For an uninitiated person, on the outside, shallots are not much different from onions - except that the heads are smaller and taste sweeter. In fact, this is an independent, noteworthy species of the Onion family, popular in Western Europe. Our analogue, known as the shrike, the bushy, is not uncommon in amateur gardens, but the re-grading is more common, repeatedly pollinated with numerous onion relatives.

We propose to consider what this culture is, for which it is valued and loved, how to grow and breed first-class shallots.

A savory and fruitful vegetable

Fruitful family - description, features of the growing season

The scientific name of the two-year-old plant is Allium ascalonicum, when reading the transcription - Ashkelon onion, from the ancient Palestinian city, where it was cultivated already in the III millennium BC. e.

The main organ of vegetative reproduction is a bulb with many daughter buds (rudiments) that germinate simultaneously and form a nest of small elongated heads - from several pieces to several dozen from one plant. For this feature, shallots are called family.

To get a planting bulb (sevok), it is not necessary to grow shallots from seeds. A turnip of any growing season is suitable for planting and gives a full harvest. Seed propagation is used to update the variety, to prevent its degeneration.

The undoubted advantage of culture is universality. Due to branching, shallots are used for growing on a feather. It turns out a lot of greens, delicate texture, with a mild taste.

Note! One set the size of a walnut will give life to a "family" of an average of 4-10 bulbs with a total weight of 200-300 g, sometimes up to 500 g. The name of the magpie is not an exaggeration - some varieties produce nests of 20-30 "teeth".

Friendly "family" of 10 bulbs

5 differences from onions

There are more similarities than differences between shallots and onions, in some sources they are even called forms of the same species. Similar features include a dense fleshy turnip weighing 15–40 g, long hollow leaves of rich green color with a bluish bloom, a two-year vegetation cycle, and requirements for agricultural technology. But there are also differences.

• The culture is more winter-hardy, withstands frosts down to -4 - 5⁰, ripens earlier than ordinary turnips.
• It grows in nests - several heads depart from a common bottom (the fewer of them, the larger) of an oval cylindrical or round shape.
• The pulp is juicy, more sugary and soft in taste.
• Shallots are unpretentious to storage conditions - even at room temperature it has excellent keeping quality.
• In the section, instead of the characteristic concentric rings, several zones with rudiments are visible.

Between the juicy scales, the rudiments of future children are visible.

It is interesting! Local varieties differ in taste and color. In the southern regions, colored (pink, purple) bulbs with sweet pulp predominate. The further north, the lighter and sharper the shrike.

culinary value

Shallot is considered to be a gourmet vegetable, a delicacy, an indispensable ingredient in many dishes of French and European cuisine. Its main advantage is that it does not clog, but sets off the taste of products. Green feather and juicy pulp are cut into salads, added to soups, sauces, marinades. After hot processing, it acquires a delicate texture and a sweetish aftertaste. Small onion pickles go for conservation.

Shallots differ in dietary properties, surpassing bulb ones in the content of ascorbic acid, carotene, B vitamins. There are a lot of potassium, manganese, phosphorus, copper and other mineral compounds in the leaves and the head. It is recommended to use it to prevent colds, improve appetite, as a general tonic.

Features of agricultural technology

In order to shoot high yields of shallots, it is necessary to adhere to the basics of agricultural technology for growing onion plants. And this:

• well-lit areas of the garden;
• light in mechanical composition, loose, fertilized soils;
• sufficient irrigation, especially at the beginning of the growing season;
• crop rotation - it is best to plant after potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, peas.

They practice planting with seeds to get a set. In the future, the culture is propagated vegetatively, annually leaving for planting part of the crop of a smaller fraction.

Important! The plant reacts negatively to the increased acidity of the soil solution (pH below 6.0). The bulbs are small, the tops turn yellow early.

Soil and planting dates

After harvesting the previous vegetables, the soil is dug up, fertilized with compost, rotted manure. Fresh organics are undesirable, since an early ripening culture tends to accumulate nitrates in the food organs. Before winter, superphosphate (30 g / m²) and potash fertilizers (15–20 g / m²) can be applied, and nitrogen fertilizers (15 g / m²) in spring.

When to plant shallots, in spring or autumn, depends on its economic purpose. To get an ultra-early feather harvest, they practice winter planting, spring forcing in greenhouses and hotbeds. Planting sevka (seeds) in April will ensure the maturation of full-fledged heads (sevka).

Vegetative propagation

The easiest and most productive way to propagate shallots is to plant sevkom.

It is planted when the soil warms up to 8–10⁰ C - this is the optimal time for the sprout to effectively use spring moisture and grow good roots. For planting, heads are chosen the size of a walnut and smaller, the tail is cut the day before (on the shoulders), soaked for 12 hours in water or a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate.

The planting pattern is almost square-nested - the rows are placed after 30-40 cm, the sets - after 20-30 cm. Since one unit of planting material gives a nest of bulbs, it needs a larger feeding area than an ordinary turnip. The stronger the planting is thickened, the smaller the heads will be, so if you need to breed a variety, get more sets, the distance between plants is reduced to 8–10 cm.

Before planting, the furrows are abundantly shed with water, the sowing is deepened in such a way that the layer of earth on top does not exceed 2–3 cm.

Square-nested planting method

Advice! To get larger turnips, plant a set with a diameter of up to 3 cm - it contains 3-5 primordia. A large bulb contains 10–12 or more dormant buds and will produce a lot of small planting material.

Growing from seeds

To breed a new variety of shallots, it is advisable to use the method of growing from seeds.

To speed up and increase the percentage of germination, 15 days before sowing, the seeds are soaked for 2 days, then placed in a damp cloth and placed in the refrigerator. Dry before planting.

Nigella is sown in moistened furrows to a depth of 1–1.5 cm, sprinkled with humus on top. Seedlings are thinned out several times, leaving an interval of 8–10 cm between plants. The resulting set is used for vegetative propagation. But you can grow from seeds and a full-fledged family of shallots, for this, seedlings are first prepared.

Inflorescence with blackberry

seedling method

Seeds for seedlings are sown at the beginning of March, so that 55-60 days pass before planting in the ground. Boxes need low (10–12 cm), the soil is light and loose. It is good to use cassettes as containers. Immediately after sowing and before the appearance of the first seedlings, the container is covered with a film or glass. 2 weeks before transplanting, seedlings begin to harden. Picking is carried out when planting seedlings of shallots in spring in open ground.

Care and cleaning

Shallot care consists in timely weeding and loosening. The culture is undemanding to irrigation - in the middle lane it grows without artificial irrigation, in the southern regions it is watered only in months without precipitation. Poor soils are fed with complete fertilizer (30–40 g per bucket of water).

To get larger heads, some gardeners recommend thinning out the nests, removing small specimens and leaving 4-5 more developed turnips. Do this at least a month before harvesting.

Harvested in the second half of July, no later than August 2 (before Ilya). The indicator is lighter, tops starting to turn yellow. Before laying shallots for storage, they are dried for 3-4 weeks in a warm, ventilated room.

Forcing on a pen

Shallots for greens can be grown on the windowsill. To do this, not earlier than January, the bulbs are placed in containers with a small amount of water. The head must be taken large - there are a lot of rudiments in it, which means that a thick rosette of leaves will come out.

Shallots are used for forcing greens in greenhouses. In this case, the sowing is planted every 8 cm with an interval between rows of 15 cm.

Variety of varieties

Despite the fact that shallots have been grown for a long time, the selection of new varieties is only gaining momentum in our country, and their description indicates the great potential of the culture. Here are just a few of them.

Crop hybrid Bonilla F1

Other varieties of shallots are also grown on household plots. On hearing Bonilla, Zvezda, Old Believer, gardeners love red varieties - Afonya, Octopus, Ural violet, the Dutch Red Sun (Red Sun) is in demand.

is a herbaceous biennial plant, the first mention of which dates back to the 13th century. Currently, residents of the Far East, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are engaged in the cultivation of this crop. Abroad, this variety is grown in Greece, India and Egypt. Unfortunately, in our beds this variety is a very rare guest. It is often also called shallotka, busher and shrike.

Despite the fact that in size the bulbs are significantly inferior to simple onions, it is this variety is the most profitable culture for cultivation. Shallots ripen very quickly, their bulbs are well stored, remaining fresh for a long time. During storage, the bulbs do not sprout and do not dry out. Ordinary onions ripen in at least 3-3.5 months, and shallots usually ripen 20-30 days faster. Green feathers are ready for use within a month after planting, and the bulbs themselves are not harvested until the onset of cold weather. This species is distinguished by a very fragrant greenery, which is able to remain fresh for a long time.

By appearance shallots are similar to garlic, its bulb also consists of many slices, on average there are 8-10 pieces. Coloring from white to purple, and the average weight of the bulb is from 30 to 50 grams. The leaves are very thin, they are valued for their taste properties because they are mild, tender and do not drown out the taste of other dishes. A great distinguishing ability is that shallots practically do not cause tears.

Exists many varieties of this crop:

1. Sir-7;
2. Belozerets-94;
3. Star;
4. Kunak;
5. Kuban yellow;
6. Zaporozhye.

According to taste, they are divided into:

• sweet;
• peninsular.

By maturity:

• early;
• medium;
• later.

Different varieties distinguishes the color of the scales, the number of bulbs in the nest in each species is also different. The shape is also different: rounded, elongated and rounded flat.

Shallots are not afraid of cold weather. The optimal temperature for growing is 20 degrees, but the seeds can begin to germinate already at 4 degrees Celsius, and they will not disappear even with frost up to 5 degrees. But even after cold weather, the bulbs do not rot, they are able to come to life and give leaves again.

Planting and caring for shallots

Plant this type of onion in the earliest spring. Bulbs are selected with a diameter of more than 3 centimeters, while their weight should be about 10 grams. Like an ordinary onion, it should be planted in rows, which should be at a distance of 20-30 centimeters from each other. They need to be sunk to a depth of 5 centimeters, and the distance between the bulbs should be 7 centimeters. After planting, be sure to sprinkle the beds with ashes abundantly to protect the plants from the onion fly.

If you grow onions in the same place from year to year, then it is worth remembering that the bush will degenerate. That's why it is advisable to change the beds sometimes. It is best to plant it exactly where carrots, beans or peas used to grow. At the same time, planting Shallots is far away from other varieties of onions, as it has the ability to interbreed with other crops.

No special care for this culture is required. It is necessary to remove weeds, water as needed, fertilize and loosen the ground. For top dressing, you can use both organic and mineral fertilizers. Plants require abundant watering only at the beginning of the growing season; at normal times, it should be watered only once a week in dry and hot weather. But it is necessary to stop watering one month before the harvest is to be harvested.

After harvesting the onions must be dried. It is best to do this right in the garden, if the weather is warm and sunny. If there are short-term rains, then you can construct a canopy, an example is shown in the photo, under which to hide the harvested crop. And only when all the greens are dry can the onion be woven into braids, so it is more convenient to store it.

Shrike can be grown at home in pots. If you give the plant good care, then it will delight not only with delicate and fragrant greens for the table, but also with bulbs.

Useful and dangerous properties

Shalotka contains many minerals, vitamins, more sugar and ascorbic acid than onions. It also contains a large amount of iron, phosphorus and potassium. For a very long time, this culture has been used in medicine: for the treatment of the digestive system and for the treatment of eye ailments. The use of shallots in food also helps to prevent the occurrence of cancer.

Shallots can cause an exacerbation in kidney diseases, with bronchial spasms. It is contraindicated in people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as it contains high acidity. It can also lead to difficulty urinating if consumed in excess.

In recent years, shallots, the photo of which you will see below, comes to replace onion, it is increasingly used in cooking in many countries. It is valued for its wonderful aroma and mild taste. This species is often called a delicacy, it is preferred by gourmets all over the world.

Shallot can even be used as a decorative ornament that can decorate any garden or flower bed.

Shallots and their varieties

Shallots, family onions: varieties, agricultural technology

Shallots, family onions: agricultural technology

SOIL TREATMENT

The purpose of tillage is to create optimal conditions for rapid root growth, intensive growth during the growing season and efficient absorption of nutrients from the soil.

A fertile layer with a height of at least 20 cm should be loose, without lumps, with a sufficient amount (at least 50%) of air space between soil particles. On compacted, excessively moistened soil, when there is no access to oxygen to the roots, the absorption of nutrients from the soil decreases, the shallot branching decreases and small bulbs form. In loose soil, the roots are distributed evenly over the entire profile, in dense soil - in strands along the cracks.

Soil cultivation begins in the fall. Immediately after harvesting the previous crop, the soil is dug up at least to the bayonet of a shovel. It should not be tightened with digging. The earlier it is carried out, the higher the yield will be. For the autumn planting of shallots and garlic, the soil must be prepared at least a month before planting so that it has time to settle. Under the autumn digging, you can make organic, and from mineral - phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

If the soil is very dense, you can do a two-tier digging: dig a trench to the depth and width of a shovel bayonet, loosen the bottom deeply with a pitchfork, and then dig the next one, transferring the soil to the previous one. If the soil is very poor, compost can be added to the bottom of the trench. Thus, deeply cultivated vegetable-type soils are created.

The site dug up since autumn is loosened in early spring, as soon as its surface dries out, and the soil does not stick to the rake. If the soil is compacted, it is dug up to a lesser depth than in autumn, and if it is dug to a full bayonet, then the layer is not wrapped. Such a dumpless digging is advisable in non-irrigated areas, because less water is lost to evaporation. After digging, the site is immediately loosened with a rake.

The need for making ridges, as well as their height, depends on the degree of moisture in the area. In non-irrigated

Rows are either only outlined or not made at all: And on waterlogged soils, their height can reach 30-50 cm. They make a bed along a cord. Its optimal width is 90-100 cm.

SHALLOT PLANTING MATERIAL

Shallots are propagated vegetatively, by bulbs, and nesting, size, marketability of bulbs, plant bolting, and safety depend on the quality, size, and storage conditions of planting material. The larger the planting bulb (18-20 g), the shorter the growing season and the earlier leaves lodging occurs by 3-5 days; 1.5-2 times higher yield; better leafiness of plants. But at the same time, the number of bulbs in the nest increases and the mass of each decreases. When using small planting material, the number of bulbs in the nest decreases, but the weight of each will be greater.

To compensate for the decrease in yield when using small planting material, it is necessary to increase the planting rate. But very often, with many years of use of the same variety of shallots, it becomes smaller from year to year, the variety degenerates, which is associated with the defeat of plants by the onion yellow dwarfism virus. Small bulbs are usually more infected with a viral infection, which accumulates if we constantly select only small planting material from the total mass for planting.

Therefore, it is necessary to grow planting (seed) material specially. In autumn, select and store separately (at a temperature of 18-20 ° C) the largest bulbs weighing 24-40 g, selecting them from well-leafy plants. When using large planting bulbs, a multi-bulb nest is obtained, 8-12 bulbs, each of which will have a minimum number of primordia. These smaller bulbs (10-15 g) are used as planting material for commercial production. In the nest, 4-5 bulbs are formed from them, but they are larger and each will have 6-10 primordia. Of these, the uterine bulbs are again selected for the seed plot. And this is repeated every year.

Shallot planting material can be stored in a warm way at a temperature of 15-20 ° C, in winter - in a cold way (-1 ... + 1 ° C). But the warm method of storage is more reliable.

Fusarium (root rot) is transmitted with planting bulbs, the infection is concentrated in the bottom, neck bacterial rot is an infection in succulent scales. Of the pests with bulbs, thrips, nematodes, and onion mites spread.

For planting, it is necessary to carefully select only absolutely externally healthy bulbs, with a snug fit of dry scales, without cracks at the bottom. It is necessary to warm up the planting material for 5-7 days at a temperature of 35-38 ° C only before laying it for storage. It must be stored in a dark room, because. light contributes to a more active lifestyle and the rapid spread of thrips.

In our experiments, the increase in yield from soaking the bulbs before planting in different solutions was insignificant (from 1 to 9%). Therefore, wetting should be used only after making sure of the effectiveness of this method from your own experience, using the recommended means.

There is no need to trim the top of the bulb to the shoulders. This speeds up the growth of green leaves. However, it is necessary that the growth of the root system outstrips the growth of leaves in shallots, which occurs without pruning.

As we wrote above, large bulbs can be cut lengthwise between the buds before planting. Cut off the top first. There will be fewer bulbs in the nest and they will grow larger. The cut parts of the bulbs should be planted only in a highly fertile area where regular watering is provided.

THE VALUE OF PLANTING BULBS AND THE RATE OF THEIR CONSUMPTION PER AREA UNITS

The size of planting shallot bulbs and their consumption during planting per unit area are one of the main agrotechnical parameters that determine the yield, its structure, the quality of the bulb and green leaves. Large planting bulbs germinate faster, the growth rate of plants from them is intense, they are vigorous, with thin numerous leaves; Bulb ripening and lodging of leaves occurs 2-4 days earlier than from small planting material. As a rule, with sufficient moisture, the overall yield is higher, the multiplication factor is higher, since there are more bulbs in the nest. But the mass of one bulb and the output of bulbs of a standard size with a diameter of more than 3 cm is reduced. Due to the large consumption of large planting material, the yield "by itself" is reduced by almost 2 times (the ratio of the number of grown bulbs to those planted).

When using large planting bulbs, there are significantly fewer or no viral plants at all during visual examination.

But since it is necessary to use bulbs of different sizes for planting, it becomes necessary to find the optimal combination of the size of the bulb and the rate of their planting, providing the greatest agronomic effect. Bulbs weighing 10 g should be planted at the rate of 25-30 pcs/m2; weighing 15-17 g, 18-20 pieces / m2 will be required; 25-27 g - 10-15 pieces. Weight consumption of planting material from 200 to 500 g 1m2.

However, the yield and its quality depend not only on the size of the bulb in the year of planting, but also on what fractions they were selected from in previous years.

For 5 years, we have studied different options for alternating the size of planting bulbs. The maximum yield was obtained with the annual use of large planting material for planting. If in a series of these years the use of large and small planting material alternated, then the yield decreased the more, the more often small bulbs were taken for planting. When planting for 4 years out of 5 with large planting material, the yield reduction was 27%; 3 years - 65%; 2 years - 92%, and if over the next 4 years only small planting material was used, then the yield decreased by 2-3 times, which indicates the degeneration of the sample. These results showed that in the seed production of shallots, only large planting material should be used as uterine bulbs, the number of years of reproduction of which should be at least 4.

To obtain marketable large bulbs, it is more economical to use small planting material, but collected from a population that has been reproduced from large planting bulbs for two, or better than three years. The annual selection of small bulbs from the population as planting material is unacceptable, as it leads to the degeneration of the sample due to the accumulation of a viral infection that always accompanies small planting bulbs: the yield decreases, the mass of the bulb, their number in the nest, the volume of their leaf apparatus decreases significantly.

SHALLOT PLANTING DATES

Spring and autumn dates for planting shallots are possible.

Spring planting is more reliable. The growing season - the time from mass shoots to mass lodging of leaves and ripening in shallots is much shorter than that of onions. The success of growing shallots is decided by the early spring planting dates at the end of April, the first decade of May. If the soil has been prepared since autumn, then there is no need to dig it up, but only loosen it deeply without turning the layer in order to retain moisture.

With early spring planting, when there is enough moisture in the soil and its temperature is 8-15 ° C, at the depth of planting the bulbs there is an intensive growth of roots, which outstrips the growth of leaves.

With late planting in the second half of May, the soil in Siberia quickly dries up, its temperature rises to 15-18 ° C, and the growth of leaves is faster than the roots. The plant suffers from a lack of water and nutrients. In some years, the temperature at the end of May rises to 30°C and shallots do not germinate at all.

The optimal dates for obtaining mass seedlings of shallots are the 3rd decade of May: During June shoots, especially late ones, the photoperiodic regime of plant growth is disturbed: intensive leaf growth occurs at the end of June on a long daylight hours (leaves grow better on a shorter day), and bulb formation shifts to shortened day - end of July - August. Ultimately, the bulbs do not ripen, there are many "fat necks".

According to our data, the decrease in yield during planting at the end of May and in the first five days of June was, respectively, 16 and 32% compared with the early period, in the first ten days of May.

For early-ripening varieties of shallots during spring planting, the duration of the growing season from mass shoots to harvest is 50-60 days, for mid-ripening - 65-70, for medium-late - 70-75 days. The level of productivity at late planting is not compensated by late harvesting, since for the rapid rooting of the planted bulbs and the outstripping growth of the root system over the leaves, low soil temperatures are required, which persist in early May. Early planting guarantees intensive leaf growth during the shorter day period.

We will talk about the winter planting of shallots later.

Grinberg E. G., candidate of agricultural Sciences, Susan V. G. , doctor of agricultural sciences Sciences

Shallots, family onions: varieties

Shallots (popularly - family onions, kushchovka, bushing, magpie) is a type of onion.

It has been cultivated for over 2 thousand years. It received its Latin name from the name of the city of Ascolon in Palestine, where it was bred in large numbers in antiquity. From these places in the 13th century, the Crusaders began to bring it to Europe.

Externally, shallot plants are smaller than onions. Its leaves are also tubular, but narrow, subulate, dark green, with a waxy coating. Shallot is not in vain considered an aristocrat - his onion is tender, juicy, tasty and fragrant. Gourmets especially appreciate it, because. it is believed that it does not drown out the delicate taste of other products.

Shallot outwardly differs from onions in smaller bulbs (20-50 g), strong branching, and most importantly - high early maturity and high keeping quality of the bulbs, which lie without problems until the new harvest. It ripens a month earlier than onions and hardly shoots. Shallot is exceptionally hardy. Even a frozen bulb sprouts and gives a good harvest.

Among the people, shallots are highly valued for their juicy and fragrant greens and medium-sized, well-stored bulbs, which, even in a city apartment, are stored until a new harvest. Its taste is very pleasant, sharp, but softer than that of onions. And his pen is very delicate and does not grow coarse for a long time. Yes, and growing it is much easier than onions.

Varieties of shallots

Most often, when growing shallots, gardeners pay much less attention to the variety than when growing onions. They are usually looking for just "family look". Nevertheless, there are quite a few varieties of shallots, including excellent varieties of the Ural and Siberian selection. And to make them easier to navigate, below is a very brief description of the most common varieties of shallots.

Airat - mid-season peninsular variety for growing in a two-year culture. Yield 1.6 kg/sq.m. The bulb is round, with yellow dry scales, weighing 15 g. It forms 5-6 bulbs in the nest.

Albic - early maturing variety. The bulbs are round-flat, weighing 20-30 g. Up to 8 bulbs are formed in the nest. Differs in steadily high productivity and good keeping quality of bulbs.

Andreyka - mid-season semi-sharp variety with dark brown dry and pinkish juicy scales. The bulb is transversely elliptical, weighing 25 g. Productivity is 1.8 kg / sq.m.

Atlas F1 - mid-season hybrid. Bulbs of excellent taste, very well stored. Dry outer scales are bronze-brown.

Athos - mid-season semi-sharp productive variety (2.0 kg / sq. m). The bulb is broadly ovoid, weighing up to 30 g. Dry scales are dark red, juicy - reddish. Forms 4-5 bulbs in the nest.

Belozerets 94 . The variety is early ripe, spicy taste. Ripens in 76-85 days. The bulbs are round and round-oval, weighing 27-27 g. The color of dry scales is light lilac with a yellow tint, juicy - purple with a lilac tint. Marketable bulbs, light.

Bonnilla F1 . Refers to mid-season varieties of peninsular taste, grown in one place for up to five years. The yield of turnip with leaves is 1.5 kg / sq. m. It is grown in an annual culture from seeds. Vegetation period 82-87 days. There are 4 or more rounded bulbs in the nest, each weighing 30-39 g. Dry scales of bulbs are yellow-brown. The variety is soft, gives stable yields of greens and bulbs.

vitamin basket . An early ripe variety with a sharp taste. From germination to harvesting on a green feather 19-22 days, to mass lodging of leaves 65-70 days. The color of dry scales is yellow, juicy - white. Bulbs weighing up to 30 g. The keeping quality of the bulbs is high.

Vonsky . Late ripe onion variety. Bulbs are small to medium in size (30-70 g), there are usually 3-4 bulbs in a nest. The color of the outer scales of the bulbs is red, the inner juicy ones are white with a light purple tint, the taste of the bulbs is semi-sharp. It stands out among other varieties with resistance to adverse growing conditions, pests and diseases.

Guarantee - mid-season variety. The bulbs are round-flat, weighing 25-30 g, semi-sharp taste. The color of dry scales is yellow. The grade differs in high productivity and safety of bulbs.

Miner - mid-season variety of semi-sharp taste for growing in a two-year culture. The bulb is round, weighing 16-18 g. There are 5-7 bulbs in the nest. Dry bulb scales are yellow. Yield 1.6 kg/sq. m.

Guran - mid-season peninsular variety for growing in a two-year culture. The bulbs are round, weighing 26 g. Dry scales are light brown with a grayish tinge. Forms 4-5 bulbs in the nest. Yield 1.7 kg/sq. m.

Firebird . Mid-season peninsular variety with a vegetation period of 49-52 days. The bulbs are rounded flat, weighing 25-30 g. Dry scales are yellow-brown.

Star . One of the most early maturing varieties with a growing season from germination to leaf lodging of 55-60 days. The bulbs are small, weighing 25-50 g, spicy in taste. The color of raw scales is yellow with a pink tint, the inner juicy ones are white. The variety is drought-resistant, productive.

Emerald . Early ripe semi-sharp variety. The bulb is round, weighing 18-22 g. Dry scales are brown with a pink tint, juicy - white. There are 3-4 bulbs in the nest. Turnip yield 1.2-1.4 kg / sq. m. Stored up to 10 months.

Cascade . An early maturing, spicy cultivar for growing in a two-year-old culture from sevka. In the nest there are 5-6 bulbs weighing up to 35 g each. The bulb is broadly ovate. Dry scales are pink,

Koinar . The variety is mid-season, semi-sharp. Vegetation period 83 days. 2-4 round-flat and round-oval bulbs are formed in the nest, weighing about 26 g. The color of dry scales is brownish-pink, juicy - pale lilac with a white tint.

burly . Mid-late peninsular variety with a growing season of 52-69 days. Bulbs are oval in shape, with pink dry scales. In the nest there are from 4 to 7 bulbs weighing 23-52 g. The keeping quality of the variety is high. Resistant to bolting and rot. Suitable for winter planting.

large bulbous . Mid-season variety. The bulbs are large, with an average weight of 50-60 g, straw-yellow in color. The variety is productive, usually 3-4 bulbs in the nest.

Kuban yellow - mid-season variety of onions. The bulbs are small, weighing from 20 to 35 g, their shape is from round to round-flat. The color of dry scales is yellow-brown, the inner juicy ones are white with a slight green. The taste of the bulbs is semi-sharp. The variety is very productive, there are usually 4-6 bulbs in the nest.

Kuban Kvochka - a multi-bearing, maturing variety with beautiful pink-red bulbs.

Kunak - an early ripening onion variety with a growing season of 70-75 days. The bulbs are flat-round, weighing 25-35 g, very dense, semi-sharp taste. The color of dry scales is yellow, internal juicy ones are white.

Kushchevka Kharkiv - mid-season variety with a growing season of 65-70 days. The bulbs are small, weighing 25-30 g, semi-sharp taste. The color of the outer scales is yellow-brown with a purple tint, the juicy inner scales are light purple. There are usually 6-7 bulbs in the nest. The variety is resistant to low temperatures and lack of water in the soil.

Marneulsky (Bargalinsky) . Late-ripening shallot variety. The bulbs are elongated-oval, weighing 50-90 g. The color of dry scales is pink-yellow, the inner juicy ones are white. There are usually 4-6 bulbs in the nest. The variety is very productive, it is propagated mainly by seeds.

Off-season . An exceptionally productive variety intended for growing greens in winter and spring greenhouses and indoors. The variety is early maturing. The leaves are bright green, up to 30 cm long. The bulbs are flat-round, small, weighing up to 20 g. The color of dry scales is yellow, the inner juicy ones are white. There are 8-10 bulbs in the nest.

Russian purple . Mid-season variety with a growing season from germination to lodging of about 100 days. The bulbs are round-flat, weighing 25-40 g, semi-sharp or sweet taste. The color of dry outer scales is violet-brown, the inner fleshy scales are from light pink to pink. There are up to 15 bulbs in a large nest. The variety is exceptionally productive, propagated mainly by bulbs.

Earring - a new mid-season multi-bearing variety for growing in a two-year-old culture from sets. The bulbs are round, dense, weighing 25 g, spicy taste. Dry scales are yellow, juicy, white. Stored for 8 months.

Siberian yellow . One of the best early maturing varieties. The growing season from germination to leaf lodging is 60-70 days. The bulbs are small, weighing 20-25 g, spicy taste. The color of the outer dry scales is yellow, the inner juicy ones are white. There are up to 7-8 bulbs in the nest. The variety is very productive, has a high keeping quality of bulbs, disease resistance.

SIR-7 . Early maturing variety of shallots. The bulb is dense, small, weighing 20-35 g. The color of the outer scales is yellow with a pink tint. The number of bulbs in the nest is from 4 to 7 pieces. The variety is very productive, the keeping quality of the bulbs is good.

snowball . Early maturing variety with spicy bulbs. The bulb is ovoid, weighing up to 32 g. Dry and juicy scales are white. Turnip yield 1.9 kg/sq.m. Stored up to 7 months.

Shrike . Harvest winter-hardy variety. The bulbs are elongated, form a large nest of 5-7 pieces. The color of the outer scales is brown-violet.

Sophocles . Mid-early peninsular variety, 59 days pass before lodging of leaves. Very fruitful. Dry scales are brown with a reddish tint, juicy - pale purple. In the nest there are from 4 to 8 rounded bulbs weighing from 25 to 50 g. Lying, resistant to Fusarium rot.

Sprint . Early ripe variety, forms ripe bulbs at the end of July. Good for getting green. Bulbs of a sharp taste, weighing 20-35 g, light yellow with a pink tint.

Uralsky 40 . An excellent early ripe variety of shallots, bulbs ripen at the end of July. Bulbs of a beautiful oval shape, weighing 35-55 g. It is distinguished by high and stable yield and keeping quality.

Ural purple . Mid-late peninsular variety for growing turnips. The color of dry scales is reddish-violet. The mass of flattened bulbs is up to 58 g. The variety is resistant to bolting and rot.

Chapaevsky . The variety is mid-season, universal use, light, semi-sharp taste. The growing season is 66 days. Forms 3-8 bulbs in the nest. The bulbs are rounded or rounded flat, weighing up to 40 g. The color of dry scales is light purple with a pink tint, juicy - light purple.

V. G. Shafransky

Many gardeners love shallots for their mild, refined taste and pleasant aroma. He is incapable of causing tears. For these qualities, the culture is even called an aristocrat among all types of onions. Often, gardeners wonder how to grow shallots correctly, and what conditions are necessary for this.

The Latin name Allium ascalonicum L was given to the plant from one well-known city in Palestine - Ascalon. For the first time the name is mentioned in chronicles from 1261. Today, the culture is successfully grown in many countries of the world - Greece, India, Egypt, in many regions of Russia, in Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

Shallot not only belongs to the type of onion, but also differs little from it in its properties and characteristics, except that it has smaller bulbs and can be stored longer without sprouting. Shallot is a multi-celled onion, from 3 to 20 bulbs can be born from one seed, each of which has a weight of 15 g to 40 g. Green feathers with a waxy sheen are thinner and more rounded than other varieties of this culture. Shallot bulbs are small (up to 50 g) and slightly elongated. The taste is tender, juicy, not bitter at all, one might even say sweet. It is used to prepare the most delicious dishes. Due to the high content of solids, the onion is suitable for drying, it can be caramelized and pickled.

Culture has a number of advantages and valuable qualities:

• due to the short growing season, the bulbs ripen early. It also excludes infection of onions with downy mildew and neck rot;
• feathers have the ability to quickly lodge, and this favorably affects the ripening of the bulbs and facilitates the harvesting process;
• shallots keep well and for a long time, almost all year round, do not shoot arrows and do not rot;
• forcing onions is easy, without any problems;
• thanks to the large number of bulbs from one nest, the onion crop is always excellent. Each nest can produce from 4 to 10, and sometimes up to 20 bulbs with a total weight of 150 to 300 g.

What shallot looks like, you can see in the photo.

Onion varieties

Like other types of onions, shallots can be early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening. Gardeners often divide it into 2 general groups:

• bushes are a multi-primary and early maturing species. It includes varieties with small and dense bulbs with dry scales of light yellow and yellow color. The seed productivity of the variety is low, but it is distinguished by long-term storage;
• ancient - the maturation time of the species can be both early and late. Onions of this species have large bulbs with yellow, purple, red and brown husks.

In addition, the plant is divided into peninsular, spicy and sweet varieties. There are many varieties of this culture, but among them there are the most popular and in demand:

1. Early maturing varieties:

• belozerets - the growing season lasts from 76 to 85 days. It has oval bulbs weighing up to 30 g. The taste is sharp, but not bitter. It grows better in the Caucasus;
• vitamin - the green feather is ready for harvest in 20 days after the first shoots. The growing season lasts 70 days. Up to 10 bulbs weighing 30 g ripen in each nest.

1. Mid-season varieties:

• airat - suitable for growing in garden plots. From one nest you can get up to 6 round bulbs weighing 15 g, and from 1 sq. m collect up to 1.6 kg;
• albic - has elongated bulbs weighing up to 30 g each, up to 8 pieces can be collected from the nest. Albic gives a high yield - up to 25 tons per hectare. Well stored, the growing season lasts 62 days. Can be planted before winter;
• andreika - suitable for growing in garden plots. The bulb is elongated, weight up to 26 g, you can collect up to 1.8 kg with kV. m.

1. Late maturing varieties:

• Ural violet - recommended for growing turnips. It is represented by rather large bulbs up to 60 g. It has a high yield - 165 kg / ha. Grows well in most onion growing areas;
• Siberian amber - the growing season lasts up to 60 days. The bulbs are round, slightly flattened, weighing up to 30 g. The variety is suitable for growing in garden plots, yields up to 23 t/ha, recommended for growing in most regions of onion cultivation.

Growing onions

Shallots rarely produce arrows, so growing them from seed is preferred by specialists. But this does not mean that, if desired, gardeners will not be able to do this on their plots. It is very difficult to collect seeds on your own, but they can be purchased at specialized stores. And if you still decide to get the shallot seeds yourself, follow this way:

1. It is necessary to select bulbs of the highest quality, the shelf life of which is at least 4 months at a temperature of +4 to +12 °C.
2. Bulbs are planted in open ground in early May. After such vernalization, they will quickly shoot arrows with flowers from which it will be possible to collect seeds.
3. An important condition for this process is not to plant shallots near onions of other species, so that cross-pollination does not occur.

Choice of location and soil

Shallots, the cultivation of which has its own characteristics, are bred both for the sake of green feathers and for the sake of the bulbs themselves. To harvest a good onion crop, you need to choose the right place for planting and carefully prepare the soil:

1. This culture loves open sunny areas, unshaded by shrubs and trees. When choosing a landing site, be sure to consider this.
2. Particular attention should be paid to the soil. Shallot loves loose and non-acid fertile soils. Acidic soils are categorically not suitable for growing shallots. The onion leaves quickly turn yellow on them, and the bulbs eventually shrink and dry out. In areas where groundwater is close to the surface of the earth, shallots should be grown properly with good drainage.
3. It is important to know which predecessors grew in areas planned for shallots. It is recommended to plant shallots after all kinds of cabbage, legumes, potatoes, zucchini, pumpkins, tomatoes and cucumbers. It is undesirable to plant onions where sunflowers, corn, garlic, beets and carrots grew. In the neighbors of shallots, it is better to choose all types of salads, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, strawberries. They all benefit each other. For example, carrots are able to scare away an onion fly with their smell, for which the shallot thanks the carrots in the same way - it does not allow the carrot fly to infect the vegetable. But legumes, greens, parsnips, broccoli, spinach, turnips growing nearby can oppress the culture. It is especially undesirable to plant shallots near onions, as they can interbreed, thereby losing their individual qualities.
4. Before planting, the earth must be dug up and well fertilized with organic matter and minerals.
5. It is not recommended to grow shallots from seeds in the same place for more than 3 years.

Growing shallots on green feathers

Shallots are excellent for growing on green feathers due to their rapid maturation. Greenery is not prone to shooting arrows, remains tender and soft for a long time. Leek can't even match the profitability of shallots, and it requires less seed.

To harvest as many green feather crops as possible, you need to know the following:

1. You can grow shallots on a feather in open ground, as well as in greenhouses, greenhouses, and even on loggias and window sills in pots.
2. If you plant a crop at home, then this should be done at the end of February. You will be able to collect the first harvest in a month.
3. After cutting, the bulb can be reused. It must be removed from the ground, cut off half and lowered into the ground again. In a month you will receive a re-harvest of juicy healthy greens.
4. On the open ground, onions are planted at the end of April, and if before winter, then at the end of October. Shallot easily tolerates frost and cold. The first harvest of shallots is also harvested in a month, when the height of the feathers reaches 20-25 cm. This is especially valuable in early spring, when the body lacks vitamins.

Spring planting shallots

Spring planting of shallots is possible both on a green feather and on a turnip. The whole process consists of the following steps:

1. The crop is sown in late April or early May, but it is necessary to prepare the soil for planting in the fall. To do this, the earth is cleared of weeds, dug up, then fertilized with organic matter and minerals - humus or compost is needed in the amount of 5 kg per 1 sq. m, and superphosphates 70 g per 1 sq. m. You can add a little ash. After top dressing, it is necessary to form beds at a distance of 20 cm from each other, which in the spring will remain well loosened and additionally fertilized with nitrogen minerals in the amount of 25 g per 1 sq. m.
2. Seeds must be prepared in advance for planting. To do this, they are placed in gauze or cotton cloth, which is wrapped in a bundle and lowered into a container of water. The container must be covered so that the seeds do not dry out. In this form, the seeds are kept at a temperature of 22-25 ° C for about two days. Seeds should be washed under running water every 6-8 hours, then again lowered into a container with clean water.
3. Before planting, the seeds need to be dried a little in the open air so that they crumble, after which they are sown in the beds prepared in the fall and covered with earth. From above it is desirable to sprinkle the beds with peat or rotted compost.
4. The beds with crops need to be well watered.
5. After 20-25 days, under favorable conditions and proper care, it will be possible to harvest the first crop of greenery.
6. For the first year, the seeds will give an onion, consisting of 5-6 small onions, into which, after drying, it will fall apart. These bulbs are planted the next year to obtain larger and more numerous bulbs, which, in turn, will be suitable for vegetative propagation for no more than 5 years. After that, the planting material is updated again to maintain the grade.

Planting shallots before winter

Even despite the good resistance of shallots to severe frosts, it is recommended to plant it before winter in the southern regions. In middle latitudes, the yield will be no more than 50-60%. The plant is sown in the fall to obtain green feathers in early spring and the process begins in mid-October so that the seeds become stronger in the ground, but do not have time to sprout before the first frost:

1. The site selected for crops is removed from dried grass.
2. Compost from rotted leaves or manure is introduced into the dug-up soil and beds are formed at a distance of at least 20 cm from each other.
3. Seeds do not need to be prepared, they are simply sown in prepared beds and dug in with earth.
4. For the winter, the sown area is covered with a film so that the seeds do not freeze.

Onion care

Culture after planting requires some personal care, which consists of the following steps:

1. At first, crops will need regular moisture during the entire vegetative period. 3-4 weeks before harvest, watering can be stopped so that the feathers have time to dry out and fade.
2. A prerequisite is regular weeding and loosening of the soil. Weeds grow quickly, clogging the onion shoots.
3. When the onion sprouts its first sprouts, it can be fertilized with nitrogen minerals, rotted manure or urea. Beginning bulbs will need potash fertilizers, ash and chicken manure.
4. If you want to get a larger turnip, you will need to thin out the onion. In the first days of July, you need to carefully remove small bulbs right with feathers, leaving 5-6 large bulbs in the nest. Removed feathers can be used for food.
5. Onions are rarely affected by diseases, but this can happen if the cold, wet weather drags on. In such cases, the affected onion is removed, and the remaining bushes are treated with antifungal drugs. When onions are affected by white worms, they are treated with a solution of water and common salt in a ratio of 1:10. The onion fly can be repelled by spraying ashes over the beds.
6. You can harvest at the end of July. By this time, the bulbs are already fully ripe.

Shallots, the cultivation and care of which will not be very burdensome, will give an excellent harvest, provided that all of the above recommendations are followed. And how to clean and store shallots can be viewed on the video.

Shallot (lat. Allium ascalonicum), aka Ashkelon onion, shallot, charlotte, Old Believer onion, magpie, bush, kuschevka, family onion, is a herbaceous perennial of the Onion family. This kind of onion comes from Asia Minor, but today it is common in the Caucasus, Moldova, Ukraine and Western Europe. Young leaves and small shallots are eaten, which are distinguished by a pleasant aroma and exquisite taste. Shallots are grown from seeds that are sown before winter or spring, and in winter, shallots are planted for forcing to get greens. The healing properties of shallots have also been known for a long time.

Planting and caring for shallots (in a nutshell)

• Landing: planting in open ground for greenery in May - in March or April, for greenery in April - before winter, in mid-October.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: loose, fertile, moderately moist, neutral. Optimal soils are humus-sandy or humus loams.
• Watering: during the growing season - at least three times. Stop watering a month before harvest. In the absence of precipitation, watering is carried out once a week.
• Top dressing: organic and mineral. Feeding is stopped a month before harvest.
• Reproduction: seed and vegetative (sevkom).
• Pests: onion flies.
• Diseases: powdery mildew, peronosporosis (downy mildew), fusarium wilt and neck rot.
• Properties: is a medicinal and dietary plant.

Read more about growing shallots below.

Shallots - description

Shallot is a herbaceous perennial plant that forms the so-called "nests", for which it is called family or multi-bearing. The root system of shallots is slightly branched, fibrous, located in the arable layer. The leaves are tubular, hollow, cone-shaped, thin, delicate, not coarsening for a long time. The color of the feathers can vary from light to dark tones of green, sometimes the leaves are covered with a waxy coating. Slightly elongated shallot bulbs, covered with thin scales, weigh generally 20 to 50 g, although some hybrid varieties can form bulbs weighing 90-100 g. to purple. Shallot bulbs keep well at home until spring sowing. Shallots cultivated in warmer climates are usually dark in color and semi-sharp in taste, while spicy shallots are more commonly grown in cooler areas.

Shallot inflorescences are a loose umbrella of inconspicuous flowers, located on an arrow up to 1 m long. Shallot seeds, which remain viable for 2-3 years, resemble onion seeds, only smaller.

Shallots are propagated mainly by vegetative means, but over time, the bulbs lose their varietal qualities and accumulate diseases, which gradually reduces the yield. In this case, you need to purchase fresh planting material or grow sets from seeds. When seeds are sown in the first year, a multi-primary bulb is formed, like that of garlic, which breaks up into five bulbs, which, when planted next spring, will give nests with even more bulbs.

Planting shallots in open ground

When to plant shallots outdoors

They plant shallots on a feather and on a turnip. Bulbs are planted in open ground in March or April, when the soil warms up well, and then you can expect green leaves in May, and a turnip a month later. To get early greens, you can plant shallots before winter, in mid-October, so that it has time to take root, but does not begin to grow. Autumn planting onions will give greens in April, and turnips in June.

At home, shallot bulbs are planted for distillation in order to receive greens containing vitamins in winter.

Soil for shallots

The site for growing shallots should be sunny, and since shallots easily cross with onions, try not to plant them side by side.

Shallot prefers loose, fertile, moderately moist soils with a neutral reaction, which must be prepared for onions in advance. Most of all, shallots love light humus or moist humus-sandy loams. If you are going to plant shallots in the spring, the soil for planting is cultivated in the fall - they are cleaned of weeds, dug to a depth of 20-25 cm with the introduction of 3-4 kg of compost or humus for each m², a teaspoon of superphosphate and urea and 2-3 tablespoons spoons of wood ash. In spring, 25 g of nitrogen fertilizer is applied to the soil before planting for each m². For the autumn planting of shallots, the site is prepared in the summer.

Then you can plant shallots

Growing shallots requires crop rotation. The best crop precursors are tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, zucchini, cabbage and legumes. Do not plant shallots in areas that have previously grown sunflowers, corn, beets, garlic, and carrots. But growing carrots next to shallots is a great idea, because the two crops protect each other: the smell of carrots repels shallot pests, and vice versa. It is also good if any kind of lettuce, strawberries, cucumbers or radishes grow next to shallots.

You can plant shallots in the same place only after three years.

How to plant shallots outdoors

Planting shallots begins with pre-sowing seed treatment. First, the planting material is sorted: bulbs with a diameter of 3 cm and a mass of 30 g are considered the best, since they form more bulbs. Smaller bulbs are not as productive and are best used for winter sowing, while bulbs with a larger diameter form many bulbs that are too small.

A week before planting the seedlings in the ground, in order to prevent peronosporosis and other fungal diseases, they are heated for 8-10 hours in water at a temperature of 40-42 ºC. If you do not have time for this, soak the bulbs for half an hour before planting in a fungicide or potassium permanganate solution.

Bulbs are placed in the furrow at a distance of 10 cm from each other, leaving row spacing 20-30 cm wide for large bulbs, 15-18 cm for medium bulbs and 8-10 cm for small bulbs. Bulbs are planted in moist soil, dipping to such a depth that there is a layer of earth 2-3 cm thick above them. If you plant shallots deeper, this will delay the growth of greens and reduce yields, and with shallow planting, the resulting bulbs will bulge out from under earth. After planting, the site is mulched with humus or peat. If you want to speed up the appearance of greens, cut the seedlings to the shoulders before planting, but you should know that in this case the yield of both greens and turnips will be lower.

Planting shallots before winter

The winter planting procedure is carried out in the same order as the spring one, after which the site is mulched with a layer of peat 3.5-4 cm thick. The only difference between the autumn and spring plantings is that the bulbs are planted a little deeper before winter. Despite the fact that the shallot culture is cold-resistant and even frost-resistant (it withstands temperatures down to -20 ºC, retaining vitality even after freezing), winter planting is best done in the southern regions, since in the middle lane, in the Urals and in Siberia during winter sowing can die from the cold up to 50% of the bulbs. At the same time, bulbs that survived the winter in the soil form more greenery than those planted in the spring. Green shallot feathers of winter sowing appear as soon as the snow melts.

If you propagate shallots vegetatively for a long time, this can lead to chopping of the bulbs, the development of diseases and a decrease in yield. Therefore, once every 10-15 years, planting material is renewed by growing shallots from seeds. Seeds sown in spring will produce onion sets in September. These will be small nests consisting of small bulbs that can be used as planting material next year.

Shallot Care

How to grow shallots

Growing and caring for shallots is not at all burdensome and consists in watering, loosening and weeding the beds during the period of active growth, fertilizing and protecting against diseases and pests. Loosening the soil in the shallot bed is carried out once or twice a week, and regular weed and pest control will help prevent shallots from being affected by incurable viral infections.

In order for the shallot bulbs to be large, the seedlings are thinned out in early July. At this time, it is not recommended to fertilize and irrigate, because instead of starting to increase the volume of the bulbs, the onion will continue leaf formation. If arrows start to appear, break them out until they reach 10 cm.

Watering shallots

On average, shallots are watered at least three times per season, but the most important thing is to ensure soil moisture at the very beginning of the growing season. Stop watering a month before harvest. The main principle of moistening the beds with shallots is that the soil should not dry out too much. If the summer is rainy, water the shallots less often, in a dry summer, watering, respectively, should be more frequent. In the absence of precipitation in conditions of high cloudiness, the area with shallots is watered once a week.

Feeding shallots

Caring for shallots involves fertilizing the soil. The culture responds well to feeding with bird droppings diluted with water in a ratio of 1:15 or a solution of one part of mullein infusion in 10 parts of water. You can also apply complex mineral fertilizer to the soil by dissolving 40 g in 10 liters of water. Fertilization is stopped a month before harvest, otherwise the onion will continue to give a feather instead of growing bulbs. To make the turnips larger, after the nests have already formed, you need to carefully rake the soil and break off the smallest onions along with the feather. They can be eaten or frozen.

Pests and diseases of shallots

In cold wet weather, shallots can be affected by fungal diseases powdery mildew, downy mildew, fusarium wilt and neck rot. Sick plants should be removed immediately, and healthy ones should be sprayed with a solution of Quadris, Mikosan or Pentofag. However, keep in mind that after treatment with a pesticide, it is impossible to eat shallots for some time - the duration of action of toxic substances should be indicated in the instructions for use of the drug. To avoid infection of shallots with fungi, before planting the seedlings are pickled for 30 minutes in a solution of the drug Maxim. It is also desirable to process the seed material that you are going to use next year with Maxim before storing it.

Of the pests, shallots are annoyed by the onion fly, which appears at the time of flowering of dandelion and cherry. Plants affected by the fly rot and wither. You can destroy the pest by dusting the shallots and the soil under it with wood ash. If you find worms on onions, the best way to deal with them is to treat the shallots on the leaves with a solution of a glass of salt in 10 liters of water.

The onion nematode, which distorts the bottom of the mother bulb, can cause great harm to shallots. If a bulb affected by nematodes gets into the garden, it can infect healthy plants. You can use such a bulb for planting if it is placed in a thermos with water at a temperature of 45 ºC for an hour or pickled for several minutes in a four percent formalin solution.

Green shallot feathers are loved by garden aphids, the uncontrolled reproduction of which can create a serious problem. There are many folk remedies against aphids, for example, decoctions of pepper, potato peel or chamomile. Of the acaricidal drugs in the fight against aphids on shallots, Verticillin has proven itself well.

It is impossible to delay harvesting the bulbs, because they can germinate. Shallot nests are removed from the soil when more than half of the leaves are dry. The bulbs are removed from the ground and dried in the shade for several days, after which the dry leaves are cut off, the nests are disassembled into bulbs, put in boxes, boxes or nets and stored in a cool, dry place. You can not cut the leaves, but weave braids from them. Under such conditions, shallots are stored for five to seven months, but you need to regularly check the condition of the bulbs, identify and remove rotting ones.

Shallots can also be kept in a peeled form: the covering scales are removed from the bulbs, cut, slightly moistened, frozen, then put in plastic containers and kept in the freezer. Similarly, you can freeze onion feathers. Frozen shallots retain their properties.

Types and varieties of shallots

There are quite a few varieties of family onions, and they are divided into early, mid-season and late, as well as peninsular, spicy and sweet. Varieties of shallots also differ in the color of the covering scales and the number of bulbs in the nest.

Early ripe varieties of shallots include:

• Emerald- a variety with rounded bulbs in a pinkish-brown husk, weighing 20-30 g each. Up to 5 bulbs in a nest with white pulp of a semi-sharp taste;
• snowball- a variety characterized by high keeping quality with ovoid dense bulbs weighing up to 32 g with juicy white scales of a sharp taste;
• Sprint- one of the best early varieties, resistant to peronosporosis, with large bulbs of spicy taste weighing up to 40 g. Up to 10 bulbs are formed in the nest;
• Belozerets 94- a productive, maturing variety with round or round-oval bulbs of spicy taste, weighing 21-27 g, with a light lilac husk with a yellow tint and juicy purple flesh with a lilac tint;
• Cascade- productive, very long-lasting variety of spicy taste with a broad-egg bulb weighing up to 35 g. Both husks and juicy pink scales;
• Family- a disease-resistant variety of semi-acute taste with rounded bulbs weighing up to 22 g with a yellow-brown husk with a purple tint and white flesh. There can be 3-4 bulbs in one nest;
• SIR-7- a long-term productive variety of spicy taste with bulbs weighing up to 32 g. In one nest there can be from 4 to 7 bulbs.

In addition to those described, such early varieties of shallots as Zvezdochka, Off-season, Siberian yellow and others are known.

Mid-season shallots are represented by the following varieties:

• Albic- a consistently productive semi-sharp variety, whose rounded flat bulbs weighing 20-30 g are distinguished by good keeping quality. From 4 to 8 onions can form in the nest;
• Kuban yellow- a semi-sharp productive variety with 3-4 rounded-flat bulbs weighing 25-30 g in one nest. Covering scales yellow-brown, juicy - greenish or white;
• Koinar- a semi-sharp highly productive variety with brownish-pink bulbs weighing up to 25 g with pale lilac flesh with a white tint;
• Guran- a semi-sharp variety with rounded bulbs weighing up to 26 g in light brown covering scales with a gray tint. There may be 4-5 bulbs in the nest;
• Firebird- a semi-sharp variety with rounded flat bulbs weighing 25-30 g in a yellow-brown husk.

Also popular are the mid-season varieties of shallots Chapaevsky, Uralsky 40, Ural violet, Garant, Miner, Afonya, Adreika, Krupnolukovichny, Kushchevka Kharkovskaya, Seryozhka, Sofokl, hybrids Atlas, Bonilla and others.

The most famous varieties of late onions are:

• Kunak- semi-sharp variety with rounded or rounded flat bulbs in yellow covering scales. In one nest of this variety there can be 3-4 primordia;
• burly- semi-sharp, resistant to rot and bolting variety with 4-5 bulbs weighing from 23 to 52 g with dry pink scales and reddish juicy scales;
• Siberian amber- a variety with rounded flat bulbs in a yellow husk with white juicy scales. The mass of bulbs, of which there are 6-7 pieces in the nest, is 28-30 g;
• Merneulsky (Bargalinsky)- a highly productive variety with large oval-elongated bulbs weighing from 50 to 90 g with pink-yellow dry scales and juicy white scales. There can be from 4 to 6 such bulbs in a nest;
• Vonsky- resistant to pests, diseases and adverse growing conditions, a variety with 3-4 bulbs weighing from 30 to 70 g with red outer and white juicy scales.

Properties of shallots - harm and benefit

Useful properties of shallots

The composition of shallots is not much different from the composition of onions. Shallot leaves and bulbs contain essential oil, B vitamins, carotenoids, phytoncides, however, there are more minerals, ascorbic acid and sugars in shallots than in onions. The composition of shallots includes salts of phosphorus, iron, potassium, calcium, as well as cobalt, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, silicon, vanadium, titanium and germanium.

In folk medicine, shallots have long been used to treat stomach and eye diseases.

In cooking, leaves and young shallots are used, both fresh and pickled. More delicate than that of onions, the taste has made shallots a valuable ingredient in French cuisine - they are put in sauces and soups to add flavor to dishes, and also added to poultry and game delicacies.