Transplanting perennial onions in the fall. Ornamental onion - planting and caring for allium, recommendations for growing. Is it possible to plant bulbs from containers in the garden

When can onion batun be transplanted?
All perennial types of onions, including batun, can be transplanted throughout August and the first decade of September. It is necessary to select the best plants for this purpose, dig them out carefully and divide them into the required number of parts so that each has at least two or three branches.

The main condition for growing onions, plantings in summer and autumn - the presence of a sufficient amount of moisture. Before planting, dry leaves should be removed from the delenki, and the roots should be shortened to two to two and a half centimeters. Planting in the holes should be carried out according to the scheme 45-50 x 20-30 cm. Plants should be deepened to the first leaf. When the onion has already been planted, the batun must be watered, giving each plant at least a liter of water.

When it is absorbed, the soil must be mulched. Onion batun takes root easily, after ten days, new leaves begin to form in it. By the beginning of cold weather, bulbous transplanted crops develop new branches 1-2. So they overwinter, and in early spring they grow rapidly.

In childhood, in the post-war years, on the edges of the flower garden, we grew onion bushes with thin, very tasty leaves.

Now I decided to start and start growing this variety of onions.

They sent me seeds, but bushes grew that tasted like onions and garlic, and the leaves were not like onions or garlic, but rather like narcissus.

Blooms like an onion. Over time, new ones grow in the soil next to the first bulb. What is this stranger?

Schnitt onion with its small, tubular, very tender leaves when young. Its slightly spicy greens can be used for salads, as a condiment from early spring to late autumn.

Now you have a slime onion growing. By the way, a very useful culture. There are more vitamins in it than in onion. Feather is rich in ascorbic acid, carotene, mineral salts, especially iron salts, which allows the plant to be useful in diseases of the hematopoietic organs.

It is used as a dietary salad vegetable and spice plant. The leaves are pleasant to the taste, not sharp, although they have a slightly garlicky aroma and flavor. Throughout the summer, they practically do not coarsen and do not lose their taste. Good in okroshka, cold soups, they can be eaten fresh, salted and dried. Fresh leaves and bulbs can be a seasoning for salads, an addition to the second meat dishes.

Growing onion slime in one place it is possible for about 5 years, and then the bushes grow old and lose productivity. It can be propagated by seeds and division of the bush. Staying in the garden in winter, he is practically not afraid of frost, although in a harsh winter a snow blanket or a blanket of garden leaves is desirable for him. The only thing that may seem unattractive in this culture is the name - slime. He received it, most likely, due to the fact that the leaves, when broken, secrete abundant mucus.

Storm bow.

Is it possible to get good yields of Buran onion in our region?
This variety of Burana onion has been zoned for more than three years. It is recommended to grow it in the northern, western and eastern regions of Russia. This variety was bred at an experimental breeding station, and has excellent characteristics in terms of yield, keeping quality and resistance to diseases. Its bulbs have a rounded shape, pungent taste. The color of their dry scales is golden, and the juicy scales are white.

Perennial bows are of particular value, but have not yet become widespread. They are unpretentious, frost-resistant, able to grow out from under the snow and give high-vitamin greens very early. In May and the first half of June, onion greens are the most valuable and cheapest source of vitamins.

Using different types, you can have nutritious onion greens all year round (using temporary film shelters and greenhouses). Perennial onion feathers can be obtained from early spring, when there are no vegetables in the open field, until late autumn, when other garden crops have already been harvested. Perennial onions have a very short dormant period, so in late autumn and winter they can be driven out in protected ground.

It is advisable to use plantations of perennial onions for cutting for no more than 4 years, after which a new site must be laid.

Batun is the best-known type of perennial onion, but I would advise growing it in an annual crop: sow annually in the spring in a small area, and dig up the whole next spring. With many years of use, the leaves of the batun quickly coarsen, and diseases (downy mildew) and pests accumulate at the place of cultivation.

Photo: perennial onion-batun

Planting perennial onions

For perennial onions, areas that are not flooded with melt water, well fertilized and lit are suitable. Ridges are suitable for planting, which are freed from snow earlier in the spring and warm up well.

It is better to sow seeds in early spring, so that by autumn the plants will get stronger and overwinter well. Already next year they can be cut or dug up entirely. Seeds are sown across the ridges, the distance between rows should be 25-30 cm. The seeds are buried in the soil by 2-3 cm. Consumption rate: 2.5-3.0 g of seeds per 1 sq. m or 1 g per 1 running meter.

Transplanting perennial onions

When transplanting perennial onions, old shoots can also be used to plant new plantations. For this, the plants are dug up and divided into branches. It is better to cut the roots during transplantation, leaving 8-10 cm. The shoots should be transplanted into well-watered grooves at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other.

Perennial Bow Care

Perennial bows do not require any special care. It is only necessary to cut the greens in time and provide them with watering and the necessary nutrition. Also, do not forget in the fall, when the leaves wither, clear the site of plant debris and loosen the aisles deeply.

On onion beds, you can use temporary film shelters - this will speed up the growth of plants by 10-15 days. It is better to install the arcs in the fall, and in the first days of April, still in the snow, pull a film over them. With such agricultural technology, on April 20-25, green onions will be ready for use.

Top dressing of perennial onions

In autumn, onion planting sites are recommended to apply organic fertilizer (manure or compost) at the rate of 10-12 kg per 1 sq. m. Of the mineral fertilizers in the fall, superphosphate and potassium salt work well, the consumption rate is 20-30 g per 1 sq. km. m.

In the spring, as soon as the soil dries out, onion ridges are fed with mineral fertilizers: 20-30 g per 1 sq. m of ammonium nitrate, potassium chloride and superphosphate.

Cutting perennial onions

During the summer, onions can be cut 3-4 times. The last time - no later than August 15-25. After each cut, the plants need to be watered and fed. If the bow was not cut and it began to shoot, then the arrows must be cut and thrown away, the soil should be loosened. To speed up the growth of leaves, onions will need additional watering and top dressing.

Collection of onion seeds

Leaves should not be cut from plants left to seed. Inflorescences are harvested when the upper boxes begin to open. They are put in gauze bags and hung up to dry. After collecting the seeds, the arrows and leaves are cut and removed from the site.

No national cuisine can do without onions and garlic. If you regularly eat these healthy vegetables, it's time to expand the range of grown species and plant other members of the onion family in the garden. (Alliaceae), with spicy taste and aroma. Leek, shallot, batun, multi-tiered, chives, slime, fragrant (branched), and other relatives of onions are unpretentious and very healthy. They require very little space, and in return for your care, they will reward you with a generous harvest. It is best to avoid seeding perennial onions in the garden, as sometimes they can even turn into weeds.

During off-season, onions can be “driven out” on the windowsill, they will make your winter menu more varied and nutritious.

Site selection, soil. Onions grow best in loose fertile soils. Their thin roots struggle to make their way inside heavy clay soils, and in poor soils, plants simply starve. Therefore, if the land on your site leaves much to be desired, before planting onions, you need to add a lot of compost (at least 10 kg / m2) and loosen the garden bed for onions deeply and carefully with garden pitchforks. A complete mineral fertilizer with microelements is also applied in accordance with the agrochemical characteristics of the soil.

Landing. The planting material of onions is shallot bulbs, divisions of bushes of perennial species, bulbs and, of course, seedlings (seedlings). Perennials can be divided and repotted in spring and early fall.

Growing seedlings. Seeds for seedlings are sown in protected ground 8-10 weeks before planting in open ground, or in a nursery in open ground as soon as possible. In most regions of Russia, onion seedlings are recommended to be planted in spring three weeks before the date of the latest frost (according to long-term average meteorological indicators).

Sowing is carried out in boxes with a nutrient soil mixture for seedlings, which are placed on a windowsill in a ventilated room. The soil mixture is constantly kept moist. Seedlings can be transplanted into open ground when they reach half the length of a standard pencil, but larger seedlings are more convenient to plant, so do not rush to plant, you need to prepare the bed well. Seedlings are planted in grooves 12-16 cm deep, with a distance between plants in a row of 10-15 cm. Seedlings are lightly spudded.

Care. During the first 45 days after planting, a bed with onions will have to be weeded 2-3 times. Onions take root slowly, and during this period they cannot compete with fast-growing weeds. You can mulch the surface of the ridges with a thin layer of peat, wood chips or chopped straw, and there will be less problems with weeds. In addition, mulch helps retain soil moisture, but in this case it will be necessary to increase the dose of nitrogen fertilizers.

At the beginning of the growing season of onions, the soil should be constantly kept moist, frequent watering in small doses is preferable. Sudden changes in soil moisture can cause chlorosis and leaf necrosis. Plants are recommended to be fed once every two weeks, preferably with a solution of mineral fertilizers or mullein infusion.

Leek (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum) stands out in the garden with a regal posture. Important advantages of this species are simple agricultural technology and resistance to pests and diseases. Great soups, dietary vegetable dishes and gourmet delicacies are prepared from leeks. “Legs” are cut into rings and fried in butter or olive oil. This is a great addition to stews, soups, filling for pies. Tender young leeks can be deep-fried or grilled.

Leek products are well stored in the refrigerator in perforated plastic film bags for 2-3 months.

Leek is a crop with a long growing season (more than 130 days), therefore, in the temperate zone, it is grown mainly from seedlings. There are a lot of varieties, they differ in precocity, leaf color, length and diameter of the stem. Plants are edible at any stage of development, so they can be harvested as needed (young plants are more tender and tasty).

Before planting leek seedlings, the tops of the leaves and the tips of the roots are cut off from seedlings by 1.5-2 cm to stimulate growth processes. To obtain high-quality products with bleached false stems, each plant is hilled from all sides or covered with mulch material, as if it had grown through loose soil. This technique is called bleaching. Plants stretch towards the sun, the length of the "leg" increases, and the etiolated bases of the leaves, forming a false stem, are more tender.

The taste qualities of winter varieties increase when harvested in late autumn or even after overwintering. In recent years, there has been a long, warm autumn in central Russia, and leeks can be harvested almost until December - the value of this living, vitamin-rich product cannot be underestimated. Extend the harvesting season of cold hardy leeks by covering the plants with 6-8 cm of straw before the first hard frost. Just do not forget that if the air temperature drops below + 10 ° C, the plants may freeze slightly, and it will be problematic to remove them.

After harvesting the leeks, cut off the roots and tops of the leaves so that about 5 cm remains above the bleached part. This can be done right in the garden, leaving the cut leaves and roots in the compost heap. In the spring, the leek will need to be removed before the arrows appear inside the false stem, because with the development of the peduncle, the base of the leaves becomes thinner and coarser.

Shallot ( Alliumsulfur Aggregatum Group) is versatile in culinary use, it is added to stews, fried, grilled dishes, dried and frozen. It is the shallot that gives the unusual taste to the aspic. It is softer than onion and blends better with other products.

Modern varieties of shallots can be grown not only from bulbs, but also from seeds through seedlings. The easiest way is to plant small bulbs in a loose fertile bed in early spring. Note that in soils rich in organic matter and nutrients (especially nitrogen), plants will develop larger, with beautiful, intense green leaves, but the aroma will be weaker. The tops of the bulbs during planting remain at the level of the surface of the ridge, which must be mulched. Bulb nests will form during the summer. In the southern regions, vegetable growers can plant shallots before winter for harvest next summer.

At present, varieties of the French type have appeared - Matador And Ambition, which grow rapidly and form nests of 5-8 rounded, rather large bulbs.

Remove the shallots when the leaves are 3/4 dry. Dry the bulbs in a well-ventilated area until the necks are dry and thin. Shallots keep well in a cold (below +5°C) dry place.

(Allium cepa Proliferum Group). In other countries it is called the Egyptian or walking bow. Several tiers of small onions - bulbs - are formed on the stem. The height of the arrow to the first tier is 60-80 cm, the largest bulbs are formed on it, up to 2 cm in diameter. They germinate immediately, and the leaves reach a length of 10-15 cm. Under the weight of the bulbs, the stems fall to the ground, and the bulbs get the opportunity to take root at a distance from the mother bulb, this is how the settlement of this bow occurs. By planting a multi-tiered onion, you can observe this in your garden. Underground bulbs are large, form nests and are very similar to onions, but do not ripen and are poorly stored. The leaves are dark green, fistulate, 30-35 cm long, about 1 cm in diameter. They are very tender, juicy and tasty, for which multi-tiered onions are valued.

Plant a multi-tiered onion in the fall, cut the leaves in the spring and remove the bulbs when the leaves begin to dry out - from mid-summer to autumn. For planting, you can use freshly picked bulbs, but you can let the bulbs take root and grow, and then transplant them to a new place with a clod of earth.

If the bulbs need to be stored, they are well dried without separating, and stored in dry, unheated rooms, where there are no sharp temperature fluctuations.

In the first year after planting bulbs of the 1st tier, large bulbs grow, with a diameter of 3 to 7 cm, in the second year they intensively divide, forming a nest of smaller bulbs, which also divide next year.

With good plant care during the season, you can get 3-4 crops of excellent greens. Multi-tiered onions are successfully used for forcing in protected ground; they are less demanding on lighting conditions than onions, have practically no dormant period and grow quickly. The duration of distillation, depending on the conditions, is 25-40 days. Many amateur vegetable growers grow multi-tiered onions in autumn and winter on the windowsill in containers (30x15x12 cm) from both bulbs and small underground bulbs.

perennial bows

Most types of onions are grown for greens in an annual or biennial crop, but many species are better established as perennials, consistently yielding leaf yields year after year with minimal care.

Early spring, when nothing has grown in the garden yet, is the crown time of perennial onions. It is necessary to collect leaves of different types, finely chop - the smaller, the better the nutrients are absorbed - and add to soups, salads, sprinkle side dishes on top. In very small quantities, they bring great benefits to our body, which really needs vitamins and sunlight after a long winter. Flowers can be used to decorate dishes and as a spicy seasoning.

When grown in a perennial culture, onion leaves begin to be cut from the second year of life, as they grow. Cut the leaves while they are young and juicy, it is at this time that they contain the most biologically active substances and mineral salts.

You can plant divisions of these onions or grow seedlings. New varieties are usually grown from seed.

With intensive cutting, planting of perennial onions is used for 3-4 years (only 5-6 years of life), then it is better to renew the plantation. Plant care should ensure successful overwintering, friendly regrowth and rapid leaf growth. In the spring, the site should be cleared of plant residues and deeply loosened. During the period of leaf regrowth, a complete mineral fertilizer with microelements is applied at the rate for soils with an average supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium according to the active substance N60P40K80. At the end of summer, fertilizing with phosphorus and potash fertilizers is carried out so that the plants are well prepared for winter.

(Allium fistulosum L.) is traditionally used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. In our country, it is also found in any garden called winter onions.

Batun is most often propagated by dividing the bush - the bush is dug up, cut with a sharp knife into divisions with several bulbs and transplanted. You can, without digging up a bush, carefully separate the side shoots from its outer side and plant them in a new place. Batun can be grown on greens from seeds that are sown in spring or summer right in the garden. Approximately 2.5 months after the emergence of seedlings, the plants will reach commercial size (height of at least 25 cm), and they can be harvested on a bunch with roots, thus thinning the crops. Keep in mind that the leaves quickly begin to coarsen.

In the second year of life, usually 2 months after spring regrowth, flower stalks are formed, however, young arrows are quite tender, and they can be cut into salads along with the leaves. Batun blooms in mid-June, seeds ripen in July. At the end of summer, the second wave of leaf growth begins, in some years a secondary flowering of plants occurs, though not as plentiful as in spring.

chives ( Alium schoenoprasum L.) with thin dark green leaves and a strong onion aroma is grown as a vegetable, ornamental, medicinal and honey plant. It is not picky about growing conditions and is easy to cultivate. The bush is very dense, reminiscent of the turf of cereals.

In terms of quantity and composition of vitamins, chives are one of the most valuable vegetable onions. It is indispensable for the northern regions, where the set of vegetable crops is limited.

The leaves are small, delicate, fragrant; used as a seasoning for soups, meat, fish and vegetable dishes, to increase the vitamin value, digestibility of food, as well as to decorate dishes. This is a crop for year-round greenery, since the plants do not have a period of deep dormancy, they can be grown in autumn and winter. Fast-growing chives are the most suitable type of onion for salad lines of modern greenhouse complexes.

Chives grow quickly in early spring, branch strongly and produce a large green mass, which can be cut as early as 2.5-3 weeks after the start of the growing season. The cutting period is short, as the leaves quickly coarsen.

Flowering chives are very decorative with an abundance of bright green, awl-shaped leaves and oval buds that range in color from white to silvery pink to reddish purple. Very effective when planting in large curtains. When dried, the flowers become pinkish-pearl and are used for winter bouquets. After the seeds ripen at the end of summer, a second wave of leaf growth is observed.

Schnitt is widely used in Western Europe as a seasonal pot plant. For pot culture, the seeds are sown thickened, in wide stripes, in fertile soil (it is possible in a layer of substrate 10-15 cm thick in a pan or on an underlying film). A year later, a dense turf is formed. In autumn, they dig it up, cutting the roots at a depth of about 10 cm, then cut it into small blocks, transplant it into pots and use it for cutting at room culture.

Chives are usually not transplanted for 4-6 years, but no more, since later the sod becomes very dense, the plants oppress each other and the yield decreases.

Or drooping (Allium nutans L.) is valued as a food, medicinal, ornamental and honey plant. Its leaves are tender, juicy, do not coarsen for a long time, mucus is plentifully released on the sections. They contain mineral salts important for the human body, this onion is especially rich in iron and therefore useful for anemia.

Slizun onion is a relatively unpretentious perennial winter-hardy plant with a high adaptive capacity. Young leaves grow constantly, almost throughout the year, with a forced break in winter and a maximum growth in spring and early summer. In the spring (immediately after the snow melts), last year's leaves first start to grow, and only then new ones appear. A valuable property is that the leaves do not coarsen and retain high taste qualities during almost the entire growing season. In central Russia, the slizun onion blooms in the second half of July. Seeds ripen in late August - early September.

The slime has a powerful horizontal rhizome 1.5-2.0 cm thick with a pronounced age dissection. On the 6-7th year of life, the number of renewal shoots decreases and, due to the death of rhizome sections, the plant is divided into several daughter individuals.

Slizun onion reproduces well by seeds and vegetatively. Planting annual seedlings has advantages over dividing the bush. It is less labor intensive and the plants are more productive. It is better to start cutting leaves from the age of 3. They are cut at a length of at least 25 cm. During the summer, 3 cuts can be made, the last one - no later than the beginning of August, since the plants need to get stronger before the onset of cold weather. Cutting enhances branching and accelerates the aging process of plants. The leaf can be cut constantly, as needed.

Or branched (Allium odorum syn. A. ramosum, A. tuberosum listen)) is a popular green crop in Japan, China. It has narrow flat dark green leaves with a pleasant taste and slightly garlicky aroma, as well as fragrant snow-white flowers. Allspice is used mainly fresh, since up to 80% of vitamin C is lost during processing, but it can be added to canned food and even salted for the winter.

This is a heat-loving, relatively drought-resistant plant, which at the same time tolerates frosts down to -45 ° C in winter even with little snow cover. In spring, fragrant onions grow much later than other types of onions. The optimum temperature for the development of fragrant onion plants is + 20 ° C, but it also grows normally at lower temperatures in the temperate climate zone.

Flowering begins after the spring-summer wave of leaf growth, usually in July, and lasts until the onset of cold weather - new flower stalks appear one after another. Fragrant onion is an excellent honey plant, and the honey obtained from it does not have an onion smell. During flowering, bees and butterflies flock to fragrant onion umbrellas in abundance.

Propagated by seeds and division of the bush. The rhizome (outwardly similar to the rhizome of the bearded iris) branches quite strongly, forming dense curtains. Thick roots extend from the bottom of the rhizome and penetrate deep into the soil. The seeds are large (weight of 1000 pieces up to 4.5 g), wrinkled, with a shiny surface.

In the first year of life, when grown from seeds, fragrant onions grow slowly. The process of formation and growth of leaves continues from spring to autumn, a new leaf appears every 8-10 days. Therefore, it is usually sown first on a small garden bed (hotbed), and then transplanted to a permanent place.

Onion leaves are very juicy and quickly lose their freshness, they can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2-3 days.

Less common perennial bows

There are a lot of such species, but ornamental species predominate among cultivated ones, we recommend two (or rather three) wonderful types of onions of universal use.

(Allium obliquum L.) is found in nature in the mountain ranges of Central Asia, in the south of Siberia, in the Urals, as well as in the Carpathians and Tatras. Botanists consider it a relic plant that appeared in the pre-glacial period.

Oblique onions deserve to be planted in a garden plot, 1-1.5 m 2 of loose fertile land is enough for him. In the spring, the scythe grows earlier than other onions, immediately after the snow melts, supplying a unique vitamin green containing up to 160 mg% of vitamin C! This vegetable, ornamental and medicinal plant adapts well to introduction in new environmental conditions and is successfully cultivated. In Southern Siberia and Altai, the local population collects onions in nature and breeds them in vegetable gardens. Early greens are used for food, as well as bulbs, which are mainly used for pickling or as spices for canning.

The bulbs are oval conical, 4-6 cm high and 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter, attached to a short rhizome. External dry scales are dense, membranous, their color varies from pinkish-yellow to brownish. Roots perennial, relatively thick, slightly branching. On the shoot, depending on age, 3-8 flat, linear, tapering to the top, folded along the central vein leaves are formed.

Oblique onion is an early ripening species: the duration of the growing season (from the regrowth of leaves in the spring to the ripening of seeds) is 100-115 days. When grown from seeds, onion plants start flowering in the 3rd year of life (single specimens in the 2nd year). The leaves grow intensively from spring to mid-June, then gradually begin to die off. Blossoms at the end of June, within 8-12 days. Seeds ripen in early August.

Onions are propagated by oblique seeds and division of bushes, however, the coefficient of vegetative reproduction is low, therefore seed reproduction prevails. Seeds are sown before winter, since germination is much lower during spring sowing. In the first year, the plants are grown in a nursery in a small area, then transplanted to a permanent place. When propagating by dividing the bush, the transplantation of daughter bulbs is carried out in September. Bulbs are planted, deepening them to 2-3 heights. Sunny dry areas are preferred. Plants are watered only during dry seasons.

The oblique onion is decorative and a good honey plant. Fluffy golden inflorescences-balls are suitable for bouquets. Umbrellas cut at the beginning of flowering stand in the water for about two weeks.

Cheremsha

Under the popular name "ramson" two close botanical species are combined: victorious onion and bear onion. The value of wild garlic as a food, vitamin, medicinal and spicy plant is widely known. Young shoots are eaten fresh, salted, pickled, pickled and dried.

(Allium victoris L.). Truncated-conical bulbs, 1-2 cm in diameter with reticulated brown shells, are attached to a developed rhizome. The leaf blade is green, broadly elliptical, 2-8 cm wide, departs from the petiole, which is 2-4 times shorter than it. The peduncle 30-60 cm high is covered with leaf sheaths by a third. The inflorescence is a spherical multi-flowered umbel. Flowers whitish-green or yellowish. Blooms in early June. The fruit is a spherical-triangular box.

(Allium ursinum L.). Elongated-oval bulbs with a diameter of about 1 cm with fibrous brown shells are attached to a developed rhizome. The leaf blade is bright green, oblong-elliptical in shape, 3-5 cm wide, with a pointed end. The petiole is equal to or 2 times shorter than the blade. Peduncle 15-40 cm high, inflorescence - tufted or hemispherical umbrella. The flowers are white. Blooms in late May - early June. The fruit is a spherical-triangular box.

The seeds of both species are round, black, with a dense shiny shell. They germinate only during winter sowing or after stratification for 80-100 days (temperature 0+3°C). Seeds stored at room temperature and sown in the spring will only germinate next spring.

Nutritional value, specific taste, vitamin properties of greens and unpretentiousness of plants make victorious and bearish onions promising for introduction into culture. For them, shaded places with loose and fairly fertile soil are chosen. The land under trees and large shrubs is usually empty or overgrown with common goutweed. Ramson is an ideal plant for such places, since it grows in early April, when the trees have not yet been covered with foliage, and by mid-July the above-ground part of the plants dies off.

The rhizomes and bulbs of wild garlic are located at a depth of 15-20 cm, so only loose, well-aerated, organic-rich soil is suitable for it. Plants are moisture-loving and require watering during dry periods. Ramson is sensitive to sodding with cereals, wheatgrass is especially dangerous: its rhizomes with sharp ends, growing, pierce the bulbs.

When you plant all these onions in your garden, you will certainly want to try out new culinary recipes with their participation. Here's an inspirational recipe we read in Organic Gardening magazine - try the following:

Chop the freshly picked leeks and shallots, heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions over low heat. When the kitchen fills with an appetizing aroma, go to the garden, see what you can collect, add it to the fried onions and bring the dish to readiness. Success is guaranteed.

» Onion varieties

Onion is not only a plant that is actively used in cooking. Botanists include more than six hundred species, including ornamental ones, to the genus Allium. They grow everywhere - both in Novaya Zemlya and in southern Africa. You can plant decorative varieties of onions in the country, flowerbed, in the garden. They are quite unpretentious, but at the same time they are distinguished by their original color, shape and long flowering period. Only from different varieties of such a flower can you create a so-called garden of continuous flowering. Today's article is about growing and planting decorative onions in the ground.

Ornamental onion varieties are attractive flowering plants of the most diverse species. There are both very tiny and fairly tall specimens.

Most types of such onions are perennial, that is, you do not have to buy seeds every year, grow seedlings or engage in picking.

In total, about 130 varieties of this flower are used in horticulture, and some of them are eaten. However, it is better to add table varieties to the salad, and decorate a bouquet or flower bed with decorative ones.

Because of which they are practically not used in floristry on their own, is the high content of essential oils with a specific smell. For the same reason, they are best grown outdoors. These flowers have long been used in landscape design:

• when forming alpine slides or stone gardens;
• when making borders or group plantings;
• for decorating garden lawns, parks;
• plants are used as dried flowers.

The most popular varieties of decorative onions

In horticulture, many varieties of such flora are used, as well as hybrids.. Among the popular species are chives, Aflatunsky, Karatavsky, Roseum, Christoph's onion.

• perfectly familiar to lovers of the first greenery. You can grow it both outdoors and at home, in pots. It reproduces very well and grows, looks very decorative. At the time of flowering, the leaves may turn yellow. In such cases, they must be cut off, and new ones will appear in a couple of days.
• – the most popular variety of decorative alliumaa. It is also known under the name of Dutch. Spherical inflorescences consist of small purple flowers.

In some countries, the wild Alfatun onion is on the verge of extinction. It is listed in the Red Book. The properties of the plant are comparable to ginseng.

• - a variety that looks especially good on mini-flower beds and alpine slides. Not tall but durable. Inflorescences can be purple, pink, cream.
• - a variety that is distinguished by pale pink flowers of a small size.
• - A popular ornamental variety used in large flower beds. The diameter of the balls, which consist of individual flowers, reaches 18-20 cm.

Landing rules in open ground

The plant is planted in autumn (early-flowering varieties), in September, or in spring (late-flowering varieties), in May or late April.

For ornamental onions, sunny areas are chosen - the more light, the more beautiful the color of the leaves and the richer the color of the buds.

Planting depth plays a role: on average, it should be two diameters of the bulbs. Between sprouts should be up to 0.5 m distance.

Blooming allium care

It is very important to provide such an onion with a sufficient amount of moisture during the growing season - without this, it ceases to expel leaves. Later, it practically does not need watering.

The plant does not need to be covered for the winter., and allium should be transplanted every four to five years.

The soil should be loose and neutral. It responds well to composting, loves potash fertilizers.

Alliums get along well with irises, peonies, delphiniums, poppies. During preparation for flowering, the leaves die off, but they cannot be cut off. With their help, plants accumulate nutrients in the bulb.

This onion propagates by bulbs, bulbs or seeds. It is better to separate overgrown bulbs in the fall, during transplantation. To collect seed material, the first inflorescences are used, and they must be allowed to completely fade.

To get a bright decorative flower from seeds, it is better to grow them in a separate garden bed in the first year, and collect bulbs at the end of the season. A full-fledged plant is thus obtained only after three years, and sometimes even after five years.

Diseases and pests of decorative onion flower

• Peronosporosis- Caused by fungi. Leaves and flowers turn yellow, dry out, in wet weather a purple bloom is noticeable on them. The reason may be too much nitrogen fertilizer, infection from other plants. The bulbs are treated with a fungicide before planting, and the diseased flowers and the soil around them are treated with Bordeaux liquid.
• Root mite, onion fly- these pests often infect alliums. To protect the plants, heat the bulbs up to 40 degrees for 12 hours before planting. Plants can be sprinkled with tobacco dust, ash, sprinkled with dichlorvos.

Application and combination with other plants in the outdoor garden

A flower is planted on alpine slides, in flower beds, stone gardens, used as a border. Giant blue or blue balloons are especially popular. Large varieties are used independently, while they should be planted at a great distance from each other. Small varieties can be planted side by side, "islands": this way they look more advantageous.

Since the leaves of alliums can dry out during the flowering period, it is better to plant undersized flowers next to them: delphiniums, hosts. Similar plants look very attractive next to lupins, poppies, peonies, irises, aquilegia. It is especially good to combine allium with perennials.

In landscape design, both single plants and groups are used. Tall sprouts are planted one at a time, creating color accents in certain areas. When planted in groups, a decorative bow creates colored spots.

By choosing varieties with different flowering periods, you can create a continuous flowering garden that will delight with bright inflorescences from mid-spring to late autumn.

Ornamental onion is an original plant with ball-shaped inflorescences. It is widely used to create colored bouquets, design flower beds or flower beds. Easy care and unpretentiousness make this perennial popular with gardeners and landscape designers.