Features of cultivation and folk recipes with "Shallot" onions

Shallots have gained great popularity among summer residents due to their versatility and unpretentiousness. It is widely used in cooking and medicine. Distinctive features are cold resistance and long shelf life. When growing, they pay attention to the rules of planting and care.

In the article you will find details of cultivation and features of using shallots.

Shallot - what is it

Shallots have a high yield, small heads and excellent keeping quality... Its main value is greens. It is very juicy and contains a lot of vitamins. In the process of growth in the first year, it forms up to five turnips in the nest, in the second year - up to 15.

Varieties and varieties

Shallot is becoming more and more popular among summer residents, thanks to which breeders are developing more and more new varieties specially adapted to climatic conditions.

Among the most popular are:

1. Kuban yellow... Medium early grade. The bulb is dense, rounded with 3-4 primordia. Productivity from one bush - 65-100 g. Resistant to drought. It belongs to the peninsular.
2. Belozerets-94... Early maturing variety. The growing season is 85 days. The bulb is oval in shape with dense scales. The outer scales are dark lilac in color. Productivity from one bush - 100-120 g.
3. Kunak... Ripening period 90-100 days. The upper scales are yellow. Possesses high keeping quality. The taste is spicy.
4. Berezovsky aristocrat... Mid-season variety. The bulb is elliptical. Weight 60 g, up to 5-7 heads are formed on one bush. The upper scales are dark yellow. It has a semi-sharp taste.
5. Sturdy... According to the growing season, it belongs to the middle late. The bulb is round, small. 4-6 pieces are formed in the bush. The outer scales are pink, the inner ones are red.
6. Sir-7... Early ripening variety. The bulb is round-flat. Weight 20-40 g. The outer scales are golden yellow. 4-7 heads are formed on one bush. Possesses high keeping quality. The taste is spicy.

Origin and development

Shallots have been cultivated for more than one century. Asia is considered the birthplace of culture. Since ancient times, the onion families have been grown in countries with warm climates. But thanks to the work of breeders, cold-resistant varieties appeared, which made it possible to grow Shallot everywhere.

Chemical composition and useful properties

Shallot is recommended for those who monitor their health and are on a diet.

It has a high nutritional value:

• proteins - 2.5 g;
• fats - 0.1 g;
• carbohydrates - 13.6 g;
• dietary fiber - 3.2 g;
• water - 80 g;
• calories - 72 kcal.

The content of vitamins and minerals in shallots per 100 g:

• potassium - 13.4%;
• manganese - 14.6%;
• vitamin B6 - 17.3%;
• C - 8.9%.

The substances that make up the onion have useful properties:

• support immunity and restore the nervous system;
• accelerate the healing of wounds from insect bites;
• improve metabolism;
• stabilize blood pressure;
• stimulate the brain and improve memory.

Ripening period, yield, disease resistance

Within a month after sowing, the green leaves are ready to eat.

According to the growing season, it is divided into:

• early varieties - up to 85 days;
• medium - from 85 to 120 days;
• late - up to 150 days.

Average onion productivity from 1 m² to 6 kg.

Important! For growing shallots in order to obtain greens, early-ripening varieties are used.

The variety is resistant to diseases, rotting and pests... It has a high keeping quality and is not affected by green mold rot during storage.

Bulb characteristics

Biennial plant... In the first year, 5 small bulbs are formed on it, and in the second year of cultivation, they become 2-3 times more. Visually, the shallot resembles onions, only small in size. The bulb is more elongated, drop-shaped, weighing an average of 50 g.

The color of the upper scales ranges from yellow to purple.... The pulp is juicy. Possesses a pronounced taste from spicy to sweet. The greens are tender and delicate. In length reaches up to 40 cm. Winter hardy.

For which regions is it suitable

Due to its drought resistance and cold resistance, the culture is considered universal. Shallot is recommended for all growing regions.

The main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Benefits of the variety:

• a large amount of vitamins and minerals;
• short growing season;
• high productivity;
• rapid growth of green mass;
• adaptation to weather conditions.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• exactingness to the soil;
• with winter planting, productivity decreases;
• small turnip size.

What is the difference from other varieties

Distinctive characteristics of the variety:

• unpretentiousness to weather conditions;
• long shelf life;
• excellent taste characteristics;
• a large number of useful elements;
• resistance to diseases and pests of onions.

What is the difference between shallots and onions? Smaller heads in the nests, juicy and sugary pulp, high keeping quality and frost resistance.

Where is shallot used

Shallots recipes are numerous and easy to follow. For culinary purposes, they use fresh, frozen or pickled vegetables.

Due to its high taste the use of onions in cooking is diverse:

• for seasonings and sauces;
• salads and soups;
• baking in the oven;
• pickles.

Shallots caramelize well as they have more sugar and less water.

In folk medicine, it is used:

• for the treatment of infectious diseases;
• headache;
• to normalize blood pressure and heart activity due to the content of sodium and potassium;
• improvement of vision.

As an antioxidant, onions remove toxins from the body and slow down cell aging.

Traditional medicine recipes

Shallot recipes:

1. High temperature... Shallots are used fried. Take a couple of onions, chop and fry. Fold in a paper bag and compress on the chest.
2. When coughing... Take 1 onion, peel, chop finely and add 2 tbsp. l. Sahara. Stir, leave for a couple of hours. Take syrup 2 tbsp. l. every 2 hours.
3. Headache... Take a fresh onion. Cut in half and apply to temples until pain subsides.
4. To improve vision... Rub the fresh onion and squeeze out the juice. Onion and honey are mixed in proportions of 2: 1. Instill in the eyes 1-2 drops once a month.

Frequent use of shallots is contraindicated in people with gastrointestinal diseases.

Features of planting and growing

To obtain an excellent harvest, the rules of care, collection and storage are observed.

Preparing for landing

Before planting shallots, prepare the site and seed.

Site requirements:

• lighted, ventilated;
• predecessors - legumes, cabbage, tomatoes;
• close proximity to strawberries, radishes or carrots to protect against pests.

Seed preparation:

• for planting, choose bulbs with a diameter of 2-3 cm;
• dry and sick are discarded;
• on the day of planting, the bulbs are heated by placing them in a warm place for 8 hours;
• immediately before planting, soak in a solution of potassium permanganate for at least 30 minutes.

Ground requirements

The process of soil preparation begins in the fall.

Important! You cannot apply fresh organic fertilizer under the onion.

Ground requirements:

• light, loose soil;
• moderately moist;
• fertilized;
• with neutral acidity.

Soil preparation for planting:

1. In the fall, dig up the area with the introduction of a nutrient mixture: 6 kg of compost, 50 g of superphosphate and 200 g of ash. The ready-made solution is designed for 1 m²;
2. Nitrogen is introduced in early spring - 25 g / m².

Heavy clay soils are not suitable for growing shallots. - the bulbs will be small.

Timing, scheme and landing rules

Shallot is resistant to low temperatures, but despite this, it is not recommended to grow it before winter.

Important! Prolonged exposure to low temperatures increases the percentage of shooting.

Sowing onions begins when the soil is physically ripe, when the arable layer warms up by 10 cm.

Landing dates:

• for greenery: March - April;
• per turnip: April - May.

Landing scheme:

• planting depth - 2.5 cm;
• distance - 25 X 25 cm.

Shallot planting rules:

1. On the day of planting, treat the seed with concentrated manganese and saline solution. Soak for 30 minutes, dry and start planting.
2. Plant onions in soil with a temperature of at least + 12 ° C.
3. Before planting, outline grooves 4-5 cm deep, spill them with water.
4. The neck of the onion is left 2-3 cm above the ground.
5. With prolonged cold snaps, the plantings are closed with a covering material.

Favorable temperature for growing - + 20 ° С, but the plant tolerates a decrease to -5 ° С.

Growing features

Shallots are a biennial plant. In the first year, seed sets are grown. In the second year, full-fledged bulbs are already obtained.

Rules for growing shallots:

1. Place the seed in a vessel with warm water. All seeds that remained on the surface of the water to be discarded are non-viable specimens.
2. Sowing is carried out in pre-fertilized, moist soil.
3. Seeds are sown in rows with 20 cm aisles.
4. The seeding depth is 1 cm.

The nuances of care

Crop care consists in timely watering, feeding and loosening as needed.

Watering mode

Watering mode directly depends on the weather conditions during the period of growing shallots. In rainy weather, do not water.

In dry weather:

• at the beginning of active growth every 2-3 days;
• watering is stopped 20 days before harvesting.

For watering use warm water.

Loosening the soil and weeding

During the period of active growth, onion beds are weeded, thinned out and loosened. Three weeding is enough per season. This is done mechanically using a hoe. Simultaneously with weeding, the process of loosening occurs.

Top dressing

Two dressings are carried out per season:

1. 22 days after planting - dilute a mixture of manure with water 1:10.
2. 45 days after planting - apply phosphorus and potash fertilizers at the rate of 15 g per 1 m².

Fertilization as top dressing is combined with watering.

Disease and pest control

Diseases and pests affect onions if the rules of care are not followed:

1. Downy mildew. Oval pale green spots appear on the feathers. They increase over time. The plant is sprayed with Profit Gold every 12-15 days until the symptoms disappear.
2. Rust. At the beginning of summer, small warts appear on the feathers. Copper oxychloride is used to fight. Take 40 g of the substance and dissolve in 10 l of warm water.
3. Green mold rot. It is accompanied by the formation of brown spots on the upper scales. To prevent the onion from getting sick, it is carefully dried after harvesting and regularly sorted during storage.
4. Cervical rot. The development of the disease begins in the middle of summer. Getting into the neck of the bulb, the fungus softens the tissue, the bulb becomes watery, and an unpleasant odor appears.For the fight use "Mikosan", "Quadris" or "Pentofag".

Pest control:

1. Onion fly... If larvae are found, spray with a salt solution - 1 tbsp. for 1 liter of water.
2. Onion nematode... For prophylaxis, the bulbs are dipped into a solution with 4% formalin for 15-20 minutes before planting. Dried and planted.
3. Aphid... Use the insecticide "Verticillin" or a decoction of pepper, chamomile or potato peels.

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting time depends on climatic conditions during the growing season of the culture.

Important! Early harvesting will shorten the shelf life, late harvesting will provoke the re-growth of green feathers.

How and when to collect

Harvesting of plantings is carried out when 90% of the tops have turned yellow and died, in August-September:

1. Dig up the shallots and remove the soil.
2. Break the nest into separate turnips and cut off dry feathers, leaving a neck 3-5 cm high.
3. Dry the onion thoroughly before storing.

Storage features and keeping quality of the variety

A distinctive feature of shallots is its high keeping quality and preservation of useful properties.

Storage features:

• observance of temperature + 15 ° С;
• dark ventilated room;
• humidity 75-85%.

What can be the difficulties in growing

Growing difficulties:

• stagnation of moisture in the beds, which leads to rotting of the bulb;
• a darkened, unventilated place for landing;
• applying organic fertilizers directly to the crop;
• contaminated seed.

Tips from experienced gardeners

When cultivating shallots experienced gardeners recommend:

1. Follow the landing pattern. Avoid thickening.
2. Observe cleaning times. Closely monitor the formation of the bulb.
3. Carry out cleaning in dry weather. Dry the onion thoroughly before storing.
4. Disinfect and ventilate the storage area.
5. Avoid excessive fertilization and watering of crops.

Reviews of shallots

Shallot is actively discussed on Internet forums. The culture is popular in all regions due to its unpretentiousness and useful properties.

Anastasia, Irkutsk: “I have been growing shallots for over 10 years. He came to us by accident - several lilac bulbs. The feather of the family onion is delicate, extremely tasty. Salads with him are simply excellent! The only thing I didn't like was that the bulb was too small. ".

Alexander, Pavlov: “Two years ago I got acquainted with shallots - a friend suggested it. I planted it without any hope. A worthy bow has grown! He endured the rainy summer excellently and delighted with excellent greenery throughout the season. Lied all winter until next season ".

Conclusion

Shallots are distinguished by their unpretentiousness and early ripening. Due to the high content of nutrients and excellent taste, it is actively used in cooking and traditional medicine. Subject to all planting and care requirements, you will get an excellent harvest. And the correct harvest time will extend the shelf life of the shallot.