The benefits and harms of white onions, varieties of varieties, storage and harvesting rules
Onions are an indispensable spice in almost every dish; white onions are also found among its types. Let's take a closer look at the benefits of white onions, which came to us from Asian countries. Like all its onion relatives, it is rich in vitamins and microelements useful for health, has a sweetish taste and pleasant aroma. Let's take a closer look at the characteristics, and what is the difference between this variety and others.
Varietal varieties
Summer residents, before choosing a suitable type of onion, try to choose one that will be well stored and have pleasant taste.
White onions fall into this category and have their own varieties. Their names and characteristics are as follows:
- Comet. The bulbs keep well for 6 months. The downside is the duration of their ripening and small size.
- Alba. It ripens for a long time, but if care is carried out according to all the requirements of agricultural technology, the bulbs can be medium or large (up to 200 grams).
- Nevada. This is an early ripening variety. It is best planted in regions where the summer is very short. The bulbs are medium-sized, about 90 grams.
- Snowball. Has an average ripening period. The bulbs are large, weighing 160 grams. It is also necessary to remember: this onion variety not stored for more than 3 months.
- Sterling. Disease resistant. Stored for about 4 months. It is characterized by a sweet taste. Bulbs weigh about 120 grams.
Distinctive qualities of white onions from others
The white variety has a beautiful shape. Unlike regular yellow and purple, it is more difficult to store, but the bulbs are larger.
They differ in taste and aroma, does not have a sharp bitterness.
It makes delicious salads and French onion soup. Popular in Spain, USA and France.
It is called white by the color of the husk, somewhat reminiscent of unwritten papyrus. In terms of the content of various substances, in comparison with the yellow and purple varieties, there are also significant differences. A white vegetable contains iron salts in large quantities, as well as vitamins and minerals, essential oils, and sugar.
Valuable properties
Like all other types, white salad onions are considered a healthy product. It contains phytoncides, which have a detrimental effect on certain bacteria and fungi.
Onion juice has medicinal properties and is used in the treatment and prevention of colds. It can be used as an adjunctive therapy for stomatitis and angina. In the autumn-spring period, as a preventive measure, it is recommended to inhale the smell of onions, previously grated or cut on a plate.
It is necessary to include this vegetable in the diet daily as a source of ascorbic acid. Its beneficial properties are preserved both fresh and boiled.
Contraindications for use
The benefits of white onions are undeniable, but they can also be harmful. Fresh white onions are not recommended for children under one and a half years of age. They have a very delicate mucous membrane of the mouth, so they can cause burns. In boiled form, it is recommended to add to vegetable purees, soups from 1 year old.
A vegetable is tolerable by all people, especially if it has been heat treated. Basically, fresh consumption is a contraindication.
Doctors do not recommend it in the following cases:
- insomnia;
- headaches;
- high blood pressure;
- frequent flatulence;
- overweight, as the white vegetable improves appetite and stimulates the production of gastric juice.
When to remove onions from the beds?
It is very important to accurately determine the harvest time of the white onion, otherwise it will not work out for long. If it does not ripen, then its neck will be juicy and thick, and the bulb is poorly covered with scales. After a while, such onions will begin to rot.
If you do not remove it for a long time, then the scales will fly off, additional roots will grow, the bulbs will begin to crack, and the loss of useful properties will occur.
For harvesting white onions, the following are the main symptoms:
- stopping the growth of new feathers;
- yellowness of the main part of the leaves and the beginning of drying;
- if most of the feathers are killed;
- the scales are white;
- the neck of the onion is slightly softened.
Various factors affect the ripening time of onions, these include:
- growing region;
- weather;
- the soil;
- features of the species.
Basically, the growing season for onions is 2–3 months. Most varieties can be harvested in mid-July, while the late ones ripen by early August. If the summer is dry and hot, then the onion will ripen much faster. Rainy and cool weather slows down the readiness to harvest this vegetable. The deadline for harvesting is August 20, as it is noticed that then the rains begin.
You can stick to the lunar calendar, which indicates the timing of the harvest. If the onion is not harvested before the rains, it will lose its shelf life, it may be affected by rot and other diseases.
It is best to start observing the external manifestations of the maturation of the culture after mid-July. While it is dry, sunny weather, it is necessary to collect it on time.
How to harvest and store crops correctly?
It is best to remove ripe onions from the garden on a dry sunny day. You will need a shovel to work: you cannot pull out the bow by the feathers. It is recommended to slightly dig in the ground near the bulbs, then gently pull out, shaking off the rest of the soil with your hands. If the neck of a vegetable is juicy, it means that it is not ripe, it is better not to store such bulbs, but to put them aside in order to immediately take them to the kitchen.
After the onions are dug up, they need to be laid out directly with feathers for drying on the same bed on the ground or cardboard. It is desirable that warm sunlight falls on it. In the evening, it is recommended to clean it in a dry place or cover it with foil so that the bulbs do not get wet from the morning dew. To dry depending on the weather - from 7-10 days.
If the onion becomes rustling, smooth and slippery, you can easily stick your hand into it - this means that it is already well dried.
Now you need to cut off the leaves on the bulbs using scissors, leaving about 5-6 cm of the neck.
For storage onion best placed in a dry place at room temperature. You can place it in nets, wooden boxes, cardboard boxes, fabric bags or nylon stockings. You can not cut the leaves, but weave a braid in the form of a braid. Hang the bundles in the kitchen. In this form, the vegetable is well preserved.
If you had to dig up a vegetable in rainy weather, then there is nothing left but how to properly process it.
This requires:
- immediately cut off the feathers, stepping back 5 cm from the neck;
- carefully remove the roots;
- peel the scales;
- spread out in a dry place, one onion at a time to dry for 2-3 weeks.
If the room was dry and well ventilated, then the onions can be preserved, and the husks will then grow again.
How to accelerate the ripening of the crop?
Often, in order to have time to dig up the onions before the rains begin, you have to stimulate the ripening process. There are several ways to do this, but the main thing is to limit the diet of the root crop.
If the heads are deep in the ground and are difficult to see, it is recommended to slightly sweep the ground off their surface so that they are exposed and receive enough solar heat.
Watering should be stopped 2-3 weeks before harvest, even if the weather is dry. If it starts to rain at this time, it is better to cover the bow with plastic. You can lift the bulbs with a pitchfork.
It is recommended to insert a shovel under the onion and cut the roots at a depth of 5 cm.
Cutting the tops is not recommended as the bulbs are deprived of nutrients from the tops. When ripe, they should go from green to onion.
Each type of onion has its own taste and aroma. For those who love a sweetish taste, white is suitable. It is advisable to use it daily, adding it to various dishes as a useful source of vitamins and minerals.
