Onions are grown on many farms, and one of the highest yielding species is Helenas. Golden fruits have excellent commercial characteristics, and plants are unpretentious in care. A detailed description of Helenas onions, crop cultivation methods and planting rules, as well as recommendations for the care of beds and harvesting tips are listed further in the article.

Description and characteristics of onions

In appearance, Helenas onion is not much different from other varieties of culture. But this variety is characterized by earlier ripening, high yields and unpretentiousness in care. All this makes it quite popular among gardeners, despite the unsatisfactory lightness of the bulbs. More details about the main characteristics of the variety - further in the article.

Botanical Description

Onion Helenas belongs to hybrid varieties. It was bred in the Netherlands in 2009 and is rapidly gaining popularity among gardeners. Plants are composed of the ground part and the underground tuber, located in the upper layers of the soil. Further in the article, a separate description of each of these parts is presented, as well as a characteristic of the set.

Did you know? Fresh onion juice applied to the bite of a bee or bumblebee helps quickly relieve swelling and eliminate pain.

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The Helenas onion variety is usually grown by gardeners to produce turnips, but its green leaves can also be eaten. The following are the main features of the appearance of feathers of plants of this variety:

• leaves are tubular, with moderately thick walls;
• the ground part of the plant is painted in a saturated green color;
• a thin layer of wax coating is visible on the feathers;
• each new leaf grows inside the other, forming the neck of the bulb;
• a new onion feather grows every 7 days;
• in late June, the plant produces a long (about 1 m) flower stalk with spherical inflorescence.

Sevka

Sevkom refers to small bulbs that are grown from seeds in the first year of plant cultivation. In the future, they are again used for planting, but from them a full-fledged large bulb already grows, which can be used as food.

• fruit diameter is not more than 3 cm;
• on the outside, the set is covered with a dense and smooth husk of golden color;
• on the bottom of the fruit is a bunch of filiform short roots, designed to absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil;
• The root system of the seed counts from 35 to 60 thin processes.

Luke

Onion Helenas attracts many gardeners precisely because of the high commercial quality of turnips. You can grow it in the first year, if you do not use crop seeds, but sowing for planting.

Description of the Helenas variety bulbs are presented below:

• the fruits have a regular round shape;
• the mass of one onion is 100–160 g;
• outside the tubers are covered with thin and smooth scales of golden or bronze color, tightly adjacent to each other;
• the neck of the bulb has an average thickness;
• on the lower part of the turnip there is a fibrous root system, consisting of 70–80 filiform processes up to 70 cm long;
• the pulp of the fruit consists of dense scales of white color with a slight green tint.

Ripening time

The formation of full Helenas bulbs usually takes 3–3.5 months. At the same time, the turnip maturation period largely depends on the time of planting the seedlings in the ground. If planting material was planted in the soil in spring, then harvesting Helenas onions should be done at the end of summer, and with autumn planting, bulbs can be eaten already in the second half of July.

Important! By the time of harvest, about 90% of the tubers are technically mature.

The yield of Helenas onions is high and amounts to 400-600 kg / ha.

Disease resistance

Subject to proper care and the selection of a suitable site for growing the crop, the onion variety Helenas shows good immunity to diseases and pests. But a significant drawback of these plants is that they react poorly to sudden changes in temperature and become more susceptible to fungal infections.

Taste qualities of the variety

Ripe Helenas bulbs can be used both fresh and for cooking a variety of dishes and canned preparations. Their flesh has a semi-sharp taste and exudes a characteristic onion smell. It also contains many substances that have a positive effect on the human body.

• The main beneficial properties of Helenas bulbs are listed below:
• helps prevent vitamin deficiency - the pulp of the fruit contains vitamins A, B, C, PP;
• strengthens the immune system;
• facilitates the condition of a person with viral diseases due to the presence of essential oils;
• destroys harmful microbes, because it contains volatile;
• increases hemoglobin as a result of a high iron content;
• strengthens the heart and blood vessels due to its high potassium content;
• accelerates metabolism and helps to eliminate toxins;
• helps to increase potency;
• relieves constipation;
• helps to get rid of insomnia;
• prevents the development of cancer;
• improves the condition of the skin and hair due to the content of carotene and zinc in the fruits.

Despite the long list of positive qualities, you need to use onions in moderation. The product has an unpleasant odor that persists for a long time after eating the fruit, and can also act as an irritant to the nervous system and mucous membrane of the digestive system.

• Bulbs are forbidden to eat in such cases:
• diseases of the stomach and intestines, accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membrane (gastritis, ulcer);
• hypersensitivity to the product;
• asthma;
• high blood pressure;
• liver or kidney disease.

Optimal conditions for growing

In order to get the maximum yield of beautiful bulbs, it is necessary to provide the plant with optimal conditions for growth. At the same time, Helenas onion needs not only proper care, but also in a favorable climate, and also shows certain requirements for the composition of the soil.

Did you know? Onion pulp contains about 6% sugar. During frying, the vegetable loses caustic substances and acquires a sweet taste.

The main conditions for growing this crop are listed below:

• plants need a lot of light - the sun's rays stimulate the growth of green onion feathers, warm the earth in the garden and prevent the development of diseases;
• optimal air temperature should be +20 ... + 25 ° С - planting material can germinate at + 4 ° С, but for active growth and timely ripening of tubers, the culture needs heat;
• soil moisture at a depth of about 0.5 m should be at least 80% - the weak root system of plants cannot withstand prolonged drought during the period of active growth of the surface part and the formation of the bulb;
• onions need loose and nutritious soil with neutral or slightly alkaline acidity - the roots should receive a sufficient amount of solar heat and fresh air through the soil surface, and fertile land will contribute to the formation of large turnips on each plant.

Features of sowing seeds at home

When growing onions from seeds from the time of sowing to harvesting commodity bulbs, usually 2 years pass. But due to the fact that the Helenas variety is early ripe, you can get large bulbs from seeds in one year. To do this, the gardener must first grow seedlings in room conditions, and with the onset of heat, transplant it to an open area. In this case, before the end of summer, a large bulb will have time to form from the seedling.

Preparing planting material

Outside, onion seeds are enclosed in a dense shell, which prevents their rapid germination. Therefore, planting material needs preliminary preparation - this will increase its germination and accelerate the appearance of young shoots.

Before planting with Helenas onion seeds, it is recommended that you do the following:

• soak the planting material in a potassium permanganate solution (0.1 g per 1 liter of water) for a day a week before planting, so that it swells;
• put the swollen seeds between two layers of moist tissue and put in a warm room with an air temperature of +20 ... + 25 ° С for germination, making sure that the tissue remains wet all the time;
• immediately before planting, slightly dry the seeds at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.

Important! Germination of seeds can be replaced by soaking the planting material in a solution of growth stimulant for 18 hours.

Selection of containers and preparation of the substrate for sowing

Onion seeds are recommended to be planted in one capacious container. It is best to grow seedlings in large flower pots or plastic boxes measuring 30 × 20 × 10 cm. At the same time, they are filled with soil so that about 2 cm remains to the edge of the container.

To grow strong seedlings, you need to use loose and nutritious soil. It should consist of such components mixed in the same proportions:

• land from the garden;
• sand;
• peat;
• compost.

To protect Helenas onion seedlings from diseases, before planting seeds, the soil is watered with a fungicide solution for disinfection

The process of planting seedlings and their further care

When growing seedlings, it is important to correctly determine the timing of sowing seeds so that the sprouts have time to grow stronger by the time of transplantation to the site, but are not overgrown. In regions with early spring, seedlings should be sown at the end of February, and in regions with a temperate and cool climate in mid-March.

Step-by-step instructions for planting and growing Helenas onion seedlings:

1. On the surface of the soil, draw grooves with a depth of about 1 cm. The distance between them should be about 5-6 cm.
2. Place seeds at the bottom of each furrow, leaving an interval of about 3 cm between them.
3. Sprinkle the seeds with soil so that a layer of earth about 1 cm thick forms above them. Tamp the surface of the soil with your hands.
4. Sprinkle the surface of the soil with water, and then cover the container with a film. Put it in a well-lit room with an air temperature of +20 ... + 25 ° С.
5. When using germinated seeds, seedlings appear after about a week. After this, you need to remove the film from the tank and lower the room temperature to +16 ... + 20 ° С.
6. As the top layer of the soil dries up, moderate watering of young plants is carried out in a box with seedlings.
7. 3 weeks after emergence, feed the seedlings with a fertilizer solution. To prepare it, 3 l of water, 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 5 g of potassium salt and 10-15 g of superphosphate are mixed. The indicated amount of ingredients is enough to process 1 m² of area.
8. 10-14 days after the first top dressing, the sprouts are again watered with a nutrient liquid solution, increasing the dose of each fertilizer by 2 times.
9. About 2 weeks before the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place, begin hardening of the seedlings, placing containers with plants outdoors in the shade. On the first day, the seedlings are kept on the street for 1 hour, and then this time is gradually increased every day.
10. Seedlings are ready for transplanting into open ground 60 days after emergence. By this time, the sprouts already have 3-4 leaves.

The application of this technique allows to prevent the shootings of plants, which contributes to better ripening of the bulbs themselves

Features of open transplantation

The timing of the planting of Helenas onion seedlings for a permanent place depends on the climatic conditions of a particular region. In the southern regions, sprouts are transplanted to the site in late April, and in the rest of the territory in mid-May.

Important! 3 days before the transplantation of Helenas onion seedlings to the plot, it is recommended to shorten the leaves of young plants by 1⁄3 of the length to reduce the surface of evaporation of moisture and good survival of seedlings.

Detailed instructions for planting onion seedlings in open ground are presented below:

1. Prepare long furrows on the soil surface with a depth of 1-2 cm, placing them at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. Water the furrows with a little water.
2. Carefully remove the onion seedling from the bowl with the earthen lump. Manually clear the roots of the ground and shorten them to 4 cm.
3. Dip the plant roots in a mixture of clay and mullein.
4. Place the roots of the seedling in the furrow, leaving a distance of about 5 cm between adjacent plants. Sprinkle with soil and lightly compact it with your hands to eliminate voids.
5. Pour sprouts with water, and after absorbing moisture, mulch the surface of the beds with a layer of peat.

Direct landing is carried out only in warm and dry weather

Usually, onion seedlings Helenas take root in the beds after a few days. After that, the plants are cared for, which consists of such measures:

• watering the beds is carried out as the soil dries up every 5-7 days, and during the heat - up to 2 times a week;
• when weeds appear on the aisles, weeding is carried out - this will avoid shading of the plantings and help maintain moisture and nutrients in the ground;
• the soil on the beds must be carefully loosened to a depth of 5 cm after each watering, eliminating the dense crust;
• when the seedlings take root and get stronger, thin out the rows - between the plants leave a distance of about 8 cm, removing excess shoots;
• every 30 days, onions are fed with a liquid solution of complex fertilizers - for the first time this procedure is carried out 2 weeks after planting seedlings;
• By the end of July, the plants stop watering and feeding - during this period the bulb ripens;
• 3-4 weeks before harvesting, it is recommended to remove the layer of mulch from the beds and slightly expose the surface of the bulbs so that they are better warmed by the sun and mature faster.

If the bulbs grow among the weeds, they will form a thick neck, and the vegetable will be worse stored

Sevka cultivation and open field care

A more common way to grow this crop is to plant seed directly in the open ground. At the same time, the gardener does not need to spend time and energy on growing seedlings, and a large bulb is necessarily formed from high-quality planting material.

When cultivating Helenas variety in this way, you need to correctly determine the timing of planting the seed, choose the right site and make the right planting, as well as provide the plants with the necessary care.

Did you know? Onions in China and India were grown more than 5000 years ago.

Site and ground preparation

Before embedding planting material in the soil, you need to choose a suitable place where all the necessary conditions for growth will be created for the plants.

A crop growing area must meet the following requirements:

• good sun exposure - this contributes to good soil warming and stimulates the growth of seedlings;
• Smooth surface - water may stagnate in lowlands and indentations, and this can provoke decay of the onion roots and the appearance of diseases;
• loose and light soil - it passes air, moisture and heat well to the bulb;
• suitable predecessors - This crop can be planted after cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes or legumes, and garlic and carrots are considered bad predecessors for onions.

Soil preparation on the site must be done in advance. To do this, perform the following actions:

• in the fall, all plant debris is removed, and the earth is dug up to a depth of about 30 cm;
• during the autumn digging of the plot, humus is introduced - 2-3 kg per 1 m² of area;
• in the spring they dig again the soil, adding 25 g of superphosphate, 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 7-8 g of potassium salt per 1 m²;
• Before planting onions, the soil surface is loosened with a rake to a depth of 6 cm.

Buying seeds for planting is recommended in specialized stores. To purchase quality material, you need to follow these recommendations:

• the size of the seed must be 1.5–2 cm - it is not prone to shooting, and it can be planted in spring or late autumn;
• heads should be firm and smooth, with no signs of damage or rot;
• high-quality seed is evenly colored in golden color and covered with dry husk;
• bulbs should be approximately the same in size - this will allow you to get uniform shoots after planting.

Do not wait for the onions to start selling at a decent discount: it talks about the poor quality of planting material

The process of planting seed in the ground

Usually, sevka is planted at the site in late April or early May. Onions Helenas does not belong to winter varieties, but in areas with moderately cold winters it can be planted in open ground in late autumn, focusing on the climate of a particular region. Dates of autumn planting of this culture fall in late October or early November.

Important! The air temperature at the time of the autumn planting of Helenas onions should be no more than + 5 ° C so that the sevka does not have time to germinate before the onset of cold weather.

The sowing landing algorithm is presented below:

1. Before planting, warm the onion sets at a temperature of + 35 ° C for 8 hours, and then cut off its upper part along the neckline - this will accelerate the emergence of seedlings.
2. Mark the rows on the surface of the plot, leaving a distance of 20–25 cm between them. In each row, dig holes 3-4–4 cm deep with an interval of 5–8 cm and pour them with water.
3. At the bottom of each hole, put one small onion so that the cut is on top.
4. Sprinkle the recesses with a layer of soil with a thickness of 1.5 cm and slightly tamp the surface with hands. When spring planting, water the beds with a little water.
5. If sowing in the soil is carried out in autumn, then the soil surface must be covered with a layer of mulch with a thickness of at least 2.5 cm.

Feeding and watering

Helenas needs regular watering and nutrients. In this case, it is necessary to monitor the state of the soil, preventing its overmoistening or drying out, so that the bulbs form large and dense.

• at the stage of active growth, the beds are irrigated 2 times a week;
• in the phase of head formation, plants are watered every 7 days, depending on the drying rate of the topsoil;
• during irrigation, water must be poured under the root of the plants;
• 3 weeks before harvesting, watering should be stopped so that the bulbs dry out and are better stored;
• the first feeding of plants is carried out 2 weeks after emergence - the sprouts are watered with a liquid solution of 1 kg of bird droppings and 15 liters of water. The indicated quantity is enough for watering 1 m² of beds;
• the second time they feed onions at the stage of bulb formation - for 1 m² 10 g of potassium chloride and superphosphate will be needed. These fertilizers can be dissolved in water for irrigation.

Soil cultivation and weeding

To eliminate the dense crust on the soil surface and to facilitate the access of air to the roots of the onion, it is necessary to periodically loosen the beds with plants. It is equally important to constantly remove weeds around the onion, that is, they obscure young shoots, absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil, and also attract pests.

Did you know? Onion heads were used in ancient Greece as food for slaves - a record of this fact was found on the Cheops pyramid.

The basic rules for soil care in Helenas onion beds are listed below:

• the first loosening of the soil is carried out before the emergence of seedlings - the procedure is carried out carefully to a depth of 2-3 cm;
• weeds around the plants are pulled out as they appear and carried out of the site;
• after each rain or watering, a dense crust formed on the surface of the soil must be broken to facilitate access of moisture and air to the roots;
• at the stage of bulb ripening, it is recommended to expose the upper part of the head so that it is above the ground level - this will accelerate the maturation of the crop.

The treatment of diseases and pests

Helenas is resistant to diseases and pests, but in some cases, plants can be affected by them. This occurs as a result of improper care of the beds or when growing onions in an unsuitable area. In order to notice the problem in time and save the crop, you need to know the signs of the appearance of diseases and insects, as well as the rules for combating them.

A list of the main difficulties that may arise when growing this variety is presented below.

1. Onion fly. The insect produces larvae that feed on the flesh of leaves and tubers. A sign of damage is yellowing of the leaves, as well as round holes in the bulb and at the base of the stem. The heads are deformed and begin to rot. To prevent the spread of the pest, the affected stems are removed from the site. To combat the onion fly, the beds are dusted with a mixture of tobacco dust and lime, and when severely damaged, they are treated with an insecticide (for example, "Aktara").
2. Onion tick. The insect damages the underground part of the plants, covering the bulbs with a brown layer of dust. In this case, the inner layers of the vegetable become soft, and voids form between the scales. The fruits begin to deform and rot, therefore, are not subject to storage. You can get rid of the pest using a dry mixture of tobacco and ash, sprinkling it on the ground between the rows of onions. With a large number of pests, chemical preparations are used.
3. Peronosporosis (downy mildew). A sign of the disease is a gray coating on the surface of the leaves. Subsequently, the onion feathers begin to turn yellow and fade, and the tubers become soft and unsuitable for storage. You can fight this disease with the help of biological products (for example, "Fitosporin") or 1% solution of Bordeaux fluid.
4. Gray rot. The disease has a fungal nature and affects tubers of plants. In this case, the base of the neck is covered with a gray coating and becomes soft, and when the vegetable is cut, the decay of the inner layers is noticeable. To fight the infection, infected plants are dug up and removed from the site, and the rest of the plantings are treated with special preparations (for example, Kvardisom).

You can prevent the occurrence of the listed diseases and pests with the help of preventive measures:

• disinfect planting material;
• carry out deep digging of the soil on the site in autumn;
• weed aisles and remove all plant debris from the beds;
• observe crop rotation;
• irrigate onions with an aqueous solution of wormwood every 3 weeks to repel insects;
• observe the watering regime and the schedule of fertilizer application.

Harvesting and storage

In order for the harvested onion crop to be well stored, you need to choose the right time for harvesting the heads and create suitable microclimate conditions in the storage. When collecting bulbs, caution is recommended and protect them from damage.

Important! Bulbs are dug in sunny and dry weather about 10-14 days after yellowing and lodging of feathers.

The basic rules for the collection and storage of Helenas varieties:

• the bulb is dug up at a distance of 10 cm from the neck and pulled out of the ground by the leaves;
• the fruits are manually cleaned of earth clods - it is impossible to hit the bulbs from each other;
• sort the onions by size and remove damaged specimens - they must be used first;
• the harvested crop is dried in the sun for several days, placing the leaves of plants in one direction;
• after drying, the ground part of the onion is cut off, leaving a tail up to 5 cm in size on the head;
• the heads are stored in cardboard or wooden boxes with holes, and also weave braids from the bulbs and hang them along the walls;
• in storages with good ventilation at an air temperature of + 4 ° С and humidity of 70–80%, Helenas bulbs can be stored for 4–6 months.

Even a beginner gardener will be able to independently grow Helenas onions on the site. Using the rules and recommendations listed in this article, at the end of summer you can collect a generous crop of beautiful vegetables that can be stored for up to six months.