Onion "Yalta": description, cultivation, care, useful properties

To one of the first vegetables cultivated by man, it is possible to carry a onion. His homeland is the region of South-West Asia. The first evidence of using onions in food and using it as a medicinal product in this area for more than six thousand years. One of the varieties of onion is the onion "Yalta".

What is this onion?

Onion "Yalta" differs from its fellow-members in the family on several grounds, such as shape, texture, color, taste. This variety has a more flattened shape, even, rather, flat. Its layers are broader and juicy. The bitter taste inherent in the common onion is absent. Moreover, there is a sweet tint in the taste. And, of course, the trademark of the onion grown on the Crimean peninsula is its rich purple color.

Unlike the brothers of acute varieties, which must be heat treated before consumption, this onion can be eaten raw. Very good can complement all kinds of salads, meat and vegetable sliced "Yalta" onions. Useful properties will be significantly lost during heat treatment. Therefore, it should be eaten fresh. Useful properties, which has this vegetable culture, are known from ancient times. It will help to fill the stock of most vitamins and minerals. This vegetable culture increases appetite and normalizes the water-salt balance. In the diet include this onion for the prevention and treatment of many diseases.

A bit of history

According to official information, the bow "Yalta", in fact, was brought to the Crimean peninsula from other regions of the world. Subsequently, from the source material, this species was created by crossing several varieties.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the peninsula Crimea is becoming an elite resort area. An increasing number of Russian aristocrats are building estates and palaces on the coast. At the same time, the Nikitsky Botanical Garden is being laid.

Exotic plants from all over the world flock to Crimea, including from Portugal. Together with several varieties of sweet Spanish onion, there are two varieties here - "Madera flat" and "Madera round", on the basis of which the famous "Yalta" (onion) variety was created. Useful properties of this vegetable culture 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 in the selection process. An increase in shelf life was achieved and the color was changed.

Crimean souvenir

Who rested in the Crimea, he certainly took as a presentation bundles of bright purple onions. And this is not surprising. On the market in any city you can find a bow of purple color, which is offered as "Yalta". There are several varieties of foreign and domestic selection of this vegetable culture, having a similar color. However, this vegetable production differs significantly from the Crimean one. How to distinguish "Yalta" onions from forgery? This can be done according to several characteristic features.

You should pay attention to the cover flakes of the turnip. They have a purple or pink color. The juicy part of this vegetable culture is white or pink. The shape of the onion is round-flat. Its thickness is from five to seven centimeters. You should also know that a real Crimean vegetable can not be purchased at the end of the winter season. Only five months are stored "Yalta" onions.

Cultivation

Currently, the bulk of the production of onion "Yalta" belongs to the private sector. Produced as seed material, and commodity, ready for sale harvested crop. In connection with the increased demand for onion Yalta and the inability of the private sector to expand the seed-growing network, vegetable products of lower quality began to appear massively. So, there may be varieties, different in intensity of color, succulence and thickness of scales, as well as with more pronounced acuity of bulbs. This leads to a decrease in the commodity value of the final product.

At the present time, the issue of preserving the thoroughbredness of the Yalta onion variety is acute. This is mainly due to the technology of cultivation. Seeds of onion "Yalta" are grown in the premises of the closed soil according to the seeding technology. This technology is manual and very labor intensive. It is very difficult to recreate all the necessary growing conditions at the required level outside special seed farms. But nevertheless, it is possible to get a sufficiently high quality crop at home.

Cultivation in the autumn period

Landing onions in autumn gives certain advantages in terms of the maturation of the crop. But landing onions for the winter is associated with some difficulties.

Seeding is necessary in October, focusing on a long-term weather forecast. Before the onset of the first frost, the root system of the onion must be sufficiently formed. But too early planting can trigger the emergence of seedlings before the onset of cold weather. This can lead to loss of the entire crop.

Landing onions in autumn should be made in carefully prepared soil. The bed should be located in a well-lit place. Soil must be cleared from the roots of weed plants, disinfected and fertilized.

Before the onset of frost, additional protection must be provided to the crops. This can be achieved by sprinkling a two-three-centimeter layer of sawdust or peat.

Seedlings cultivation method

Onions "Yalta" refers to late varieties. Before the full ripening of the commodity turnip from the moment of planting, it takes five months. When sowing seeds directly into the soil, the quality of the crop decreases. Also in regions with a short summer period, growing is almost impossible. The two-year method involves certain difficulties. Onions are badly stored. Onions grown in this way have a more acute taste. The sealed method allows to solve these problems.

Terms of sowing

In order to ensure the necessary race, seeds sowing begin in the second half of February. Ready seedlings are planted in the soil at the age of fifty or sixty days. When sowing seeds in the specified time, the plants are planted in the open ground in late April - early May.

Technology of growing seedlings

How to grow onions in winter? Planting material can be obtained at home, in greenhouses or greenhouses. Plastic containers or wooden boxes are suitable for growing seedlings at home.

They are filled with specially prepared soil. Soil composition is as follows:

- 1 part of sod land;

- 1 part of humus;

- 80 grams of complex mineral fertilizer.

The soil layer in the tank should be no less than fifteen centimeters. Before sowing the seeds should be soaked. The time of wet processing is at least twenty hours. This treatment will increase the germination capacity of the inoculum.

After processing, the seeds are dried. In containers, moisten the soil and form grooves. Seeds are sown in them. Sowing should not be thickened. Seeds are located at a distance of one centimeter. The sowing grooves are sprinkled with humus. Next, the soil is compacted and sprinkled with clean sand. Gently watered and covered with a film. Seed containers are placed in places with a temperature of at least twenty degrees Celsius. The first shoots appear after seven days.

Care of seedlings

To successfully grow the planting material, you must observe the temperature and light conditions. It is necessary to illuminate with fluorescent lamps. The optimal temperature of cultivation is eighteen degrees Celsius. It is also necessary to produce moderate watering and regular feeding.

Planting material for the week before the landing in the open ground is quenched. Pre-prepare the garden, where they will place "Yalta" onions. Cultivation in the open ground will be considered further.

Onions in the open ground

In the phase of three or four well-formed leaves, the seedlings are ready for transplantation. Capacities with plants are watered carefully so as not to damage the leaf portion. Plants are extracted from the seedlings. Shorten the root and leaf parts. The planting material is ready for planting. Plants are placed in the same way as when planting with sowing. Depth of landing is four centimeters. To get a good harvest, you will need constant care of the beds. The technology of cultivation provides for constant loosening of the soil, removal of weeds, regular feeding and struggle against diseases and pests. Particular attention is paid to watering. During the ripening of the crop, daily watering of the plants will be required. However, even if all the growing conditions are met, the yield will be somewhat different from the real "Yalta" onions. The quality of the vegetable culture is influenced by the climatic characteristics of the zone. With a lack of heat and a certain composition of the soil, the turnip will change its basic taste qualities.