper heads of the onion are placed horizontally.
The last layer of soil in the bottle should not reach 2-3 cm to the edge. Growing roots lift the soil, and it can spill over the edge.
The container prepared for forcing greenery is placed on the windowsill. It is advisable to use a wide tray for the bottle, into which water will flow when watering. The collected liquid must be removed from the pan.
Care tips and harvesting
Onions planted in a bottle on a windowsill require minimal care. In the first week, the turnips take root. At this time, it is important to place the container in a well-lit window. Sunlight and temperatures of +22-25°C promote the development of the root system and the rapid germination of greenery.
Watering during growing affects the taste of the greens. Onions are a moisture-loving crop; excessive drying of the soil in the bottle and poor moisture leads to excessive pungency. Water the green onions rarely, but generously, so that excess water flows into the pan. Next time, water after the soil around the upper bulbs has dried no more than 1 cm.
A large number of holes in the bottle promotes ventilation of the roots and rapid drying of the soil.
But excessive hydration is also contraindicated. Excess water provokes rotting of the bulbs and the spread of insects. For irrigation, use water that has settled for 24 hours at room temperature.
Green onions growing on a windowsill are not fertilized. The soil and bulbs contain a supply of nutrients that is sufficient for the entire growing season.
Excess minerals lead to the accumulation of nitrates in greens, which reduces the environmental friendliness of the crop. Feed only if coconut shavings or foam rubber are used as a substrate.
2-3 weeks after planting, fertilize the onions with a liquid complex preparation according to the instructions.
Fertilizing is applied only after watering; this helps protect the suction roots from chemical burns.
Harvesting begins 15-20 days after planting the bulbs. Overgrown feathers are cut off along the entire circumference of the bottle, starting with those located further from the container. This way you can provide light to the feathers growing close to the bottle.
You can grow onions on a windowsill in a plastic bottle throughout the year. In winter, the need for fresh greens is especially great, but short daylight hours have a negative impact on yields. You can correct the lighting situation with the help of special lamps for plants. Without additional light, short and light feathers grow.
The benefits of home-grown green onions are beyond doubt. All you need to do is put in a little effort, and a compact bed made from a plastic bottle will provide a harvest of greenery for a long time.
The hostess will always have the vitamin seasoning for salads, first and second courses at hand.
As soon as the bulbs finish producing new feathers, you can resume the process using the same technology. Forcing onions in a bottle on a windowsill is a simple and economical way to get fresh herbs even in a small space.
Source: https://zelen-na-podokonnike.ru/luk-i-chesnok/vyirashhivanie-zelenogo-luka-v-plastikovoy-butyilke
