To obtain high-quality greens, Parade onions are often grown in open ground or in a greenhouse. The variety was bred by Dutch breeders and is ideal for growing from seeds for greens.
The variety has a number of features, including the absence of a bulb, rapid growth and long-term preservation of appearance without yellowing of the leaves.
Surely many people wanted to grow onions like those sold in stores. To do this, you need to sow a special variety. Parade onions do not need to be pre-cleaned: they can be cut and eaten immediately.
Bow Features
To obtain green feathers, batun is grown. One of the best representatives is the Parade bow. The variety has the following features:
- Stable, high yield. If you follow the rules of agricultural technology, you can get up to eight kilograms of onions from one square meter.
- The mass of the bulbs is no more than eighty grams.
- High feather growth rate.
- The length of the green part reaches sixty centimeters.
- Excellent taste.
- Onions are stored for a long time, remaining fresh and tender.
- The plant is not afraid of frost and can be cultivated in winter greenhouses even at low temperatures.
Onion Parade quickly produces greens rich in vitamins and minerals. The plant can be grown after any crops: potatoes, peas, beans, cabbage.
A special feature of the variety is that it can be cut several times: at least four times.
The plant is characterized by a short growing season - up to seventy days. Between cuts, the feather grows in a little more than a month: the more nutrition and moisture, the faster the onion grows.
When growing a feather, the cut is made when it becomes one and a half centimeters thick and half a meter high. During this period, the plant has the maximum amount of nutrients and essential oils.
Description of the Parade variety
Parade onions do not form bulbs and are grown only for greens, which are ideal for preparing salads and as an addition to soups, okroshkas, marinades, fish or poultry dishes.
The Parade variety was bred by Dutch breeders of the company BEJO ZADEN BV. It was included in the State Register of Russia in 2000.
Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins, beneficial properties
The Parade variety contains:
- vegetable protein, carbohydrates, fats;
- vitamins A, C, E, K, PP, group B;
- amino acids;
- micro- and macroelements: potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, zinc, copper, selenium, iron, manganese.
Consumption of this onion has a beneficial effect on metabolism and heart function, helps eliminate toxins and prevent atherosclerosis. Onions also strengthen the immune system and support kidney health.
Ripening time and yield
Parade is a mid-early variety; about 60 days pass from planting to harvest.
This onion is characterized by high yield - up to 4.2 kg per 1 sq. m.
Disease resistance
The Parade variety is resistant to diseases affecting bulbous crops.
Characteristics of the bulb, description of appearance, taste
Onion Parade is a tall plant, reaching 60 cm in height, with a powerful, erect rosette of leaves. Each plant weighs about 50-60 g.
The false stem (white part) is short, bulbs are not formed, the leaves are cylindrical, grow at the base, green with a blue tint, covered with a thin layer of waxy coating.
The feathers are juicy, tender, have a pleasant semi-sharp taste and a light garlic aroma.
Reference. The Parade variety does not have any special climate requirements and is successfully cultivated in all regions of the country.
Sowing a variety in exhaust gas
You can grow Parade onions on feathers without seedlings. In this method, sowing is carried out in open ground in early May, choosing an area with a high level of fertility.
Before sowing the seeds, you need to prepare the bed by adding nitrogen fertilizer. It could be cow dung, saltpeter. In the latter case, fertilizer consumption is calculated as follows: 40 grams of nitrate per square meter of land. After incorporating nitrogen into the soil, shallow grooves are made in the prepared bed at a distance of no more than eight centimeters from each other. The seeding depth is no more than two centimeters.
To see how the seeds have fallen, you can sprinkle a thin layer of sand at the bottom of the groove. The seeds are placed individually, at a distance of five centimeters from each other. Some gardeners advise planting two seeds at a time, since onion seeds do not have a high germination rate.
The crops are covered with soil and watered with a watering can. To prevent the seeds from drying out and to germinate faster, the crops are covered with film or non-woven fabric, creating mini-greenhouses for them.
When the onion begins to sprout, the shelter is removed.
July landing
In July, the beds are cleared of early greens and radishes. On empty land you can sow perennial varieties of onions for greens. So, having planted onion in July, you will get a full-fledged feather for cutting next spring.
You need to choose a sunny place for onion beds, where the snow melts faster in the spring. Add humus and ash to the soil. Sow densely in rows; after emergence, thin out the seedlings. Maintain an interval between shoots of 3.5–5 cm.
In summer the weather is hot, if it rains rarely, then you need to make sure that the soil does not dry out. By late autumn, a feather from 20 to 30 cm long will grow in the garden bed. To prevent young plants from freezing in winter, it is better to mulch the garden bed with peat or fallen leaves .
Growing in OG
When growing Parade onions for greens, it is important to follow the rules of care. They consist of timely weeding, fertilizing, loosening and watering of plants.
The first feeding is carried out when the plant has five true leaves. At this time, the onion must be given phosphorus-potassium fertilizer by diluting a tablespoon of granules in ten liters of water. It is necessary to water the fertilizer at the root, avoiding the solution getting on the onion.
The plant is fed in the evening in dry weather.
Advice from experienced gardeners
Farmers' recommendations for growing Parade:
- Water your onions regularly. This variety can tolerate short-term drought, but it is better to avoid this.
- Burn all plants affected by diseases or pests away from the site.
- Before planting seeds, pour boiling water over the soil. This helps get rid of some fungi and pests.
- Water the plants in the morning, not in the evening, otherwise they will not have time to dry out, and the accumulation of moisture will lead to the growth of bacteria.
- Do not plant onions nearby. He is often attacked by onion flies, which can switch on Parade.
Growing onions with seedlings
You can get a feather earlier if you plant Parade onion seeds for seedlings in March. To speed up germination, it is recommended to soak them in water. After this, seedling boxes with nutrient soil are prepared. Ready-made soil from any manufacturer intended for growing vegetable crops is suitable for planting.
Grooves about one centimeter deep are made in the box. Leave a distance of five centimeters between the rows. The soil is sprayed with water from a spray bottle.
The seeds are placed one at a time on the bottom of the groove, at a distance of two centimeters from each other. The top of the crops is sprinkled with earth. To speed up germination, the boxes are placed in a warm, bright place, at a temperature of at least 20 degrees, after covering the crop with glass or film.
After germination, the greenhouse is removed and the box is moved to a cooler place where the temperature does not rise above 15 degrees.
When growing seedlings, it is necessary to monitor the soil moisture level: it should not dry out.
Ready seedlings are planted in a permanent place when the threat of frost has passed.
Preparing the beds and soil
This crop loves soil that is rich in nutrients. Therefore, when preparing the soil for planting, it is recommended to add organic fertilizers, simply mix them with the soil. Perfect for these purposes:
- compost;
- turf land;
- as well as rotted manure.
It is necessary to provide the onions with moisture-permeable and breathable soil with an acidity level of pH 6-7. In general, onions grow well and produce crops in any soil.
Reference! It is best to plant onions in soil where tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, and potatoes previously grew.
Growing in a greenhouse
Many people grow Parade onions for greens in a greenhouse. In unheated greenhouses, the variety is grown from early spring to late autumn, in heated greenhouses - all year round.
To get a high-quality feather, you need to prepare the boxes and prepare the soil in advance.
Before planting, the soil is treated with a two percent solution of potassium permanganate and covered with a dark film. The boxes are left like this for a week.
After seven days, nutrients are added to the soil: 15 grams of potassium, 20 grams of superphosphate per square meter of boxes placed together. Onions are planted in ready-made containers according to a 5 x 7 cm pattern.
You can grow onions in a greenhouse directly in the beds. This is done on the same principle as growing in open ground, with the only difference being that the plant grows under cover.
Harvest and storage
Parade is an onion variety that can be harvested several times per season, and when grown in heated greenhouses, throughout the year.
How and when to collect
The first harvest is harvested in mid-summer, by pulling the onion out of the ground by the roots or cutting off the feathers. You can cut onions 3-4 times per season with an interval of approximately 38-50 days.
Storage features and keeping quality of the variety
The cut greens are wrapped in cling film, with small holes made in it for ventilation, and stored in the refrigerator. In such conditions, the onion retains its quality for a month.
Sowing seeds in a greenhouse
Seeds are sown in a greenhouse according to the following rules:
- In early spring, seeds are disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then they are soaked in Epin solution (two drops per hundred grams of water). They will not get fungal infections after this procedure.
- Then prepare the boxes for sowing seedlings. They are filled with soil and disinfected. Next, grooves are made to a depth of no more than two centimeters. During this procedure, you should carefully monitor the depth, trying to make it uniform. Otherwise, the seedlings will sprout unevenly.
- The furrows for crops are moistened. As soon as all the water has been absorbed, sowing is carried out, placing the seeds one by one on the bottom of the groove. It is better to leave two centimeters between the seeds.
Caring for onions in a greenhouse
Growing Parade onions in greenhouses is not a difficult task; the main thing is to observe temperature conditions, lighting, watering and fertilizing correctly.
In the greenhouse, until seedlings appear, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of at least 20 degrees. As soon as sprouts appear, it is reduced to fifteen degrees. The plant is kept in this mode for a week. After hardening the onion, the temperature is again raised to twenty degrees.
For the proper development of a plant, it is not enough to observe only the temperature regime; lighting is also important. Two weeks after germination, seedlings are provided with round-the-clock lighting. If this is not done, the feather will turn out pale and thin.
Onions, like other plants, need feeding. If the feathers turn pale and thin, this is a signal: the plants do not have enough nutrition. Onions are fed with nitrogen fertilizer, diluting fifteen grams of saltpeter per 10 liters of water. Fertilizing is carried out at the root, preventing the solution from getting on the leaf.
Plants in the greenhouse are watered once a week. First use warm water with a temperature of at least 25 degrees. Afterwards the temperature is reduced to twenty degrees. Watering with cold water, as well as overwatering, should be avoided, as this can cause the bulb to rot.
Reviews about the onion variety Parade
Most gardeners are satisfied with growing Parade onions, which is confirmed by their positive reviews of this variety.
Pavel, Tver : “I grow onions not only for myself, but also for sale, so I choose varieties especially carefully and scrupulously. I am completely satisfied with the parade: the harvest is large, you can cut the greens 3 times per season, the feathers are juicy and beautiful.”
Valentina, Belgorod region: “In our family, everyone loves feathers more than bulbs, so we almost never plant onions. Among the varieties grown for greens, we chose Parade, because it combines all the main advantages - pleasant taste, quick germination and abundant harvest. Our plot is small, but one bed of these onions is enough to always have fresh herbs on the table.”
Reviews
Reviews about Onion Parade are only the most positive. This plant is valued by gardeners for its growth rate, excellent feathers, high taste and commercial qualities. The Parade onion variety is often used to produce feathers for sale.
Many gardeners have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to sow the plant as early as possible, while there is no heat and scorching sun. There are complaints that the seeds did not germinate well. This is due to the fact that sowing was carried out in May. In some regions, at this time the sun is already scorching, drying out the soil. In order for the seeds to hatch, they need to retain moisture, and for this it is recommended to plant them earlier - in mid-April. This way you can avoid too frequent watering by maintaining soil moisture at the desired level.
There are opinions that it is better to plant using seedlings. This way, you can sow seedlings in boxes in early spring, and with the onset of warmth, take them outside: the seedlings will be hardened, and night frosts will not destroy the sprouts.
Some summer residents grow onion seedlings in a greenhouse, using several crops spaced two weeks apart. Thus, summer residents get more harvest and do not wait for the feather to grow back. Caring for a new plant that is planted in fresh soil is much easier than trying to preserve a plant that has already produced a harvest.
Diseases and pests
The Parade onion variety has very good immunity and is resistant to pests and diseases, if the conditions of agricultural technology and crop rotation are followed correctly. If you do not follow these rules, then you may develop:
- Alternaria blight;
- downy mildew;
- gray mold.
May become susceptible to attacks by ticks and flies. If signs of crop damage appear, it will be necessary to treat the plantings with insecticides and fungicides.
Important! After treating the plant with chemicals and before eating it, at least three weeks must pass.
To make it easier to navigate the variety of onions, a description of the varieties Anzur, Snowball, Strigunovsky, Elan, Stuttgarter Stanfield, Turbo, Danilovsky, Setton, Rumba has been prepared for you.
Seeds
To get a good onion harvest, you need to carefully select seeds. They must be packaged by an agricultural company with a good reputation, and also have a long shelf life. Those packages that have a short shelf life may not sprout, which is a waste of time and money.
Among the trusted agricultural companies offering Parade, the best are considered to be: “Search”, “Aelita”, “Garden and Vegetable Garden”. According to reviews, these companies offer seeds with a high percentage of germination, and given that onions themselves have a germination rate of no more than eighty percent, the performance of these companies (78-88%) is excellent.
When deciding to grow onions, it is important not only to choose the right manufacturer, but also to choose good, nutritious soil. It is ideal if the gardener makes up “tasty” soil on his own, taking sand (1 part), humus (1 part), well-rotted manure (two parts), leaf soil (1 part). In such soil, onions grow quickly, producing beautiful dark green feathers more than 50 centimeters long.
