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Chalcedony onion is a well-known early ripening variety that yields a harvest 3.5–4 months after planting. Grown for turnips, sets and greens. Chalcedony onions can be cultivated in a one-year and two-year cycle. The culture is resistant to drought and frost, so it can be grown in different regions of Russia.
Origin of the variety
Onion Chalcedony was bred on the basis of the Transnistrian Research Institute of Agriculture at the end of the 80s of the XX century. breeders Khaisin M.F. and Vasilyeva Z.I. The variety was tested and included in the register of breeding achievements of the Russian Federation in 1993. The variety originators are Sortsemovoshch (Stavropol Territory) and Agrofirma Poisk (Moscow Region).
Description and characteristics of the Chalcedony onion
Chalcedony onion is distinguished by good yield, immunity to diseases and resistance to adverse weather conditions. The culture can withstand frost and germinate even at 3-5 degrees Celsius. It tolerates short-term droughts normally.
Appearance
Chalcedony onion has a regular rounded shape. The peel is smooth, light brown, dry. The bulbs are large, up to 15 cm in diameter (weight 120–150 g), greens are up to 16 cm high. The feathers have a hollow structure, while the walls are soft, juicy, average thickness. The color is typical bright green.
Ripening period and yield
Chalcedony onion is an early-ripening variety: the first harvest can be harvested as early as 110-120 days after germination
Subject to agricultural practices, the yield is 7–8 kg per square meter. With industrial cultivation, the indicator reaches from 200 to 630 c / ha, which is much higher than a number of varieties (for example, Moldavsky, Strigunovsky local).
The market yield on the eve of harvesting is 98%, after ripening in the warehouse, in the storage - 100%. Chalcedony onions are suitable for long-term storage (up to 7–8 months) under appropriate conditions: temperature 2–5 degrees, humidity up to 70%, darkening. The bulbs are dense and can be transported over long distances.
Chalcedony onion has the correct shape and large size
Disease and pest resistance
The culture is characterized by high resistance to common diseases and pests. However, if the rules of care are violated (excessive watering, growing on depleted, dense soil), it is affected by decay of the neck (it affects the root crop almost completely) and peronosporosis (downy mildew).
It can also suffer from some insects and worms:
- onion moth, onion fly;
- stem nematode.
Therefore, when growing, timely measures of prevention and treatment are required - in this case, you can harvest the maximum yield.
Composition and properties
The Chalcedony onion pulp contains water (82%) and dry matter (18% in total):
- sugar (maltose, sucrose, inulin);
- proteins (including enzymes);
- organic acids (ascorbic, malic, citric);
- pectin;
- glycosides;
- saponins;
- flavonoids;
- phytoncides;
- potassium;
- iron;
- phosphorus;
- sulfur;
- iodine and other trace elements;
Chalcedony onion has a spicy taste with sweetish notes and moderate bitterness. The pulp is white, juicy, dense.
Application
The main application of Chalcedony onions is turnip (annual cultivation from seeds). The vegetable is used for all kinds of dishes and preparations. You can grow Chalcedony onions on a feather. Moreover, it is sown not only in spring, but also in autumn (in a heated room, greenhouse) in order to get greens in winter. The culture is allowed to be cultivated both for personal consumption and for sale.
Growing regions
Chalcedony onion is officially approved for cultivation in the regions of the North Caucasus, Kuban, as well as in the Lower Volga region. The culture can also be cultivated in other regions of Central Russia, including in the middle lane and the Moscow region. Gardeners grow Chalcedony onions in neighboring countries. It can be found in Belarus and Ukraine.
Advantages and disadvantages
Chalcedony onion is easy to care for and quite harvestable. In addition, it tastes good and can be stored for more than six months. Thanks to these and other advantages, the culture is popular with summer residents and farmers.
Chalcedony onions can be grown in different regions of Russia
Pros:
- good productivity;
- great taste;
- high commodity yield;
- bulbs are large, attractive in appearance;
- can be planted both in spring and autumn (before winter);
- the variety is resistant to most diseases and pests;
- stored for up to eight months;
- transportable.
Minuses:
- prone to peronosporosis, cervical rot;
- for lovers of miniature bulbs, Chalcedony onions will not work.
Landing dates
Planting time depends on the cultivation method and the climatic characteristics of the region:
- seeds are planted for seedlings from the end of February to the first decade of March;
- seedlings in open ground are transferred in the second or third decade of April;
- seeds are sown in open ground in the first half of April;
- sowing in open ground is placed at the end of March.
Chalcedony onion planting methods
Chalcedony onion is a versatile crop that can be cultivated in the following ways:
- Seeds for seedlings - for greens and onions (annual crop).
- Sowing in open ground - for greenery and large bulbs (annual crop).
- Seeds and sets in open ground in a two-year cycle - to obtain feathers and root crops.
- Seeds in a heated greenhouse in the fall (as an annual) - for forcing greens in the winter months.
Growing seedlings from seeds
Seeds are bought from trusted suppliers and seedlings are grown at home. The soil can be compiled in advance, for example, sod land with black peat, humus and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1, or you can buy a mixture in a store. Sowed from late February to mid-March in such a way as to transfer the seedlings to the garden bed 1.5 months after germination.
Seeds for seedlings are sown in early spring
When planting onions, Chalcedony act in this way:
- The seed is soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour.
- Place in a bowl of warm water.
- Allow to dry and treat with "Epin" or another growth stimulant.
- Wrapped in damp gauze, placed on a flat dish, watered periodically and allowed to germinate for a week.
- They are transplanted into pots (3-4 seeds each) to a shallow depth (up to 5 mm).
- Moisten the soil, cover the container with a film and grow at a temperature of 23-25 degrees.
- As soon as shoots appear, the film is removed, and the temperature is lowered to 16-18 degrees, if necessary, supplemented with a lamp.
- Two weeks before the transplant, they are hardened at a temperature of 8-12 degrees.
- They are transplanted into open ground according to the 25 * 25 cm scheme.
Sowing seeds in open ground
With a two-year growing cycle, Chalcedony onion seeds can be planted immediately in open ground. They are prepared in the same way as in the case of seedlings. Chalcedony onion beds are formed in advance - they need to be dug up and fertilized, then several furrows are marked with a depth of at least 3 cm with an interval of 20 cm. Sand is poured at the bottom, then the seeds are distributed at a distance of 3 cm.Sprinkle with soil and give a little water. At the end of August, the greens will turn yellow - small bulbs will begin to form. Sevok is harvested and stored until next spring, and then sown in open ground, as described below.
Planting sevka in spring
It is much easier to grow Chalcedony onions with sevkom, since you do not need to work with seedlings. The instruction is as follows:
- Only dense, beautiful bulbs are selected.
- Warm up for 10 hours (temperature 40 degrees).
- Etched in a warm solution of any fungicide.
- Dried at room temperature, laid out on the surface in one layer.
- Prepare the site in advance (clean, dig, fertilize).
- Several grooves are made 3-4 cm deep at a distance of 25 cm.
- Chalcedony onion sets are placed with their bottoms downward with an interval of 6-7 cm.
- Sprinkle with soil, watered a little.
Sevok is laid to a depth of no more than 4 cm
Is it possible to plant Chalcedony onions before winter
Gardeners plant Chalcedony onions before winter. Seed planting begins from late October to the first half of November. You can grow it in a heated greenhouse or other room. The goal of a subwinter planting is to get fresh greens throughout the winter and early spring.
Chalcedony onion care
Chalcedony onions are undemanding to growing conditions. Basic cultivation rules:
- Watering is moderate - the top layer should have time to dry.
- Top dressing twice a season: organic or complex mineral fertilizer for young seedlings (feather height 8-10 cm), after three weeks they give potassium fertilizer (30 g per 1 m2), superphosphate (40 g per 1 m2) and urea (20 g per 1 m2).
- The soil is periodically loosened, weeding is done.
Disease and pest control
Fungal diseases, onion neck rot most often affect the culture against the background of excessive moisture. Therefore, the main measures of prevention and treatment are:
- landing in an open, sunny area;
- exclusion of location in lowlands (preferably on a hill);
- compliance with watering rates;
- when signs of damage appear - treatment with Bordeaux liquid, "Fitosporin", "Fundazol" or other fungicides.
Insects and other pests are fought with folk methods (decoction of marigold flowers, potato or tomato tops, infusion of mustard powder, laundry soap, tobacco dust, wood ash). They also use special insecticides:
- Fufanon;
- "Karate";
- Aktara;
- Fitoverm;
- "Match";
- "Vertimek" and others.
Conclusion
Chalcedony onion is one of the most stable and unpretentious varieties that can be grown both in the middle lane and in the Urals and Siberia. Gives consistently high yields even with normal care. Can be grown both for turnip and greens, including for winter sowing.
