Family onions: planting, growing and caring in open ground

Family onion is one of the varieties of the well-known onion. It has many names: gardeners call it “family” or simply “family”, but in the book it is correct to say “multi-bud onion”. Undoubtedly, the main value of heirloom onions is their juiciness, unobtrusive aroma and pleasant mild taste. But many are afraid to grow this plant in the garden, since onions produce small, numerous bulbs. But if you study the features of agricultural technology and the nuances of growing individual varieties, you will be able to collect juicy bulbs weighing at least 150 g.

Characteristic

• Bulbs of regular oblong shape
• Onions grow in nests
• There are 25-30 bulbs in one nest
• Feathers are not sharp, with thin walls
• Can be stored for a long time: 7-8 months
• Very delicate, mild taste
• Most varieties are early ripening
• High yield
• The color of the bulbs is very diverse: purple, burgundy, golden, white, red, bronze.

What is a family bow

Family, or multi-bud, onion is a subspecies of onion. The main difference: when planting one set, more than three bulbs grow in 1 root (nest).

The vegetable is rich in flavonoids, vitamins C, A, group B, phytoncides, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium. There is iron, zinc, selenium, chromium. Calorie content - 72 kcal/100 g.

Species characteristics of family onions:

• productive, 3–12 bulbs are formed in one nest;
• one bulb weighs 20–150 g (depending on the variety);
• the taste of greens is more delicate in comparison with ordinary onions;
• easy to use, can be stored for at least six months.

The vegetable came to Eastern Europe from Spain and Asia. The Slavs jokingly began to call it a family, since the accumulation of turnips in one root was associated with a family.

The best varieties

1. Knyazhich. The weight of one nest reaches 75-80 g, and up to ten bulbs grow in it. The scales of this variety are either light or brown with a red tint. And when cut, the onion is a delicate pink color. The taste is not bitter, soft.
2. Veliky Ustyug. It is considered a family onion variety with large bulbs - each weighing up to 80 g. They are round, slightly elongated, with a red-brown color. Good dense heads that can be stored for a very long time. The variety is valuable and popular among our gardeners due to its excellent yield.
3. White Queen. Beautiful large bulbs with snow-white husks. One onion can weigh 150-170 g. The taste of this variety is semi-sharp, slightly piquant, without bitterness at all. Good yield, classified as a mid-season variety.
4. Old Believer. This variety was bred in the Volgograd region. It is often used by Old Believers as an effective remedy in folk medicine, which is why the variety got its name. Its taste is quite sharp, and the bulbs have a beautiful copper color with a pink tint.
5. Kuban yellow. Refers to early ripening varieties. The bulbs are very small - they weigh no more than 25 g. The scales are of two colors: yellow on the outside, white on the inside. The variety is characterized by increased resistance to various diseases and can be stored for a long time.
6. Emerald. This shallot is distinguished by dense small onions - no more than 20 g in weight. The onion is very juicy, has a delicate aroma and mild taste. Belongs to the semi-sharp varieties. Among the main advantages are that they ripen quickly and almost completely, can be stored for a long time, and produce a stable harvest.
7. Snowball. Early ripening of the variety. The bulbs are egg-shaped, quite small, weigh 30 g. The taste is sharp, but the bulbs are very juicy. Because of the white scales, this variety got its original name. Can be stored for 7-8 months.
8. Sprint. It has a short growing season. This early ripening variety can be harvested 45 days after planting. The bulbs are small, 9-10 grow in one nest. It is a universal variety, as it is suitable for both growing in open ground and in greenhouse conditions.
9. Water lily. For lovers of sweet varieties of heirloom onions. The shape of the bulbs really resembles water lilies, which is why the variety got such a wonderful name. The pulp of the bulbs is not bitter, juicy. There are 5 bulbs growing in the nest, each weighing no more than 70 g.
10. Prometheus. The variety is quite large - after all, the bulbs weigh 80 g. The nests are also massive, containing at least 10 pieces. The taste is mild, without bitterness. Very high yield.
11. Grant. It is valuable not only for its bulbs, but also for its excellent greens, which are often used in salads and appetizers. The bulbs are small, ranging from 20-25 g. They have a rounded flat shape. Color – classic light brown with gray tint.
12. Andreyka. This variety is not grown on a large scale; it can be found among private gardeners. Mid-season variety, small bulbs 25 g each. Average yield, but well stored for a long time.
13. Cascade. Used to grow a biennial crop from sets. A nest with 5-7 bulbs, each of which weighs 30 g. Their shape is wide, slightly flat. The color of the outer husk is pink. High yield, long-lasting variety.
14. Earring. This heirloom shallot, unlike most varieties, has a very pungent flavor. Stores well - at least 8 months. The color is yellow, the bulb is dense and weighs 25 g.
15. Kunak. The bulbs are medium in size, 4-5 pieces are collected in a nest. Their shape is round or flat. Color – yellow. Taste without bitterness.
16. Sturdy. Bulbs with pink scales do not fit together: the weight of the bulbs even in one nest can vary greatly from 25 to 55 g. They grow in 4-5 pieces. Very high yield.

Personality of homemade onions

The difference between homemade onions and ordinary onions, which produce one large head, is the formation of a nest with several fruits. It’s not for nothing that such a bow is called a family. In a nest there are from 3 to 10 bulbs weighing 15–50 grams. The shape of onion heads is round, oval, cuboid, oblong. The top of the heads are covered with narrow scales of golden, purple, or red colors, depending on the variety. And juicy warm pulp with different colors - from snow-white to pinkish. The family's greens are narrow, sharp in taste, and do not become coarse for a long time. The height of the leaves of the plant reaches 30–50 cm. When you are satisfied with the taste of the vegetable and its advantages over other varieties of the crop, you need to learn how to grow a large family onion.

The family vegetable also produces seeds identical to the onion variety, but smaller in size.

Features of the family include the fact that the plant:

• gives the highest yields;
• reaches maturity 50–80 days after planting;
• stored until spring;
• does not shoot even at low air temperatures;
• stable to diseases;
• unpretentious to soils and care.

To harvest large onions, select good varieties of homemade onions.

Landing dates

All varieties of heirloom onions, without exception, belong to the group of cold-resistant plants. They are not afraid of spring frosts, so gardeners plant onions in open ground from mid-March to early April. The first greens will be ready for cutting in mid-May.

Important advice! If you want to get an early harvest, then shallots need to be planted in the fall. Planting can be done throughout October, but not later. Before the first serious frost, the bulbs will have time to take root well, but a sharp cold snap will slow down their growth. The bulbs will overwinter well in the ground, and with the arrival of spring they will immediately begin to actively grow. You won’t have to guess when it’s best to plant - the onion itself will determine the optimal temperature regime for itself. And in this case, you will be able to cut greens in April.

In the northern regions of our country, autumn planting is still not recommended. High risk of bulbs freezing. Please note that novice summer residents plant late - at the end of April. And this is wrong. Heat provokes increased growth of greenery, but the bulbs do not have time to take root. As a result, you will reap a poor harvest - the bulbs will be very small and loose. Such onions cannot be stored for long.

General recommendations:

• All varieties of heirloom onions can be planted from the second ten days of March.
• Planting for winter is only suitable for the central and southern regions.
• Late spring planting will produce a poor onion harvest.

How to store

Family onion is perfectly stored at home if the temperature is maintained. The optimal temperature is +18…+22 ºС, low humidity.

Many people store onions right in the kitchen, scattering them in baskets, drawers, and boxes. “Family” is unpretentious and stores well, but in winter you should still occasionally inspect the onions, discarding dried or soft specimens.

Soil preparation

All varieties of heirloom onions are demanding on the quality of the substrate. They love to grow in fertile soil. Since the bulbs are small, they need turfy, loose soil. This crop requires neutral soil and grows very poorly in acidic soils. As a rule, the onion begins to rot. Before planting heirloom onions, you can prepare the soil in the fall. Add humus to the ground at the rate of 5 kg per 1 sq.m. It would not be superfluous to add potassium salt (10 g per 1 sq.m.) and superphosphates (25 g per 1 sq.m.). An important point is to thoroughly loosen the soil immediately before planting.

Crop rotation rules:

• Family onions can be planted in beds after legumes, potatoes, beets, and carrots.
• It is not advisable to plant onions in places where pumpkins grew (zucchini, cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkins).
• After the family onions, plant strawberries, all types of cabbage, radishes, mustard, salad vegetables (spinach, arugula), cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes.

How to use onions that have grown after cutting

The bulb left without green plumage is quite suitable for food. But it is important to inspect it first to make sure there is no rot.

The fact is that each feather feeds a separate scale of the onion head. When the feathers are cut off, the bulb continues to grow, but too much moisture begins to flow inside. If the bulb has been in this state for a long time, it softens and begins to rot.

Therefore, before using the bow further, it must be carefully examined.

REFERENCE. Some gardeners throw away such bulbs, preferring to plant new ones.

Preparing the bulbs

This is an important nuance that affects the quality of the harvest in the future. This is where the landing begins. The heirloom onions need to be sorted out and the excess dry husks removed from the bulbs. Check if they are all tight and there are no signs of rotting. Prepare a solution of copper sulfate: 20 ml per 1 bucket of water. Dip the onion into the solution and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse in a container with clean water.

Important advice! If your site has fairly dry soil, then 10 hours before planting, the bulbs can be soaked in a weak solution with fertilizers. You need to keep the onions in the bucket for at least 8 hours. The bulbs will replenish the moisture lost during storage. And even in dry soil they will quickly begin to take root and grow.

Site selection and soil preparation

First of all, you need to know that onions are a sun-loving plant, so you need to select the appropriate area for planting onion sets. The soil should be light, fertile and always have a neutral reaction. In case of acidification, add lime or dolomite flour to the soil.

It is preferable to grow the family on loam or sandy loam, and the best previous crops will be:

• Cabbage;
• Potato;
• Peas.

It is necessary to prepare the soil in the fall. The area is dug up and cleared of weeds, stones, and old roots. Fertilizers are also added during digging. For 1 m2 of land add half a bucket of humus and 1 tbsp. l superphosphate, then 1 tsp. urea and half a liter jar of ash. With the onset of spring, the soil is loosened with a rake and 1-2 tbsp is added per square meter. l. ammonium nitrate.

If planting is planned in the fall, then all preparatory work is carried out in the summer, at least a month before the main process.

Please note: “Aloe: the most popular types and basics of growing succulents”

Planting scheme

Growing heirloom onions requires a clear planting pattern. This vegetable crop must be grown in rows. Since the nests with bulbs are compact, the distance between the rows should be 20 cm. But the distance between the holes in the same row is 10 cm. Using a hoe, form furrows of the length you need, fill them with plenty of water. Let the water go away a little, and then start laying the onions at a shallow depth - lay them only 3 cm. If you plant them very deep, the onions will not give intensive growth of feathers, you will have very little greenery. If you plant very superficially, the plants will have weak roots. This means there will be a shortage of nutrients.

Wood ash can be sprinkled into each furrow on top of the bulbs. Water the holes again and cover with soil. There is no need to compact the soil; the soil on top must be mulched. Without this, the landing will not be correct. Shallots are very demanding of loose substrate.

How to mulch onions:

• Wood sawdust
• Senom
• Paper or cardboard crumbs
• Dry leaves

Protection from pests and diseases

A distinctive feature of the family onion is its resistance to putrefactive and fungal diseases. A much greater danger to it is posed by garden pests such as onion fly, onion hoverfly, onion moth and mole cricket.

Onion fly

The greatest danger to the crop is the onion fly. The emergence of the pest begins in the second half of May. The fly lays eggs between onion leaves or in cracks in the soil near plants. The larvae appear about a week after the eggs are laid. They penetrate the bulb through the leaves or bottom and gnaw large cavities inside.

Preventive measures to combat the pest include maintaining crop rotation and planting shallots next to carrots, which release phytoncides that repel the onion fly. Resistance to this pest is achieved by early planting: by the time the insect emerges, the onion will be sufficiently strong, coarsened, and due to this will be less susceptible to damage.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with Babesiosis in animals

It is recommended to mulch the beds with onions with peat, tobacco dust or ash. This procedure must be carried out at the beginning of the fly's emergence and repeated after 7–8 days. After harvesting, the remaining tops and damaged bulbs must be destroyed.

Medvedka

The mole cricket can cause great damage to crops. By making tunnels close to the soil surface, this insect damages the roots of the plant. It multiplies quickly, and if measures are not taken in time, it can spread throughout the entire area.

They fight it with the help of traps. These can be piles of manure laid out on boards or pieces of plywood. The mole cricket climbs into them and lays eggs. Periodically (every 2 weeks) the baits are burned and replaced with new ones. Medvotox is also effective. The granules are placed in shallow grooves around the beds. They are covered with earth and watered abundantly. The smell of the drug attracts insects, which die a few hours after eating the granule.

Onion fly - a small insect measuring 6-8 mm, ash-gray (yellow-gray) in color, very similar to common house flies Onion hoverfly - a fly 6-8 mm long, metallic green or bronze in color; on the mesonotum there are 2 longitudinal white stripes, on the abdomen there are 3 pairs of light semi-lunar spots. The garden mole cricket is a large insect, reaching a length of 5 cm. The onion moth is a small insect of chocolate or dark gray color, the caterpillars of which feed on the tissue of onion leaves.

Watering

Until shoots 8-10 cm high appear above the soil, family onions do not need care at all. Even when watering. It is very important not to water the plant during the first period of growth. This will stimulate the roots to grow deeper. In search of moisture, the onion will take root well and gain a foothold in the ground. Long roots will allow it in the future to receive more nutrients from the deeper layers of the substrate.

When the onion has reached its 10-centimeter height, on the contrary, you need to start intensive watering and under no circumstances allow the soil in the beds to dry out. If plants experience drought, their growing season will be shortened sharply. The bulbs will be underdeveloped.

1 month before the planned harvest, you need to update the mulch layer, water it abundantly and stop watering completely. The moisture that the mulch retains will be enough for the onions.

Which set to choose for turnips, and which for green feathers?

Sets are small bulbs with an average diameter of 1.5-2 cm, which are obtained in the first year of planting seeds. You can purchase them at a garden center or grow them yourself. When choosing such planting material, you need to be one hundred percent sure that it is really high quality. Take a close look at the set; it should be smooth, with a well-developed neck and completely closed. The husk should be dry and rustle, this is a sign of good quality. The aroma of the seeds should be pleasant, without any foreign smell of rot, mold or dampness.

Onion sets

Pay attention to the size of the bulbs. Conventionally, they can be divided into three main types

The first includes small-nest varieties with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm. Such bulbs are considered the standard, and they are more suitable for winter cultivation. The medium-nest group includes bulbs with a larger diameter (up to 2 cm), and the multi-nest group is a group with a size from 2.2 to 4 cm. The last two groups are stored until late spring and planted only at the end of April. To obtain turnips, we select small sets, and for green feathers, large specimens.

Onion sets can also be divided into fractions, each of which has its own purpose. The first small fraction includes bulbs measuring 0.8-1.4 cm. It is classified as a winter onion variety and is not suitable for spring cultivation. Such a bow does not give arrows. In general, by the time of harvesting it grows large. However, if the soil is not fertilized with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and no nutrients are added, the bulbs become smaller. For winter planting, bulbs of the middle fraction are used. Their size varies from 1.4 cm to 2.1 cm. Like the varieties of the previous fraction, they do not produce shoots.

To get greens, use large fraction seeds with a diameter of 2.1-2.4 cm. This fraction has a high degree of germination and is perfect for planting for beginning gardeners. Relatively recently, a large fraction of onion sets appeared on the domestic market. Its size is 2.4-3 cm. This planting material has a relatively low price and is used for winter planting and obtaining lush greenery. The last type is a very large fraction measuring 3-4 cm. It is used to obtain green feathers; if stored correctly, it does not bolt. There are also larger bulbs, although it is not recommended to use them for planting due to the high probability of bolting.

Top dressing

This crop tolerates fertilizing well. Several types of fertilizers can be used. An organic and safe option that gives great results is bird droppings. Dilute it in proportions of 1:15 with water. Another good option is mullein. It is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:10.

You can also use mineral fertilizers. These can be either universal complex fertilizers or specific substances (superphosphates, potassium). All mineral fertilizers must be prepared according to the instructions specified by the manufacturer on the packaging. The universal formula for mineral fertilizers is the following proportion: 40 g of product per bucket of water (10 l).

Tips to note:

1. During the period of intensive growth, onions are watered once every 3 days.
2. If the weather is cloudy, but without rain, then watering is done once every 7 days.
3. Want to know how to grow big heirloom onions? You need to loosen the soil 1-2 times a week
4. Planned thinning of onions in the first ten days of July will help you get an excellent harvest.
5. The ideal type of mulch in the summer season is freshly cut grass.
6. If the onion is affected by pests, you need to spray it with a raster based on Bordeaux mixture
7. After treatment with Bordeaux mixture, greens are not eaten for 5 days.
8. Treatment should not be carried out 14 days before harvesting the bulbs.
9. Fertilizers must be applied no later than 30 days before harvest. Then the onion will begin to gain the volume of the bulbs and stop the intensive growth of greenery.

Possible problems during cultivation

Vegetable crops do not require additional knowledge to grow. But mistakes made when caring for plants can create the following problems and troubles:

• If the plant's feathers turn yellow, there is most likely a lack of nutrients in the soil.
• Onions also turn yellow when the crop is attacked by pests, namely the onion fly. Insect larvae infect the green part of the plant, which causes the feathers to turn yellow.
• If the family is actively growing green mass and does not produce root crops, this is the first sign of an excess of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil. Also, the absence of bulb ovaries can provoke a delay in planting vegetables.
• The family rarely goes into arrows, but if a similar situation occurs, this is a sign of improper storage of planting material. In this case, the arrows with inflorescences are carefully broken.

Onions of the Family variety are not demanding in terms of care and growing conditions, therefore they are available for cultivation in all climatic zones.

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Problems in care

Family onions are considered a very unpretentious crop. It is very resistant to pests and tolerates temperature changes well. There is no active growth of weeds in his beds. But sometimes these plants also need help. What problems do gardeners most often see with growing different varieties of heirloom onions?

The onion feather turns yellow

Why is this happening? If family onions turn yellow, this is a sign of a lack of nutrients in the soil.

Solution. Feed. You can add a solution of potassium salt (10 g per 10 l of water), ammonium nitrate (10 g per 10 l of water) to the substrate. If you do not want to resort to mineral fertilizers, replace them with wood ash, litter or manure.

Main advantages

One of the main advantages of this plant is its excellent storage. If the right conditions are provided, the bulbs can retain their appearance and taste for 10-12 months.

Also, many farmers choose to grow heirloom onions, rather than their analogues, due to their multiple germs - thanks to this, the yield increases significantly. From a plot of land that usually produces one medium-sized onion, you can get 6-9 small ones (in some cases up to 30!), the total mass of which will be much greater.

Finally, this onion is highly valued by gourmets. It has a much more delicate taste and not as strong a smell as onions, which are familiar to most people.

Therefore, if you do not have experience in growing such onions, conducting an experiment on mastering a new crop will definitely be very useful.

Harvesting and storage

If most of the feathers in the garden have withered, this is a sure sign that it is time to harvest. According to the calendar, harvesting of family onions falls at the end of July. There may be deviations of 5-7 days, which is dictated by the growth characteristics of different varieties. Do not delay harvesting onions. Once the bulbs are ripe, but continue to be in damp soil, this reduces their ability to be stored for long periods of time in the future. As you know, excessive moisture can trigger the process of feather growth during laying.

You need to dig up onions in dry weather. Spread the bulbs evenly on the garden bed and leave to dry until evening. Then they are hidden in a dry but dark room. Here the onions should rest and dry completely for 2 weeks. Now you can trim the dry greens. Sort the onions to make sure there are none rotten. Then the harvest should be stored in wooden boxes and kept in a room with low humidity.

Considering that the agricultural technology of family onions is very simple and understandable even to novice summer residents, this plant is considered very unpretentious. Caring for family onions does not take much time and attention from the summer resident. In practice, there are very few problems in planting or caring for it. Therefore, family onions, the varieties of which are very diverse, are a valuable and irreplaceable vegetable crop in any garden.

How to properly cut onions for greens

It is very important to properly cut the onions for greens so that they continue to grow. After all, if you do it wrong, you can ruin the onion head. And then you will no longer have not only a shooter, but a vegetable that will actually die.

In order for the onion to continue to grow further, the greens must be cut above the growth point. Therefore, you should not trim near the onion head itself. After all, in this case, the leaves will no longer grow.

There are several ways to cut a greenfinch onion correctly. Let's look at them in more detail.

Mass cutting below growing point

In this case, the greens are cut completely down to the bulb. After such pruning, the onion no longer bears fruit, so a new head must be planted.

The advantage of this method is that you immediately get a large amount of greens, which can be sold or used for culinary purposes.

Mass cutting above the growing point

In this case, the onion is cut in the same way, but with one important difference. Cutting is carried out above the growing point. Thanks to this, after some time the onion will grow new greens.

Plucking off individual feathers

Onions often grow at different rates, even when planted at the same time.

In this case, selective cutting of the longest leaves is carried out.

The advantage of this method is that you always have greenfinch, which can be added to various dishes.

IMPORTANT! If you cut off several feathers at a time, then pinch off the “green stuff” carefully. It is correct to use a sharp cutting tool.