Winter onions - technology for growing in open ground, 7 popular varieties

Description of varieties of winter onion sets

Onions for winter planting are chosen especially carefully, taking into account their adaptability to the specific climatic conditions of the region . The best option is an early-ripening frost-resistant variety, which is more likely to produce a high yield.

Varieties

Of the many varieties of onions for winter sowing, gardeners note the most prolific and useful :

1. Arzamas . Mid-breeding, mid-season variety with a pungent taste. Tolerates frosts well.
2. Bamberger . German mid-late variety. The bulbs are elongated in shape with a semi-sharp taste.
3. Danilovsky . High-yielding, small-growing, mid-season variety. The bulbs are flattened, red-violet in color, medium in size, with a spicy-sweet taste.
4. Radar . A popular Dutch variety with a medium ripening period. The fruits are large, semicircular, with a pungent taste.
5. Red Baron . Round large bulbs of red-violet color with a spicy-sweet taste. Belongs to an early ripening variety.
6. Senshui . Japanese early ripening variety. It is resistant to bolting and powdery mildew. The fruits are semicircular, sweet, aromatic.
7. Strigunovsky . An early ripening, productive variety of small nest type. Cold-resistant, but does not tolerate some diseases. The bulbs have a sharp taste and ripen early.
8. Sturon. The Stuttgarter Riesen variety, improved by Dutch breeders, is resistant to bolting and various diseases. Large elliptical bulbs with a pungent taste and long shelf life.
9. Timiryazevsky . Old Russian early ripening variety. Suitable for growing in northern regions. It has good keeping quality and high yield.
10. Troy . Super early hybrid of Dutch selection, stores well, suitable for planting both before winter and in spring. The bulbs are large, with a semi-sharp taste, round or flat-round in shape.
11. Ellan . The earliest ripening, sweet winter variety. It has a high yield and is stored for a long time.

Winter onions Orion , an ultra-early Dutch hybrid characterized by excellent keeping quality, and Zimovey onions are also gaining popularity: according to manufacturers’ descriptions, they are characterized by high yields and good quality bulbs.

Origin and development

Many researchers find it difficult to name the period when onions began to be grown by people, but everyone agrees that this happened more than 5,000 years ago in Central Asia. The plant is mentioned in many cultures. Onions played an important role in everyday life - cooking, medicine, art, mummification. He grew up in different regions and became acculturated all over the world.

Modern varieties are a plant of stem-like leaves of a bluish-green color, hollow inside. The lower part of the bulb goes into the ground. A ripening vegetable accumulates useful substances first in the leaves, then, as they ripen, the bulb receives them. The harvest is harvested in the fall, when the upper part turns yellow and dies.

A bulb left in the soil over the winter forms a longer, powerful, hollow trunk in the spring , topped with a spherical flower. The flowers subsequently produce smooth, triangular, black seeds.

Chemical composition, trace elements, vitamins and beneficial properties

Onions have collected an impressive list of vitamins, including :

• retinol;
• thiamine;
• riboflavin;
• pyridoxine;
• folic acid;
• tocopherol;
• ascorbic acid;
• a nicotinic acid.

The list is also supplemented with micro- and macroelements:

• calcium;
• magnesium;
• sodium;
• potassium;
• phosphorus;
• chlorine;
• sulfur;
• iron;
• zinc;
• iodine;
• copper;
• manganese;
• chromium;
• fluorine;
• boron;
• cobalt;
• aluminum;
• nickel;
• rubidium.

Onions are rich in citric and malic acids, mono- and polysaccharides , among which fructose, sucrose, maltose, and glucose are found. It is used for diseases of the cardiovascular system, upper respiratory tract, and intestinal atony. Useful for hypo- and avitaminosis, headaches. Helps fight furunculosis, purulent wounds, warts, freckles. Used in cosmetology to fight wrinkles and strengthen hair.

Ripening period

According to the period of ripening, onions are divided into three groups:

• early ripening (or early ripening) – the growing season is no more than 90 days;
• mid-season – growing season 100-110 days;
• late ripening - the ripening period of the bulbs is at least 120 days from the date of appearance of green leaves.

Productivity

The main reason for planting onions before winter is to obtain a better, more abundant harvest 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule. Productivity depends on the variety and quality of the selected material.

Among the best varieties of winter onions, the following are the most productive:

• Shakespeare - the weight of the onion is 100 g;
• Centurion – weight 110-160 g;
• Senshui – 100 g;
• Stuttgarten Risen – 100-150 g;
• Struton – 180 g.

Disease resistance

Thanks to the work of breeders, hybrids and varieties have been developed that can easily withstand difficult weather conditions and are capable of producing strong fruits in short daylight conditions.

For reference. Winter onions are rarely susceptible to disease and are resistant to pests.

Characteristics of the bulb, description of appearance, taste

Varieties with a sharp taste are suitable for planting before winter; these last longer . The shape of the fruit is also taken into account, as well as the amount of husk: the more of it, the better the onion is protected and retains its freshness longer. The shape can be either round, elongated, or round-flattened, flat.

For which regions is it best suited, climate requirements?

Onion sets are grown in all regions, including Siberia , despite harsh conditions and low temperatures during the winter months. To preserve the harvest, the beds are mulched and sprinkled with snow.

Arzamas

The Arzamas variety was the result of folk selection. It is constantly used in central Russia and in the northern regions.

The bulbs of this variety are round-cubic in shape. The shade of dried scales is slightly brown. The inside is juicy, white and crisp. Onions have a rather pungent taste.

Arzamas is a mid-early variety and is successfully used for winter sowing. The heads grow especially large because they take advantage of spring moisture from the soil in sufficient quantities.

Main advantages and disadvantages

obvious advantages of planting winter varieties of onion sets :

1. Getting excellent onions from small sowing - the smaller the turnip, the less likely it is to bolt.
2. Early harvest - winter onions ripen 6-8 weeks earlier than spring onions.
3. Affordable price, large selection of planting material.
4. Easy to care for. The beds do not require watering until spring.
5. Solving the storage issue. The resulting harvest does not rot and does not shoot arrows.

Among the shortcomings noted:

1. Sudden temperature changes, high humidity, and severe frosts negatively affect the harvest.
2. Winter varieties are stored worse than spring varieties.

Differences from other varieties

The main difference between winter types of onions is the size of the bulbs . Varieties planted before winter produce larger fruits with a characteristic pungent taste. Provided that the seed material is selected correctly and the requirements for planting and care are met, the harvest is harvested in mid-summer.

"Belozerets"

This variety was also bred by employees of the Krasnodar Research Institute. It has a number of significant differences from its “brother”:

• precocity;
• oval and round-oval bulbs weighing 20-27 grams;
• small variety;
• pungency of taste;
• the color of the scales is light lilac.

Onion varieties intended for cultivation

Despite the widespread use of onions in cooking, turnips also have excellent taste and nutritional properties. To obtain greens, they turn to growing excellent varieties of onions.

Features of planting and growing

The main requirements in choosing planting material are the size of the bulb and its condition . It is easier for a small onion to survive the winter in the ground. For planting, use first-grade onions or wild oats (onion sets).

Is it possible to plant before winter and how?

To obtain a rich harvest, preliminary work is carried out to prepare the planting site, soil, and seed material. For pre-winter sowing, choose hybrids and varieties designed for average, short daylight hours.

In places with difficult weather conditions, the issue of covering beds is taken seriously. This is the only way to avoid freezing of plants.

Preparing for landing

Onions are prepared 2 weeks before planting. Choose healthy ones, without signs of damage, with a diameter of no more than 1 cm to obtain only the head, and with a diameter of 1-2 cm if you plan to also obtain greens. The bulbs are not soaked and the neck is not cut off.

Important! 7 days before planting, the bulbs are dipped for 10 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate, then thoroughly dried for 12-24 hours.

Soil requirements

Choose a well-lit place on a hill where moisture does not stagnate and snow melts quickly. A bed with loose soil and a neutral pH is suitable. They follow the rules of crop rotation: beets, tomatoes, rapeseed, cabbage, mustard, and grains are considered the best predecessors.

While digging the beds, fertilizers are applied in the form of humus at the rate of 1 bucket per square meter. Add a composition of 2 tablespoons of superphosphate, the same amount of wood ash, 1 tablespoon of urea. Acidic soil is neutralized by adding lime, chalk, superphosphates, and stove ash.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Be sure to adhere to planting deadlines . By planting too early, you run the risk of early shoots and crop destruction from the cold. By being late, they miss the moment when the onion forms the root system - without developed roots, the plants will not survive the winter. The best time for sowing is November in the southern regions, September in the northern regions.

A more precise period depends on the climatic characteristics of a particular region . Usually they take into account the air temperature and the forecast of weather forecasters: if frosts are promised in 14-16 days, the air temperature does not rise above 5°C, it’s time to start planting.

The sets are planted in rows at a distance of 40-45 cm , maintaining 5-6 cm between bulbs to a depth of 3-8 cm, depending on the size of the bulb. When finished, the beds are covered with straw or grass.

Note! In regions with snowy winters, the beds do not need to be covered.

Features of cultivation

After planting, the beds are mulched before frost sets in, this way moisture is retained . With the arrival of spring, the shelter is removed so that the earth warms up better. It has been noticed that onions planted before winter require weeding much later and are less susceptible to diseases and pests than their spring counterparts.

Red Baron

The bulbs of the Red Baron variety have a flat oval shape and a peculiar shade, which ensures the presence of anthocyanins. Consumption of products increases the body's immunity and weakens the effect of radicals.

This crop is ideal for winter cultivation.

In regions with a temperate climate, it is necessary to correctly calculate the planting time. It is produced when the soil at a depth of 15 cm cools to a temperature of +5 degrees.

Nuances of care

Winter care does not involve any additional actions other than insulating the beds and creating a snow layer at temperatures below 10-15°C. This is especially true for the northern regions.

Watering mode

Do not water the onions immediately after planting . In dry weather, watering is carried out after 10 days. In the spring, when the snow melts, the ground contains a sufficient amount of moisture, so water as needed if spring and the first month of summer are hot.

Loosening the soil and weeding

During the growth process, the soil is loosened as needed , and also a day after watering; this is done carefully so as not to pull out the fruits. Weeding is carried out twice per season.

Top dressing

The first fertilizing is carried out after the emergence of seedlings in the spring . To form greenery, add a solution of 30 g of ammonium nitrate, 20 g of potassium chloride, 40 g of superphosphate, diluted in 10 liters of water. After three weeks, re-feeding is carried out, increasing the amount of superphosphate to 60 g, potassium to 30 g.

The third time, a solution consisting of 10 liters of water, 20 g of potassium, 40 g of phosphate is added.

Disease and pest control

Most often, the crop is susceptible to downy mildew . To protect the plant from disease, in the fall, before planting in the ground, the seedlings are inspected for damage by disease or insects. At the slightest sign, the fruits are treated with fungicides, following the manufacturer's instructions. Fermented milk products, iodized or soda solution are also used to fight the disease.

To avoid infection by fungi , ensure compliance with the rules of crop storage and crop rotation.

Planting onions: how to plant seeds, timing, technology

After removing the predecessor plants from the soil, the ground should be dug up and humus added. After this, you need to give about one month time for the soil to shrink before planting in winter.

Sowing in forest-steppe areas takes place approximately on August 10-15, and in steppe areas on August 25-30 . You should not plant before this time, as the number of arrows will increase in the spring.

Immediately before sowing the seeds in the ground, the garden should be watered and after the soil has dried slightly, the area should be loosened and leveled. The distance between the rows of onions should be 35-40 cm. The approximate seed consumption per linear meter of row is 35-40 viable seeds. The seeds are sown to a depth of 1.5-2 cm and the soil on top is slightly compacted. If August is sunny and hot, you should monitor watering, preventing the soil from drying out.

The first shoots can already be seen on days 18-20.

Harvest and storage

Mesh, cardboard boxes, wooden boxes with holes for air intake are suitable as storage containers.

How and when to collect

Onions are harvested after the above-ground part of the leaves turns yellow and dries - in late spring and early summer. Full collection is carried out before the beginning of August, in dry, windless weather. The dug up crop is left for some time in the garden bed to dry, left in the sun, spread out in a thin layer. The top feathers are removed. Then they are placed in containers and moved to a cool room for permanent storage.

Storage features and keeping quality of the variety

If onions are stored in an apartment , the temperature should be +18...+22°C, humidity – 50-70%. In basements, the optimal values ​​are 0...+3°C with a humidity of 75-90%. During storage, vegetables are sorted, rotten ones are removed, and wet ones are dried.

Important! Winter onions can be stored for about 6-8 months.

Soft

The ears of soft varieties are shorter and thinner than those of hard varieties. The fruits contain more fiber, as well as vitamins E and D. The dough made from this type of flour is looser and less elastic. Therefore, wheat is used to make confectionery products.

The calorie content of soft and durum wheat varieties is approximately the same - 305 Kcal.

Soft varieties include:

Ilias

Description of the variety:

• plant height does not exceed 1 m;
• awnless ear;
• not subject to lodging;
• the yield is 75 c/ha;
• resistant to cold temperatures.

Fruiting begins 200 days after sowing.

Lars

Please pay attention to:

• weight of 1000 grains, which can reach 50 g;
• high protein content;
• frost resistance;
• good yield, which exceeds 70 c/ha.

For wheat to ripen, you need to wait about 320 days.

Favorite

Winter wheat, ripening from 283 to 287 days. It is characterized by an average ear length, 96-105 cm, and high resistance to frost.

The grain is ovoid, large. Productivity – 11 t/ha. Universal application.

Shestopalovka

An adult plant reaches 90 cm in height. Ripens in 280-285 days. Has spikelets the color of hay.

The variety is resistant to frost and dryness, lodging and diseases, does not overripe, and the spikelets are not prone to shedding.

Advice from experienced gardeners

A few recommendations from experienced farmers:

1. Onions planted close to each other are broken through in the spring, leaving only strong, high-quality specimens with a distance of 8-10 cm.
2. Several varieties are planted at once. Thus, after harvesting, the most productive crops are selected for further cultivation.
3. It is better not to use film as a cover.
4. Fresh manure is not suitable for fertilizing onions.
5. To prevent the bulb from becoming green, the bed is watered with boiling water before planting, and the material is dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate for 10-15 minutes.

Reviews of winter varieties of onion sets

When planting onion sets before winter, choose the variety with special care . Pre-winter planting is becoming increasingly popular among vegetable growers, and summer residents are happy to share their impressions of the varieties they love.

Elena, Oryol region : “I plant it in winter because I don’t have to worry about where and how to store onions for sowing. I planted it before the frosts, covered it with leaves from the garden if necessary, and in the spring I got greens and turnips.”

Grigory, Rostov region : “I’ve been planting Radar onions for several years now - the bulbs are large and ripen early. I like to grow it because it is easy to care for. There is less grass in the beds, and there is almost no need to water.”

Valentina, Perm : “Despite the fact that such onions are stored worse than spring onions, the bulbs turn out larger and denser. We plant varieties Senshui and Shakespeare. The onions are sweet, the children eat them with a bang.”

Shakespeare

The variety produces medium-sized root crops of regular shape. It has a hard and dense shell that warms in the autumn cold.

The pulp of the vegetable is juicy and tasty, slightly spicy. It is great for canning and fresh use.

From one square meter you can harvest 3.5 kg of onions. Shakespeare is almost not affected by garden pests.

• Author: Inna Kiseleva
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