We continue to talk about the unusual natural fertilizers. You already know how you can use bread and yeast (), coffee (), eggshell(), milk (). Today we will talk about onion skins.

What is useful onion peel?

Onion peel contains a whole range of useful substances. It is especially rich in vitamins C, E, PP, groups B, A, phytoncides (they determine the bactericidal properties of the product); contains quercetin (a powerful antioxidant), useful organic acids, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese.

Onion peel stimulates the growth and development of plants, gives them "immunity" from diseases and strengthens their plant body.

The husk has not only nutritional properties but also disinfectant. Thanks to it, you can protect plants from many pathogens that may be in the soil, as well as use the husk to spray plants from pests and pathogens that are on the surface of the bark, leaves, flowers and fruits.

What to feed with onion peel?

Absolutely all plants in your garden will be delighted with such top dressing. Onion peel "revives" plants that begin to wither, brings them into tone. Many summer residents use an infusion of husks as soon as they begin to notice the first leaves that begin to turn yellow.

Especially good feedback on onion peels from tomatoes, peppers, carrots, cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini.

And for the treatment of pests and diseases, onion peel is used for absolutely all crops on garden plot. The most effective onion solutions in the fight against spider mite, thrips, aphids, Colorado potato beetle and codling moth, as well as for the prevention and treatment of the "black leg".

Husk preparation.

Everything is simple. When peeling onions, do not throw away the husk. Dry it well by spreading it out on a sheet of paper or newspaper and put it in a cloth bag or box where it will be stored until use.

How to use onion peel in the garden?

- Onion peel is added directly to the soil before planting (as well as before planting seedlings). To do this, dry husks must first be crushed.

- For spraying plants use infusions and decoctions onion peel(recipes are listed below).

Recipes.

Infusion for feeding: Pour 1 cup of onion peel into a bucket of water (almost full), put on fire and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, leave for 2-3 hours, strain. Water the plants from the watering can over the leaves and under the root. Use the remaining husks for compost.

Spray solution for pests and diseases: 4 cups of onion peel pour 2 liters hot water. Insist 2 days, strain. Dilute 2 times with water. Treat at least 3 times at weekly intervals.

As well as…

Husks can be used to increase the shelf life of vegetables and fruits and protect them from fungal diseases during storage. To do this, the products are powdered with dry crushed husks before being stored.

Kira Stoletova

Any farmer knows how much attention and care ordinary cucumbers require. A real panacea for all cucumber diseases can be called ordinary onion peel, which is present in abundance in any kitchen and is undeservedly disposed of. Experienced gardeners who know how to feed cucumbers with onion peels start collecting this unique product in the fall and accumulate it in sufficient quantities by the beginning of the season to use it as fertilizer.

The benefits of onion skins

Onion peel for cucumbers is actually much healthier than the onion itself. It contains rare biologically active and minerals, as well as a complex of vitamins and microelements.

1. Carotene is a powerful antioxidant and natural immunostimulant. The level of carotene content in such a product is comparable only with its content in carrots. For cucumbers, carotene is useful in that it increases the vitality of seedlings, helps plants fight various fungal and putrefactive diseases, and also improves leaf metabolism.
2. Phytoncides disinfect the entire harmful environment contained in the soil, not excluding even the simplest microorganisms, and only here their concentration is many times higher than necessary for conventional protection. Phytoncides are found mainly in the outer part of the leaves and therefore easily pass into the water when infused.
3. B vitamins are real growth activators for cucumbers. They are essential elements for the production of carboxylase, which is involved in the process of processing carbohydrates into useful substances. When seedlings are treated with such a solution, the stems of cucumbers will be more powerful, and the leaves stronger.
4. Vitamins of the PP group or nicotinic acid are the most important trace element, without which the process of processing oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen by plants is impossible. If the plant receives additional nutrition rich in nicotinamide, it ceases to suffer from a lack of lighting, and its root system becomes much more powerful, which is important for those who grow cucumbers on heavy alumina.

Application methods

For seedlings

To prepare the soil for planting seedlings, it must be dug up with mulch. You can also treat the seedlings with a solution by insisting a handful of cleanings in a liter of boiling water for a day. Spraying is carried out before planting in open ground, and then - no more than once every 6 days. This will help cucumber seedlings to be more resistant to various fungal infections and protect against harmful insects. If you process cucumbers in two ways, digging with such a mulch and feeding with a decoction at the same time for one season, the crop will be bitter.

Bush feeding

To increase the yield of cucumbers and prolong the fruiting period, they are fed with a decoction of onion peels. It helps plants restore vitality and restore strength after frost or prevent yellowing. sheet plates cucumbers. This decoction is prepared at the rate of 2 handfuls of leaves per bucket of water, brought to a boil and infused for a day. After that, the broth is diluted at the rate of 2 liters per bucket warm water and with this solution, cucumbers that begin to wither are fed.

Pest control

Cucumbers are often affected by thrips or spider mites.

In order for these insects to run away from the beds without looking back, you should spray the cucumber leaves with the following infusion: pour a liter jar of rammed husks with two liters of warm water.

The use of the solution, the processing of plants does not require special knowledge: let it brew for two days, strain and dilute warm water in a ratio of 1:2. You can also add a little laundry soap to it for better fixation on the leaves. It is necessary to carefully spray the leaves for 3 days in a row, after which take a break of 7-10 days. The procedure is repeated several times. The same infusion, only without soap, is also used to treat the fungus, pouring it on the affected plants under the root.

In the old days, it was not customary to throw away onion peels - excellent fertilizer was prepared on its basis. Environmentally friendly raw materials simply cannot harm either plants or soil. On the contrary, the husk contains a lot of useful substances, and therefore accelerates the growth of horticultural crops, and has a positive effect on crops.

Beneficial features

Onion peel has a rich composition. Therefore, fertilizer based on it has the following effect:

• anti-inflammatory
• restorative
• immunostimulating

Top dressing based on the husk perfectly regenerates and strengthens the rhizomes of garden crops, promotes their intensive growth and development.

Peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers are very responsive to onion fertilizer. They begin to develop more rapidly, bloom together and bear fruit abundantly.

In addition to garden crops, home flowers are also fed with husks. For them, this is both food and protection from small midges.

Spraying with onion broth allows you to get rid of many harmful insects: ticks, green aphids, bears, weevils, caterpillars, cabbage butterflies, codling moths.

In addition, top dressing is useful for both garden crops and the soil itself. Organics from it improves the structure of the soil, making it more loose, breathable.

Important! Onion peel will only be beneficial if products based on it are used fresh.

The composition of the husk

Onion peels contain a lot of useful components: vitamins B and E, PP and P, ascorbic acid, phytoncides, carotene, silicic acid, as well as salts of iron, calcium and potassium.

Carotene acts as a powerful immunostimulant, carrying the strongest life-giving force. It blocks free radicals, kills all harmful microorganisms, eliminates fungal accumulations, defeats rot. Carotene is an excellent antioxidant that increases the similarity of seeds, overall endurance, increases the degree of disease resistance, and allows you to endure the lack of oxygen.

Onion scales contain phytoncides that kill fungus, microbes and pathogenic bacteria.

There are many vitamins in this fertilizer. For example, the B-group reacts with phosphorus, resulting in the formation of an enzyme useful for plants - carboxylase. It is especially useful for seedlings - it accelerates their growth, strengthens root system, protects from decay.

Vitamins of the PP-group provide the process of respiration, without which photosynthesis, the assimilation of sulfur and nitrogen are impossible. They allow plants to fully develop even on alumina.

How to cook

Onion skins are usually boiled, insisted, and also used as mulch. The main thing is to follow the correct dosage.

Decoctions

Flower growers especially appreciate this top dressing. Onion broth allows you to restore houseplants to rid them of disease. Enough watering twice a week.

Recipe 1: Take a glass of husk, pour water (up to 2 liters), boil for several minutes, and then insist. When the broth has cooled, start feeding. It is not necessary to filter it: the husk is a wonderful organic matter that will only benefit the soil.

Attention! You can not store the decoction. It must be used immediately, otherwise it will lose all its useful qualities.

Recipe 2: It is more suitable for lazy people. In order not to burden oneself with the preparation of a decoction, the crushed husks are poured into the ground, and then the cultures are watered with warm water.

Recipe 3: Concentrated for vegetable crops. Before use, it is diluted in water. A glass of raw materials is poured into 2 liters of water, boiled, then covered and wrapped. The composition should be well infused, acquire a dark brown hue. This amount of top dressing is designed for a bucket of water. It is recommended to apply the decoction twice a month. Not only in the form of watering, but also in the form of spraying tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, carrots.

infusions

They differ from decoctions in that they do not need to be boiled and boiled. Even cold water is suitable for their preparation.

Recipe 1: Pour a glass of onion skins with a bucket cold water, insist up to 4 days, strain. This the composition is suitable for spraying fruit trees and berry bushes.

Recipe 2: A bucket is filled to the middle with husks, then poured to the brim hot water, clog, insist 2 days. The finished composition is filtered, diluted in water (1: 2) before use. He copes well with hordes of green aphids.

Recipe 3: A little husk (10 g), crushed onion(20 g) pour 1000 ml of boiling water, cover with a lid, leave for 9 hours. This infusion is used for spraying garden and house plants.

Note. The composition will adhere better to the plants if you add a little grated soap to it.

An excellent result is the use of dry onion skins. They are scattered on the site before digging, sprinkled with beds in order to repel pests.

Mulch

It is better to start collecting husks from the end of autumn - the beginning of spring. Then there is a chance to have time to accumulate a sufficient amount of raw materials for the garden season. The main thing is to dry it thoroughly, in order to avoid decay.

In the spring, the husks are applied before digging or immediately before planting various crops. After a few days, you can start sowing.

Some gardeners cover whole beds with husks in order to prevent diseases and protect against pests. Onion smell is not to the liking of many insects. This allows you to grow healthy fruits, protecting them from damage.

Fertilizer and top dressing

Onion skins are useful not only for horticultural crops, but also for home crops. However, do not forget about the observance of dosages.

For indoor plants

The conditions inside the house can hardly be called ideal for growing flowers. Here the air is dry, not enough good lighting very few nutrients. All this can lead to the death of plants. A decoction of onion skins will come to the rescue.

For its preparation, skins from 2 onions are enough. Raw materials are poured with a liter of boiling water and infused for 3-4 days. Fertilize them first with flowers with bright signs of wilting. They usually recover completely within a few weeks and continue to grow normally.

For prevention, the infusion is used every 3-4 weeks. After all, even healthy plants he will like it.

Husk fertilizer should not be used for cacti and ficuses, succulents and fat women. They may completely stop growing or begin to dry out.

For garden and vegetable garden

The effectiveness of onion dressings is confirmed by many gardeners. Even agronomists lead nice results after their application.

• For cucumbers

This crop is highly susceptible to rot. To avoid its appearance, cucumbers are sprayed with an onion solution (400 g of husk per 2 liters of boiling water, leave for 2 days). Before use, it should be diluted twice with water.

Spray better greens and not stems. Frequency - once every 2-3 weeks.

In addition to the solution, onion mulch is very effective in combating cucumber diseases.

Note. If a decision is made to use the husk for mulching, then it is no longer necessary to spray the crop.

• For tomatoes

Husk-based top dressing protects tomatoes from two types of rot. In addition, it makes the stems of the culture more powerful and strong. Fertilize tomatoes about 1-2 times a month. And only in the evenings. The first time - immediately after planting seedlings. The infusion is prepared the same as for cucumbers. Only it is bred not in double, but in triple size.

They are not sprayed, but watered tomatoes. For one bush - half a liter of nutrient solution. In a few days, the results will be visible: the plant will begin to grow actively, the foliage will become more fleshy.

As you grow older, the dosage will also increase. Adult bushes require up to 2 liters of the composition.

The second dressing is done after the start of flowering.

To protect tomatoes from pests, several sprays are carried out per season.

• For zucchini, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes

These cultures will certainly appreciate the nutritious and vitamin onion infusion. The recipe for its preparation is similar to that used for cucumbers. It will also help radish to resist bacteriosis.

• For seedlings

Onion peel is used to enrich the soil with nutrients. This is especially true for young plants that require a lot of strength for growth and development. Onion skins are first buried in the beds, and then seedlings are already placed in the ground. In addition to dry material, onion infusion is used. They fertilize the places of future plantings.

In addition, spraying with onion broth is used. So you can protect garden crops from harmful insects.

Pests and diseases

A decoction based on onion peel is used to protect plants from most pests, such as aphids, codling moths, caterpillars, spider mites, weevils, cabbage, and so on.

Recipe: 400 g of husks are poured with a glass of boiling water, infused for up to 5 days. Apply it for 3 days in a row, not forgetting to dilute it 1: 2 and add laundry soap for stickiness.

The following recipe is used against the so-called black leg: 2 handfuls of husks are poured into 1000 ml of water, insisted for 24 hours, filtered.

The same infusion perfectly eliminates cabbage and radish from bacteriosis. As soon as the foliage begins to turn yellow, it's time to process.

In addition, onion infusion saves tomatoes from bacterial cancer, which destroys all fruits if it is not stopped in time.

The smell of onions is also not tolerated by Colorado beetles, suckers, apple codling moths and some rodents. Many gardeners do not wait for the appearance of a particular pest, but spray garden crops for prevention purposes. Since the beginning of spring.

Conclusion

Onion top dressing not only nourishes the plants with the most essential vitamins and minerals, but also reliably protects them from pests. In addition, it is a waste material that does not require any financial investment.

Some summer residents, not knowing what to do with a large number of onion peel, often thrown away. And they do it in vain - firstly, from the onion peel you can prepare an effective infusion for spraying against a wide variety of ailments and pests, and secondly, it makes an excellent fertilizer!

About the benefits of onion peel

Onion peel is very rich in all kinds of useful compounds. It contains the most powerful antioxidant quercetin, phytoncides, B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, PP, E and C. It also contains a lot of essential trace elements, as well as valuable organic acids.

What is the use of this waste product for plants? Onion peel actively stimulates their development, enhances growth, and also strengthens them and grants them immunity from a great many ailments. However, it is famous not only for its nutritional properties, but also for its powerful disinfecting effect - it is onion peel that helps protect growing crops from all kinds of pathogens that live in the soil. And it is also widely used for spraying vegetation from various pests (remedies based on it are especially effective in the fight against apple codling moth, Colorado potato beetle, aphids, thrips and spider mites) and from lurking on the surfaces of fruits, flowers, leaves and bark of pathogens of a number of ailments . And, of course, you can use the collected husks as a valuable fertilizer.

What crops will be grateful for such top dressing?

It is allowed to feed with onion peel absolutely any crops cultivated on the site. "Reviving" the plants that have begun to wither, it brings them into tone in the shortest possible time. If yellowed leaves were found on growing crops, you can immediately begin to prepare a saving infusion of onion peel.

Carrots, peppers, tomatoes, as well as zucchini, pumpkin and cucumbers are considered the most responsive to onion husks.

How to prepare onion peel?

The husk removed from the onion during its peeling is thoroughly dried (for this it is laid out on a newspaper or on a blank sheet of paper), and then put into a box or a cloth bag - this is where it will be stored until the moment of use.

How to fertilize the garden with onion peel?

For spraying, decoctions and infusions of onion peel are usually prepared, and pre-crushed raw materials are added immediately to the soil immediately before planting seedlings or adult plants.

You can also prepare a very effective infusion for top dressing. To do this, a glass of onion peel is poured into a bucket filled almost to the brim with water, after which they put the container on the fire and bring its contents to a boil. After removing from the fire, the resulting composition is insisted for about two to three hours, and after this time it is immediately filtered. Plants are watered with the finished infusion using a capacious watering can - both under the root and along the leaves. And the husk that remains after filtering will fit to add to the compost.

And in order to prepare a spray solution for pests and diseases, four cups of onion peel are poured with two liters of hot water. When the mixture is infused for about two days, it is filtered and diluted with water (the amount of water should be twice the amount of the solution). Treatments with such a solution are carried out at least three times with a weekly interval.

What else is husk useful for?

This valuable raw material will be an excellent helper for increasing the shelf life of the harvested crop, as well as for protecting it from damage by extremely unpleasant fungal diseases during storage. To make this possible, before storing harvested crop dusted with chopped and pre-dried onion peel.

Proponents of organic farming care not only about the safety of grown fruits, but also about the environment. Eliminate the use of chemical insecticides and toxic substances of synthetic origin personal plot helps grow healthy berries, fruits and vegetables, and also not to harm all living things. One of the proven and practically free funds for a garden and a kitchen garden the peel of an onion is considered.

In addition to controlling diseases and pests, the regular use of onion skins in the garden has some benefits for most horticultural crops. Due to the biologically active compounds of the husk (quercetin, vitamins A and group B, a complete set of macro- and microelements, including copper, boron, selenium, manganese, iron, magnesium, sodium, calcium, molybdenum), the treatment of plantings with infusion increases the immunity of plants and their resistance to various infections. In addition, water extracts from onion husks are an excellent foliar and root top dressing.

Compositions (decoctions and infusions with the addition of soap) based on onion peel are effective against the following pests:

• apple codling moth,
• Colorado beetle,
• spider mite,
• fleas,
• thrips.

Adding a handful of onion skins to the planting holes helps protect horticultural crops: cabbage, tomato, potatoes from the invasion of the bear and wireworm. Decomposing in the soil, the husk slows down the reproduction of pathogenic microflora, promoting the growth of beneficial microflora, and enriches the soil with microelements, and in such favorable conditions garden crops produce the highest yields.

A decoction of onion peel for spraying cucumber leaves and increasing the yield of various crops

Pour two handfuls of husks (do not grind) with a bucket of warm (30-40 ° C) water into enamelware, bring to a boil, simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, cover and let it brew for 4 hours. In a bucket of water room temperature(22-26 ° C) add 2 liters of strained broth and use the solution for abundant irrigation of cucumber leaves using a spray bottle or a regular watering can. The event should be held only at dawn or after sunset to prevent plant burns.

Decoction treatment of cucumber plantings helps with massive yellowing of the leaves, which can be a sign of both a lack of nutrition and the onset of a disease. The same composition enriches the soil with the nutrients necessary to stimulate growth, improve fruiting and increase the yield of pumpkin crops (zucchini, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, melon, watermelon, pumpkins, chayote), potatoes, carrots, radishes, all types of cabbage, leafy greens , radishes, turnips and tomatoes. Fruit trees and shrubs are also responsive to watering with a decoction of onion peel.

Infusion of onion peel from pests

Option number 1

Fill half a bucket of slightly compacted raw materials to the top with hot water, the temperature of which is about 75 ° C, cover with a lid and leave to infuse for a day. Strain the finished concentrate and use for spraying plants, diluting clean water in a 1:1 ratio and adding 40 g of grated laundry soap to improve adhesion. The treatment is carried out as a prevention of the appearance of pests, as well as for their destruction with a frequency of once every 5-10 days. The total number of treatments is 3 times.

Option number 2

Pour a bucket of onion peel (lightly rammed) with 2 buckets of warm water, cover the container with a lid and put in a warm place, for example, in a barn, for 120 hours (5 days). Dissolve 50 g of laundry or liquid soap in the filtered composition. The finished concentrate is diluted with clean water in a ratio of 1:2 immediately before the treatment of plants. This composition is sprayed vegetable crops, fruit trees and berry bushes infested with aphids. The solution works against colorado potato beetle on beds with potatoes and eggplants.

Any of the above options for infusion of onion peel is effective against codling moth. To protect the garden from the invasion of the pest, the processing of trees is carried out immediately after flowering, in the evening, at a temperature not lower than 15 ° C. Spraying is carried out once every 7 days throughout the entire summer period of butterflies (4-5 weeks).

By placing a bucket of decoction or infusion of onion peel in a greenhouse or greenhouse, you will protect plants from midges, fleas and aphids. Periodically, with the help of a broom, give the plants a healing shower from this decoction. Such treatments will protect against insects and serve as foliar top dressing.

The pressed onion peel used for the preparation of water extracts is suitable as a mulching material for beds garden strawberries and strawberries. It is also applicable to the preparation of garden compost.

A decoction of onion peel for root feeding of plants

Two handfuls of onion husks pour 5.5 liters of boiling water, put on low heat and simmer for a quarter of an hour under the lid, cool to room temperature, strain and use for watering plants, adding to each bucket pure water 2 liters of prepared concentrate. Watering should be carried out directly under each bush at the rate of 1 liter per plant.

Onion peel for crop storage

When laying root crops on long-term storage(potatoes, beets, carrots, parsley, parsnips) they are sprinkled between the rows with dry onion peel. Such a simple technique can significantly reduce the development of fungal diseases and improves the keeping quality of fruits. Crushed onion peel helps in storing fruits. Apples and pears are put into large plastic bags, sprinkling them with husk powder, which allows keeping the fruits juicy and intact for a long period of time.

Collect onion peel throughout the year, selecting integumentary scales only from healthy bulbs. When stored in a dry place (linen bags or cardboard boxes and wooden boxes) the husk does not lose its healing properties during several years. Experiment on your site using any of the tips above, and you will see for yourself the effectiveness and complete safety of onion peels. Good harvests to all!