Slime onion: cultivation, care, benefits, photos, reviews

Slime onions are also called drooping onions. The culture is perennial. Onions are called slime because of the slimy juice secreted from the broken leaves, as well as the mucous substances in the composition that have healing properties.

Slime onions have juicy greens with a garlicky taste

Slime bulbs are not suitable for food

Slime Bow

Slime bow - description

Slime onions are native to Mongolia, Central Asia and Eastern Siberia. The culture differs from other types of onions both in external qualities and in cultivation, taste and even harvesting methods. So before planting this plant, you need to study its features.

Slime onion is a perennial onion-rhizome crop. It is often found in the wild, but is cultivated only by lovers of the species. The plant is cold-resistant and can withstand even harsh, frosty winters without insulation. If growth is not controlled, the bush can grow greatly.

Onion slime - description of culture

The root system is represented by a false bulb with developed roots. The ground part is a rosette formed by wide, flat leaves, rounded at the top. The leaves of the crop are green, very juicy, dense; if you break them, you can see a lot of mucus released. The height of the leaves can reach 30 cm, and the width - 2 cm. A year after planting, the plant produces an arrow up to 70 cm long with a beautiful inflorescence. This usually occurs from July to August. The buds are painted white or purple. The seeds ripen unevenly and are usually collected in 3 doses.

Interesting!

Until the moment when the flowers on the arrow bloom, the peduncle is drooping and tends to the ground. For this quality, the crop is also called drooping onion.

Medium ripening

The growing season for these varieties ranges from 100 to 120 days. They are grown in different regions, mainly through planting sets. Varieties with an average ripening period are well stored, the bulbs can be transported over long distances, the heads are used for canning, eaten fresh and pickled.

Bessonovsky

Currently, breeders are working to improve the characteristics of the variety, trying to return it to its former popularity.

Small round or flattened bulbs, weighing up to 40 g
Tightly fitting scales
Spicy taste
Long shelf life – up to 8 months
Good presentation
Average yield
Not very resistant to diseases, susceptible to bottom rot and downy mildew.
For preventive purposes, it is recommended to spray plantings with agents against pathogens of various diseases.
A budget variety with good characteristics: good keeping quality, average yield and sharp taste of the pulp.

The variety is gradually degenerating, but gardeners are firmly convinced that the Bessonov variety does not lose popularity, because at low costs for purchasing seedlings, you can get a good harvest with good keeping quality of the bulbs, only it is recommended to buy planting material from trusted suppliers.

Hercules

Characterized by a long shelf life. During this time it does not lose its taste. It has a mild taste and onion aroma.
Planting of seedlings is carried out after the ground has warmed up to +10 °C.
Prefers fertile soil.
It is recommended to add humus, peat, urea and superphosphate (1 tablespoon each) to the loams.
If the soil is sandy, add peat, humus, 2 buckets of clay soil, superphosphate and urea (1 tbsp each).

Advantages:

Productivity per 1 m2 – 8 kg
Long shelf life without loss of taste
Disease resistance
A well-developed root system allows you to “survive” in dry times
Spicy but pleasant taste.

Sturon

Dutch selection of medium ripening period. Around day 105, the bulbs reach technical ripeness. Suitable for growing in areas with both warm climates and temperate climates.
Onion sets can be cultivated using annual and biennial cultivation methods. In the second year you can get large bulbs weighing up to 200 g.
The bulbs are distinguished by their increased shelf life: they are stored all winter and do not lose their taste for 9 months. This feature increases the cost of the bulbs if its cultivation is used for commercial purposes.
Depending on the fertility of the soil, up to 29 tons of crop can be obtained from 1 hectare. Grows well in sandy loam soils. Feedback from farmers indicates that onions are rarely affected by any insects, and therefore do not require frequent treatment with chemicals.
They are grown not only in open ground, but also in greenhouse conditions to produce greens.
During the growing season it is necessary to apply mineral and organic fertilizers. Once the bulbs reach a size of 2.5 cm, all feeding should be stopped. In the second year of cultivation, it is necessary to feed the plantings 2 times. Onions grow best on loamy and sandy soils.

Chalcedony

Belongs to breeders from Moldova. The white, juicy flesh of the oval or round bulbs has a pungent taste, but not acrid. The weight of one onion is up to 90 g.
The variety is valued due to its high yield: from 1 m2 - up to 5 kg of onions. The harvest is harvested in August. The scales are bronze with a brown tint. Feature of the variety: during growth, the bulbs are located above the soil surface, which accelerates their ripening and facilitates harvesting.
The bulbs of the variety are impressive in size, but the yield depends on climatic conditions and soil fertility.
Chalcedony is rich in vitamins, contains folic acid, essential oils, and carotene.

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Popular varieties of slime onions

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A year after planting, the plant produces an arrow up to 70 cm long with a beautiful inflorescence

You can find different varieties of slime onions on sale. Below are some of them.

“Dwarf” is a mid-season variety. The leaves are green with a bluish bloom, growing up to 25 cm in length. From a square plot you can harvest up to 1.5 kg of crop per year. The harvest is used primarily for salads. The variety is resistant to frost.
“Leader” is a mid-season variety. The leaves are light green. The stem and root system are frost-resistant. Productivity – 2 kg/m². The taste is mildly pungent, the leaves contain a lot of vitamins and sugar. The aroma is more garlicky than oniony.
“Green” is a compact variety of semi-spreading onion with a developed root system. The leaves are large, flat, dark green. The taste is juicy, delicate, with a slight garlic aroma. With proper care, about 6 kg of crop can be harvested from 1 m² of land. Valued for its unpretentiousness, pleasant taste, resistance to diseases and frost.

Interesting!

You can grow slime onions not only in open ground, greenhouses, but also in pots and boxes installed on the balcony or even in the house.

Recipes

Omelette

50 g slime onion.
20 g parsley.
20 g butter.
3 eggs.
100 ml milk.

Preparation:

Finely chop the slime onion and sauté in butter.
Then add finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
Beat eggs with milk and pour this mixture over the greens.
Fry on both sides.

Salad with green peas

500 g slime onion.
250 g canned peas.
2-3 boiled eggs.
15 g dill.
5 g parsley.
150 g sour cream or mayonnaise.

Preparation:

The slime is cut into thin slices and mixed with peas.
Finely chopped eggs are added with peas and onions, salt and pepper to taste, and seasoned with mayonnaise.
The top of the salad is decorated with parsley and dill.

Slime onion is not only a very useful plant, containing many useful vitamins and elements, but also an excellent solution for decorating a summer cottage. At the same time, it is unpretentious and to get a good harvest, it is enough to follow simple rules of cultivation and maintenance.

Useful properties of onions

Slime onion variety “Dwarf”

Slime onions have a pleasant taste, garlicky aroma and are highly valued because they have various beneficial properties.

The leaves contain vitamins B1, B2, C, PP and minerals (potassium, iron, zinc, molybdenum, magnesium) necessary to strengthen the heart and blood vessels. Recommended for people suffering from anemia.
The mucous substance of this product has a beneficial effect on digestion, so the leaves of onion-slime are prescribed in the treatment of ulcers and gastritis.
Carotene, phytoncides, and sugars in the composition help eliminate toxins.
The leaves of the plant are often used to heal wounds. They not only have a disinfecting effect, but also relieve pain.
Slime onion strengthens the immune system, contains a natural antibiotic, polysaccharides, and glucose.
The culture has a positive effect on the condition of the hair if you make masks, lotions, and baths from it.
Doctors note the positive effect of mucus on the female and male reproductive systems.

The beneficial properties of the slime onion do not end there. It is believed that when consumed regularly, it helps to tone the muscles and the whole body, normalizes the functioning of the thyroid gland and even rejuvenates the body.

Harm of onion slime

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Slime onion variety “Leader”

Since the slime onion has a rich composition, it is often used to improve the health of the body. But it can also cause harm in certain cases.

If you have gout, this plant can be harmful.
During pregnancy and lactation, eating onion is not recommended; it can be dangerous for the baby.
During the progression of diseases of the digestive system, the product is contraindicated. But in the remission stage it can be eaten, but only after heat treatment.
If you have an individual intolerance, you should not eat this onion even in small quantities.

Features of planting the variety

Growing slime onions is a very simple process. Planting is carried out only in sunny areas. When planting a plant, you need to maintain a distance of 15 cm between the bushes, and make the row spacing 20 cm. The best predecessors of the crop are cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes.

The slime onion is propagated by dividing the bush and by seeds.

Dividing the bush. Mature bushes (3 years old), healthy, strong, are divided in spring or autumn. Initially, the roots are dug up, then divided into several parts so that each bush has 3-4 bulbs. After this, the roots are shortened slightly and the plants are planted in separate holes.
Slime onion variety "Green"
Sowing seeds. This plant can be propagated by seeds at any time of the year. You can sow seeds directly into the ground. The seeding depth is 1 cm. After sowing, it is worth covering the beds with film so that the seeds germinate faster. When sprouts appear, remove the film.

Important!

Every 5 years, the slime onion should be transplanted to another place.

Growing and care

Those who appreciate the taste of slime will certainly want to sow this type of onion in their area. Since the crop is perennial, its agricultural technology is slightly different from the usual vegetables.

In order for the planting venture to be completed successfully, you need to take into account the recommendations of experienced gardeners on selecting a site and further growing the plant.

Site selection and planting

First you need to figure out where, how and when it is best to plant onions. Usually the crop is sown in late May or early June. It is advisable to choose a sunny and open place, so that a lush rosette grows from the seeds, and the leaves are juicy and tender.

The landing site also needs to be properly prepared. The efficiency of cultivation and the difficulty of further caring for the plant will depend on this. First, you need to dig up the soil, removing all stones and roots of weeds. Secondly, the soil must be fertilized with organic matter, which will help stimulate the growth of the rosette. The soil on the site must be leveled and compacted. It is also necessary to limit the size of the bed, since in narrow areas the crop produces much more greenery (Figure 3).

Direct landing is carried out as follows:

Seeds are sown directly into open ground at the end of May, deepening the planting material by only 1 cm. However, if the soil has warmed up enough, you can limit the depth to 0.5 cm.
An interval of 40 cm should be maintained between individual rows.
Don't be afraid that the planting was done too thickly. When the seedlings sprout, they can be thinned out, leaving one specimen for every 15 cm of the bed

There is no need to fear that the crop will be destroyed by return frosts. Even in natural conditions, slime grows in regions with a harsh climate, so even the changeable weather of the Moscow region will not harm the culture.

Watering and weeding

Further care for slime green onions is not difficult, since this crop is extremely unpretentious. But some nuances of forcing greenery should still be taken into account.

For example, during the growing season the crop needs to be watered regularly. Thanks to the saturation of the soil with moisture, the onions grow much faster, and the greens acquire a delicate taste. But, if you are unable to water regularly, do not be discouraged: the slime normally tolerates drought, as it accumulates moisture in the roots (Figure 4).

To prevent weeds from interfering with crop development, they should be removed regularly, combining this procedure with loosening. After about a year, the rosette will have grown sufficiently, and the soil can be loosened with an ordinary flat cutter, while at the same time embedding humus or ash into the soil.

Diseases and pests

Despite the unpretentiousness of drooping onions, some difficulties may arise when growing them in the garden. In particular, the crop can be affected by rot or other diseases. If not properly cared for, the area with onions can also be attacked by pests (Figure 5).

To prevent damage to the crop, preventive treatment is carried out twice a month. You can also use insecticides, but experienced summer residents advise using folk remedies. They are quite effective for prevention, but do not harm the greenery.

For example, a solution of laundry soap is suitable for eliminating pests, and an infusion of potassium permanganate will help to cope with diseases in the initial stages.

Cultivation care

There are never any special problems in caring for onions of the Slizun variety, because the culture is unpretentious. Sun and moisture are the main requirements during the growing season.

Water the plant so that the soil is saturated with water, but does not stagnate. If the ground is waterlogged, the roots may become rotten and the onion will die.
Cultivation will be complete only if the soil is loosened in a timely manner. It is done after watering and rain, when the water is absorbed into the soil. During loosening, it is also necessary to pull out weeds.
For abundant fruiting, it is worth carrying out timely fertilizing. In the fall, you can take organic matter (humus, compost), and in the spring it is better to use minerals (“Urea”, “Azofoska”, “Clean Leaf”, “Biohyper Extra”).
Slime onion variety “Fount of Health”

Harvesting and processing the slime crop

The harvest is harvested as it ripens. The green leaves of this crop are quite tasty, but unlike many other types of onions, they are not cut, but picked. To tear off a leaf, you need to pull it down at the base so that the axil, at the base of the stem, also comes off. With such a harvest, it will be much easier for the crop to regain its strength and produce young leaves again. Slime onion leaves can be used for fresh salads, snacks, and also for processing.

Important!

The last collection of leaves is carried out in September. After this, you should not pick off the leaves, because the plant needs to recover and prepare for the cold.

Reviews from gardeners about onions of the Slizun variety

The opinions of gardeners who have already grown slime onions on their plots are presented below.

Diana Kanareeva : “I love the slime onion much more than any other species. To begin with, I just like its appearance, but in addition the plant pleases with its pleasant taste and garlic aroma. It improves the taste of any dish. I just grow it in a flower bed. The leaves and flower stalks of the plant are beautiful, so it harmonizes with ornamental crops. I recommend everyone try it!”
Pavel Dyachenko : “For a long time I couldn’t understand what kind of plant was growing near my house. As it turned out (a neighbor suggested) this is a slime onion, which can be eaten like a simple feather onion. I grow a lot of different greens for sale, but this onion is not in demand among buyers, but my household is delighted with it. So a simple onion from the garden goes to market, and the slime goes to the table. I recommend trying it - it grows on its own, does not require care, but at the same time it is very healthy and tasty!”
Valentina Mokhova : “The slime onion is easy to grow, so I give preference to it. It does not require serious care and can go without watering for a long time, thanks to its developed root system. And since the plant is perennial, it does not need to be planted annually - which saves a lot of time. I use it for summer snacks and hot dishes. When there is a lot of harvest, I partially dry it and put it in jars, and then little by little I use it instead of regular onions when preparing soups. In this form it can be stored all winter.”

Versatility of use

This type of onion is of great interest to gardeners, as it combines wide application possibilities and high decorative value.

Beneficial features

Slime contains few essential oils, compared to most common onion crops, and therefore does not have pronounced bitterness and pungency. Its taste is more delicate, slightly spicy with a garlicky flavor and aroma. The chemical composition contains various groups of vitamins, including ascorbic acid and carotene (up to 50-75 mg and up to 2.5 mg, respectively, per 100 g of fresh product), macro- and microelements, phytoncides, flavonoids and other biologically active substances. Large quantities of iron salts accumulate in the leaves, which provides the plant with not only nutritional but also medicinal value. It is recommended to use it to increase hemoglobin levels in case of anemia and blood diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, since the mucous juice stimulates the stomach well and does not have an irritating effect even with gastritis and ulcers.

Slime leaves are also used externally to heal wounds and improve the condition of skin and hair.

Greens and false bulbs are used in home cooking to prepare fresh salads, soups, meat and fish dishes. The leaves are salted and pickled for the winter (according to recipes similar to preparing garlic arrows) or dried to obtain an aromatic seasoning.

Decorativeness

A perennial plant that can actively develop in one place (when grown for greens, no more than 4-5 years are recommended) without the need for regular digging, drying and replanting of bulbs, fits perfectly into natural flowerbed compositions.

Thanks to its interesting textured foliage, which retains freshness and bright color throughout the entire season, as well as long-term flowering, slime organically combines with other ornamental crops, for example:

cereals;
coniferous;
sage;
yarrow;
echinacea;
delphinium.

The flowering period begins approximately in mid-July and lasts until the end of August, the seeds ripen in September

Long arrows with lush spherical inflorescences, consisting of many small flowers of white, pink, light lilac or purple, look great in a vase and last a long time when cut. If you dry them (preferably hanging with their heads down), a bouquet of dried flowers will serve as an effective decoration for your home interior for a long time.

The benefit of onion in the garden also lies in the fact that it is a wonderful honey plant, attracting the necessary pollinating insects and at the same time repelling insect pests due to its high content of phytoncides, which makes it an ideal partner in joint plantings.