To get a larger harvest of vegetables, sometimes gardeners use unusual means. This is also ammonia for onions. Although it is considered a medicinal product, it effectively controls pests of this plant and is also a source of nitrogen.
The benefits of ammonia: in what cases is it used?
Ammonia is a 10 or 25% ammonia solution and is used as a source of nitrogen. The use of this fertilizer stimulates the rapid growth of onions. Plant growth is activated and their productivity increases.Due to nitrogenous fertilizing, onion feathers become juicy and bright green. Here it is important not to forget about potassium and phosphorus, and to prevent excessive application of nitrogen.
Although people often call ammonia alcohol ammonia, this is not entirely true, since the first substance is ammonium hydroxide dissolved in water, and the second is its nitrate. Ammonia is not used in agricultural activities.
When plant feathers either turn yellow or turn light green and the tips turn white, this indicates a nitrogen deficiency. In this case, experts recommend watering the onions with ammonia. This fertilizer can quickly improve its condition. This kind of plant food is a first aid. It is also used to repel insects due to its pungent and unpleasant odor.
Ammonia has an additional advantage - it has a stable compound and is not washed out of the soil by rain in the garden.
Ammonia is food and medicine for bulbs in one preparation.
Ammonia as a fertilizer for onions
It is recommended to water the plants with a diluted substance under the root system or irrigate their green part. Sprayers should not be used, as the substance will be sprayed and the bulbs will receive very little benefit. The best option would be a watering can. It's good if it has medium-sized holes.
There is an opinion among gardeners that it is difficult to overfeed bulbous plants with ammonia, and adding it to the soil does not pose a threat to the accumulation of nitrates. But this substance is caustic, and its high concentration can do more harm than good. The following negative consequences may occur:
- the green mass activates its growth to the detriment of the development of the bulbs;
- there will be a favorable environment for the proliferation of putrefactive microorganisms.
Therefore, you need to know the rate of application of ammonia solution. Timely and correct amount of fertilizer is very important for the abundance of the future harvest. After all, feeding onions with ammonia is easily absorbed by plants and ensures the formation of large heads.
How to properly dilute ammonia for irrigation?
To feed onions, dilute ammonia in the correct proportion so that there is no excess of the substance. It is determined by the state of the plants:
- So, if we feed in case of serious nitrogen deficiency, then against yellowness, the plants will receive the maximum dose of diluted ammonia. In order to water the onions, take 1 liter of water and pour 1 tablespoon of the substance into it.
- For preventive purposes, you need to use a solution of lower concentration - just take 2-3 tablespoons of the product, dilute it in 10 liters of water and water the plants.
- If there is a need to use foliar irrigation, then the composition is prepared from 1 bucket of water and 4–5 tablespoons of the drug.
The solution should be prepared in the fresh air, or at least in a well-ventilated area.
To prepare the solution, take a pharmaceutical preparation of 25% concentration. Dilute ammonia with water, and do not forget to stir the resulting product thoroughly.
Pest control with ammonia
The second function of ammonia is to repel insect pests with the help of smell. They cannot tolerate ammonia even in small quantities.
Onion crops have the following pests:
- secretive proboscis;
- onion fly;
- mole cricket;
- shallot aphid;
- wireworm
Treating onions with ammonia is a very effective measure against each of the listed pests. All thanks to the pungent odor of this substance and therefore there is no need to use drugs that have a greater degree of toxicity.
To effectively control pests, onion feathers are treated with ammonia with the addition of soap. Prepare the solution as follows:
- Approximately 100 g of laundry soap is grated on a fine grater.
- Pour dill (1 liter) over it and leave until completely dissolved, stirring thoroughly.
- Add 50 ml of ammonia to this solution.
The mixture should be treated with the plants immediately after its preparation.
If onion feathers are then eaten, they are then thoroughly washed under running water.
Onion sets can also be processed. It is soaked in a solution of boric acid, and diluted ammonia and iodine are used to repel insects.
How to feed onions with ammonia?
To properly perform feeding, you need to know a few simple rules. Here they are:
- Remember that ammonia has a pungent odor. Every drop of the substance can revive a fainting person. We are dealing with a large amount of substance. Therefore, you should be extremely careful with ammonia fumes, otherwise the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract may be damaged. You should abandon the idea of fertilizing onions with ammonia if a person suffers from arterial hypertension, since this substance can cause an increase in blood pressure.
- Get protective equipment, such as a special respirator or gas mask, goggles, an apron and a cap.
- Make sure that no one is present close, especially keep children and animals at a safe distance.
- Use a watering can or sprayer and work in calm weather, early or evening, or on a cloudy day. This is necessary to avoid sunburn on the onion tops. Pour water onto the onion low so that the solution does not get on you.
- You need to remember that after fertilizing with diluted ammonia, you need to water this vegetable crop with clean water after 30 minutes. It will be safer if you do not use the product with the maximum concentration - it is only needed in emergency cases.
Gardeners use the following feeding scheme:
- first pour the prepared solution under the root of the onion;
- then, after a week, you can fertilize using a foliar method;
- After another 10 days, feed the plants again in the same way;
- After the next 10 days, water at the root of the onion.
Feeding with ammonia is carried out no more than once every 7 days. Usually they start with weakly concentrated solutions, and gradually increase the dosage to the required one.
If the onion feathers turn dark green, you must immediately stop adding dissolved ammonia. Also stop feeding when the tips on the tops begin to dry out.
Ammonia can quickly compensate for the lack of nitrogen in the soil. In this case, there will be no more nitrates in the onion than normal. The main condition for success with such fertilizing is to follow safety precautions and adhere to the recommended proportions of the solution.