Onion
Perennial, herbaceous plant, root crop no more than 15 cm in diameter, green tubular leaves. It grows on almost all continents. With proper agricultural technology it produces a significant harvest. There are three varieties of onion vegetables - sweet, semi-sharp and spicy. Hot varieties of onions are distinguished by a high content of glycosides, essential oils and sugar, even more than in sweet varieties, but due to the bitter substances this is not felt.
Onions are indispensable in cooking and folk medicine
Proteins, vitamins, organic acids, pectins, mineral salts, enzymes, saponins, and the main wealth - phytoncides are stored in the onion pantry. These volatile substances, the natural immunity of plants, kill pathogenic bacteria and fungi. An onion with bare hands can clean a room where there are patients with typhus and cholera. Sore throat, laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis bow their heads before the almighty onion.
On a note! Traditional medicine recommends: 500 g of onions, chopped in a meat grinder, pour 1 liter of water, add 50 g of honey and 100 g of sugar. Boil over low heat for about three hours, store the cooled medicine in the refrigerator, take 2 tablespoons 3 times a day.
But this healing vegetable is indispensable in cooking; cuisines around the world use all types of onions to create familiar and exotic dishes. The aromatic vegetable is consumed raw, fried in oil, caramelized, added as a spicy seasoning, etc., etc.
Alexandre Dumas onion soup: you will need 1 kg of white onions, 1 liter of chicken broth, drained. butter 50 g, thyme sprig, baguette, hard cheese 200 g. Slowly caramelize the onion in butter, add half the broth and evaporate it a little. Add the herbs and the remaining broth, which is also partially evaporated. Pour the soup into a refractory mold, sprinkle with cheese, top with slices of toasted baguette and more cheese. Place in oven until slightly melted. The soup turns out so rich that a small portion is enough to keep you full all day.
For more information about the art of preparing real French soup, see Ilya Lazerson:
Secrets of making real onion soup
Agricultural technology
How to understand that it’s time to throw away strawberry bushes
In order to get a good harvest, you need to follow simple agrotechnical rules and recommendations. Perennial onions, regardless of the variety, are a plant that does not require constant or specific care. Well-developed bushes of fragrant greenery appear in pre-fertilized soil. The fertile layer should not contain excess acid (indicators should be neutral).
Also, before planting the selected variety, the soil must be freed from weeds (weeded), and all rhizomes must be removed from the ground. This must be done so that the plant receives the volume of water and nutrients required for full development and growth. Weeding should be done regularly, but small weeds in small quantities will not harm the plant.
It is recommended to give preference to a shady area
Attention should be paid directly to the choice of site for planting. In addition to fertilizers that are applied to the soil to make it more fertile, it is necessary to take into account such factors as the amount of sunlight. Bushes must receive it for development and growth, but they should not be allowed to be exposed to direct rays for a long period of time.
This is due to the fact that the plant may dry out. It is recommended to give preference to a shady area. Trees and various shrubs will be good neighbors for perennial onions - they will provide protection from the sun, and onions will help with pollination.
At the same time, you need to remember that plants should not interfere with ventilation - the place in which onions grow needs high-quality ventilation. The peculiarity of the preparatory measures is that the perennial plant will remain in the selected area for several seasons without replanting. After 2-5 years have passed (depending on the variety), it is recommended to transplant the shrub to a new location.
Despite the fact that onions with thin feathers look weak, they are resistant to temperature changes, strong winds, and frosts. It is for this reason that the species has different planting dates even within the same variety. You can get a feather both in early March and in the summer. Spring planting of perennial onions occurs at the moment when early vegetables ripen. Caring for the plant after planting is standard: watering, weeding, fertilizing and fertilizing as necessary.
Important to remember! All onion crops, regardless of whether they are annual or perennial, belong to the same family. That is why they should not be planted nearby, since in this case the likelihood of negative influence of pests increases. To increase the access of oxygen, water and nutrients during the maintenance process, loosening is necessary.
If the weather remains good, the crop can be harvested 3-4 times per season, so perennials grow in almost every area.
Care feature: after watering, the soil needs to be loosened. This event will have a positive effect on root growth and leaf development. Simultaneously with watering, it is recommended to apply mineral fertilizers or top dressing, then all the nutrients will reach the plant faster. Plantings are weeded as needed, since only large weeds cause damage. The decorative value is that a small bush can be placed in a flower bed or form a special zone that will look like a single composition.
Onion (Tatarka, sandy, tubular, winter, pipe)
Batun is a popular variety of perennial onion, a vegetable crop of the onion family, grown from seeds. It has different names: sandy, Tatarka, winter (for its excellent winter hardiness), and received the nickname fistula for its powerful tubular leaves. On the territory of the Russian Federation it grows wild in Siberia and the Far East. As a spicy vegetable, it is cultivated on all continents except Antarctica.
Batun is grown on all continents except Antarctica
Tatarka, also known as batun, is divided into three types:
- Russian - with small, green feathers, spicy in taste.
- Chinese - has wide, juicy stems with a spicy taste.
- Japanese - thin leaves with a delicate, semi-sharp taste.
The batun is radically different from the onion one; it is grown for its green feathers. It has a well-developed root system and reaches a height of up to 70 cm.
Tube-leaves form throughout the summer, and its green shoots appear in early spring. The leaves gradually die off, and a thickened stem (false bulb) forms. In the second year of life, onions appear flowers in the shape of a spherical umbrella. Onion has a sharp, bright taste. Rich in sugar, protein, vitamins C, B, PP, various micro- and macroelements, phytoncides.
Onion
In cooking, the entire stem or only the green part is used as a seasoning for first and second courses. Pies with egg and onion, mmm...
This type of onion has healing properties, like onions: improves digestion, increases immunity, normalizes metabolism, and fights worms. It should be remembered that people suffering from various gastrointestinal diseases should limit their consumption of batun.
Advantages and disadvantages
Tomato Velikosvetsky
People like to plant flat green onions or any other varieties of perennials because they have a number of advantages:
- do not require complex soil preparation;
- easily tolerate frosts and low temperatures;
- are able to develop under snow (leaflets begin their development in winter and begin active growth as the thickness of the snow cover decreases);
- benefit the body (large amounts of vitamins);
- consistently high yields;
- show resistance to diseases;
- the first harvest can be obtained after the snow cover has melted;
- the taste is pleasant.
The advantages also include excellent decorative qualities (especially in flowering varieties). Plants help improve the quality of pollination of neighboring crops. A thin leaf can give a pleasant aroma to the finished dish, so this species is actively used in cooking.
Some species that are small in height can be grown at home
Some species that are small in height can be grown at home. Disadvantages include the inability to tolerate prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, the need to maintain a certain distance when planting in order to reduce the likelihood of pest influence.
Sometimes a scanword question can be thought-provoking, for example, what is the name of thin and fragrant green onions or curved Indian onions. In the first case, the answer will be one of the varieties of perennial vegetables, in the second - flat (the archer can create it himself).
Perennial onions provide a pleasant taste, the leaf can be a decoration or part of the product, the juice is used in folk recipes to treat diseases, as it contains a set of necessary components and vitamins. For each variety there is a detailed description, so the gardener can choose the best option for himself.
Onions are used as an independent decorative element. It is included in flower beds. Also, varieties capable of flowering are grown to obtain a visual image. The popularity of the plant is associated not only with the fact that onions grow beautifully, but also with the ease of care and planting.
Land preparation is standard for all crops. It is necessary to dig up the soil, weed and water. Then the plant is planted at a distance of 20 cm between rows and 50-70 cm between bushes.
Thus, the benefit of perennial onions lies not only in their beautiful visual arrangement, but also in the fact that subsequent care does not require physical effort. Weeding is not necessary if the weeds grow rarely and are small in size.
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Chives (chives or rezun, skoroda)
In European - chives, in Siberian - rezanets or rezun, in central Russia it is called skoroda, and in Ukraine - tribulka. It grows wild everywhere, from the southern steppes to the tundra. The bushes grow up to 60 cm, it is a perennial with tubular, thin leaves of light green color, a juicy, mildly spicy, salad variety of onion.
Chives, skoroda, rezun
The growing season begins as soon as the snow melts, tolerates frost well, and is a source of vitamin-rich greens in early spring. It grows in one place for about 5 years, gradually the plantings thicken and require replanting. Propagated by vegetative division and seeds.
Planting is done in autumn or early spring, shoots are friendly, appear within a week, chives grow quickly. A full-fledged competitor to the batun. Its leaves contain a lot of vitamin C, calcium and iron, saponins, phytoncides, and essential oils. As the chives grow, they still remain tender in taste. It can be canned, dried, salted, frozen.
Rezun in bloom
Skoroda is also a beautiful, decorative lilac-violet flower. Blooms vigorously from early spring to late autumn. Used to frame paths and low curbs.
Which variety is healthier for the body?
The benefits of onions for humans are enormous , but it cannot be said that red ones are healthier than white ones, or vice versa. It all depends on the health problems or prevention goals.
Any variety of crop has a powerful antimicrobial effect due to the presence of phytoncides. Vegetables of purple and red colors are more active in the fight against pathogenic microflora, since, in addition to phytoncides, they contain cyanidin.
If a person’s task is to stop the harmful activity of microorganisms, then white onions will be enough, but if you also need to strengthen the circulatory system, then a red or purple vegetable will help.
The plant has anthelmintic properties . White turnips are more effective in combating freckles and pigmentation.
To strengthen the immune system and replenish vitamins after winter, green onion varieties are suitable.
Slime onion (ferruginous, drooping)
Ferruginous, drooping, slime onion is the name of a low-growing perennial bush with flat, bright green, succulent leaves. The homeland of the wild plant is western and eastern Siberia, Altai. Slime onions have a faint garlic flavor. It contains few essential oils, so the taste is delicate and slightly spicy. It is more valued as an ornamental plant, blooms with purple balls, and is a valuable honey plant. As the bush grows, it thins out and the leaves droop, which is what earned it the second name drooping. When cut, a thick juice is released on the stems, which is why it gets its third nickname – slime.
Blooming slime onion
This early onion has a rich, healthy composition: high content of mono- and disaccharides, phytoncides, vitamins (A, C, PP, B1, B12, B6), calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron, etc.
It tolerates winter cold well, does not freeze out at a temperature of -35°C, and appears in the beds as soon as the ground thaws. With good care, it retains its yield for 4-5 years in one place, then it is replanted. Traditional medicine uses it as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Regular consumption helps the immune system cope with diseases faster and improves the functioning of the stomach and intestines.
Spring shoots of onion
For food, young, juicy leaves are often used as a seasoning for salads, hot dishes and snacks. When canning, it is added for piquancy, dried and frozen. However, in case of diseases of the digestive tract, especially during the period of escalation, the consumption of onions in all forms should be limited.
Multi-tiered (Egyptian, viviparous)
Multi-tiered onions have an original appearance: medium-sized onions in several levels sit on a green stem. It is grown for them and for its crispy greens. Egyptian, viviparous, walking, horned, tree-like, catawissa, whatever they call this native of Asia.
Viviparous onion
Undemanding in care, not afraid of harsh winters, resistant to diseases, with good yield - this onion has long occupied a place in garden beds. Grows well in areas with cold climates.
A distinctive feature is that it is not able to accumulate nitrates. It reproduces only by bulbs or by dividing the bush, as it does not produce seeds. Of the perennials, it is the first to begin to turn green in the beds; twenty days after germination it is ready for use.
Airy bulbs of Egyptian onions
Very prolific: in early spring, all summer and autumn, ready to share fresh greens. In addition to greens, both types of bulbs are suitable for food. It doesn’t last as long as onion, but it’s just as tasty and healthy.
Sturon
Onion sets Sturon produce a harvest 15 days earlier than other varieties. The weight of the bulb ranges from 90 to 150 grams. It is important to remember that this crop cannot be used for greens; the taste of the feathers leaves much to be desired. The hybrid loves warm climate zones, so it is best to grow it in the South. The popularity of the variety is due to the taste of the bulbs and pronounced aroma, due to which they can be used for various purposes - from fresh consumption to preservation. The productivity of Sturon is high, up to 30 tons per hectare.
The shelf life of collected bulbs is long; you can leave them for six months and they will not spoil.
The plant has high immunity to most diseases relevant to onions. It is not afraid of fungi and unfavorable environmental conditions, due to which there is no need to treat it with chemicals before growing. The culture is resistant to frost and bolting. Prefers sandy and loamy soils.
Leeks (pearl)
Leeks or pearl onions are a type of perennial vegetable. A very useful garden crop, widespread everywhere. It is grown from seeds, has a long growing season, on average about 140 days, and for later ones - up to 250. Summer residents advise planting seeds in mid-summer; strong shoots will appear by autumn. Onions tolerate cold well and will produce a rich harvest next summer.
Leek
The Karantansky variety has been popular in Russia for a long time . Leeks are winter-hardy and have amazing culinary qualities. Compact when grown, it produces an impressive harvest from a small area. It is a fungicidal plant; it is planted so that its smell drives away harmful insects, and accordingly, it itself is resistant to diseases and pests.
The pearl variety has a delicate, slightly spicy taste and will not spoil delicious dishes with an onion smell. It can be safely added to the register of medicinal plants. The content of useful vitamins, microelements, salts, and biologically active substances is simply off the charts. Increased potassium content is a preventive measure for cardiovascular diseases.
Bouquet garni with leeks
Stores perfectly in the refrigerator; it can stay in a paper bag for several months without losing its usefulness. It is frozen, dried and pickled. In cooking, only the white part of the thick stem is usually used; the green stems are too tough. But they are also useful; cooks prepare such seasonings as bouquet garni , a bunch of dry herbs for soups. It gives an extraordinary taste and aroma to the dish. The ingredients are different: bay leaf, parsley, celery, rosemary, leek. Of course, it, like many types of onion vegetables, is not recommended for use during periods of exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.
Bamberger
A variety of German selection with a weak pungent taste. The shape of the fruit is elongated, the scales are bright yellow. The onion is small in weight, maximum 80-100 grams. Using it you can prepare delicious and savory dishes, especially salads. The shelf life of the crop is 5 months.
Before planting, you should carefully prepare the material - dry it to prevent damage. For a couple of weeks it is kept in a room with a temperature of +20 degrees, and on the eve of planting it is raised to +35-40 degrees. This will facilitate germination and reduce the number of shoots. The culture prefers sandy loamy fertile soil. You can plant before winter or spring. In the first case, sowing is carried out a couple of weeks before the onset of cold weather, in the second - at the end of April or beginning of May.
Care includes a number of simple measures: watering, loosening the soil, feeding three times a day and treating against parasites. Summer residents speak positively about Bamberger onion sets and say that they are satisfied with the harvest.
Shallots (family, kushchevka, magpie)
In appearance, shallots are similar to onions, but shallots are round, and shallots have a head divided into slices, which is why they are called family or magpie . It ripens faster than onion and has a long, juicy feather. Asia and the Middle East are considered to be their homeland; now this is a very popular variety of onion, cultivated almost everywhere. The bush is grown by seeds or heads. In the first year of planting, it is used for greenery; after wintering, a large onion is obtained, divided into lobes.
Shallot
The magpie is considered a dietary vegetable; the calorie content of the bulbs is only 70 kcal, and that of a green bunch is 18-20 kcal. But there are a lot of vitamins: PP, carotene, group of B vitamins in full. Mineral composition: iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, sulfur, zinc, etc. Cooks use greens and heads for a wide variety of dishes. It has a delicate, sweet, tangy taste. Shallots are very popular in French cuisine and are used as the basis for the famous French onion soup.
Varieties for long-term storage
Onions with golden-colored dry scales have the best shelf life . Such vegetables have a more bitter taste and a pungent odor, but they are stored almost until the new harvest due to the thickness and number of outer scales. Sweet varieties have few scales, they are too thin, so the keeping quality of the crop is low.
Important! According to reviews from summer residents, sweet colored varieties of onions (red, purple) quickly lose their presentation and taste.
How to store it correctly
Fully ripe dry specimens are selected for storage ; if necessary, they are dried several times.
The wintering room should be dry and cool (temperature - 0°C). Some species thrive at -3°C, and some at +18°C. It is not recommended to display baskets with harvest on the balcony: the vegetable cannot withstand temperature changes.
The harvest is kept in winter in “breathable” containers : boxes, baskets, mesh bags. Some housewives, following traditions, knit bulbs into wreaths and braid them.
Aging onion (puchu)
Aging onion or puchu is a wild odorous plant widely distributed in the South-East of Eurasia, Siberia, the Far East, and the Altai Territory. In Korea, it is specially grown as an agricultural crop, an improved variety, more delicate in taste. Juicy leaf feathers are edible only in spring; as they grow, they become coarser and become bitter, which is why it is called aging onion.
Aging onion, puchu
There are 4 types of puchu:
- The European species is distinguished by long, straight feathers.
- Transbaikalian grows as a powerful bush and with short leaves.
- The Altai-Sayan species has short, straight leaves.
- The Far Eastern species is distinguished by long, spiral-shaped leaves.
By the end of summer, onions acquire a specific prickly taste; in this form they are crushed and dried. Cooks bake these onions, fry them, prepare them as a seasoning, ferment them, salt them, but they still give preference to green onions.
Oblique (vinegar, garlic, mountain garlic)
Vinegar, garlic onion, mountain garlic - all these are names of the same plant. Oblique onions grow wild in Altai, the Urals, throughout Siberia, and Central Asia.
At first glance, vinegar looks like garlic, only larger. It has a small oblong bulb about 3-4 cm, long, flat leaves 40 cm long and 2 cm wide. The leaves extend from the stem alternately, obliquely, like garlic. The oblique onion grows up to 150 cm, with a fragrant golden-colored flower at the top. Uksun is an early onion, one of the first to germinate, immediately after the snow melts.
Uksun is a wonderful honey plant
It is especially valued in the 2-3rd year of life, during this period the maximum amount of useful substances accumulates. Grown from seeds, not demanding on conditions. It has a bright garlic flavor and can easily replace this vegetable. An excellent seasoning for meat and main courses, suitable for freezing and drying.
Centurion
A recent development of agronomists is the Centurion onion set. The fruits of the plant have an interesting oblong shape and can weigh up to 200 grams. Their taste is quite sharp and pungent, so these onions are not suitable for fresh consumption. It is best used to prepare salads or complement meat.
Centurion grows at temperatures from 12 to 16 degrees; in open ground it can survive temperature drops of up to 2 degrees. To improve growth, it is recommended to water the plant during the growing season.
To obtain a high-quality harvest, you need to choose good planting material: it should not be wet, the best bulbs are those that look strong and healthy. It is recommended to carry out planting activities towards the end of September or in the first half of October in sandy loam soil, before the onset of frost. This will allow the young plants to harden and gain moisture. Active growth of the crop begins immediately after warm weather sets in. In April, the collection of the green part begins.
Angular (angular, mouse garlic)
Angular, angular - wild-growing perennial onion. Distributed in Europe, Siberia, and northern Kazakhstan. Undemanding to conditions, resistant to disease and cold, loves sun and abundant moisture. The bulbs are 5-7 cm in diameter and have a conical shape, i.e. angularity. The oblong stem grows from 20 to 60 cm, linear, flat leaves grow in a bunch. In the second year, modest violet-lilac flowers appear. Propagated by seeds and bulbs.
The angular onion has bloomed
In mid-May, the first greens with a delicate, garlicky taste appear. A wonderful seasoning for meat, soups and salads. Valued for its impressive content of vitamin C, carotene, essential oil, phytoncides are responsible for the bactericidal properties of the plant. Improves digestion and prevents cancer.
Suvorov's bow (anzur, aflatun, giant)
Anzur onion is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows in mountainous regions of Europe and Asia. Has several types:
- Suvorov's bow - named after the Russian commander. Legend says that on his orders, this particular bow was used in the Russian army, which saved many soldiers from scurvy and other diseases.
- Giant.
- Aflatunsky.
- Mountain bow.
The vegetable crop has long, wide leaves, a thin, hard arrow, grows up to 150 cm, crowned with a large, bright purple inflorescence. The varieties of this onion differ only in the size of the bulbs and leaves.
Giant Mountain Bow
Only young leaves are suitable for eating; after a few weeks they turn yellow and become rough. The bulbs themselves are not consumed raw because of their specific smell. But when prepared in different ways, they become a valuable source of useful elements. For example, it contains 4-5 times more vitamin C than all other types of onion vegetables. Azure is called the brother of ginseng for its rich vitamin and mineral composition.
Anzura bulb
Traditional medicine treats such ailments as:
- hypertension;
- skin diseases;
- rheumatism;
- colds, bronchitis;
Regular consumption improves vision. Excess of the product can cause allergies and even (God forbid) poisoning. Landscape designers love anzur for its bright appearance and are happy to use it as decoration in gardens and parks.
Beautiful and useful onion-anzur
Rocambole (Egyptian, Spanish, horse, elephant garlic)
So we got to billiards. Our rocambole is a variety of onion garlic that has become famous for its elephant size. It has an impressive stem 1.5-2 m tall, flat, long leaves 1-1.5 cm wide. Ripening time is from 100 to 120 days.
This is the largest onion or garlic, we find it difficult to define it. The head can grow up to 15 cm in diameter, provided that there are no more than three of them in the bulb. If there is only one head in the onion, then it reaches a weight of 400-500 g, why not a ball for ricocheting along several sides?
Giant Rockambole
Unlike garlic, it has a delicate, pleasant taste and aroma, while retaining all the significant advantages of its hot counterpart. Antiseptic and natural antibiotic, impressive vitamin composition, carotene and iron. It reproduces like garlic by cloves. Distributed throughout Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, it has long been used in medicine. The vegetable is perfectly stored for up to six months. In cooking, green stems and heads are used in salads, soups, meat, for canning, they are salted and pickled in seasonings.
Troy
Troy – onion set of moderately pungent taste, early ripening. The crop is characterized by high productivity and the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. The fruits can be used for fresh consumption or canning. In the Russian climate, Troy feels great. He prefers well-drained soil, preferably loam with a lot of organic matter.
The fruits have multi-colored husks and their weight does not exceed 100 grams. Shape – round or flat-round. The culture grows to approximately 40 centimeters in height. The yield is normal - up to 5 kilograms per square meter. It is stored for about 4 months. Hybrid varieties are resistant to frost and disease.
Care is not difficult and requires abundant watering in the first half of growth, as well as careful weeding. After harvesting, the bulbs should be thoroughly dried.
Garlic
What can I say about garlic? Everyone knows him. The oldest vegetable crop contains volatile components - phytoncides, which instantly kill harmful bacteria and parasites. Garlic contains a rich complex of minerals, vitamins, saponins, and essential oil. One of the most popular ingredients in folk medicine, it is part of cleansing and rejuvenating products. The element allicin is used in oncological therapy; the components of garlic destroy cholesterol plaques and save against hypertension.
Garlic is an onion vegetable
There are generally no limits to garlic in cooking; all cuisines in the world are crazy about this vegetable. It is not stored as long as we would like; excessive humidity is contraindicated for it. It grows and is grown on all continents, in any climate, except the Far North itself, and there are countless types and varieties of this vegetable.
