One of the first vegetables cultivated by humans is onions. His homeland is the region of South-West Asia. The first evidence of the use of onions in food and its use as a medicine in this territory is more than six thousand years old. One of the varieties of onions is the Yalta onion.
What is this bow?
Onion "Yalta" differs from its fellow family members in several ways, such as shape, structure, color, taste. This variety has a more flattened shape, even, rather, flat. Its layers are wider and more juicy. The bitter taste characteristic of an ordinary onion is absent. Moreover, the taste has a sweet shade. And, of course, the
trademark of onions grown on the Crimean peninsula is its rich purple color.
Unlike cousins of hot varieties, which must be cooked before eating, this onion can be eaten raw. Very well able to complement all kinds of salads, meat and vegetable slices "Yalta" onions. Useful properties will be significantly lost during heat treatment. Therefore, it should be consumed fresh. The beneficial properties that this vegetable crop has been known for a long time. It will help replenish the supply of most vitamins and minerals. This vegetable crop increases appetite and normalizes the water-salt balance. This onion is included in the diet for the prevention and treatment of many diseases.
A bit of history
According to official information, onion "Yalta", in fact, was brought to the Crimean peninsula from other regions of the world. Subsequently, this species was created from the source material by crossing several varieties.
By the mid-nineteenth century, the Crimean peninsula turns into an elite resort area. An increasing number of Russian aristocrats are building estates and palaces on the coast. At the same time, the laying of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden is underway.
Exotic plants from around the world flock to Crimea, including from Portugal. Along with several varieties of sweet Spanish onions, two varieties fall here - “Maderasky flat” and “Maderasky round”, on the basis of which the famous variety “Yalta” (onion) was created. The beneficial properties of this vegetable crop have become universally recognized.
In the thirties of the last century, the predecessor of the modern onion "Yalta" was called "sweet Crimean". He had a number of shortcomings that were eliminated during the selection process. An increase in shelf life was achieved and the color changed.
Crimean souvenir
Who rested in the Crimea, he certainly as a presentation took away the bundles of bright purple onions. And this is not surprising. On the market in any city you can find onions of purple color, which is offered as "Yalta". There are several varieties of foreign and domestic selection of this vegetable crop having a similar color. However, this vegetable product is significantly different from the Crimean. How to distinguish "Yalta" bow from a fake? This can be done on several characteristic grounds.
You should pay attention to the integumentary scales of the turnip. They have a purple or pink color. The juicy part of this vegetable crop is white or pink. The shape of the onion is rounded flat. Its thickness is from five to seven centimeters. You should also know that a real Crimean vegetable cannot be purchased at the end of the winter period. Only five months is stored "Yalta" onions.
Growing
Currently, the bulk of the production of onion "Yalta" falls on the private sector. Both seed and commercial material is produced, ready for sale harvested. Due to the increasing demand for Yalta onions and the inability of the private sector to expand the seed production network, lower-quality vegetable products began to appear in large quantities. So, there may be varieties that differ in color intensity, juiciness and thickness of the scales, as well as with a more pronounced sharpness of the bulbs. This leads to a decrease in the commodity value of the final product.
Currently, there is an urgent issue of maintaining the purebred variety of the "Yalta" onion. This is mainly due to growing technology. Onion seeds "Yalta" are grown in closed ground using seedling technology. This technology is manual and very laborious. It is very difficult to recreate all the necessary growing conditions at the required level outside of special seed farms. Nevertheless, it is possible to get a crop of a sufficiently high quality at home.
Growing in the autumn
Planting onions in the fall gives certain advantages in terms of crop ripening. But planting onions in the winter is fraught with some difficulties.
Landing should be planted in October, focusing on a long-term weather forecast. Before the onset of the first frosts, the root system of the onion must be sufficiently formed. But too early landing can provoke emergence of shoots even before the onset of cold weather. This may result in loss of the entire crop.
Planting onions in the fall should be done in carefully prepared soil. The bed should be located in a well-lit place. The soil must be cleaned of the roots of weeds, disinfected and fertilized.
Before the onset of frost, it is necessary to provide crops with additional protection. This can be achieved by sprinkling sowing with a two-three-centimeter layer of sawdust or peat.
Seedling method of growing
Onion "Yalta" refers to the late varieties. Five months are required from the moment of planting until the commodity turnip has fully ripened. When sowing seeds directly into the soil, the quality of the crop decreases. Also, in regions with a short summer period, cultivation is almost impossible. The two-year method is fraught with certain difficulties. Onion sets are poorly stored. Onions grown in this way have a sharper taste. Seedling method allows to solve these problems.
Sowing dates
In order to ensure the necessary run, sowing of seeds begins in the second half of February. Ready seedlings are planted in the ground at the age of fifty or sixty days. When sowing seeds at specified times, plants are planted in open ground in late April - early May.
Seedling growing technology
How to grow onions in winter? Planting material can be obtained at home, in greenhouses or greenhouses. For growing seedlings at home, plastic containers or wooden boxes are suitable.
They are filled with specially prepared soil. The composition of the soil is as follows:
- 1 part of turf land;
- 1 part humus;
- 80 grams of complex mineral fertilizer.
The soil layer in the tank should be at least fifteen centimeters. Before sowing the seeds should be soaked. The wet processing time is at least twenty hours. Such treatment will increase the seed germination.
After processing, the seeds are dried. In containers moisten the soil and form grooves. They sow seeds. Sowing should not be thickened. Seeds are placed at a distance of one centimeter. Sowing grooves sprinkled with humus. Then the soil is compacted and sprinkled with clean sand. Gently watered and covered with a film. Sowing containers are placed in places with a temperature of at least twenty degrees Celsius. The first shoots appear after seven days.
Seedling Care
For successful cultivation of planting material, the temperature and light conditions should be observed. It is necessary to illuminate with fluorescent lamps. The optimum cultivation temperature is eighteen degrees Celsius. It is also necessary to produce moderate watering and regular feeding.
Planting stock is hardened a week before planting in open ground. A bed is prepared in advance, where they will place the "Yalta" onion. Outdoor cultivation will be discussed later.
Open onion
In a phase of three or four well-formed leaves, seedlings are ready for transplanting. Tanks with plants are watered carefully so as not to damage the leaf part. Plants are extracted from seedlings. Shorten the root and leaf parts. Planting stock is ready for planting.
Plants are planted in the same way as when planted by seed. The landing depth is four centimeters. To obtain a quality crop, constant care of the beds will be required. The growing technology provides for continuous loosening of the soil, removal of weeds, regular top dressing and the fight against diseases and pests. Particular attention is paid to watering. During the ripening period, daily watering of plants is required. However, even subject to all growing conditions, the yield obtained will slightly differ from the real "Yalta" onions. The quality of the vegetable crop is influenced by the climatic features of the zone. With a lack of heat and a certain soil composition, the turnip will change its basic taste.