Onion plant watering can be a tricky business. Too little
water and the size and quality of the bulbs suffer; too much water and the
plants are left open to fungal disease and rot. There are a couple different
methods for watering onions, however, so it’s a good idea to familiarize
yourself with overall onion watering needs before deciding on the best course
of irrigation for you.
Onion Water Needs
Onions
need a lot of water, but the soil should never get soggy. Ideal onion water
needs are to irrigate to a depth of an inch (2.5 cm.) once a week rather than a
light sprinkling each day.
If you are watering onions with a hose
or sprinkler, water in the morning rather than during the heat of the day,
which will just end up being evaporated.
Overhead watering can spell trouble. If you water in the
evening, the foliage will stay wet overnight, which can foster disease. There
are two other onion plant watering methods, though, that can alleviate the
problem with wet foliage.
How to Irrigate Onions
Two other methods for onion plant watering, besides using a
hose or sprinkler, are furrow irrigation and onion drip
irrigation.
Furrow irrigation is just what it sounds like. Furrows are
dug along the length of the onion row and flooded with water. This allows the
plants to slowly soak up the water.
Onion drip irrigation involves the use of a drip tape, which
is basically tape with punched holes that deliver water directly to the roots
of the plants. This method for watering onions eliminates the issue of fungal
disease that can result from overhead watering.
Install the tape in the center of the onion bed between rows at a depth of 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm.) with emitter spacing about a foot (31 cm.) between emitters. Water occasionally and deeply; provide an inch (2.5 cm.) of water at each onion watering.
To tell if the plants have enough water, stick your finger
in the ground next to the plants. If you can’t feel any moisture up to your
first knuckle, it’s onion watering time.
Tips about Watering Onions
Onion
seedlings should stay consistently moist until the plants take hold. Use a well-draining
soil. Keep watering even when they are bulbing.
This keeps the soil from compacting around the bulbs and allows them to swell
and expand.
When the tops begin to die back, cut back on the amount of
watering to prevent the tops from rotting.
Onion plant watering can be a tricky business. Too little
water and the size and quality of the bulbs suffer; too much water and the
plants are left open to fungal disease and rot. There are a couple different
methods for watering onions, however, so it’s a good idea to familiarize
yourself with overall onion watering needs before deciding on the best course
of irrigation for you.
Onion Water Needs
Onions
need a lot of water, but the soil should never get soggy. Ideal onion water
needs are to irrigate to a depth of an inch (2.5 cm.) once a week rather than a
light sprinkling each day.
If you are watering onions with a hose
or sprinkler, water in the morning rather than during the heat of the day,
which will just end up being evaporated.
Overhead watering can spell trouble. If you water in the
evening, the foliage will stay wet overnight, which can foster disease. There
are two other onion plant watering methods, though, that can alleviate the
problem with wet foliage.
How to Irrigate Onions
Two other methods for onion plant watering, besides using a
hose or sprinkler, are furrow irrigation and onion drip
irrigation.
Furrow irrigation is just what it sounds like. Furrows are
dug along the length of the onion row and flooded with water. This allows the
plants to slowly soak up the water.
Onion drip irrigation involves the use of a drip tape, which
is basically tape with punched holes that deliver water directly to the roots
of the plants. This method for watering onions eliminates the issue of fungal
disease that can result from overhead watering.
Install the tape in the center of the onion bed between rows at a depth of 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm.) with emitter spacing about a foot (31 cm.) between emitters. Water occasionally and deeply; provide an inch (2.5 cm.) of water at each onion watering.
To tell if the plants have enough water, stick your finger
in the ground next to the plants. If you can’t feel any moisture up to your
first knuckle, it’s onion watering time.
Tips about Watering Onions
Onion
seedlings should stay consistently moist until the plants take hold. Use a well-draining
soil. Keep watering even when they are bulbing.
This keeps the soil from compacting around the bulbs and allows them to swell
and expand.
When the tops begin to die back, cut back on the amount of
watering to prevent the tops from rotting.