Carmen onion: characteristics of the variety, cultivation methods and application

Description of the variety

If you decide to plant this variety, then you need to know that onions become ripe in a very short time, in just 2.5 months. You can tell when it is ripe by the color of the leaves. If they have a yellowish tint, you can start harvesting.

From one square meter you can get 2 kg of onions, which is quite high. Many gardeners, taking advantage of the favorable climate, harvest several times a year. If onions are grown by seedlings, they will ripen within 45 days. Experienced farmers readily use this.

Carmen's onion grows very quickly. therefore, in about 2.5 months you can get the first harvest

When using seedlings, you need to be extremely careful, as the bulbs may not take root.

If we dwell in detail on the description of the onion itself, then each onion has an average weight of 80 g . The weight of the bulb is determined by many factors, such as care, use of fertilizers, and soil fertility. If you take cultivation seriously and follow all the rules for caring for the crops, you can get a good harvest. If all indicators meet the standards, then we get an onion in the amount of 120 g.

The bulb has a distinctive and very rich purple color with a red-blue tint. Because of its color, this variety received another name - Red, which means red. Regarding the shape of the bulb, we can say that it is slightly flattened. You can read about the benefits and harms of red onions in this article.

The average size of an onion is 120 g.

Carmen onions are loved by many because of their sweet taste, and each fiber is juicy and meaty.

How to choose planting material?

When choosing bulbs for sowing in the ground, it is recommended to follow the following recommendations:

• do not take fruits that have any mechanical damage;
• You cannot take onions with traces of rot or fungus;
• the selected onion should have a clear shape and be dense;
• onion sets always need to be calibrated.

Attention! Those seedlings that have a diameter of less than 1 cm should be planted before winter. If the turnip, as the bulbs are also called, has a diameter of more than 10 mm, it is better to save it until spring sowing.

With proper care, the heads can reach 120 g in weight

Peculiarities

Carmen onion, despite the fact that it appeared in Russia relatively recently, has become widespread among farmers. The peculiarity is that the growing process is carried out in several stages and lasts approximately 2 seasons. Farmers begin the process of growing onion seeds in spring. After the seeds have successfully taken root, you can plant Carmen sets. Although some prefer to purchase ready-made onion sets and get a harvest.

Onion sets Carmen

It is better to follow the recommendations and get a harvest from seeds, because otherwise you may face loss of harvest.

Carmen differs from others in that the yield level is almost 90% dependent on the farmer’s work and the quality of the soil. This variety is also characterized by good shelf life, and it can be stored for more than six months.

Harvest and storage

Onions (both sets and turnips) are ready for harvest when the leaves begin to turn yellow and wither. For harvesting, you need to choose a dry, preferably sunny day.

1. The onions are pulled out after digging with a shovel, if the ground is hard, and laid in rows.
2. The roots of the turnip are cut with scissors, without touching the bottom, and the leaves, leaving a tail of 3-4 cm.
3. After this, the onions are scattered in one layer to dry. You can dry onions in the sun, but this is usually done under a canopy or roof.

The turnip is ready for storage when its tail dries. The sets can be dried by tying them into bunches and hanging them under the roof of a barn or in the attic.

There are 2 ways to store onions:

1. cold at temperatures up to 0 °C;
2. warm at 20 °C.

Air humidity should not exceed 70%.

Beneficial features

Carmen onion is popular because it contains useful substances and minerals. Onions of this variety contain a lot of vitamin C, for example, one onion can contain about 19.4 mg. You need to know that in the case of heat treatment, all beneficial properties are reduced, so it is better to use onions raw.

Carmen can be safely served to children, as the onion tastes sweet, without bitterness.

Onions also contain polysaccharides, dry substances that enrich the body with beneficial vitamins . It is a good helper for the immune system during seasonal viral epidemics. The phytoncides contained in onions effectively cope with bacteria, killing them in a very short time. The composition includes magnesium, iron, sucrose and fructose. Onions are rich in potassium, so if there is a lack of this substance in the body, this can be easily corrected.

Many housewives, trying to extract the maximum beneficial properties, stew onions over low heat and prepare various dishes for the winter.

Growing

This variety is not very demanding when grown. But if you want to get a good harvest, it is better to know simple rules. The result depends on the correct choice of not only soil, but also seeds. You also need to know how to care for and collect the bulbs.

First you need to deal with the soil, which should not only be fertile, but also located on the sunny side. Carmen's onion loves the sun's rays, so pay attention to this point.

Carmen onions are best planted on the sunny side

If you decide to plant onions of this variety, then prepare the soil in the autumn season.

An area where tomatoes, legumes, potatoes, cabbage and cucumbers previously grew is ideal. The area where other vegetables and fruits were previously grown becomes less fertile. Such soil is quickly depleted, and the planted onions will not be able to receive nutrients for growth. All predecessors of the onion are presented in this material.

Avoid a site that is highly acidic as you may lose a good harvest. Some farmers use limestone, but it does not always give a good result in eliminating acidity. At home, it is very easy to determine the acidity of the soil. To do this, you can purchase litmus paper, which is an indicator of acidity. Make a small depression in the soil, then pour some water and wait. After some time has passed, place the piece of paper in water, if it changes color, then the soil is acidic. In such soil, the onion will definitely not be able to take root; first the scales will become covered with rot, and then this will spread to the entire plant.

Monitoring soil acidity using a pH tester

To begin soil preparation activities, you need to stock up on fertilizers.

In winter, the soil is fertilized with humus, but in the spring either copper sulfate or wood ash comes to the rescue.

• Humus, or humus as it is called, can be purchased at gardening stores. It is humus that will increase the level of soil fertility, which will delight the farmer for a long time. This fertilizer allows you to retain moisture, which is very important for the plant, and includes a huge amount of carbon dioxide, which allows the plant to feed. A distinctive feature of fertilizers is that they repel moles, which can cause serious damage to the crop.

Humus increases soil fertility

• Wood ash contains beneficial organic matter that promotes plant growth. This natural fertilizer will help the onions to get stronger and has the ability to fight infections. With these simple steps you can get a healthy harvest.
• In rural areas, it is possible to use natural fertilizer - manure , which in its nutritional properties is not inferior to other types of fertilizers.

Once the soil is ready for planting, start selecting seeds. If you use seeds, you can grow not only onions, but also Carmen onion sets. It can be used for further cultivation. To get good seedlings for next year, you need to know how to store onion sets before planting. Get rid of excess moisture and dampness in the onions by placing them in a warm place. Then store at +20 degrees. If you keep such an onion in the cellar, then the temperature should not be lower than 18 degrees. By following all these recommendations and tips, you can save the harvest until spring.

It is necessary to start planting before the onset of cold weather. To protect the seedlings from frost, you can lay out peat to about 10 cm and leave it in that position for a while.

Onion seeds Carmen

Peat will help maintain soil temperature and at the same time has valuable properties, which are very important for obtaining a good harvest.

When the cold weather begins, you can plant the bulbs, remove the peat, and then cover them again with this substance. To get a good harvest, you need to carefully select each bulb so that it does not rot. Planting onions before winter is described here.

Remember that before planting you need to take copper sulfate, then prepare a solution or use a special product and wet the bulbs with it.

Ready-made solutions can be purchased in special stores.

Planting time plays a very important role in obtaining a good result. Before planting, weather conditions must correspond to a temperature of at least +16 degrees. The soil must be warmed up. The best time for planting is from April to early May. Prepare the soil by making a hole, the distance between these rows should be at least 20 cm. The depth of each hole should be approximately 3 cm, and the distance between holes should be from 5 to 7 cm. It is necessary to leave such a distance so that the plant can fully breathe and develop .

Onions are planted in beds, the distance between which is at least 20 cm

The soil must be constantly looked after, unnecessary weeds removed, and watered regularly, as this variety loves abundant watering.

Rules of care

To ensure that plants grow well, carry out all necessary actions in a timely manner and comply with agrotechnical requirements.

Feeding

The procedure is performed several times per season as follows:

• 2 weeks after planting, nitrogen fertilizers (nitrophoska and urea) are applied - 25 g of urea or 30 g of nitrophoska per bucket of water;
• 2 weeks after the first feeding of the onions, add phosphorus-potassium fertilizers - 30 g of superphosphate/15 g of potassium salt per 10 liters of water;
• after 15 days, repeat phosphorus-potassium feeding - 30 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium salt.

After each fertilizing, water the soil thoroughly. Be sure to wash off any remaining fertilizer from the onion leaves using warm water from a watering can.

Watering

Watering is carried out in such a way that the soil does not dry out, otherwise the seedlings will wither and dry out. Water the onions once a week, but stop completely 2-3 weeks before the expected harvest date to allow the onions to ripen in dry soil.

Loosening and weeding

The next day after watering, loosen the soil. The soil is loosened shallowly, between the rows, trying not to damage the bulbs.

Weeding is carried out throughout the growth of the plant. When planting onions with seeds, weeds can stop the formation of heads, and there will be no harvest. Since the arrows are very small when planting seeds, carry out weeding as carefully as possible so as not to damage the plants.

Disease and pest control

Carmen is exposed to the following pests:

• Onion secretive proboscis. This beetle lays larvae in onions, which, after hatching, eat the leaves of the plant. They fight it by observing crop rotation, careful harvesting, autumn plowing and destruction of plant residues. A mixture of ash and tobacco dust in a ratio of 2:1 is suitable for combating. They are also treated with Karbofos - a 0.6% solution. You need 100 ml of solution per 1 sq.m.
• Onion flies and moths. Plantings are affected from the second ten days of May. The consequences of the “work” of flies and moths are not immediately visible, since insects act in the soil. The problem becomes noticeable when the onion leaves wilt and dry out. You can fight by watering with salt water (100 g per 3 l).
• Nematodes. This is a family of parasitic roundworms. The fact that the onion is infected is indicated by the deformation and drying of the green mass, the bulb becomes loose, cracks, and after rain the smell of rotten onions is felt in the area. They fight with the help of preventive measures - correct crop rotation, selection of seed material, compliance with storage rules.

Percalcite is a suitable chemical control measure - it destroys nematode cysts with eggs and larvae in the soil. The drug is scattered on the site in dry weather 5-10 days before planting at the rate of 200-300 g per 1 sq.m. and cover it with a rake to a depth of 10-15 cm.

Diseases that onions may encounter:

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• Downy mildew.
  A fungal disease that overwinters both on bulbs in storage and in the soil. Affected stems become dirty green, droop and die. As a result, the bulb does not have time to ripen, and the amount of harvest decreases. To prevent the disease, when the leaves are 10-12 cm high, spray with Polycarbacin (40 g of the drug per 10 l of water) or Arceride (30 g of the drug per 10 l of water).
• Bacterial rot. This disease can be encountered when cutting the bulb - among the healthy scales you will notice several soft dark layers. And the longer the vegetable is stored, the stronger and larger the affected area will be. For prevention, before planting, a careful selection of bulbs is carried out, cutting off their neck and base by 0.5-1 cm so that the scales are visible. You can treat the soil with Hom (40 g per 10 liters of water, spending 1 liter per 10 sq.m.).
• Fusarium. A fungal disease manifested by wilting and rotting of green sprouts during the growing season and pinking and softening of the bottom during onion storage. Before sowing, be sure to soak the seedlings in a fungicide (Fundazol or Quadris), and burn the affected plants so that they do not infect other neighbors. When stains appear, treatment with Hom (40 g per 10 l) is effective.
• Yellow dwarfism and mosaic. They arise as a result of violation of planting conditions and care of seedlings. Affected plants slow down in growth, change shape and color. There is no specific treatment, only preventive measures.

Thus, in order to prevent the development of diseases, first of all, follow preventive measures:

• follow the rules of crop rotation;
• plant onions without thickening;
• carry out disinfection of seeds, sets and soil;
• water without over-watering;
• eliminate all plant debris from the beds;
• regularly weed the soil;
• plant plants that repel pests.

Application

Carmen onions are popular not only because the variety is unpretentious and does not require special care, but also because of its pleasant taste. Many housewives use Carmen onions in the process of preparing salads and dishes for the winter.

This onion contains many useful and nutritious substances, so it is used not only in dishes, but also eaten fresh. Onions cleanse the body of viruses and microbes that cause various diseases.

Tinctures are prepared from it; onion juice has an antibacterial effect. Not everyone knows that onions have antitumor effects. In case of inflammation of the lungs and bronchi, you can add a little onion juice to hot water and inhale. With regular use of this method, you can easily get rid of phlegm in a very short time.

If you suffer from a cold or runny nose, then use this simple advice. Pip onion juice into your nose using a special dropper. After use, you will notice an improvement in your condition. You can also use the juice for prevention. In this case, your body will not be able to weaken the infection.

Soil preparation

Red Carmen onions need to be planted in soil prepared in the fall. It is recommended to choose an area with maximum sunlight, where vegetables such as:

The selected plot of land should be fertilized with humus in the fall, and in the spring, immediately before planting, sprinkled with wood ash or treated with a solution of copper sulfate. This will help protect the onion seeds from rotting.

It is better to plant Carmen onion sets in the spring, when the soil has warmed up a little. This could be the end of April or the beginning of May. In different regions, warming occurs in different months, and the gardener needs to navigate it himself. The onions are placed at a depth of approximately 2.5-3 cm, while the distance between planted onions should be 5-7 cm, and the row spacing should be at least 20 cm.

Gardeners also advise planting Carmen onions before winter. To protect the seedlings from low temperatures, the soil is mulched with a layer of peat up to 10 cm, watered and left until stable frosts. If frost is repeated for more than 3 days in a row, the bulbs need to be planted. At the same time, the peat cover is moved away, planting is done, and the bed is covered again.

To eat green young shoots, it is better to grow the plant in a separate bed of nigella sets or onion. You can plant vegetables between beds of other crops to save space. Throughout the season in the garden in different places, you can sow a small amount of onion seeds per feather.

Carmen's onion does not require any special care. There is no need to allow weeds to grow; weeding should be done. If desired, you can feed once (it is best to use fertilizers that contain the NPK complex). At first, water once a week (not more often), even if the weather is dry. About a month before harvest, watering is stopped.

To get a strong and large onion turnip, experienced gardeners recommend bending the green feather to the ground at the end of June and stopping watering. Then the plant throws all its energy into forming “fat reserves” - and the bulb becomes larger.

conclusions

This article collected all the useful information about the Carmen variety. Onions have positive qualities and differ from other varieties in that they do not require much effort during planting.

The Carmen onion harvest is rarely susceptible to disease if you follow the rules and advice. A healthy crop, devoid of rot, can lie until the onset of warm weather without losing its beneficial properties. Proper storage will allow you to enjoy the taste of Carmen onions for a long time. Why onions rot during storage can be read at this link.

Reviews from gardeners

Many people today grow Carmen onions in their garden plots. Reviews from summer residents and gardeners recommend it as one of the most unpretentious, early-ripening and productive varieties. The amazing taste qualities will once and for all attract you to this root vegetable. Gardeners emphasize that this hybrid variety resists various diseases very well and tolerates temperature fluctuations and cool or dry periods. This is important primarily for those whose garden plot is located far from home.