Multi-germ shallots: differences from onions and cultivation technology. Top tips for caring for and planting shallots

For many people, shallots are not much different from onions. But in fact, this is an independent species of the onion family, which is very popular in Western Europe. In Russia you can find such names for this species as “skorozub” or “kushchovka”.

Shallots are a biennial plant, references to which have been known since the 3rd century BC. Main vegetative organ This plant is a bulb with many daughter buds (buds). They germinate simultaneously, forming a kind of nest consisting of several small heads. One plant can have from several to several dozen heads. For this feature, shallots are also called family shallots.

Shallot close-up

In order to obtain planting material, you do not have to grow sets from seeds. Any head can be used for these purposes. It is noteworthy that one bulb can become the basis for the appearance of several rudiments, the total mass of which averages 200-300 grams, while a single specimen reaches the size of a walnut.

This culture has a gentle and pleasant taste. The same can be said about fleshy feathers, no less popular in cooking than the bulbs themselves.

How are shallots different from onions?

Onions and shallots have many similarities, which is why they are mistakenly considered the same species. These criteria include a fleshy head weighing 15-40 grams, long green feathers suitable for food and a two-year growing season. But in fact, these plants have several differences that explain their classification as different species:

Shallots can tolerate lower temperatures and ripen much faster than their relatives;
Shallots grow in nests, and turnips grow singly;
The shallot pulp is more tender and pleasant, and the aroma is not so strong;
Onions are picky about storage conditions during storage, while shallots have excellent keeping quality even at room temperature;
In cross-section, it consists of several zones with rudiments, and the turnip consists of concentric rings.

Shallot bulbs after harvesting

At first glance, it seems that these two species are very similar, but with proper skill they can be easily distinguished.

Popular varieties

is a mid-season variety, the yield of which is 1.5 kilograms per 1 square meter area. The fruit is round in shape with a yellow husk and weighs on average 15-20 grams. Up to 5 bulbs can be formed in one nest. The taste of the resulting harvest is delicate, but at the same time spicy;
- a mid-season variety with a semi-sharp taste, it is grown to produce both greens and bulbs. The shape of the fruit is round-flat, the average weight of one piece is 30 grams. The husk is colored unusual Brown color with a grayish tint. From 1.5 to 2.4 kilograms of crop are harvested from one square meter;
– the variety got its name for its high resistance to gray rot and bolting. The fruits ripen in medium terms, the growing season lasts 55-70 days. The bulbs, covered with pink scales, can weigh up to 50 grams; there are 5-7 bulbs in one nest. Up to 2.1 kilograms of fruits are harvested from one square meter;
– the fruits ripen in 56-60 days, in one nest there are 6-7 bulbs with bronze husks. Their weight can reach 30 grams. The taste of the fruit is semi-sharp. From one square meter you can harvest up to 2 kilograms of onions.

Timing for planting in open ground

The timing of planting directly depends on the purpose of growing the plant:

If you plant onions to obtain an early harvest of feathers, it is recommended to plant them in late autumn in open ground or early spring in greenhouses;
To obtain full-fledged heads, such work is carried out in mid-April. The most accurate way to determine the planting date is by using the soil temperature; it should be 8-10 degrees.

Landing rules

When choosing a place to plant shallots, you should pay attention to all the individual characteristics of the plant:

there should be a lot on the site sunlight, the presence of shade can contribute to the deterioration of fruiting;
the soil should be light and loose. The use of loamy or sandy loam soil is encouraged;
shallots take root best in those places where potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers or peas grew before them;
the soil should be slightly acidic, otherwise the bulbs will become smaller and the tops will quickly turn yellow.

Before planting onions, you need to prepare the soil. To do this, they dig it up in the fall, adding the following fertilizers:

a bucket of compost or rotted manure;
30 grams of superphosphate;
15-20 grams of potash fertilizers.

Planting material also needs to be prepared. A few days before planting, it is necessary to cut off the neck of the set and soak it in weak solution potassium permanganate.

To obtain a larger harvest, small bulbs with a diameter of up to 3 centimeters are chosen as sets. Large heads contain more rudiments and are well suited for preparing sets for the next season.

When placing the seedlings in the garden bed, you should follow a reliable scheme:

the distance between the rows should be 30-40 centimeters;
the distance between plants in the same row should be 20-30 centimeters;
if onions are grown to produce sets, the distance between plants is reduced to 8-10 centimeters.

Immediately before planting, the furrows should be watered with plenty of water. The seedlings are buried 2-3 centimeters.

Shallots growing in the garden

Rules of care

In order to get a rich harvest of shallots, you must properly care for the plant and follow all the rules:

This crop does not require frequent watering. In temperate latitudes, the soil may not be moistened at all, but in the southern regions, watering may be carried out during months without precipitation;
Onions need timely weeding and loosening of the soil;
In early spring, plantings are fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers, for example, urea;
At the beginning of the growing season, poor soils are fertilized with complex mineral fertilizers.

Planting an onion on the head

In order to get a harvest of larger bulbs, experienced gardeners recommend thinning out the nests a month before harvest, leaving 5-6 of the most developed buds.

Harvest and storage

Harvest occurs at the end of July. Many gardeners argue that such work must be carried out before August 2. The readiness of the plant can be determined by the drooping tops, which show signs of yellowing.

Shallots can be stored in almost any conditions. It can be stored in a dry place at room temperature. It is better to choose boxes with holes or mesh as containers.

Before storing the fruits, they must be dried in the open air for 20-30 days, after which they are disassembled into bulbs and dried leaves are removed.

Diseases and pests

Shallots are susceptible to fungal diseases, which include downy and ordinary powdery mildew, downy mildew, downy mildew, neck rot, etc. Affected plants will begin to wither and it is almost impossible to save them. The only way out will complete removal. The healthy part of the plantings is treated with solutions of Quadris, Mikosan or Pentofag.

To prevent fungal diseases, before planting, the seedlings are soaked for 30 minutes in the “Maxim” preparation.

Pests quite often settle on shallots. The most commonly found insects are:

Onion fly– the plant and the soil around it are treated with wood ash;
Worms– the above-ground part of the plant is watered with a salt solution (1 glass of salt is diluted in 10 liters of water);
Onion nematode– this pest is capable of distorting the bottom of the mother bulb. Affected plants must be removed immediately;
Aphid– these insects settle on onion feathers. You can cope with them using a decoction of pepper, potato peels or chamomile. Their chemicals Verticillin works best.

Shallots are a more delicate and sweeter analogue. onions. Even a novice gardener can grow such a crop. This is due to the fact that the plant is able to adapt to adverse weather conditions and does not require careful care.

For the uninitiated person, shallots are not much different in appearance from onions - except that the heads are smaller and taste sweeter. In fact, this is an independent, noteworthy species of the Onion family, popular in Western Europe. Our analogue, known as magpietooth, is not uncommon in amateur gardens, but more often there is a mismatch, repeatedly cross-pollinated with numerous onion relatives.

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

A piquant and fruitful vegetable

Fruitful family - description, features of the growing season

The scientific name of the biennial plant is Allium ascalonicum, when reading the transcription - Ashkelon onion, from the ancient Palestinian city, where it was cultivated already in the 3rd millennium BC. e.

Main body vegetative propagation- a bulb with many daughter buds (buds), which germinate simultaneously and form a nest of small elongated heads - from several to several dozen per plant. For this feature, shallots are called family onions.

To get a planting bulb (set), it is not necessary to grow shallots from seeds. Turnips of any growing season are suitable for planting and produce a full harvest. Seed propagation is used to update a variety and prevent its degeneration.

The undoubted advantage of culture is its universality. Due to their branching nature, shallots are used for cultivation. You get a lot of greens, a delicate consistency, and a mild taste.

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

Friendly “family” of 10 bulbs

5 differences from onions

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

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

The rudiments of future children are visible between the juicy scales

This is interesting! Local varieties differ in taste and color. In the southern regions, colored (pink, purple) bulbs with sweet flesh predominate. The further north you go, the lighter and sharper the magpie-tooth is.

Culinary value

Shallots are considered to be a gourmet vegetable, a delicacy, and an essential ingredient in many dishes of French and European cuisine. Its main advantage is that it does not clog, but rather enhances the taste of the food. Green feathers and juicy pulp are cut into salads, added to soups, sauces, and marinades. After hot processing, it acquires a delicate consistency and a sweetish taste. Small pickle bulbs are used for preservation.

Shallots have dietary properties and are superior in content to onions. ascorbic acid, carotene, B vitamins. The leaves and head contain a lot of potassium, manganese, phosphorus, copper and other mineral compounds. It is recommended to be used for prevention colds, improve appetite, as a general tonic.

Features of agricultural technology

To harvest high yields of shallots, you must adhere to the basics of agricultural technology for growing onion plants. And this:

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

They practice planting with seeds to obtain sets. Subsequently, the crop is propagated vegetatively, annually leaving part of the smaller crop for planting.

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

Soil and planting dates

After harvesting the previous vegetables, the soil is dug up and fertilized with compost and rotted manure. Fresh organic matter is undesirable, since early ripening crops tend to accumulate nitrates in the food organs. Before winter, you can apply superphosphate (30 g/m²) and potassium fertilizers (15–20 g/m²), and in spring – nitrogen fertilizers (15 g/m²).

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

Vegetative propagation

The easiest and most productive way to propagate shallots is by planting sets.

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

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

Before planting, the furrows are shed generously with water, and the seedlings are deepened so that the layer of soil on top does not exceed 2–3 cm.

Square-nest planting method

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

Growing by seeds

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

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

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

Inflorescence with nigella

Seedling method

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

Care and cleaning

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

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

The harvest is harvested in the second half of July, no later than August 2 (before Ilya). The indicator is fallen tops starting to turn yellow. Before storing shallots, dry them for 3–4 weeks in a warm, ventilated area.

Forcing on a feather

Shallots for greens can be grown on a windowsill. To do this, no earlier than January, the bulbs are placed in containers with a small amount of water. You need to take a large head - it has a lot of rudiments, which means it will produce a dense rosette of leaves.

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

Variety of varieties

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

Yield hybrid Bonilla F1

Other varieties of shallots are also grown on private plots. Bonilla, Zvezda, Old Believer are well-known; gardeners love the red varieties - Afonya, Sprut, Ural Violet; the Dutch set Red Sun is in demand.

Shallots got their name from the Latin, which in Russian sounds like “Ashkelon onion.” Due to its reproduction characteristics, it has acquired the popular name “Kushchevka”: for its ability to sprout in the form of a nest of small bulbs, similar in texture to an unfolded head of garlic. In such a “nest” there are from 5 to 40 bulbs, depending on the type and care. After drying, such a “nest” disintegrates. Both leaves and bulbs are eaten. The bulbs look like regular onions, only much smaller in size: approximately 2-3 cm in diameter, weight 20-30 g. Shallots contain not only a large number of useful and nutritious, but also has excellent taste. Unlike onions, shallots contain more minerals, vitamins, sugar.

Shallots began to grow in Central Asia. Now it is especially common in Western Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, in the Central and Western parts of Russia, the North Caucasus, and Transcaucasia. Shallots are a member of the onion family that look similar to regular onions. But inside its head consists of several cloves, like garlic. In medicine it is used to treat eye diseases and diseases of all organs. gastrointestinal tract. Medicinal properties significantly exceed those of onions. It has excellent dietary qualities. The organic compounds contained in shallots have a significant antibacterial and anti-cold effect, lower cholesterol levels, and the abundance of vitamins improves immunity. IN folk medicine Shallots are widely used as an external anti-inflammatory wound healing agent.

Early ripeness. 30 days after planting, you can already cut the greens, and after 70 days the bulbs ripen.
Excellent storage properties. At room temperature it persists and does not germinate for a year.
Vegetative method of propagation.
Frost-resistant. Onions are perfectly planted in winter or immediately after winter, in soil slightly warmed by the sun.
The feathers are narrow, thin, and long lasting.
Cutting onions does not cause watery eyes.

Differences in shallot varieties

There are early, medium and late ripening varieties of shallots; according to their taste characteristics - sweet, semi-sharp and spicy varieties. The color of the husk also comes in different shades, depending on the variety. There are about 60 varieties of shallots. Here are the most common: The benefits and harms of shallots are widely discussed by many experts. Compared to its onion counterpart, shallots are a more dietary product. It contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, essential oils, a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Airat. Productivity - 1.6 kg per 1 m². These are round bulbs with light yellow husks, weight 15 g. There are 5-7 bulbs in the “nest”.
Albik. A semi-sharp mid-season variety suitable for planting before winter. The shape of the bulb is elliptical, weight is 20-30 g. There are 4-8 bulbs in the “nest”. Productivity - 15-25 tons per 1 hectare.
Banana shallot. This is a hybrid of garlic and onion. The sweetest of all shallot varieties. Bulbs light color, oblong in shape, which is why they got their name.
Bonilla F1. Mid-season semi-sharp variety. It can be planted in one place for 5 years. Harvest - 1.5 kg per 1 m². Vegetation period is approximately 85 days. All bulbs are yellow-brown in color, round in shape, weighing 30-40 g. There are 4-8 bulbs in a “nest”.
Emerald. Early ripening semi-sharp variety. The predicted yield is 1.3 kg per 1 m². Vegetation period is approximately 80 days. The bulbs are round in shape, with a pinkish-brown husk, white inside, weighing 20-30 g each. There are 4-5 bulbs in the “nest”.
Cascade. The turnip yield is 17.5 tons per 1 hectare, the green onion yield is approximately 35.5 tons per 1 hectare. Grown from two-year-old seedlings. The bulbs are ovoid, oval in shape, the color of the husk is light pink, weighing 30-35 g. There are 4-6 bulbs in the “nest”. Early ripening.
Kuban. Vegetation period is 80−90 days. The bulbs are round or flat in shape. Weight 25-30 g. There are 3-4 onions in the “nest”. The color of the husk is yellow-brown. Recommended for planting in the Lower Volga region of Russia. Mid-season.
Family. Its bulbs have a round shape, the husk is purple, the inside of the bulb is white, its weight is 17−23 g. The “nest” contains an average of 2−4 bulbs. High resistance to many diseases. Early ripening.
Sprint. Vegetation period 40−70 days. In a nest there are from 5 to 10 bulbs weighing 30−40 g each. Planted for the purpose of obtaining early bulbs and growing green onions in greenhouses or open ground. Early ripening.
Uralsky-40. Vegetation period - 60 days. The bulbs are oval and oblong with yellow husk. There are 4-5 bulbs in the “nest”, weighing from 50 to 100 g each. Designed for growing in any area. Mid-season.

Gastronomic properties of onions

To obtain young greenery, special greenhouses are used. Onions are grown in containers and boxes. An ordinary window sill in an apartment is suitable for year-round cultivation.

The delicate delicate taste of onions, devoid of bitterness, is appreciated by gourmets around the world. Therefore, shallots are very popular in cooking. Shallots are very popular in cooking. various countries. Raw onions like to be added to vegetable salads due to the lack of aftertaste and bad breath after this onion. The texture of the onion is dense with silky pulp; the onion itself has a pleasant sweet or semi-sweet delicate taste and a rather pleasant aroma. When onions are cooked, a thick aroma and piquant taste appear, which does not at all overwhelm the aroma of other ingredients. French chefs for preparing national onion soup This is the type of onion that is used.

Planting and caring for shallots

Shallots are planted in open ground in early spring or before winter. For planting, use seeds, sets or uterine bulbs.

Preparation of planting material for planting:

To prevent diseases, 7 days before planting, planting material is kept for about 9 hours at constant temperature air 40 °C.
A few hours before planting, the bulbs are soaked in warm plain water (approximately 30°C).
To prevent fungal diseases, the bulbs are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate (2 g of potassium permanganate dissolved in 2 liters of water). The planting material is kept in this solution for approximately 6 hours.

Loose, fertile soil is suitable for growing shallots. To obtain high-quality shallots, cultivation and care must include a large open sunny space due to the considerable number of feather-like leaves that cast shadows. The soil is dug up and organic and mineral fertilizers are added.

The bulbs are simply placed in the ground without pressing. The distance between the beds is 30 cm, and between the seedlings themselves in a row - 15 cm. Planting depth varies depending on the time of year. In spring they are planted to a depth of approximately 6 cm, and in winter to approximately 10 cm. The quality of the planted bulbs affects the future harvest. Large bulbs produce a significantly larger amount of greenery. The first watering is carried out 10 days after planting. After this, it is advisable to water the onions at least once every 7 days.

If a very large number of bulbs are formed in the nests, then all of them are small size. To obtain the most enlarged and nutritious bulbs, the “nests” can be normalized (thinned out). At the same time, they very carefully rake out the soil and separate several bulbs, freeing up more space for the rest. The remaining bulbs gain more nutrients and grow juicier and larger. Harvest when all the onion leaves fall to the ground. It is necessary to dry the bulbs under a canopy, excluding direct sunlight. Shallots can be stored at room temperature, but if stored in a colder room, they will last for more than a year.

Procurement of seeds

Shallots: growing from seeds. When this onion is grown in a perennial crop, its yield and nutritional quality are significantly reduced. It is necessary to update the planting material. To do this, onions are propagated using seeds. For this purpose, when planting, the bow is often left for shooting. If planted in the spring, then leave 10% of the onion for shooting, and if in the fall, then 70%. Seeds are only found on bulbs that weigh at least 60 g. Usually these bulbs produce up to 4 arrows. Seeds need to be collected every 3 years. Onions are used for sets current year plantings, and for seeds - two- and three-year-old bulbs. Shallot seeds are small, they are sown at approximately 0.5 g per 1 m².

Shallot diseases

One of the pests of shallots is the onion nematode. It is characterized by a white curvature near the bottom of the bulb. When culling, such onions must be removed, otherwise you can infect the entire area by introducing the pest along with the seeding material. Onions affected by onion nematode are soaked for 1 hour in water heated to a temperature of approximately 45 °C.

Another common pest is aphids. To get rid of aphids, use chamomile, hot peppers and potato peels in the form of decoctions. Available in stores special remedy- Verticillin.

During the period of active flowering of plants (cherries and milkweed), onion flies may appear. When damaged, the bulbs begin to rot and the onion leaves wither. For prevention, distracting materials should be placed between the rows, for example, rags soaked in turpentine, tansy, and wormwood.

The drugs Mikosan and Pentaphage are used against fungal diseases.

Shallots, which are so similar in appearance to onions, are distinguished from them by their early ripening and the shape of a turnip, divided into segments. The crop is early ripening, respected by summer residents for its juicy greens and bulbs, with good keeping quality. The content of microelements in shallots is an order of magnitude higher than in other onions; it is a dietary vegetable and serves as the basis or addition to various culinary creations.

Shallot plant description

The shallot, or “magpie,” as it is popularly called, is a multi-primed onion with tender and juicy greens. One mother bulb can produce up to 7 daughter bulbs, no more than 6 cm, weighing about 45 grams. Depending on the variety, shallots can produce daughter bulbs even during storage.

The shape of the bulbs is oblong, oval or elongated, round. The head of a shallot looks similar to a garlic head; several small onions grow into the bottom, forming one whole, separate onion.

The color of shallot scales depends primarily on the variety and can be dirty yellow, white, red, brown-orange, purple or pink. The inner lobes have a milky or pink-purple hue.

The height of the green mass of shallots reaches 25 cm, the leaves are tubular, thin, dark green. From one shallot turnip you can get an “impressive” bunch of fresh, spicy greens.

Shallots are suitable for growing in any temperate latitudes, turnips ripen for about two months, and fresh greens can be obtained within three weeks after sowing.

Growing shallots: sowing or planting, on greens or heads

Agricultural technology for shallots will not cause much trouble. Growing shallots is similar to growing onions. The culture needs a well-lit, quiet place with moderate humidity. Shallots respond well to loose, aerated, humus-enriched soils with low acidity. When cultivating onion crops, summer residents recommend strictly observing crop rotation; legumes and melons are considered good predecessors.

The good neighborliness of onions allows them to be planted between rows of other crops, for example, carrots. Both plants enter into mutual symbiosis, scaring away harmful insects from each other.

Shallots can be planted in the spring months or before winter, in the fall. Perennial shallots are resistant to freezing and winter well under a layer of snow.

Planting shallots in spring

Shallots are planted in the spring, when the first snow melts.

The site is prepared in advance, in the autumn. The soil is dug up, fertilized with rotted organic matter (2 sq.m. bucket) and nitroammophoska (55 grams per sq.m.) is added. It wouldn’t hurt to add magpies and wood ash before planting. In the spring, before planting, phosphorus and potassium are added to the formed ridges and mixed with the soil.

Before planting, shallots should be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide for about 7 minutes. To get an early harvest of greens, it is recommended to plant sprouted shallots, kept in a warm room with high humidity for two weeks.

The optimal size is a medium onion of 3.5 cm, weighing 35-40 g. Such planting material will produce much more green mass and bulbs than smaller or larger centipede bulbs. Small shallot bulbs produce late harvests of “table and ornamental” greens.

To plant a “square” of plot you will need about 35 medium-sized calibrated onions. Shallots are planted in rows, 25-35 cm between them. Shallots are stuck bottom down into moistened and enriched soil, in increments of 8-9 cm, deepening by 11-13 cm. In the southern regions, you should not deepen shallots deeper than 10 cm, since planting too deep increases the harvest time . After planting, the bulbs are covered with soil mixed with wood ash (3:1) and the beds are watered.

The plantings can be covered with lutrastil or mulch for earlier germination, and to force the greenery 1.5 weeks ahead of schedule, the tops of the pre-sowing material are cut off.

Planting shallots in the fall, before winter

When it is decided to plant shallots before winter, optimal timing can be considered October or the first days of November ( southern regions), taking into account that rooting must take place before frost.

After planting, the beds are covered with peat or spruce branches for better wintering, and the flooring is removed in early spring. Onion without additional funds protection from the cold, can withstand temperatures down to -25 degrees, lower rates can reduce onion yield by three times.

Growing shallots for greens

Shallots grown for greens are superior to onions in that they do not bolt, have delicate greens and early ripeness. It can be stored for a long time without losing its taste and nutritional qualities. Not a large consumption of planting raw materials, if agricultural technology is followed, will yield a green harvest many times higher than the best varieties onions.

Shallots are grown for greens both in open ground and at home, in planting containers.

The early ripening of shallots makes it possible to obtain fresh, tall greens within a month after planting.

For planting, medium-sized shallot bulbs are planted in soil enriched with organic matter and mineral fertilizers; soil temperature is +12 and constant moisture is important. At home, planting can be done at any time by placing containers with seedlings on a sunlit windowsill. In open ground, planting is carried out in the first ten days of spring, when the soil warms up.

After a month, the harvest is pulled out with the bulb, the greens are cut, and the tops of the bulbs are cut off by 1.5 cm, and they are planted again in fertilized, moist soil, and after a month and a half, a new batch of greens is collected.

Growing shallots per head

To grow shallots per head, you should start planting in the fall, and in the summer you will get fresh, juicy onion turnips.

The agricultural technology for growing shallots per head does not differ from the usual autumn planting of onions. Shallots ripen in two months, and in addition to the head, they will also produce a “green feather”; the ratio of harvest to seed is at the level of 200%, which distinguishes this type of onion from the rest. Taste qualities Shallots differ from onions in having a milder taste, and their small size is much more convenient to use for table purposes.

Shallot care

Caring for shallots is not difficult. Agronomic measures include watering, weeding and disease control. If you grow shallots per head, then the seedlings should be thinned out as early as June. Together with the thinning procedure, fertilizing with compost and superphosphate is carried out, and the arrows are broken out.

Watering is carried out frequently up to 4 times a week, but without allowing moisture to stagnate in the areas. Weeding is carried out as necessary and as harmful plants grow. 3-4 weeks before harvest, watering is stopped.

Shallots respond well to fertilizers. You can use both compost and granular mineral fertilizers.

To increase the mass of the bulb, some gardeners recommend digging up and breaking off the smallest daughter bulbs from the nest.

Try to dig out the soil carefully without damaging the bulb.

Shallot varieties

Variety Belozerets. Early ripening shallots, with fruits of a mildly pungent taste, weighing up to 30 grams. Belozerets ripens in two months. Color ranges from pale lilac to dark purple. The yields are high, up to 15 tons per hectare.

Albik. Mid-season shallot with high keeping quality. The moderate pungency of the head and feather makes it a suitable addition to salads and vegetable dishes. The weight of one bulb reaches 28 grams, the variety ripens in one and a half months. The color of the head is yellow. Albik is a high-yielding variety; if agricultural practices are followed, it yields about 20 tons per hectare.

Shallot variety Vitamin. Pungent taste, with early dates maturation. Ideal for both greenhouse growing and open ground, is not afraid of frost, ripens in a month and a half. The vitamin variety is prone to lodging. The weight of the bulbs varies from 20 to 35 grams, are yellow in color, and taste juicy and crispy.

Early cascade. Shallots are two years old, have a sharp taste, bulb weight is up to 36 grams, ovoid in shape, light pink in color. An early-ripening and high-yielding variety produces about 17 tons of onion fruits per hectare and 35.5 tons of green “feather”.

Airat, mid-season high-yielding variety with a sharp taste. The head is small, 16g, and yields 1.7 kg per square meter. The husk is yellow or orange. The bulb produces up to 6 onions. Most often grown for greens.

Guarantee, variety with a mild taste, medium-hot. Planted on greens and on the head. Early Garant is characterized by excellent productivity, up to 25 tons per hectare. The 32 gram bulbs have a brown tint and ripen in two months. Used for table purposes and for preservation.

Sturdy. The variety is resistant to various types of putrefactive lesions. It shoots rarely, has a mild pungent taste and average yield (17 tons per hectare). The color is pale lilac. Suitable for marinating.

Bonnila F 1. Shallots are an annual plant, often grown by seeds for green plumes. You can harvest a good harvest from the plot, considering that you can get up to 1.6 kg per square meter. onion fruits. The bulbs have an average weight of 32 grams and ripen in two months. The nest consists of 4-5, oblong-rounded yellow bulbs. High keeping quality variety.

Kharkovskaya Kushchevka. A variety for universal table use, ripens quickly, yields about 2 kg. fruits per hectare. The bulbs are oblong oval, brown or light purple in color, weighing 28 grams.

Siberian amber. Late ripening variety, medium-sharp taste and weighing 27 g. The bulbous nest forms up to 5-8 onion teeth. The color of the fruit scales is orange. The yield per hectare is about 18 tons. Not afraid of cold weather, resistant to putrefactive diseases. Has a table purpose.

Guran. A perennial variety with a medium-sharp taste and medium ripening time. Bulbs weighing up to 28 grams, scale color brown, gray or light orange. One bulb can produce 6 daughter bulbs, and the yield is up to 2 kg. from the "square".

Semi-sharp taste of the variety, fast deadlines ripening and good yields make Kuban onions leaders in demand. Yellow shallots ripen in two months and produce up to 5 large onions. Productivity varies from 16 to 28 tons per hectare. The color of the bulbs is predominantly yellow, the inside of the fruit is white, the taste is mildly spicy, crispy. The variety stores well.

Shallot Sophocles. Fruitful, sharp, stable. The bulbs are medium and large in size, weighing about 52 g. It matures completely in one and a half months. The bulbs are red and brownish-red in color, with a purple core that has a pungent taste. Up to 7-9 bulbs develop in the nest. Grows well in any soil and produces impressive yields, with minimum costs for agricultural technology.

Shallot Family. Resistant to frost and disease, it ripens early and gains a weight of about 25 grams. Up to 5 medium-sized bulbs develop in the bulb nest. The mild taste of onions fits perfectly into salads and vegetable dishes.

Shallot Sir 7. It has good keeping quality and average yield. Suitable for growing in the northern regions of the country. It is characterized by early ripening and produces up to 8 bulbs per nest. You can get about 18 tons of onions per hectare.

In addition to the above varieties of shallots, there are such red shallots as the Starorussky variety, white shallots variety Royal, yellow shallot variety Old Believer, purple shallot Sorokozubka, brown or brown shallot Andreyka. All varieties have excellent taste and can diversify your diet.

Harvesting and storing shallots

Harvesting shallots begins from the moment the upper tier of the plant (leaves) dries out. Ripe bulbs are dug up in August, trying not to disturb the integrity of the fruit.

Before harvesting for storage, the dug crop is dried and the dry tops are cut off. The bulbs are inspected for damage, sorted and laid out in wooden boxes or boxes.

Store shallots in a cool, dark place with low humidity.

Heirloom onions (shallots) are a cold-resistant plant. If you dry the bulbs well, they will not lose their viability even when frozen. However, it is necessary to avoid repeated freezing and thawing of the bulbs, as this can lead to their rotting. In addition, shallots are moisture- and light-loving and require regular watering, especially at the beginning of development.

Heirloom shallots

The root system of the crop is quite weak, with the bulk of the roots located in top layer soil, which is very important when loosening the soil - you need to be careful not to damage root system. This onion also loves loose and fertile soils with a neutral reaction. In acidic soil, family onions will turn yellow early and the bulbs will become small. It is advisable to plant shallots in beds where tomatoes, cucumbers or potatoes previously grew. Having removed the crops preceding the onions, the soil in the garden bed should be dug up using a spade - this is about 15–20 cm. Apply organic or mineral fertilizers to the soil. If groundwater is close to the site, you will have to plant the plant on a raised bed.

When choosing seed material, pay attention to its condition: the bulbs should not be damaged by diseases or pests; it is important to sort the seed material before planting. You also need to divide the planting material by size, which will determine the crop planting pattern. The distance between the rows of family onions should be approximately 30 cm, between plants when using small fraction bulbs - approximately 10 cm, medium - about 15 cm and large - up to 30 cm.

Very important stage– preparation for planting onions. 7–10 days before planting, be sure to warm the bulbs at a temperature of +40 °C for at least 8 hours. This will reduce the risk of diseases. Immediately before planting, you need to soak the bulbs in water for 24 hours. warm water(no more than +30 °C). And to avoid the appearance, treat the seed material in a solution of potassium permanganate (prepare a mixture of 1 g of potassium permanganate in 2 liters of water).

It is best to plant heirloom onions in early spring, for example, at the end of April. The formation of the bulb should occur during a long daylight hours (about 15 hours). If you plant the plant later, when daylight hours decrease, this can lead to the fact that the bulbs do not ripen and, as a result, will not be stored for a long time. In addition, in early spring there is still enough moisture in the soil, and the average temperature, which reaches about +8 °C, is ideal for the growth of the root system. If planted early, seedlings will appear in just 2 weeks.

Planting heirloom onions in early spring

With later planting, at a time when the soil dries out quickly and the temperature exceeds +15 °C, the growth of green mass exceeds the growth of the root system. In this case, there is a high probability that the bulbs simply will not ripen and cannot be stored. In addition, if planted late, the first shoots will appear only after a month; the plant itself will suffer from a lack of micronutrients and moisture. In order for the bulbs to take root better in the soil, they need to be planted to a depth of no more than 5 cm. The layer of soil above the seed itself should be approximately 3 cm. If the onions are buried too deeply in the soil, this can lead to slower growth and emergence of seedlings.

Some people choose to plant shallots in the fall. The benefits include:

No need for winter storage of bulbs;
Plants that take root in winter make the most efficient use of spring moisture reserves in the soil.
The bulbs ripen about 10 days earlier than during spring planting.
You can harvest greens after June 15th.

During active growth, it is necessary to frequently loosen and. On average, heirloom onions require about three waterings in the spring, especially in dry weather. If the crop lacks moisture and nutrients, the green mass will begin to grow more slowly, and the bulbs will be very small and unsuitable for storage. Don't forget about feeding. In mid-June, add a solution of manure or bird droppings to the soil. As an alternative, you can use complex mineral fertilizers - about 40–50 g per bucket of water.

After feeding the plants, be sure to water the beds with water. Throughout the growing season, you need to loosen the beds, especially during the growth of leaves, which will destroy pest eggs. Be sure to break out the arrows before they reach a length of 10 cm. Otherwise, the green mass will begin to grow and the yield of bulbs will be significantly reduced. At the beginning of July, you need to standardize the bulbs in the nest: carefully rake the soil away from the plants and completely remove all the shoots, leaving only 3 or 4 feathers. This will make the bulbs larger. Also in July, try not to feed the beds with fertilizers high in nitrogen, and also reduce the amount of watering. This is necessary to prevent the onions from sprouting in winter.

The main signal for the need for cleaning is lodging of leaves. If you delay harvesting, this will lead to a decrease in crop shelf life and yield.

If you have chosen early ripening varieties for planting, then it is better to start harvesting at the end of July. Mid-season and mid-late varieties are harvested in the first ten days of August. After harvesting, leave the bulbs to ripen in the garden for at least a few days.

Dry leaves can then be very quickly separated from the bulbs by hand; some housewives braid them for convenient hanging storage. It is best to store onion family at temperatures from zero to +10 °C and at a humidity of 70%. Seed material should be stored at a temperature of +20 °C in a dark basement.