MANURING ONIONS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18659, 30 August 1930, Page 13

MANURING ONIONS

SUITABLE FERTILISERS. A writer in the Fertiliser Journal says:—“lt does not pay to be niggardly with fertilisers used for onions. A slight increase in the size of each bulb makes a material difference to the crop and, as the onion is a vegetable which responds admirably to suitable feeding, it always pays to go to some trouble to supply the best fertilisers. “If the soil has been heavily manured for a previous crop, a dressing of lime will usually be of the greatest benefit to the soil when this is being prepared. Land which has not been heavily manured previously should receive a good dressing of farmyard manure whenever it is procurable. For light soils, cow manure will answer best, while for soils of a heavier nature, horse manure will prove most suitable. In addition to the cow or horse manure, a dressing of a mixture of bone meal and soot will prove very beneficial; or, in place of this, six pounds of superphosphate and half that quantity of kainit may be mixed with a-peck of soot and applied to each square rod of land. If the soil is very light, a dressing during the early stages of growth of agricultural salt at the rate of one ounce per square yard, will usually be found to do a great deal of good. “Sulphate of ammonia is a useful fertiliser for the onion crop while the onions are quite young. It should be used at the rate of one pound per rod. Another useful fertiliser to use in conjunction with this, and at about double the amount or a little more, is steamed bone flour. In addition, sulphate of potash may also be used with advantage at the rate of one pound per rod.