Carmen red onions - how to grow properly

Today, onions are one of the most consumed vegetables. It is used in the preparation of many dishes, it is put fresh in salads, and is often used for pickling. It all depends on the type of onion, because there is yellow, white, red (which is popularly "dyed" - it is also called blue or purple), leek. All of them differ from each other not only in external and taste characteristics, but also in the methods of cultivation. The topic of this article will be Carmen's red onion, or rather a description of its characteristics and some tips for growing this variety.

Description of the variety

Carmen onion sets are a product of Dutch breeders' activity, imported into our country not so long ago, but managed to become relatively popular. Carmen belongs to the early maturing varieties, the average ripening period ranges from 75-85 days, that is, less than three months, the leaves begin to turn yellow after 100 days. Carmen is a two-pronged or three-pronged variety. The ripening of this onion can be maximum, but on average from about 95% to 100%, it has a good keeping quality level, that is, it is stored for a long time after harvesting (usually vegetables of this variety calmly sit over the winter). Carmen's yield is quite high: if we consider this indicator per 1 hectare, then on average about 150-170 centners will come out, and from one square meter you can collect from 1.5 to 2.5 kg, it all depends on the cultivation technique, conditions, care.

Now let's move on to describing the characteristics of the appearance of this red bow. The plant can reach a height of 30-35 centimeters. Bulb weight - 60-80 g, this is also an average indicator, because you can grow larger fruits that will weigh about 120 g, that is, about twice the average weight. The bulbs themselves are medium-dense and round-flat. As indicated, red onions are often referred to as blue or purple in different regions. This is because dry scales tend to be darker than the dark red fresh part of the onion and are dark blue or purple in color. However, often the inside of the bulb is also purple.

In dishes that need to be fried or baked, it is also used, but to a much lesser extent. Like many other types of onions, Carmen is also a treasure trove of nutrients. Firstly, it is an impressive source of vitamin C. Secondly, it contains a large amount of dry substances and sugars. If you believe traditional medicine, then red onion prevents the formation of cancer cells in the body, slows down their growth. It is also recommended to include it in the daily diet for people with high cholesterol levels, because you can lower it by about 20% with the help of constant consumption of red onions.

Growing recommendations

Carmen onion sets are often grown like ordinary yellow onions, but it is undesirable to do this, because in this case there will certainly be significant losses in the yield. It has its own little peculiarities when planting and leaving. First of all, you need to choose the right site. It is best if potatoes, cabbage, legumes or cucumbers with tomatoes have been grown on it before.Other predecessors are undesirable, since they suck out the same substances from the soil that are needed for red onions, and this will also adversely affect the yield.

Then we move on to preparing the soil. Any onion is undesirable to plant / sow in acidic soil, red is no exception, not the fact that liming will help. Soils that show a neutral reaction will do. Fertilizers are applied a little: a small amount of organic matter, wood ash is often added, you can also use a solution of copper sulfate. A couple of days before planting, it would be good to warm the sets, and soak them 10-12 hours before planting, treat them with certain drugs for diseases (for example, you can use the same copper sulfate at home).

Experienced gardeners advise growing Carmen in a two-year culture from seedlings. It is planted in the first two weeks of May. The sevok is placed at a depth of about 2.5-3 cm, while the distance between the planted bulbs should be 5-7 cm, and the row spacing should be at least 20 centimeters. Prevent weeds from growing, weed in time. Sometimes you can make top dressing (it is best to use fertilizers that contain the NPK complex). At first, water once a week, not more often, even if the weather is dry. Watering is stopped about a month before harvesting.

If you have never grown Carmen's red onion before, then you should definitely try it. Only positive reviews are heard about it from gardeners, and it is not surprising, because this red onion has excellent characteristics.

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