Almost no food preparation can be done without this culture. Candy onions are a very early Dutch species and are also easy to grow.
Description of the hybrid
This is an early variety of onion; it grows from seeds in one season. Plant characteristics:
- Taste: sweet.
- Size 300-800 g.
- Diameter 15 cm.
- Round shape.
- Golden brown color.
- Harvest volume 5 kg per 1 m2.
- Ripens within 90-100 days.
- Shelf life six months.
The stated criteria for the Candy onion variety are confirmed provided that the requirements of agricultural technology are met.
Landing dates. Preparing the site for the plant
Sow Candy seeds. To obtain large heads, they are planted in greenhouses at the end of March. Or at the end of April in the ground to obtain medium bulbs.
If you plant the selected bulbs, they will develop a peduncle that prevents the heads from developing normally.
It is advisable not to grow the crop for 2 years in a row in the same place. It is best if the following grew in the beds before:
- Cabbage.
- Legumes.
- Cucumbers.
The plant does not require special conditions to grow. The site is chosen in the sun, away from trees and drafts. The soil must be nutritious. To do this, add sand, black soil, wood ash and onion fertilizers before planting. The grooves are made 4 cm deep, the distance between rows is 25 cm.
Growing by direct sowing in the ground
Onion planting material is thrown 2-3 seeds every 5 cm. At 1 m2 4 g of seeds should be enough. Summer residents recommend covering with covering material to speed up the germination process. After emergence, it should be removed.
Place the plants on raised beds if the soil is damp, or on flat beds if the summer is dry.
Further care involves thinning, since Candy onions do not like thickened plantings. This should be done when the seedlings become stronger. Some housewives leave it in the beds and dig it up during the season and use it for cooking.
Growing by seedling method
To obtain an earlier onion harvest, seeds are planted on seedlings. The sowing time is calculated by each gardener individually.Since the climatic characteristics of all regions are different. The approximate age of seedlings when transferred to a permanent place is 60 days.
Candy onion seed needs to be prepared by first soaking it in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. To speed up the germination process, seeds are wrapped in damp cloth for 2-3 days.
Then they are dried and planted in prepared soil. The composition should be loose and nutritious. The planting material is laid out, sprinkled with earth and watered with warm water. Then tighten it with polyethylene. Observe the temperature regime, maintaining + 22-25 ⁰С. The containers are kept in a dark but warm place. As soon as the seedlings appear, they are transferred to a lighted place and the temperature is reduced to +16-18 ⁰C.
Seedling care
Like any other plant, it is recommended to properly care for onions. Water, loosen and feed in a timely manner. For irrigation, use water at room temperature, preferably settled.
When watering, make sure that water does not fall on the leaves, strictly under the root.
Once every 10 days, fertilizing is done by taking chicken manure and diluting it in a ratio of 1:20. It should be remembered that you should not overfeed the plants either. After 2 leaves appear, carefully trim the tops, this promotes better development of the root system.
As with direct sowing in the ground, you need to thin out the onion crops. The torn out seedlings are planted in a separate container.
Hardening off seedlings will help them adapt faster when transplanting and reduce stress. When transferred to the ground, onion seedlings are discarded, choosing large and strong plants. After replanting, the soil is compacted a little.
Provide on-site care
Grow bulb onions in the garden it is not difficult, it is enough to carry out the agrotechnical measures familiar to any summer resident:
- Removing weeds.
- Irrigation.
- Fertilizer application.
- Hilling and loosening.
Weeds in garden beds develop much faster than cultivated plants, so control over them is necessary. You should not leave torn plants in the same place from which they were removed. Since they are a source of bacteria and insect pests.
Water the onions as needed, avoiding excess moisture. Drip irrigation is recommended. It does not allow the soil to be compressed, it remains loose and does not become covered with a crust, which limits the access of oxygen.
Loosening of row spacing is carried out very carefully. Do not damage the onion roots. Fertilizers are applied once every 21 days. Use mullein, bird droppings or complex fertilizers.
Plant immunity
Onions of the Candy variety are a hybrid, therefore they are not susceptible to pink rot and bottom rot. But this does not mean that you need to leave the plant without proper care.
Crop rotation, weed removal and cultivation of beds are used against the development of diseases characteristic of a particular crop.
Dust with tobacco or ash. Infusions of Bordeaux mixture or hot pepper are used against pest attacks.
All infected bulbs are burned or taken off site.
Advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid
Before choosing which type of onion to grow, any summer resident must become familiar with the presence of positive and negative characteristics.
Pros:
- Early maturation.
- Great taste.
- Low maintenance requirements.
- High yield.
- Immunity to certain diseases.
Minuses:
- Poorly stored.
- Does not produce seed material.
Everyone has the right to decide for themselves which of the characteristics of a plant hybrid are decisive when choosing.
The opinion of summer residents regarding the Candy hybrid
Analyzing the reviews of vegetable growers gives a complete picture of the merits of the variety; in addition, novice summer residents find specific recommendations and advice on growing onions at the sites.
Vadim: “I sow directly into the beds. Candy's bulbs are excellent. “Everything goes into salads, there’s nothing left until November, so I can’t say anything about storage.”
Svetlana: “I grew onions for 2 years in a row using seedlings. I like it because the hybrid is productive and tasty, without bitterness. It requires watering and practically does not get sick.”
Candy is a godsend for many summer residents, it is unpretentious and produces a rich harvest.
