What is the best time to plant onions in Nigeria?
What is the best time to plant onions in Nigeria?
Onions can be planted twice a year between November-December and August-September during dry season and when the rains are preparing to go. Scarcity of onions starts from March-June (during heavy rainfall) one can take advantage of this period and cultivate many that can be sold and also spread to this time.
How do you prepare land for onions?
Onion nursery setup
- Prepare the soil so that there are no lumps.
- 1 week before planting, mix well-rotted manure into the soil.
- Plant seeds 8 cm apart in rows 15 cm apart.
- Water the seeds.
- Once they germinate remove mulch & spray with Master 72 and Osthion from Osho Chemicals to control nursery pests & diseases.
What month do you plant onions?
spring
Onions like cool weather in the early part of their growth, so plant them in spring — except in mild-winter areas, where onions are grown as a fall or winter crop. Generally speaking, onions grow tops in cool weather and form bulbs when the weather warms.
How do onions grow in Nigeria?
If sowing on field, sow seed in drills of about 2cm deep with about 1 inch between seeds. If sowing in rows then space the rows about 30cm apart. In the tropics such as Nigeria, only short day or day neutral onion varieties will form bulbs. Planting date: Onion setts then they can be planted around Mid to Late March.
How long does it take to grow onions in Nigeria?
Onions are usually cultivated in November or December and it takes about 3 to 4 months to reach maturity. Due to the climate in the Northern part of the country, 100% of the onions consumed in Nigeria are produced in North.
How do you irrigate an onion?
Most onions require about 30 inches of water per season to grow a good crop with drip irrigation. The key is to provide about 0.3 – 0.4 inches/day – drip irrigation is the best way to apply small amounts of water frequently. Generally, one line of tape to supply 4 rows of onions is adequate.
How long does it take for onions to grow?
Since onions already take a long time to mature, you can start them indoors. An onion’s average growth rate is 100 to 175 days till maturity.
How do you plant onions?
Plant onions in early spring once the ground is workable. In-ground gardens and raised beds are both excellent options for growing onions. Space onion plants 6 inches apart in rows that are 12 inches apart. Grow them in a sunny spot that has fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.8.
Where can onions grow in Nigeria?
In Nigeria, onion is grown mostly in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Sokoto, Plateau, Bauchi and Kebbi States. In 2012 alone, an estimate of about 240,000 tons of green onions and 1,350,000 tons of dry onions were produced in Nigeria.
Why onions is expensive in Nigeria?
“Onions were costly because it has a planting season. When the ones planted is not ready for the market, it cannot be sold. Farmers only sell what they have in stock; that was why it was expensive. Once they harvest anytime soon, there will be plenty onions in the market and it will become cheap again,” he said.
Do onions need a lot of water?
Onion plants require adequate water to produce high yields, but it doesn’t take much over watering for your onions to become diseased and rot in the ground. In a typical 12 week growing season, we recommend irrigating with one inch of water once or twice a week depending on the amount of rainfall received.
How are onions grown in Nigeria?
Usually, the organic manure is added at the final plough. The planting of onions is done with seeds or setts. Onions are usually cultivated in November or December and it takes about 3 to 4 months to reach maturity. Due to the climate in the Northern part of the country, 100% of the onions consumed in Nigeria are produced in North.
How do you prepare land for onion cultivation?
The land can be prepared by ploughing 6 to 7 times to make it soft. Usually, the organic manure is added at the final plough. The planting of onions is done with seeds or setts. Onions are usually cultivated in November or December and it takes about 3 to 4 months to reach maturity.
What are the most commonly consumed vegetables in Nigeria?
One of the most commonly consumed vegetable in Nigeria is onions. In fact, Nigeria is one of the largest producers of onions in the world with over 2 millions tonnes produced annually. Onions offers excellent health benefits and the ease of cultivating this crop makes it a lucrative venture for any aspiring farmer.
Where can I find onion seeds for planting?
You’ll need to find onion seeds or sets to plant. Most garden and hardware stores will have them for sale. If you live out in the country, you may even find them at your local grocery store when the season comes around. You can also get them in the mail by ordering from an online mail-order catalog.
