Healthy and delicious chives

There is a wide variety of onion varieties. The most useful of all the possible varieties is considered to be chives, although in some countries and regions it has different names (rezun in Siberia, English onions in Portugal and Italy, skoroda in southern parts of Russia). In this article, we will look at its beneficial properties and how to grow it.

Content

1 Useful properties of chives
2 Growing
3 Application
4 Varieties
- 4.1 Video "Splitting and transplanting chives"

Useful properties of chives

Outwardly, this onion has the appearance of thin, fisty and subulate leaves of a bright green color. In length, the leaves grow up to 20 cm. The chives bulb is small and oblong. The root system is small, filamentous and white. Inflorescences are formed in the form of a bundle-spherical umbrella. They are composed of pale purple and light pink flowers. The plant has a black seed. This type of onion is famous for its beneficial properties.

The main useful properties and benefits of chives are:

the plant is used for food throughout the year. The leaves have a delicate and delicate onion aroma, as well as a pleasant taste;
attractive appearance due to the bright green color of the leaves. They are covered with a waxy bluish bloom on top. The presence of bright purple inflorescences makes it possible to include this plant even in flower beds;
the leaves contain a large amount of useful substances, among which there are vitamins (groups A, B, C, E, K), trace elements (iron, copper, manganese, selenium, zinc, copper), as well as proteins, fats, carbohydrates and dietary fiber. The leaves contain about 12% dry matter, sugar is 3%. It also contains amino acids: tryptophan, lysine, methionine, histidine, arginine, etc .;
low calorie content. 100 g of the plant contains only 30 kcal;
chives onion has medicinal properties due to the presence of phytoncides in the leaves. Often this onion is used for various infectious diseases, as well as diseases of the cardiovascular system, gall bladder and kidneys.

With such a rather impressive list of useful properties, chives will become a profitable inhabitant in any garden or personal plot.

Growing

The cultivation of chives onions requires compliance with certain agrotechnical rules. This variety grows well in greenhouses.

Chives onions are propagated vegetatively (simple division of the bush), as well as by sowing seeds in the ground and seedlings. Vegetative reproduction involves dividing old bushes into planting units. They should consist of 4-5 branches. Before planting such units, they carry out shortening of the leaves and roots (the top is cut off by 15 cm, and the roots are shortened by 5 or 8 cm). In this case, the cultivation of the shnitt variety involves the use of a planting scheme of 45-60 x 25-30 cm. The best time for planting in this way is early spring (you can find information that this onion variety is planted in April-May). The cultivation of such onions is possible as an annual, as well as a biennial or perennial plant.

For the normal growth of chives, moist, but not swampy, fertile soils are necessary. They begin to prepare the land for landing in the fall. To do this, the soil is dug to a depth of about 20-30 cm. When digging, organic fertilizers (compost or humus) are introduced into the ground.

If you decide to grow onions using seeds, then the soil should be leveled and prepared before sowing in the spring. It is rolled up and cut. You can sow seeds in spring, summer or winter. But the best time for sowing is still spring (April-May). In this case, a seeding pattern of 45-50 x 25-30 cm is also suitable.The seeds are sown to a depth of no deeper than 0.7 cm.From above they are covered with moist soil and compacted a little, after which loose soil is poured over all of this. With the correct actions, the first shoots will appear in a week or 10 days. After the first shoots appear, the soil between the rows is loosened, thereby increasing the access of fresh air to the root system.

When the first true leaf appears, the beds should be thinned out so that there is 10-15 cm of free space between the plants. The removed plants can then be used as seedlings when replanting. Growing chives with seedlings involves planting it according to a 15 x 3-4 cm scheme. Plants grown in the year of sowing are used. The crops of the first year are loosened, watered, and then weeded. At the end of the growing season, remove all dried onion parts.

After the mass cutting of the leaves has been carried out, it is imperative to feed with slurry containing ash. You can also use mineral fertilizers.

Leaves should be trimmed 2 or 3 times during the growing season. In perennial plants, after the third year, it is necessary to remove not only the leaves, but also part of the bulb. Annual plants should be planted according to the scheme 15-20 x 3-4 cm. In this case, the onion does not need to be thinned.

Achieving a good harvest of chives is possible only with frequent and abundant watering. In case of a lack of water, the plant will begin to lose nutrients, and the leaves will become coarser.

When growing chives, it should be remembered that it is very responsive to the introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers into the soil when digging and feeding. But nitrogen fertilizers need to be applied to the soil in the spring during the preparation of the land for sowing seeds.

Application

Like any other onion variety, the main and main use of chives is its use as a food product. Most often, it can be added as a dietary supplement to any dish to which regular onions are added. It goes well with fish and meat dishes, potatoes, peas and beans, as part of vegetable soups. This onion can be added to salads containing cucumbers, potatoes and tomatoes. It can be added to egg dishes, cottage cheese, pates, roasts, cold meats, soft cheeses, sauces and marinades. Onions can also be used as a pie filling or simply as a seasoning.

Besides the main culinary use, chives are widely used in the medicinal field, especially in oriental medicine. It can also be used as an ornamental plant during the formation of inflorescences.

Varieties

There are many varieties of this plant. Most often, the following varieties are used for growing in gardens and personal plots that are in the middle lane: Medonos, Bohemia, Chemal, Prazhsky, as well as the decorative variety Bordyurny.

So, the honey plant is distinguished by average resistance to peronosporosis and has a semi-sharp taste. Bohemia is characterized by high yield and semi-sharp taste. It is a perennial variety that can grow in one place for up to 5 years. Chemal is characterized by an average resistance to downy mildew. Onion leaves can be up to 50 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. The taste of the bulbs and leaves is pungent. Best propagated vegetatively. Such onions are planted in May, and mother plants in August. Has a spicy and pungent taste.

The following varieties are equally popular:

Albion. The leaves are dark green and lightly waxy;
Spring. The taste of leaves and bulbs is mild. High frost resistance is inherent;
Crocus. The leaves of the plant are smooth, erect. It tolerates the influence of low temperatures well.

Observing the rules of planting, as well as the agrotechnical features of growing a plant, will allow you to get an excellent harvest, both in taste and in volume.Due to the content in the leaves of a large amount of nutrients, growing such an onion in your garden is very beneficial for your own body, because it is not always easy to find foods so rich in nutrients

Video "Splitting and transplanting chives"

A video and how to properly divide and transplant chives, or, as it is called, chives.