Onions - properly harvested and prepared for storage. Onion Onion pp
Allium cepa L.
Taxon: Onion family ( Alliaceae)
Other names: table onion, onion
English: Onion, Bulb Onion, Yang cong (China)
Description
A perennial bulbous plant, 60-100 cm high. A bunch of roots extend from the bottom of the bulb, penetrating the soil to a depth of 60-70 cm. The bulb is flattened-spherical or spherical-oblong with yellow-brown, reddish, less often white or purple shells. The stem is thick, swollen below the middle, hollow, bearing 4-9 leaves at the base. The leaves are shorter than the stem, succulent, long-cylindrical, straight, pointed, hollow with sheaths, somewhat grooved at the base. Onion flowers are inconspicuous, on long (up to 30 cm) pedicels, with bracts, collected in a spherical multi-flowered dense umbrella, sometimes bearing daughter bulbs (“babies”). Before flowering, the umbrella is enclosed in a sheath, which during flowering is much shorter than the inflorescence and breaks into 2-4 lobes. The perianth is corolla-shaped, star-shaped, six-petalled. Petals are 4-6 mm long, with a green vein along the back, oblong, obtuse. The stamens, numbering 6, are 2 times larger than the perianth. Pistil with an upper three-locular ovary and a style barely protruding from the perianth. Pollination of onions is carried out by bees and other insects. Sometimes in the inflorescence, in addition to flowers, small bulbs are formed, which, when they fall on the soil, germinate and give rise to a new plant. The onion fruit is an almost spherical capsule. The seeds are black, triangular, wrinkled. Blooms in June-August, bears fruit in August-September.
Different varieties of onions differ primarily in the shape of the bulbs and the color of the dry scales covering them. Most often the bulbs are yellow, but there are varieties with white and purple bulbs. Their size is very different. Bulbs of the Valencian variety (Spain) weighing up to 1 kg are known, and bulbs weighing 200-300 g are sometimes found even in markets and shops in Moscow. The Russian press once published a photograph of a German gardener with a bulb whose mass was 2,850 g. And in Mexico they allegedly received bulbs weighing up to 4 kg.
Spreading
Homeland - South-West Asia. In Russia it is cultivated everywhere as a garden crop.
Growing onions
The most common vegetative propagation of onions. In the spring, whole bulbs, usually relatively small in size, are planted in the beds. They germinate quickly, and the green leaves can be picked already at the beginning of summer. By autumn, instead of one planted bulb, several new bulbs grow. They are removed as finished products. Those bulbs that are smaller are used in the spring of next year as planting material, and the rest are consumed as a food product.
By folk signs onions and garlic cannot be planted in the garden when the stove is lit in the house. Also, they should not be planted if a person is angry and angry.
Onions are demanding on soil fertility. In the year of sowing seeds, small bulbs (sets) are obtained. In the second year, turnip onions are obtained from the sets; in the third year after planting, turnips receive seeds. In the southern regions, turnip onions are obtained in the year the seeds are sown.
Collection and preparation of onions
For medicinal purposes, bulbs are used that are harvested during their ripening period (August-September). Collect onion feathers during the waxing Moon, from sunrise to noon, bulbs - in the third phase of the Moon, near the full moon, on the 16th or 17th lunar day; On the Sunset.
Chemical composition of onions
The bulbs contain 4.5-14% Sugars, including fructose, sucrose, maltose, inulin; 1.5-2% protein, 0.01-0.05% essential oil containing disulfide; a lot of ascorbic acid, as well as vitamins B, PP and carotene (provitamin A). Onion proteins include some essential amino acids: , leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan. The leaves contain 6-7.5% dry matter, including up to 1.7% sugars, 1.5-2% crude protein, as well as from 27 to 95 mg/% ascorbic acid, about 2 mg/% carotene.
Both bulbs and onion leaves contain essential oil (20-60 mg/%). It gives them a specific smell and taste.
The feather leaves also contain sugars, vitamins C, B2, provitamin A, citric, malic and other acids. The whole plant has phytoncidal activity.
The most complete information about food and energy value onions, chemical composition, vitamin content, fatty acids and amino acids.
Pharmacological properties onions
Onions increase the tone and secretion of gastrointestinal tract intestinal tract, has bactericidal properties and is used as an antiscorbutic agent. Alcohol extract of onion has a stimulating effect on cardiac activity. There are reports of onion's anti-sclerotic properties.
The use of onions in medicine
Onion preparations are used for diseases gastrointestinal tract(atony, colitis of non-dysenteric origin with a tendency to), with pulmonary diseases, with and occurring against the background of atherosclerosis, with some gynecological diseases; used as appetite enhancers.
Onions help with metabolic disorders. Onion essential oil has the property of killing many pathogenic microbes. For this reason, onion consumption should be increased in case of many diseases, especially of nature. To some extent, it even prevents the development of influenza.
Mixed with chicken fat, it helps with abrasions on the feet. An aqueous infusion of fresh onions was dropped into the eyes to “clarify” vision, and a thorn was treated by lubricating the eyes with squeezed onion juice and honey. Onion, applied topically, has the ability to cleanse the wound, attract blood to the outer surface and cause redness of the skin. It is useful for cleansing contaminated wounds. Onion helps against a rabid dog bite if its juice is mixed with salt and applied to the bitten area. Onion mixed with honey helps with cracked nails.
Eating onions helps.
Fresh onion juice is used to treat all kinds of ulcers on the oral mucosa.
In China, onion tea has long been used for cholera and dysentery. In Tajik folk medicine Onion seeds in the form of a decoction are widely used for treatment.
Russian herbalists recommended onions for dropsy, kidney stones, bladder. It was indicated that it promotes digestion, softening phlegm during colds, and sexual desire.
Onion is effective for a tendency to swelling, as it has an effect.
Onion is a good antiscorbutic remedy, it is very useful for the prevention and treatment of hypo- and vitamin deficiencies. 50-100 g of green onions provide daily requirement human body in vitamin C.
Medicinal preparations of onions
Onions are useful for patients suffering from diabetes in combination with atherosclerosis, as well as older people with high cholesterol in the blood. To treat atherosclerosis, grate a large onion (about 100 g), add 1 glass of granulated sugar, leave for 3-4 days. Take 1 tbsp for a month. l. every 3 hours
Green onions and juice from the bulbs are recommended for the treatment of dysentery, chronic colitis, tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia, tonsillitis, influenza, and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.
Onions boiled in milk are used externally in the form of poultices for furunculosis and abscesses.
For ear disease, bake a small onion in ash, wrap it with a small amount of fresh unsalted butter in a thin cloth and place in the ear for 1 minute. In this case, the bag should be as hot as the patient can tolerate.
Soak a cotton ball with fresh onion juice and put it in the ears for inflammation, ringing and noise in the ears.
Fresh onions used in large quantities, effectively protected our ancestors during epidemics of plague and typhoid. Dilute onion juice with water in a ratio of 1:3. Inhale the smell 2-3 times a day to eliminate the adverse effects of contaminated air during mass diseases and epidemics - cholera and plague.
Fresh onions in large quantities or 1 tbsp. l. squeezed juice should be taken systematically before meals for atony of the gastrointestinal tract.
You should eat onions with bread when the climate changes or when traveling.
To expel the bulb average size crushed, poured with 1 glass of boiled water and left for 8-12 hours at room temperature. The resulting infusion is drunk on an empty stomach, 1/3-1/2 cup for 3-4 days to get rid of roundworms (roundworms and pinworms). They say that an anthelmintic effect can be obtained by eating an onion on an empty stomach.
Onion pulp is used to treat acne, frostbite and ulcers.
Apply crushed onion with a pinch of salt and a small piece of soap to burns, right there until the bubble swells.
Onions baked on coals or in hot ashes are eaten with sugar or honey, with butter or almond butter for persistent cough, choking, shortness of breath.
Fresh onion juice, if taken 1 tsp. 3-4 times a day before meals, has good action for intestinal inflammation, constipation, etc.
To prevent the flu, onion juice is dripped into the nose. Moisten pieces of cotton wool with fresh onion juice and place in the nostrils for 10-15 minutes. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times a day to cure a flu-like runny nose.
Rub onion juice on your teeth in the morning - you will never experience this.
Fresh onion juice helps with: drink 1 tsp. 3-4 times a day. You can mix onion juice with honey.
Fresh onion juice, especially bulbs with red scales, 1-2 drops are dripped into the eyes to treat eyesores and also to improve vision. For this purpose, it is recommended to carry out 1-2 procedures per month.
Onion juice with cumin was used in the treatment of deafness due to soil: remove the core of the onion and fill it with cumin, cover with the same piece, bake on coals, then squeeze out the juice. Soak a cotton swab with this juice and place it in your ears.
Onion juice is taken orally as an antidote for scorpion stings.
Inhaling the steam of hot baked onions is used in the treatment of sore throat, flu and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.
For skin cancer, dressings with boiled or baked onions are made 1-4 times a day.
For oncological diseases of the oral cavity, nose, and lungs, it is useful to inhale fresh grated onion pulp. Inhalation is carried out 1-3 times a day for 5-10 minutes. Course - 15 procedures. After 1-2 weeks, the treatment is repeated.
To treat asthmatic complications, take 0.5 kg of onions, peel and finely chop, place under a weight to drain the juice. Collect the released juice in glass jar and add 0.5 kg of sugar. The mixture should be kept under sun rays within 2 weeks. Take 1 tbsp daily on an empty stomach. l. If necessary, the medicine is prepared a second time and continued without interruption.
If you have a strong cough, boil the peels of 10 onions in 1 liter of water until half the liquid remains, cool, and strain. Drink with honey 3 times a day, 2/3 cup.
Wipe your face with onion juice or a fresh onion cut in half every day - you can get rid of freckles. You can get rid of it by rubbing your face morning and evening with onion juice, freshly squeezed horseradish juice and half and half sour cream. Keep the mask on for no more than 5 minutes, avoiding getting it into your eyes.
Onion juice or onion pulp is rubbed into the scalp 1-2 times a week to strengthen hair and improve its growth.
To strengthen your hair, thoroughly mix the juice of the grated onion, raw yolk, 1 tbsp. l. burdock oil, 1 tsp. honey and 2 tsp. liquid soap. Apply the mixture to the scalp, tie with oilcloth, top with a warm scarf and wash your hair after 1-2 hours - for weak, thinning hair.
For hair loss, rub onion juice with cognac and a decoction of burdock roots: mix 1 part cognac, 4 parts onion juice and 6 parts decoction of burdock roots. For the same purpose, peasants rubbed their heads with a cut onion and rubbed in good quality kerosene.
To strengthen hair in case of excessive hair loss, rub fresh onion juice or pulp into the scalp. Also, to strengthen hair and against dandruff, use an infusion of onion peels: 25 g of onion peels per 0.5 liter of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes and rinse your hair after washing.
To dye blond hair, you can use a decoction of onion scales. When dyed with onion scales, the hair acquires a bright golden tone. To prepare the infusion, boil 30-50 g of scales in 200 g of water for 20 minutes. Strain. Dye your hair with this decoction after washing. If your hair is not dyed, lubricate it with a tampon until you achieve the desired color.
Decoction of onion scales: brew 1 cup of boiling water 1 handful of onion skins, cook over low heat for 15 minutes, leave for 0.5 hours, strain. Wash your hair to give your hair a straw-golden hue. It is believed that this procedure strengthens the hair roots and prevents the formation of hair.
To restore the elasticity of facial skin and remove wrinkles, make a mask: 30 g of onion juice, 30 g of honey, 30 g of wax, 30 g of white lily bulb juice. Heat everything in a clay pot until the wax melts. Then cool while stirring. Rub your face morning and evening. Excess mixture should be removed with a soft cloth. The wax is well absorbed by the skin, giving it a smooth and delicate appearance.
For degreasing oily skin face, it is good to use a mask that dries the skin and absorbs its secretions: squeeze the juice out of two heads of grated onions, add 1 tbsp to the gruel. l. Add lemon juice and apply the mask on your face for 20-25 minutes, then rinse with warm water and rinse with cold water. If you have pityriasis versicolor on your face, the juice of freshly ground onion bulbs may help. Apply it to the affected area 2-3 times a day.
Onion juice with milk in a 1:1 ratio is prescribed 1-3 times a week to reduce local irritation.
Juice, gruel, and partially baked onions are used to treat pustular skin diseases.
You can get rid of calluses as follows: soak onion peels in vinegar for 12-14 days. Place a layer of prepared peel on the callus and tie overnight. Repeat the procedure several times. The calluses should disappear. Old calluses can be cured by applying a piece of hot baked onion to them for a week. This must be done carefully, so that the onion covers only the callus, otherwise healthy skin may be irritated. After a week, take a bath and scrape off the calluses.
A good remedy for the treatment of prostate hypertrophy is a small head of onion, eaten in the evenings.
For prostate hypertrophy, it is also useful to take 1 tbsp. l. onion juice, squeezed in July-August from fresh onions, and 1 tbsp. l. honey 3 times a day 0.5 hours before meals.
To prevent mosquito bites from itching and swelling, you need to lubricate them well with a strong solution of salt and rub them with green onions.
A tincture of alcohol from onions or green onions in a ratio of 1.6-2:10 is used for intestinal atony, colitis with a tendency to constipation, atherosclerosis and the sclerotic form of hypertension. The tincture is taken orally 20-30 drops 3 times a day 15 minutes before meals with milk or water. The course of treatment is 3-4 weeks.
In gynecological practice, onions are used to make preparations for the treatment of trichomonas diseases in women. Condensed onion extract mixed with glycerin at a ratio of 1:1 is used as an intravenous tampon for trichomonas colpitis strictly as prescribed by a doctor.
If the drug does not cause discomfort during the first treatment session for 6 hours, the period can be increased to 12 hours. Tampons are recommended to be administered daily, preferably in the evening. A course of treatment requires 20-25 procedures. The drug is stored in the refrigerator, warming up before use.
The use of onions for these purposes is explained by the fact that onion volatile secretions have a strong bactericidal effect - they suppress the development of many pathogenic microbes and even kill them.
You can get rid of the smell of onions from your mouth, especially in the morning and during the day, by chewing toasted walnut kernels or even a crust of burnt bread after eating onions.
Contraindications
Taking onions is contraindicated in acute diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver.
To prevent the onion from causing burning, itching and watery eyes during cleaning, it is necessary to clean it under running tap water. Some housewives rinse the knife with cold water when peeling onions.
Using onions on the farm
In terms of nutritional value, onions are in third place among vegetables after beets and parsley root.
Scientists at the Moscow Institute of Nutrition of the Academy of Medical Sciences consider it optimal for each person to consume 7-10 kg of onions annually. Onion bulbs and leaves are used for food. They contain 8-22% dry matter - more than many other vegetables. Dry bulb scales are used to paint Easter eggs. The coloring matter in the scales of the bulbs contains quercetin, which has P-vitamin activity, strengthens blood vessels, making them more elastic. In this regard, tinting broths with a decoction of onion scales makes the dishes not only beautiful, but also more useful, and to some extent healing. Onions are especially effective at purifying bad water. If you throw onion pieces into it, it will get rid of the unpleasant smell. A decoction of it is used to protect against bud mites on currants, spider mites, aphids, earwig larvae, cutworms, flower beetles, and for the prevention of fungal diseases. For this purpose, pour 100 g of husk into 5 liters of water, leave for 8-10 hours and apply 3 times after 5 days. You can also use onion infusion: mince 100 g of fresh onion and add 3 liters of water. The infusion is used immediately, since onion phytoncides evaporate within 15-20 minutes.
Onions are a valuable honey plant; they provide bees with a lot of nectar even in very hot weather. The honey is light yellow, almost opaque, and when ripe it loses its characteristic onion flavor.
A little history
Modern onions are not found anywhere in the wild. It is believed that it was introduced into culture 4-6 thousand years ago somewhere in Asia, most likely in Iran or Afghanistan. It is quite possible that it arose as a cultivated plant in different places in Asia independently of each other, since wild species related to onions grow in a number of regions. It is reliably known that onions were grown over large areas in the Nile Valley in Ancient Egypt. His images date back to the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. IN Ancient Greece several centuries BC. There were already many varieties of cultivated onions. It is mentioned in the poems of Homer, as well as on the cuneiform tablets of the ancient Sumerians, dated by scientists to the third millennium BC. According to Herodotus, onions were the favorite food of the ancient Persians. The bow is spoken of in the Old Testament and the Koran. In Rus' this culture has been known since the 10th century.
In Ancient Egypt, the bow symbolized inexhaustible vitality and immortality. It was worn on the chest as a talisman that could protect against the evil eye and diseases. To the Egyptians it was a symbol of the Universe, since its rings and layers represented the concentric circles into which creation was divided in the Hermetic Mysteries.
Using onions as a remedy, ancient doctors believed that there was not a single disease in which onions, prepared accordingly, would not bring relief to the patient. Dioscorides successfully used it as a blood purifying medicine. Avicenna recommended onions to stimulate appetite and strengthen poor health. They not only treated diseases with onions, but also, with their help, religiously believing in this, they rejuvenated the body.
According to Avicenna, onion, due to its bitterness, strengthens the stomach, stimulates appetite, and helps against jaundice. Abuse of it makes you sleepy. All types of onions excite lust.
Photos and illustrations
Onions are classified as second-order vegetables, i.e. they are planted after vegetables that have been generously fertilized with manure or compost. Only leeks tolerate direct manure fertilization and require watering throughout the growing season. Onions grow in well-prepared soil without weeds; they develop most intensively in clay-sandy soil with a large supply of calcium and other nutrients.
Onion
Onion ( Allium sulfur) is one of the most common and important vegetables for the diet. Without it it is unthinkable to prepare a wide variety of dishes; it is easy to dry. Onion juice contains substances with antibiotic properties (phytoncides); when mixed with honey, it is used for colds. In addition to volatile essential substances (allin, allicin), sugars and mineral salts, onions contain vitamins C, B 1, B 2, E. Onion feathers contain provitamin A. It is most beneficial to eat onions raw, like the rest vegetables.
Onions grow intensively in sunny, well-warmed areas; it is on such soils that they acquire a subtle sweetish taste. On heavy, acidic, unheated soils, onions ripen worse and are much more likely to be susceptible to putrefactive diseases. Onions also grow poorly in areas higher above sea level with a humid climate, where they ripen less well. Of the nutrients, onions most need phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen fertilizers should be used with caution, since excess nitrogen in the soil slows down the ripening process and therefore preserves the onion much worse later. Onions do not tolerate the presence of chlorine in the soil, so only potassium sulfate, containing potassium in sulfate form, should be used as fertilizers. Before sowing or before planting, it is enough to fertilize the onions with potassium sulfate (25 g per 1 m2).
Onions, depending on the growing methods, are divided into annual and biennial; onions are also propagated by bulbs.
Growing onions from seedlings is most suitable in areas located high above sea level. Sowing is carried out in the second half of March in greenhouses, sown rarely and widely. At the end of April - beginning of May, sprouted and unpicked plants are planted in beds, placing them on an area of 10x20 cm. You can also plant 2 plants, especially in dry climatic areas, because not all plants are accepted. During this period, systematic watering is especially important.
Growing onions by direct seeding is beneficial in warm areas. Seeds are sown in the first half of March in rows spaced 25 cm apart. Densely sprouted plants are thinned out, leaving one plant at a distance of 8-10 cm. Although the yield with this growing method is lower than when grown from seedlings, there is no need engage in labor-intensive work - growing onion seedlings. Vegetable growers classify such onions as annual crops.
Winter onion varieties can be sown in a similar way in mid-August. Before winter, onions grow up to 20 cm and overwinter well. Thin out onions in the spring. Such onions ripen at the same time as onions grown from sets.
Growing onions from sets is the most common method. This biennial crop produces high yields of high-quality, mature onions. It is harvested about a month earlier than onions obtained by direct sowing. The best sets have bulbs with a diameter of 4-10 mm, but bulbs with a diameter of 10 to 15 mm are also suitable for planting. Planting is carried out in March - early April, placing the plants in a 10x25 cm area shallowly so that the ends of the bulbs peek slightly above the soil surface. On light soils, it is possible to plant onions slightly deeper. During the growth process, the onions are weeded and the soil in the rows is loosened. Onions are lightly watered only in dry weather. Harvesting time is late July - early August. As soon as the feathers begin to turn yellow, dry out and lie down, the onions are dug up, but left to dry in the beds before the onset of rain. Before storing and cleaning it, the onion is dried in dry rooms where there is a draft, laying it in a thin layer on boards or hanging it in bundles.
The most suitable for growing onions for seeding are dry, sunny areas, well weeded and prepared for these plantings in the fall. It is advisable to sow in March and April; May sowings may suffer from a lack of moisture, which is necessary for uniform seed pecking. Onions sown later (in May or even June), as is sometimes advised, and quite erroneously, are poorly sown and underripe. Seeds are most often sown in wide small rows, deepened with a narrow hoe, spaced 20-25 cm from each other. 3-5 g of seeds are required per linear meter, and about 15 g per square meter. The optimal sowing depth on light soils is 3-4 cm, on heavy soils - 2-3 cm. Previously, sowing in width was often used - 1 m2 30 g of seeds were required. The main condition for such sowing is a thoroughly weeded, clean area. To speed up seed germination (when sowing is too late), the seeds are soaked in warm water and left for 24 hours. Then the effect is obvious - the seeds germinate a week earlier. When densely sown, plants begin to compete with each other and form small bulbs. During the growing season, the seedlings are not fertilized or watered.
It is important to start harvesting onion sets in a timely manner. Around mid-July, when the leaves are still green, but some of them have died, they begin to harvest the sets. The plants are carefully pulled out of the ground, placed with bulbs to one side on the beds, and left to dry in the open air. Then they are dried, spread out in a thin layer under the roof, preferably on boards. Before long-term storage in dry rooms, the seedlings must be cleared of dry leaves and roots. If it rains during the harvesting period, onions are collected from the beds and placed in a protected place under the roof.
From an area of one square meter, 1-2 kg of sets with leaves are collected, after drying and cleaning - about 1 kg. One kilogram of first-class sets with a diameter of 4-10 mm contains 2-2.5 thousand onions, with a diameter of 10-15 mm - 600-2000, and with a diameter of 15-20 mm - 500-600 pieces. Bulbs with a diameter of more than 20 mm are unsuitable for planting, since they extend into the arrow and do not form large bulbs. Such onions are suitable for canning, for example, in sweet and sour brine.
Garlic
Garlic ( Allium sativum) refers to ancient cultivated plants; it has been used as a medicinal agent for a long time. Garlic contains much more phytoncides than onions, as well as many vitamins. It is very useful for atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and especially against bacterial infection of the intestinal tract. It is a valuable raw material in the production of some medicines and is necessary for the preparation of many dishes.
Garlic requires a warm, sunny location, although it is frost-resistant. Garlic is a second-order vegetable; it is best to grow it after well-fertilized cabbage and cucumbers. Garlic is not recommended to be grown after potatoes, tomatoes, onions and leeks. The soil for garlic should be medium to light, with sufficient lime, well fertilized, but second-year after fertilization with manure. Garlic does not tolerate heavy, wet soil or direct fertilization with manure. In temperate zones, garlic does not require additional moisture. When garlic grows and develops, it is watered only during long-term drought, in particular when planting it in the spring.
From a botanical point of view, two subspecies are distinguished - shooting and non-shooting, stemless.
Shooting varieties of garlic form a flower stem with a false bulb (bulbs) and a large purple head with purple segments. It is easy to grow garlic from bulbs that are more resilient than cloves. The non-shooting subspecies tend to have larger white heads with white teeth and no colored stem.
There are winter and spring varieties. Winter ones are planted in the fall, they are more productive, but they are more difficult to store. If they are planted in the spring, their fruitfulness decreases (by about 30%). Spring varieties are planted in the spring; they are better stored than winter varieties, but are less productive. If a spring variety is planted in the fall, the yield increases by about 20%, but storage capacity is usually reduced.
Garlic is grown from cloves or bulbs, which must be pickled before planting. The cloves are planted in rows 25-30 cm wide at a distance of about 8 cm from each other. When planting in autumn at the end of September and the first half of October, the cloves are planted deeper (6-8 cm), when planting in early spring, i.e. in March - smaller (5-6 cm). You need to plant the largest cloves. During growth, garlic is regularly dug and weeded. If May and June are dry, the garlic should be watered. During the growing season, young shoots need to be fertilized with ammonium nitrate with calcite (18 g per 1 m2). Underdeveloped diseased plants are removed from the garden bed.
It is very important not to miss the time to start harvesting. If garlic is harvested too late, the wrappers on the inflorescences burst due to overripeness and the heads fall apart. Non-shooting garlic is harvested after the leaves begin to lie down. For bolting garlic, it is more difficult to determine the exact start time of harvesting. As a rule, you can start harvesting when the wrappers on the inflorescences open. A characteristic sign of ripening is the straightening of a curved flower stem. The leaves and flower stem begin to turn yellow. Garlic collected with shortened roots is most often dried in the shade, preferably in small bundles of 15-20 heads each.
Leek
Leek ( Allium pestrum) is cultivated to a lesser extent than onions and garlic, although it is also one of the most common vegetables. In addition to vitamins C, PP and minerals, leeks contain large quantities essential oils, promoting digestion and the formation of gastric juice. This crop is a nutritionally valuable, tender vegetable used in cooking. In addition, it has the advantage that it can be collected from the beds all winter. Unlike other bulbous vegetables, leeks need good soil. It requires moderately moist soils with sufficient nutrients and moisture. Leeks are well fertilized with compacted manure, so they are often grown after early cruciferous vegetables, especially after cauliflower. It also grows well in high mountain areas, in more severe climates.
There are winter and summer leeks. The winter species is much more widespread in our conditions than the summer one. It has a longer growing season, is much lower, thicker and is very frost-resistant. Summer leeks are grown less frequently in our country. It ripens earlier, ripens faster, and the false bulb is eaten. It is not very resistant to frost and freezes in winter.
Leeks are sown either directly into the beds in open ground, or grown from seedlings. In the garden, it is more profitable to cultivate leeks by pre-cultivation, since the seedlings can then be planted deeper. Direct seeded plants should be thinned gradually to produce long, bleached false bulbs. During pre-growing, leek seedlings are planted in a seed bed or in greenhouses from March to May, depending on when the crop is expected to be harvested - autumn, winter or spring. For plants that have reached the thickness of a pencil, the tops and roots are shortened, after which they are planted in the ground, preferably in furrows about 10 cm deep over an area of 10x20 cm. With subsequent loosening of the soil, the furrows are gradually filled up, and at the end of summer, when the plant has grown and When it gets stronger, it is spud up like potatoes.
During the entire growth period, the plant must be watered abundantly, especially in dry summer time. It is useful to fertilize it with a solution of urea or superphosphate (45 g per 1 m2). Leeks are harvested as they ripen, i.e. from autumn to spring.
Shallot
Shallot ( Allium ascalonicum) is a type of onion that forms a bush (nest) of the same size from one bulb during a relatively short growing season. Some varieties of shallots shoot. Shallot is widely used in food along with onions. Its bulbs have a more delicate sweetish taste and are good for canning in vinegar brine. In spring, tender leaves are also used for food, as useful as chives.
Shallots can be grown anywhere, especially in high mountain areas, in areas with favorable climatic conditions; here this crop develops better than onions. Shallots are planted shallowly in early spring, preferably on an area of 10x20 cm. You can plant them in the fall, like garlic, to a depth of approximately 5 cm from the soil surface, but onions planted in this way in the fall next year shoots often. Watering is not required for this crop.
Shallots are harvested when their leaves begin to lie down, i.e. during spring planting - around the beginning of July. This type of onion is harvested and dried in the same way as onions. The shallot tightens well in the neck and withstands storage. It can be stored for a long time, it does not shoot at the end of winter, unlike onions, and it can be eaten two years after harvesting.
Already in winter, they plant a bowl of densely small onions and keep the sowing in conditions room temperature, watering regularly; After a short time, green feathers appear, which are gradually removed, as with chives.
Onion
Onion ( Allium fistulosum) is a frost-resistant plant that overwinters well. Its advantage is that in early spring, much earlier than the chives, it has fragrant leaves. Batun is grown for its delicate, fragile leaves, which are larger than those of chives, and therefore the yield is higher than that of chives. Small elongated bulbs growing in bushes are also very tasty.
Onion is not picky about soil and grows in any area. It is easily propagated by dividing the bush or by seeds obtained from annually flowering plants. Onions are sown in spring (sometimes in August) in furrows. Unthinned plants in bushes are planted in open ground in autumn or spring.
Non-flowering forms of onion form small false bulbs on a false stem instead of flowers, like garlic, but they are located in several rows (each at a certain distance from each other). Therefore, such a bow is also called multi-tiered.
Pearl bow
Pearl onion ( Allium sativum ssp. ophioscorodon) resembles leeks with its leaves, but unlike it, it forms small white silvery scaly bulbs in the soil, which have a delicate spicy taste. These bulbs are preserved in a similar way as shallots and added to vegetable salads, and immediately after harvesting, since they are poorly stored.
Pearl onions reproduce exclusively by vegetative means - by small bulbs at the end of July-August, when the harvest takes place. Mostly small bulbs are planted on an area of 5x20 cm.
False pearl bow It can also be grown from overwintered leeks that were not harvested in the spring. If the flower stems of the leek are cut off in time, small white bulbs will form near the ground, which can again be planted and grown. The taste of this onion is no different from real pearl onions.
Chives or chives
Chives or chive ( Allium schoenoprasum), is a frost-resistant plant that forms dense bushes of tender, hollow, hollow leaves containing large amounts of vitamins C and B2. Its greens are especially valued for nutrition in winter and spring, when the chive is driven out.
Chives require heavy, loamy and humus soil with a large supply of nutrients. It is not picky about the location of the site, but it grows worse on light, dry soils.
Chives are propagated by dividing the bush or by seeds. It is usually sown in March directly into the ground or into greenhouses so that the plants are located at a distance of approximately 10 cm from each other. The seeds are lightly pressed into the loosened soil, resulting in the formation of small round holes, preferably using small flower pots or jars. As many seeds as will fit into a pinch are sown in each hole. The holes are then covered with earth. The sprouted plants are carefully weeded, and then removed from the ground and replanted. This eliminates the need for labor-intensive work - dividing the bushes in width, especially if replanting is late and the chives begin to overripe.
The bushes are removed from the greenhouse or from the seed bed in May, some are transplanted into open ground, thoroughly weeding the area, and the remaining plants are planted in the winter bed for final cultivation, placing it on an area of 25x25 cm. During the growing season, the plant is watered, dug in and fertilized . It is recommended to fertilize with ammonium nitrate with calcite (15 g per 1 m2).
The tops of chives intended for winter forcing are not cut off during the summer so as not to weaken the plants. Already in September, the bushes are removed from the garden bed and placed in an empty greenhouse or cellar, where they finish growing in this state and “rest.” They need a certain period of rest at this stage of the growing season. Chive bushes transplanted into pots can be gradually moved from the beginning of winter to spring into the living room to the window, where their forcing continues. Forcing chives bushes are planted again in open ground in the spring.
Certainly, beneficial properties the bow has much more than seven. As well as onion varieties. But we, with the help of our permanent expert, nutritionist Lyudmila Denisenko, will tell you about the most useful:
The bulbs contain organic acids, essential oils with phytoncides that protect us from colds, kaempferol, amino acids, glucose, microelements, vitamins B1, B2, B6, PP, E, a lot of vitamin C, there are micro and macroelements: boron, cobalt, manganese , molybdenum, copper, nickel, rubidium, fluorine, chromium, phosphorus, silicon, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, chlorine, sulfur (it is responsible for the pungent odor), flavonoids and plant hormone glucinin (a natural remedy for lowering blood sugar levels), the expert lists the beneficial substances from this fragrant product. - Onions belong to the genus of spicy-aromatic herbaceous plants. As many as 228 types of onions are eaten. There are several varieties in the onion family that differ not only in appearance, but also in terms of taste:
White onions has a white husk, the taste is soft, slightly sweet.
Sweet onions somewhat larger than usual and has a thinner husk, such onions are harvested in the spring and are a seasonal product.
Red onion more spicy in taste and not as spicy as regular one.
Shallot the most piquant of all onion varieties, but after heat treatment it becomes very delicate in taste and even slightly sweet.
Leek unlike its counterparts, it does not have a bulb and is a thick, overgrown stem white with green flat leaves. Leek has a pleasant piquant taste.
To receive a sufficient amount of beneficial substances that heal the body, it is necessary to use different varieties onions, because everyone is valuable in their own way.
1. Onion juice - it is a natural antibiotic which protects against colds. Phytoncides will fight sore throat viruses and strengthen the upper respiratory tract. They kill a large number of microbes, including streptococci, dysentery, diphtheria and tubercle bacilli. To treat and prevent colds and flu, it is good to sniff chopped onions several times a day. For vitamin deficiency, onions are very useful; they can satisfy the human body’s need for vitamin C, and this vitamin also helps improve immunity.
2. Fresh onion juice promotes sperm production, increases sexual potency. Onion is such an affordable aphrodisiac that even in Ancient Egypt it was called “the musk of the poor.” The ancient Roman writer Pliny the Elder claimed: “The bow pushes sluggish men into the arms of Venus.” And in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, onions, as a strong aphrodisiac, were banned in monasteries: it was inappropriate for monks and nuns to experience carnal desires!
3. In addition, “turnip” activates metabolism, promotes hematopoiesis and blood purification, stimulates digestion processes, removes excess fluid from the body. Quercetin, contained in onions, resists cancer and is used in oncology. If you have a headache, try sniffing a piece of raw onion instead of swallowing pills, it helps many.
4. Green onion leaves are rich in carotene, which takes care of the well-being of our skin. Onions are used in folk medicine and for cosmetic purposes - to cleanse the face of blemishes. To get rid of freckles, it is good to wipe your face daily with a fresh onion, cut in half.
5. U leek there is no pungent smell or taste, which, however, does not affect it at all healing properties. Onions are rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium and magnesium, this makes leeks very nutritious and useful product. You can recognize it by its thick white stem and wide, flat leaves, which are used for food. This bow has the ability cleanse the blood, therefore it is useful to use it for the prevention of atherosclerosis: a mixture of onion juice and honey in a 1:1 ratio, one tablespoon 3 times a day an hour before meals for a month.
6. Shallots consists of several small bulbs connected into one. Shallots are juicier, softer and more aromatic than onions. It is characterized by a peculiar specific, fragrant aroma. Shallots are used medicinally as an anti-inflammatory agent. Scientists have discovered a high content of flavonols in shallots, which prevent cancer, it is useful to eat it to prevent this serious disease.
7. Onion has peculiar fist-shaped leaves. It does not form a true bulb, so only the leaves are eaten. Onion has all the properties of onions. And it contains even more vitamin C than onions. Batun famous for its good disinfectant properties.
Scientists say that by eating 150 grams of onions per day (about one large onion or a bunch of onions), we get half daily norm vitamins A and C and a fifth of the normal amount of potassium and calcium, which improve heart function and are building material For skeletal system body.
And some more facts:
Onions contain more sugars than apples and even pears. But even if you often go on diets, you should not rush to eliminate this vegetable from your diet. Onions are also an excellent fat burner. There is even a special onion diet, during which it is recommended to eat onion soup every day.
Onions serve as a pain reliever for wasp stings. To do this, you must immediately rub onion juice into the bite site. If your ears are inflamed, onions can also be used to relieve pain: 3 times a day for half an hour, apply a compress of steamed finely chopped onions wrapped in gauze to your ear. Such compresses are also used for abscesses, inflammation, and long-healing wounds. Fresh onion juice is an excellent remedy against rheumatic pain, swelling, hair loss, lichen, and dandruff. To do this, you need to rub it on the problem area.
Doctors believe that onions are a good adaptogen, that is, they help adapt to jet lag. It is useful for pilots and flight attendants to know about this. Of course, it is difficult to imagine an elegant, smiling flight attendant spreading the smell of onions around her. But when the flight is over and there is time to rest, why not use such a simple and effective remedy?
There are also contraindications: people suffering from pancreatitis should not get carried away with eating onions. peptic ulcer stomach and intestines, increased excitability nervous system. People with kidney, liver, and heart diseases should eat onions with caution so as not to cause an exacerbation of the disease.
BY THE WAY
Some interesting facts about onions
Onions have been known for more than 6 thousand years. It is believed that its homeland is South-West Asia, from where onions spread to Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
Today, about 400 types of onions are known, a little more than half of them grow in our country.
The ancient Sumerians and Egyptians called onions the plant of the gods and believed that the entire earthly world was structured like a multi-layered onion. In Ancient Egypt, onions were a symbol of energy and immortality, so they were eaten in large quantities. Boiled in salted water, it formed the basis of nutrition for the poorest segments of the population of Central and Asia Minor, Mediterranean countries, as well as for the builders of the Egyptian pyramids, who lived three thousand years BC. The slaves who built the pyramid of Cheops were fed onions daily so that they would maintain stamina, health, strength, and therefore performance.
The ancient Greeks valued onions as medicine, but they rarely added them to food, considering them food for the common people because of their pungent odor. Roman legionnaires consumed a lot of onions, believing that they made the warrior fearless. Gladiators massaged their muscles with onion oil to make their muscles firm. Olympic athletes ate onions during training.
In the era crusades The importance of the onion was so great that the French exchanged their captives with the Saracens, giving 8 onions per person. It is no coincidence that the famous physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna) dedicated one of the first chapters in his treatise “The Canon of Medical Medicine” to the onion. In Kievan and Moscow Rus', onions were grown everywhere. Along with bread and kvass, it was the main food of peasants and artisans. Since ancient times, onions and garlic in Rus' (and among many other peoples) were considered the best way from " clinging diseases and pestilences"(from diseases transmitted "by the wind").
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest onion ever grown weighed 6 kilograms, it was grown in England.
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A bright representative of the Russian Size category, with an average weight of 3 kg! One onion can be eaten for a week, and the packets of seeds are enough to harvest a harvest of 600 kg! In addition to its gigantic size, the culture is distinguished by a delicate, mildly spicy, piquant taste and the absence of a characteristic onion smell.
An annual crop that produces the richest yields when grown using seedlings. The bulbs are large, with golden, sunny scales. The shape is round, elongated towards the top, regular. The inner layers are formed tightly. When eaten fresh, along with the pungency, a distinct sweet flavor is felt, which is why these onions are especially good in salads. The culture is stored for a long time. It does not rot and retains its beneficial and tasteful qualities until next spring.
Care and cultivation
Sowing in seedling boxes is carried out 40-60 days before the intended planting in the ground. In this way, it will be possible to move plants that are already strong and ready to form bulbs outdoors. It is best to plant on loamy and fertile soils where water does not stagnate. Watering, fertilizing and weeding must be done regularly.
Seed propagation in the garden strawberries we are used to, unfortunately, leads to the appearance of less productive plants and weaker bushes. But another type of these sweet berries, alpine strawberries, can be successfully grown from seeds. Let's learn about the main advantages and disadvantages of this crop, consider the main varieties and features of agricultural technology. The information presented in this article will help you decide whether it is worth allocating a place for it in the berry garden.
Often, when we see a beautiful flower, we instinctively bend down to smell its fragrance. All fragrant flowers can be divided into two large groups: nocturnal (pollinated by moths) and daytime, whose pollinators are mainly bees. Both groups of plants are important for the florist and designer, because we often walk around the garden during the day and relax in our favorite corners when evening comes. We are never overwhelmed by the scent of our favorite fragrant flowers.
Many gardeners consider pumpkin to be the queen of garden beds. And not only because of its size, variety of shapes and colors, but also for its excellent taste, healthy qualities and rich harvest. Pumpkin contains a large amount of carotene, iron, various vitamins and minerals. Thanks to the possibility of long-term storage, this vegetable supports our health all year round. If you decide to plant a pumpkin on your plot, you will be interested in learning how to get the largest possible harvest.
Scotch eggs - incredibly delicious! Try to prepare this dish at home, there is nothing difficult in preparation. Scotch eggs are a hard-boiled egg wrapped in minced meat, breaded in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and deep-fried. For frying, you will need a frying pan with a high side, and if you have a deep fryer, then that’s just great - even less hassle. You will also need oil for frying so as not to smoke in the kitchen. Choose farm eggs for this recipe.
One of the most amazing large-flowered tubs of Dominican Cubanola fully justifies its status as a tropical miracle. Warm-loving, slow-growing, with huge and in many ways unique bells of flowers, Cubanola is a fragrant star with a complex character. It requires special conditions in the rooms. But for those who are looking for exclusive plants for their interior, a better (and more chocolatey) candidate for the role of indoor giant cannot be found.
Chickpea curry with meat is a hearty hot dish for lunch or dinner, inspired by Indian cuisine. This curry is quick to prepare but requires some prep. Chickpeas need to be pre-soaked in large quantities. cold water for several hours, preferably overnight, the water can be changed several times. It is also better to leave the meat in the marinade overnight so that it turns out juicy and tender. Then you should boil the chickpeas until tender and then prepare the curry according to the recipe.
Rhubarb cannot be found in every garden plot. It's a pity. This plant is a storehouse of vitamins and can be widely used in cooking. What is not prepared from rhubarb: soups and cabbage soup, salads, delicious jam, kvass, compotes and juices, candied fruits and marmalade, and even wine. But that's not all! The large green or red rosette of leaves of the plant, reminiscent of burdock, acts as a beautiful background for annuals. It is not surprising that rhubarb can also be seen in flower beds.
Today, the trend is to experiment with unusual combinations and non-standard colors in the garden. For example, plants with black inflorescences have become very fashionable. All black flowers are original and specific, and it is important for them to be able to select suitable partners and location. Therefore, this article will not only introduce you to an assortment of plants with slate-black inflorescences, but will also teach you the intricacies of using such mystical plants in garden design.
3 delicious sandwiches - a cucumber sandwich, a chicken sandwich, a cabbage and meat sandwich - a great idea for a quick snack or for an outdoor picnic. Only fresh vegetables, juicy chicken and cream cheese and some seasonings. There are no onions in these sandwiches; if you wish, you can add onions marinated in balsamic vinegar to any of the sandwiches; this will not spoil the taste. Having quickly prepared snacks, all that remains is to pack a picnic basket and head to the nearest green lawn.
Depending on the varietal group, the age of seedlings suitable for planting in open ground is: for early tomatoes - 45-50 days, average ripening - 55-60 and late ripening - at least 70 days. When planting tomato seedlings at a younger age, the period of its adaptation to new conditions is significantly extended. But success in obtaining a high-quality tomato harvest also depends on carefully following the basic rules for planting seedlings in open ground.
Unpretentious plants“background” sansevieria does not seem boring to those who value minimalism. They are better suited than other indoor decorative foliage stars for collections that require minimal care. Stable decorativeness and extreme hardiness in only one species of sansevieria are also combined with compactness and very rapid growth - rosette sansevieria Hana. The squat rosettes of their tough leaves create striking clusters and patterns.
One of the brightest months of the garden calendar pleasantly surprises with the balanced distribution of days favorable and unfavorable for working with plants. lunar calendar. Vegetable gardening in June can be done throughout the entire month, while the unfavorable periods are very short and still allow you to do useful work. There will be optimal days for sowing and planting, for pruning, for a pond, and even for construction work.
Meat with mushrooms in a frying pan is an inexpensive hot dish that is suitable for a regular lunch and for a holiday menu. Pork will cook quickly, veal and chicken too, so this is the preferred meat for the recipe. Mushrooms - fresh champignons, in my opinion, the best choice for homemade stew. Forest gold - boletus mushrooms, boletus and other delicacies is best prepared for the winter. Boiled rice or mashed potatoes are ideal as a side dish.
I love ornamental shrubs, especially unpretentious and with interesting, non-trivial coloring of foliage. I have various Japanese spirea, Thunberg barberries, black elderberry... And there is one special shrub, which I will talk about in this article - viburnum leaf. To fulfill my dream of a low-maintenance garden, it is perhaps ideal. At the same time, it is capable of greatly diversifying the picture in the garden, from spring to autumn.
