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Photo of a shallot. Growing features. Shallots - description. Planting shallots in open ground

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:

Sir-7;
Belozerets-94;
Star;
Kunak;
Kuban yellow;
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 or Ascalonian onions are a type of onion. Native to the Middle East. Introduced to European countries in the 13th century. In those days, it was called eshkalot (according to the biblical name of the city where it was grown), then the name passed into shallot. It is also called kvochka, kushchevka, since one plant forms a nest of bulbs (5-30 pieces each). Successfully propagated vegetatively: one planted bulb produces about 40 new ones. Seed propagation is rarely used.

Shallots: difference from onions

Shallots are grown for their green feathers, although the bulbs are also edible. Early ripeness is a distinctive feature of this type of onion. You can get a crop in greenhouses as early as February, and when grown in open ground, green feathers are ready for cutting a month after planting. Bulbs are well stored in winter - they do not dry out, do not germinate.

Shallots can be called gourmet onions: the leaves do not coarsen for a long time, the onions have a delicate semi-sweet taste, the culture does not cause lacrimation during processing, and there is no bad breath after eating fresh.

It is shallots that are the main ingredient of the famous onion soup - after cooking, a unique taste remains, it does not drown out other products. Shallots are consumed fresh (appetizer, side dish, in salads), marinated, fried.

The plant is rich in minerals, sugars, ascorbic acid, and has medicinal properties.

How to grow shallots from seeds

Shallots, like onions, are a biennial crop. Initially, it is necessary to sow the culture with black seeds to get small onions - onion sets.

Onion nigella in moist ripened ground in early spring (March-April) or in late autumn before winter, at the end of October (so that nigella does not rise until spring).

And in order for the onion sets to turn out large, you need to sow it less often and water it well.

Prepare the bed in advance, carefully digging and loosening the ground. Let the earth settle and start sowing:

The furrows are made shallow so that the sowing is no deeper than 1-2 cm.
Distance between rows 15-20 cm.
The distance between the seeds is as small as possible, so that later it is easier to break through.
After sowing, the furrows are carefully covered with the reverse side of the rake, or better, they are covered by hand with light, loose soil in half with humus.

After sowing, the bed must be watered so that there is no stagnation of water, otherwise an earthen crust will form, which is detrimental to tender shoots. It is desirable to water every day, only slightly moistening the bed. With such care, the black onion will quickly “pop out” out.

To get sevka

When shoots appear, they are 2-3 times, leaving 4-5 cm between plants. This distance is enough to grow a full-fledged onion set.

To get green on the pen

Break through seedlings only at a distance of 3-4 cm, this is enough to get beautiful juicy greenery. Watering should be plentiful at least once every 5 days.

Shallot Set Care

Further care is regular and loosening of the soil. Twice a season, you can feed with fermented grass or any other nitrogen supplement.

When the onion feather begins to turn yellow, watering is stopped, allowing the bulbs to ripen. After the lodging of the tops, the onion sets are selected from the ground, dried in a shady place, put in boxes and stored in a cool, dry room.

When and how to plant shallots in the ground

You can plant shallots in spring (April) or before winter (mid-October). In the conditions of the middle lane, it is better to plant in the spring. When planting in the fall, it is important that the plant takes root, but does not begin to actively grow.

The depth of planting bulbs in spring is about 6 cm, in autumn - 10 cm.
The root neck should be covered with a layer of soil 2-3 cm.
Between individual bulbs, keep a distance of about 10 cm, between rows - 20 cm.
When planting before winter, be sure to mulch with humus.
Bulbs of large size give a large number of children, but to get the green part it is better to plant small and medium bulbs.

The soil needs loose, fertile. For digging for each m², add 4-6 kg of humus.

The culture is photophilous: plant in open areas with bright sunlight.

How to care for shallots

Watering

Keep the soil constantly slightly moist, but do not let the water stand. From May to mid-July, water 3-4 times a week. From the second half of summer, reduce watering, and stop altogether 2-3 weeks before harvesting.

Loosen the soil regularly, deepening 5-6 cm between the rows, trying not to touch the roots of the plants.

To keep the bulbs large

To get large bulbs, you can thin out the nests. Carefully rake the ground, pull out small bulbs along with feathers, leaving large specimens.

top dressing

Twice during the growing season. Apply the first top dressing 2 weeks after the feather growth of the bulbs, the second - at the beginning of the formation of the bulbs. As a top dressing, you can use organic matter (solution of chicken manure or mullein) or mineral fertilizers (first top dressing - 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 10-15 g of superphosphate, second top dressing - 10-15 g of superphosphate and potassium chloride per 1 m²).

Growing and caring for shallots on the video:

Harvest and storage

Start harvesting the bulbs when about 50-70% of the feathers have drooped.
Dig up the bulbs along with the feathers, they should never be left in direct sunlight.
In this form, dry for 10-12 days under a canopy, ensuring dryness and ventilation.
Then cut off all the feathers, leaving only a thin, dried neck of the plant.
Nests should not be divided into individual bulbs.
Place the dried shallots in boxes or boxes, store at a temperature of 0 to +3 °C.

Shallot is a type of onion. It has a large number of similar features, but also contains its own distinctive features. To properly plant shallots, you should familiarize yourself with its most popular varieties, as well as the timing, rules for the care and cultivation of family onions.

What is shallots: its description, what is the difference from other varieties of onions

For most indicators, shallots are practically no different from onions. The most important difference is that shallots have increased branching of feathers, an increased number of bulbs that form in the nest, and their smaller size. In addition, small splinters are better preserved than ordinary ones (onions).

By the way! Shallot is also called the family onion!

Shallot is a type of multi-celled onion. Its base can contain from 3 to 20 identical splinters. The more onions in the basket, the less weight they have. So, each head can weigh from 15 to 40 grams. Each head in comparison with other varieties has an elongated shape in the form of a droplet.

Attention! A distinctive feature of the shallot is that it has a finer green structure, it is rounded, and also has a rich green tint and a waxy sheen. Each feather in length reaches from 20 to 45 cm. Any bulb contains from 8 to 10 leaves when forcing greens.

When grown in onions and shallots, some differences are revealed. For example, small bulbs of family onions germinate better in fertile, old-arable lands. At the same time, they should be somewhat heavier than for planting onions.

In addition, the shallot is an early ripening plant, when planted in temperate latitudes, it ripens in 65-80 days. Unlike family onions, onions are distinguished by a long growing process. To cut a plant for greenery, only 25-35 days pass from the moment of planting.

The inner pulp of shallots is dominated by a delicate structure, the taste does not have bitterness, but gives off sweet notes. Therefore, the plant is in most cases used to prepare fresh salads, as well as other gourmet dishes. First of all, the plant is to be grown due to the increased quality of greenery.

Shallots are well preserved for a long period of time.

Video: the secrets and features of shallots

Popular varieties of shallots

Shallots have their own varieties. There are a large number of them, and they differ in special groups: early ripening, mid-ripening and late ripening. Gardeners generalize shallots into 2 groups:

ancient- varieties are distinguished that have different ripening periods. They can be either late harvest or early. Such an onion is distinguished by diverse shades of the upper husk. It is often represented by brown, red, yellow or purple hues of the skin. Such plants include Snowball, Miner, Albic, Earring, Star.
bushes- an early ripening variety with many primordia. This type includes species with small and fairly densely spaced heads. The tone of the husk is dominated by yellow or pale yellow: Emerald, Guarantor, Airat, Guran, Banana.

Family bow subdivide by spiciness into semi-sweet, spicy and soft-sweet types.

Experienced gardeners distinguish among the many different types of shallots the most popular by maturity:

early ripe- Belozerets, Vitamin, Emerald, Cascade, Family;
mid-season- Andreika, Albik, Airat, Bonilla, Kuban;
late varieties- Ural violet, Siberian amber, Vonsky, Krepysh, Bargalinsky.

How to plant shallots: rules and instructions

Shallots are grown in two stages - in the first year the plant produces only 4-5 small onions, but in the second year the number of heads in the nest can reach 10 or more. The main thing is to choose the right time for planting and soil. In addition, it is recommended to know what was planted on the selected site in previous years. It depends on the chosen place how quickly the plant will grow, and what growth will give.

The technology of growing shallots is practically indistinguishable from the rooting of onions, but in some nuances it has its own characteristics.

Important! Splinters have a rather capricious character. Heads are sensitive to daylight hours, as well as watering and placement. To obtain a quality harvest of shallots, it is important to follow all the recommendations for planting a plant.

When to plant family onions in open ground

Shallots can be planted both in spring and autumn, but planting onions before winter gives earlier greens, and harvesting occurs 2 weeks earlier.

In spring, shallots can be planted as early as early April, because. onions are not afraid of frost.

In autumn days, it is recommended to sow family onions in the middle or end of October. The optimal time for sowing shallots in the fall before winter is determined by the fact that from the moment of planting until the onset of a period of persistent frosts, about a month should pass so that it has time to take root, but preferably does not begin to grow.

According to the lunar calendar in 2019

The calendar, which includes the dates of the position of the moon in one phase or another, is a kind of cheat sheet for the gardener, since scientists have long proved the relationship between the growth and development of plants, depending on the movement of a celestial body.

According to the lunar calendar for 2019, favorable days for planting shallots are:

in March - 10-12, 15-17, 23-25, 27-30;
in April - 2-9, 11-15, 24-27, 29, 30;
in May - 1-4, 12-14, 21-23;
in June - 9-11, 18-20;
in July - 25-31;
in August - there are no recommended favorable dates;
in September - 17-19, 26, 27, 30;
in October - 4-7, 15-17, 19-21, 23-25, 27;
in November - 1-3.

It is not always possible to plant shallots precisely in a favorable period, however, there are days, according to the lunar calendar, when this is completely undesirable:

in March - 6, 7, 21;
in April - 5, 19;
in May - 5, 19;
in June - 3, 4, 17;
in July - 2, 3, 17;
in August - 15, 16, 30, 31;
in September - 14, 15, 28, 29;
in October - 14, 28;
in November - 12, 13, 26, 27.

According to the lunar calendar from the magazine "1000 tips for summer residents."

Choice of landing site

To get a quality crop, it is recommended to first select the optimal place for placing the onion. Shallot loves to grow in open sunny areas of the earth. For planting, soil with a non-acidic pH environment is suitable. Shallots need fertile soil with a neutral reaction. The soil needs to be light, loose and rich in nutrients.

Carefully! Acidic soil is not suitable for growing family onions. In such a situation, the feather quickly acquires a yellow tint, and the torch is crushed and loses all its taste.

Then it is better to plant

Shallots grow best after planting legumes, zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage or tomatoes in the territory. This is due to the fact that these plants saturate the soil with nutrients and oxygen.

Carefully! You should not plant family onions in areas where sunflowers, carrots, corn, beets or garlic have existed for a long time. After these crops, the soil remains depleted with nutrients completely sucked out. After such placement, it is recommended to first enrich the soil with cow dung and minerals.

Onion sets can be grown both from bulbs and from seeds.

Growing from bulbs

Distance between rows depends on the size of the planting material: 20-30 cm for large bulbs, 15-18 cm for medium size; 8-10 cm - for very small ones. More often, onions should not be planted, because. the size of the future harvest depends on the area of nutrition. Before planting the bulbs, furrows about 5-6 cm deep are made in the beds, which spill well, but do not compact. The planting depth is about 6 cm, while the neck of the bulb should be 2-3 cm in the ground. A noticeable difference between the autumn and spring plantings of family onions is that the bulbs are planted a little deeper before winter.

To get bulbs it is better to use smaller planting material and plant shallots in early spring. But to get a pen larger bulbs should be planted in autumn (October).

Growing from seed

Before planting, seedlings are recommended to germinate. Seeds are pre-soaked in a warm liquid, wrapped in cotton cloth or gauze. It is recommended to cover the container with the seeds placed in it so that the moisture does not evaporate. In this state, the seedlings are kept for 24, and preferably 48 hours.

Before planting, the seeds of the family onion are pre-dried, only then they are scattered in the beds.

The selected area is cleared of debris, grass. After that, they dig well and bring in last year's rotted compost from fallen leaves or cow dung. After digging, they begin to form grooves (exactly the same as when planting from bulbs). The sown seeds are added dropwise with earth (1 cm). If the layer is too thick, then the sprouts will not be able to break through.

Note! As a rule, shallots are planted precisely bulbs due to low seed germination.

Video: shallots - cultivation agricultural technology

Features of spring and autumn planting (before winter)

If the planting of shallots in open ground is carried out in the spring, then it is more expedient to carry it out in April or early May. At this time, the plant has time to get enough of a large amount of melt water. At the same time, the torch is not afraid of residual frosts, on the contrary, it grows stronger and gains protective forces.

Attention! When rooted in spring, the growth of splinters and feathers falls on the longest daylight hours.

You can also plant family onions in open ground in the fall. The procedure in this case is carried out in October. Weather conditions should be adjusted in such a way as to stimulate the onion to take root, but not to promote its growth. This implies that the landing should be made 30 days before the first sub-zero temperatures. Rooting for the plant is necessary due to the fact that the head in this form will winter better than when the onion has rhizomes. Splinters withstand a strong decrease in temperature - up to -20 C. But very often in the Middle Lane, in the Urals and in Siberia, during winter sowing, plantings freeze almost half, although they undergo natural stratification and increase their own susceptibility to diseases and pests. Therefore, planting shallots in autumn before winter is better in southern regions.

How to properly care

In order for the plant to grow strong, healthy, and most importantly, with excellent external and taste qualities, it is recommended to take good care of the shallots. To do this, it is worth watering, loosening and weeding, as well as timely fertilizing for family onions.

Watering, loosening and weeding

Watering plantings of shallots in the first time after sowing should be carried out often, in large enough volumes. When harvesting is planned, then 21-28 days before it starts, it will be correct to slowly reduce the introduction of nutrient moisture. This is necessary so that the feathers have time to acquire a yellow tone and dry completely.

It is required to periodically loosen and weed between the bulbs in order for the plant to receive a sufficient amount of oxygen necessary for the development. Such an event is also necessary so that a dense crust does not form on the surface, which does not allow moisture to evenly flow to the plants. Periodic loosening should also be carried out in order to eliminate fast-growing weeds that clog useful plantings.

Fertilization

For one vegetative season, shallots, as a rule, are fed 2 times.

First Fertilization is carried out in the spring, when the first 3 feathers appear on the plant. In this case, shallots are used as top dressing. carbamide or urea, spreading 1 tbsp. for 1 bucket of water. To this consistency, it is recommended to additionally add 1/2 tbsp. l. potash fertilizer.

Second top dressing for family onions is carried out when the 5th feather appears. During this period, the plant is vital phosphorus and potassium. For this, apply potassium monophosphate in the amount of 1 tsp. for 1 bucket of water.

Diseases and pests of shallots

Shallots can affect fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, peronosporosis or downy mildew, neck rot and fusarium wilt.

Of the pests, shallots are often attacked onion fly. Also on the bow can be found worms.

Can cause great harm to shallots onion nematode, which bends the bottom of the mother bulb.

Green shallots are still very fond of garden aphid.

When to harvest and how to store

The middle of July is mainly marked by an important event in the life cycle of the torch - the cut of the feather. The main thing is not to miss this time, otherwise, when harvesting shallots, you can provoke the growth of splinters and the development of green feathers in them.

Note! You can start harvesting shallots immediately after more than half of its feathers fall. It is the lodging of onion leaves that is the main sign of its full ripening, indicating the death of the roots at the bottom.

Harvesting of family onions is carried out by the same methods as for ordinary onions. It is dug up with a shovel, shaken and allowed to dry in the sun for a day. Only after complete drying is it worth breaking the nests into separate torches (or you can not break them).

To send the bulbs for storage, they need trim dry leaves, leaving only a thin neck 3-5 cm high.

Shallots are perfectly stored at a dry, slightly cool temperature, with which the bulbs retain all their qualities for 6-12 months.

You can store family onions in refrigerator (cleaned), because frozen shallots also retain their properties.

Thus, planting shallots in spring and autumn in open ground almost completely corresponds to onions. The main thing is that in order to obtain a high-quality harvest, one should adhere to the basic rules for growing and caring for family onions.

Video: shallots - a full cycle from planting to storage

In contact with

One of the cultivated onion varieties is the onion kuschevka, the second name of which is shallot. The Middle East is considered its homeland, but the beneficial properties have made such a natural product in demand all over the world. Shallot bulbs have a unique composition, which has found its wide application in cooking, cosmetology and medicine.

Shallot - what is it

This food ingredient is added to many dishes, which gives them a spicy taste. Shallot bulbs grow in a "nest", which consists of several medium-sized heads at once. Their shape, size and quantity depend not only on the variety of bulbs, but also on the characteristics of caring for them. This is a frost-resistant onion, so you can plant it even before winter, the main thing is to follow the elementary rules, find out the individual characteristics of the variety. Numerous photos on thematic sites of the network are attached.

Varieties of shallots

Before growing such a home culture, the first step is to decide on the appearance and taste of the future root crop. All existing varieties of shallots with photos can be found on the thematic sites of "gardeners" or personally consult with experienced agronomists. If they are correctly classified, two main groups of shallots can be distinguished:

Ancient ones are large bulbs, among them Siberian Amber, Gornyak, Snezhok, Guran, Seryozhka, Siberian Yellow, Albic, Octopus, Star.
Shrubs - this small onion, obtained by selection, is very fertile. These are Airat, Garant, Emerald, Dimon, Guran, Afonya, Airat, Banana Shallot.

There is another classification:

Early ripe varieties of shallots are "Vitamin", "Belozerets" and others.
Mid-season onion varieties are Albik, Andreyka and others.
Late-ripening varieties of shallots are Siberian Amber, Ural Purple.

Shallots - difference from onions

Some people unknowingly call shallots ordinary onions, but this is not so. However, there are radical differences, and in terms of external and taste parameters. If you are interested in knowing how shallots differ from onions, below are the characteristics of the first grade. It:

The shallot looks like a plum, both in shape and size. Onions are bigger.
Onions have a bitter, tart taste, while shallots are characterized by softness, pleasant piquancy.
Shallot contains a portion of sugar, superphosphates, useful substances and a capacious concentration of vitamin C. It turns out that this is a powerful antiseptic in the fight against “pests” of the body.
Onions leave an unpleasant taste, but this will not happen with shallots, so they are added to dishes at banquets.
In Asian cuisine, it is an indispensable ingredient in salads, second courses, and a vegetative menu. Greens are added to food at the same time.

How to grow shallots

This is a natural fast food product that somewhat changes and refreshes the taste of dishes. Even ordinary scrambled eggs with the addition of shallots become especially tasty. Growing shallots is a simple process that starts in early spring. Root crops are not afraid of frost, so do not be afraid of spring frosts. Medium-sized bulbs for planting should be taken weighing 10 grams, 3-5 cm in diameter. Features of growing shallots are as follows:

Pre-select a sunny site for planting, study the composition of the earth. For example, onions of the indicated variety do not tolerate dry soil. Cultivate the soil, prepare planting material in advance.
The soil must be pre-loosened, enriched with mineral fertilizers, after planting it is necessary to ensure high-quality watering of root crops. This is important because the root system is the "weak point" of the culture.
Shallot onions must be planted in the garden in several rows to a depth of 5 cm, with a distance from neighboring root crops of at least 10-15 cm.
After disembarkation, thoroughly fill with water to strengthen and give rise to a powerful root system of the culture. In the same month, you can get the first harvest in the form of young leaves.
Keep the site clean, remove weeds in a timely manner, fertilize the soil, maintaining moderate acidity. So the plant will quickly please the harvest.
Planting before winter involves warming the root crops, and for this it is necessary to use a film, cover the onion.
If you follow all the rules, you can plant onions at room temperature on your own windowsill. If desired, shallots will replace onions, making dishes as beneficial to the body as possible. In some countries, it is generally considered a delicacy.

Shrike onion - cultivation

This cultivated plant can degenerate from seeds. Sod land in combination with humus is the best soil, and both natural ingredients should be taken in equal proportions, and can be supplemented with mineral fertilizers. To plant shallots at home, prepare a wooden box, choose premium seeds. The next steps are:

Before growing shallots from seeds, lay a layer of soil 7-8 cm high on the bottom of the box, then make small grooves at 5 cm intervals.
Lay onion seeds in the grooves, sprinkle with earth and pour plenty of settled water. Leave the box for a week in a warm place at an ambient temperature of 25 degrees.
As soon as the shallot seeds begin to germinate, it is necessary to reduce the temperature to the optimum value of 18-20 degrees. This will help make the roots of the plant strong.
To fertilize onions, buy special solutions and preparations, use top dressing only according to the instructions, while providing the plant with high-quality watering.

Is it possible to plant shallots before winter

Since it is a frost-resistant plant, it can be planted during the cold season. For example, shallots must be covered with polyethylene, maintaining a constant ambient temperature, no drafts. Do not leave young shoots or onion seeds in an open area. Planting shallots before winter is provided only for certain varieties of shallots, among them "Ural Purple", "Siberian Amber". The varieties are tasty and healthy, and they will look like other representatives of the specified species.

Shallots - care

For some, it is easier to buy shallots, while others prefer to grow them on their own windowsill. Meanwhile, it is important to figure out how to do so in order to get the desired result - a rich harvest. The care and reproduction of shallots is a separate issue, here are the nuances you need to pay attention to:

Throughout the growing season, ensure high-quality watering of the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe soil. A few weeks before harvesting, the soil, on the contrary, should dry out.
Since weeds grow rapidly near the onion root system, the soil must be systematically loosened.
Fertilizers should be used only when the first shoots of shallots appear, when the root crop especially needs intensive nutrition.
Thin out onion feathers as they grow, and you can safely use them for food, use them for cooking.
If the shallot leaves dry or lose their saturated shade, you need to use special products that contain onion-healing components.

Shallots - use in cooking

If you have to pickle vegetables, shallots come to the rescue, because it eliminates the bitterness of the ingredients, gives a sweetish aftertaste. In most of the dishes that the chef makes, this valuable food ingredient is present. Shallots are simply indispensable in cooking: they are added to sauces and delicacies, used during the preparation of soups, dishes from poultry and wild animals.

Video: Ashkelon bow

Although shallots, or family shallots, are much less common than onions, they have a number of advantages: a milder and more pleasant taste, a light smell, and a rich vitamin composition. Today we will talk about the rules for growing shallots, and give a description of its popular varieties.

Shallots are characterized by an onion, as if girded with children (rudiments). It is for this feature that it is also called family. The number of daughter buds depends on a number of factors, including the variety, and can reach up to 40 pcs. The rudiments are under the same shell with the mother bulb. One onion weighs 15–40 g. The shell can be white, purple or yellow. The average length of the pen is from 30 to 50 cm.

The pulp of shallots is juicy, tender, with spicy sweetish notes (the sweetest variety is the banana variety). Unlike onions, the smell of shallots does not overpower the aroma of other foods, making it well suited for cooking delicacies. It is often used for salads, sauces and baked dishes. Shallot bulbs are often used in pickles and other marinades. In China they make chips. The fleshy feathers are also eaten.

This onion contains a lot of vitamin C, carotene, vitamins E, PP and group B, essential oils and phytoncides. It improves immunity, helps to normalize blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels, it is recommended for problems with the gastrointestinal tract and eye diseases.

Shallots are more hardy than onions and can be planted before winter. Resistant to many diseases, has a high yield. It is unpretentious in storage and can lie for several months even at room temperature.

Main varieties

Camelot F1 is an early ripe variety, it is possible to harvest 20–25 days after germination. It has good frost and winter hardiness. The length of the feathers is up to 30 cm, the weight of one bulb is 34–36 g. The feathers do not grow coarse for a long time. Shelf life - up to 7 months.

Knyazhich - mid-season shallots. It takes 65–70 days from mass germination to harvest. Greens can be cut after 20 days. In the nest up to 8 bulbs with an average weight of 25 g. Stored up to 10 months.

Krepysh is a mid-season and rather large shallot. The growing season is from 55 to 70 days. In the nest there are 5–7 bulbs weighing up to 50 g. The variety is especially resistant to gray rot.

Siberian amber is a semi-sharp mid-season variety. Vegetation period - from 56 to 60 days. There are 6-7 bulbs in the nest, weighing about 30 g.

Rules and methods of landing

We figured out why shallots should be grown on the site. Now let's find out how to do it right.

If the purpose of cultivation is large heads, sowing is carried out in mid-April, when the soil warms up to + 8 ... + 10 ° C. To obtain greenery, it is recommended to plant either in autumn in open ground or in early spring in greenhouses.

The area in the country, allotted for this crop, should be well lit - the lack of light slows down the development of shallots and worsens its keeping quality. Slightly acidic sandy or loamy soil is best suited. Increased acidity leads to the crushing of the bulbs and the rapid yellowing of the greens. Good predecessors for this crop are peas, tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes, and undesirable ones are carrots, beets, garlic, corn, sunflowers. Carrots, however, will be a good neighbor: the smell of onions and carrots mutually repel pests.

If planting is planned for the spring, in the fall the site needs to be dug up, along the way making top dressing - compost or rotted manure, superphosphate and potash fertilizers.

Seeds in open ground

For planting, you can use both shallot sets (that is, bulbs grown from seeds) and children. In this case, consider how to grow shallots from seeds. Planting babies is easier, but leads to a deterioration in varietal qualities.

The easiest way to get seeds is to buy them from a reputable manufacturer. If you decide to get the sets yourself, use healthy bulbs for breeding, which were previously stored for at least 3 months at a temperature of +5 ... +11 ° C. Landing in this case should be only spring. Please note: shallots and onions are prone to cross-pollination, so they should not be planted side by side to produce seeds.

The resulting seeds are wrapped in a bandage or gauze before planting, well moistened and closed in a container. So they are kept for about 2 days at a temperature of +21 ... +24 ° C, while washing and changing the water every 7 hours. Before planting, the seed is slightly dried.

Seeds are planted to a depth of 3–5 cm and covered with earth, and preferably with peat or humus, after which they are thoroughly watered (hard water is undesirable). The optimal distance between plants in one row is 10–15 cm, between rows is about 30 cm. In a year, the seeds turn into sets, and next year you can get a crop from them.

A few days before planting, the shallot bulb should be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The neck is pre-cut.

seedlings

To grow seedlings, a mixture of soddy soil and humus (1: 1) is placed in a box with a layer of 7–8 cm. The gap between the grooves should be up to 5 cm. After planting, the seeds are watered abundantly and kept at a temperature of +25 ° C. A week later, when shoots appear, the temperature is lowered to + 18 ... + 20 ° C, which strengthens the root.