Red onions are a common vegetable in Kenya. Did you know that they can be planted from seeds? This blog explains how to grow red onions from seeds in Kenya.
Red onions are planted from seeds that will later develop into seedlings. The seedlings will be planted on the farm to grow to maturity. They are planted on well-drained, fertile soil.
The best time to plant red onions is during the short rains that are from October to December, so that they are harvested from January to February when the weather is hot.
Onions take three to five months to grow to maturity from sowing seeds, depending on the type of onion. Also, when seeds are planted on seedbeds, they take 7 to 10 days to germinate.
How to Grow Red Onions in Kenya
In Kenya, red onions grow well in well-drained soil, fertile sandy loam soil, and non-compacted soils with a PH of 6.0 to 7.0. Red onion farming requires an ideal temperature of 13 to 24 degrees, especially during germination, which is helpful to the onion seeds.
Prepare the Land
The land is prepared and ploughed one month before transplanting red onion seedlings. The soil should be reduced to fine particles for two weeks before transplanting to make planting easier.
Plant the Seeds in a Nursery
Red Creole onion seeds are sown on the raised bed before transplanting to the field. In the bed, seeds are sown in furrows and a layer of thin mulch is covered. After 7 to 10 days, they will germinate and the mulch is removed to allow them to grow.
Transplanting
Transplanting of red onion seedlings is done six to eight weeks after sowing seeds. Similarly, you can transplant onions when they have produced three to five well-formed leaves. It is done early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun is not burning hot.
Using a shovel, uproot seedlings from the seedbed and plant them in the already prepared land. The seedlings are planted in 2.5 to 3cm deep trenches at a space of 30cm between rows and 8 to 12cm from one seedling to another.
When planting seedlings, organic manure is added to the holes. Select healthy seedlings and free from pests from seedbed to plant and then firm up the seedlings with the surrounding soil.
Water the Seedlings
After you are done with transplanting, water the seedlings and continue watering in the morning and evening until the seedlings hold well in the soil.
Red Creole onion farming in Kenya is easy to practice as long as you grow at the perfect temperature with the right type of soil. Red creole thrives on sandy soil that is well-drained so that water does not pool around the roots. The soil PH should be between 6.0 and 7.0 and have a temperature of about 18 to 33 degrees Celsius.
It is grown in a warm and sunny climate to grow best. They are grown in locations with full sun and moderate rain.
Best Time to Grow Red Creole Onions
In Kenya, the best time to grow red creole onions is in hot months like January. Red creole onions are preferred to be planted on raised beds first before transplanting to the field. The nursery bed is prepared one metre wide, with the length of your choice, and the soil is mixed thoroughly with manure and DAP.
Furrows are made 15 cm apart and 2 cm deep and seeds are put inside and covered lightly with soil. Then apply mulching to conserve soil moisture.
After 6 to 8 weeks, seedlings are transplanted on already prepared land that has been mixed well with decomposed manure. When planting, NPK fertilizer is applied to ensure that plants grow with essential plant nutrients, and also, after one month, CAN is applied.
In Kenya, red Creole onions are harvested after three months when the outer leaves are dry.
Onion Varieties in Kenya
The best and major onion varieties in Kenya are bulb and spring onions. This is because they are easy to plant.
The hybrid varieties in Kenya can be grown anywhere and are resistant to perinatal pests and diseases. The following are seven hybrid varieties commonly found in Kenya:
1. Jambari F1
It is a red variety that matures after 90 days of transplanting. It has a high yield, producing big bulbs that are preferred by hotels and institutions.
2. Neptune F1
It is a hybrid onion variety that is tolerant to drought and resistant to diseases, and it matures early. It has a long shelf life, is small in size and has good taste, which is common in the marketplace.
3. Red Coach F1
This one has a good flavour with low-fat content and is rich in dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is good for sliced vegetable salads.
4. Red Nice F1
It is a small deep-red bulb hybrid variety with excellent curing and storage.
5. Red Passion F1
It is a medium-sized deep red bulb onion that matures 90 days after transplanting and has a long shelf life of up to 5 months, hence more preferred in the market.
6. Red Pinoy F1
It has an early maturity of 90 days with small bulbs and has potential yields with a shelf life of up to six months at room temperature. It is resistant to common diseases like downy mildew.
7. Red Star F1
It is a small-sized deep red bulb suited to adverse climate conditions with excellent curing and storage. It produces a high yield of 25 tonnes per acre and matures 90 days after transplanting.
Because onions require a high nitrogen source, the best onion fertilizer is nitrogen-based fertilizer such as ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate. It also increases the size of the onion leaves, which causes the bulb scales to grow larger and heavier.
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