Onion Cupid is selected in Holland, has the F1 badge, is characterized by unpretentiousness in cultivation, resistance to diseases and pests. The peculiarity is a developed powerful root system, due to which moisture is retained for a long time, arrows do not form. The culture easily tolerates dry summers and climate.
Bow Cupid
Onion Cupid unpretentious in leaving
Cupid's bow can be stored for a long time
Grade characteristics
Cupido is a heterotic hybrid, therefore, it significantly surpasses the “parents” (varieties from which the onion is bred) in terms of quality. Yields and other factors were achieved in this way - they crossed the mother liquor of onions grown from seed material and the mother liquor of the plant obtained from the seed.
F1 has another distinctive ability - it is almost impossible to get seeds at home, so you have to buy them in specialized stores. If it is possible to obtain planting material, then with each new planting, the positive qualities of the bulbs are reduced.
Characteristic Luka Cupido:
- the term for the formation of heads from the formation of sprouts is 75-80 days;
- preferred climatic conditions - the southern regions of Russia, the middle lane;
- developed root system;
- the degree of exfoliation of the scales is low;
- severity - medium;
- weight - from 110 to 150 g;
- the adherence of the skin to the head is tight;
- juiciness - increased.
Appearance
The Cupido variety can be recognized by the following external signs:
- husk color - golden straw;
- solid onion to the touch;
- peel is thin;
- form - roundly elongated;
- feather height - up to 30-35 cm;
- shade of pulp - white and creamy.
Productivity and Stability
Onions Cupid is considered a high-grade vegetable - from 1 hundred parts farmers collect 300-400 kg, from 1 square. m - 3-4 kg. Heads can be stored for up to 9-10 months without changing taste.
Pros and cons
Among the many undeniable the benefits varieties can be noted the most important:
- high productivity and keeping quality;
- lack of pronounced bitterness and pungency;
- storage duration;
- transportability;
- fast ripening;
- unpretentiousness in leaving;
- resistance to diseases and pests;
- presentability of appearance;
- preparedness of seed material (no pre-sowing preparation is necessary);
- excellent rates of germination and maturation - up to 99%;
- stamina drought;
- the ability to plant under winter and spring;
- suitability for cultivation in greenhouse conditions and open ground;
- universality of application;
- no tendency to shoot arrows;
- the relatively inexpensive cost of planting material.
But there is a bow and limitations:
- intolerance to severe frosts;
- the need for shelter at sudden changes in temperature.
Composition and properties
Like other varieties of onions, Cupido is considered a useful product, since it contains a variety of substances:
- volatile;
- vitamins - C, E, PP, H, group B;
- fructose;
- glucose;
- essential oil;
- malic acid, citric;
- flavonoids;
- oligosaccharides;
- monosaccharides;
- maltose;
- sucrose;
- macroelements - phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, chlorine, sodium, magnesium, calcium;
- trace elements - zinc, iron, fluorine, iodine, nickel, boron, copper, manganese, etc.
Such a rich composition has a therapeutic effect on the human body, having the following useful properties:
- antibacterial effect;
- antiviral effect;
- antiseptic properties;
- strengthening the immune system;
- body toning;
- blood formation;
- diuretic effect;
- anti-zingotic, expectorant effect.
Where is it used?
Due to the lack of strong pungency and bitterness, the variety has a wide range of uses in cooking - for preparing first and second courses, onion pancakes, sauces, casseroles, salads, snacks, preservation, marinades, etc.
In addition, Cupid's bow is actively used in folk medicine to treat many diseases. In cosmetology, it is used to strengthen hair follicles.
Preparation for landing
The Cupido variety is not very demanding and whimsical in cultivation, but in order to increase yield and improve the quality of root crops, it is necessary to comply with agrotechnical requirements, which also include preparatory measures before planting planting material.
Terms
Bulb culture does not require special conditions - they are standard:
- lack of strong wind;
- sunny side;
- moderate soil and air humidity;
- soil fertility;
- neutral soil acidity;
- lack of frost;
- optimal land - sandy loam, loam;
- temperature conditions: for planting in open ground - from +12 to + 18 ° C, for germination of seed material - 4-5 ° C;
- the ripened shaped bulb does not die in frosts of –7 ° С.
Seat selection
When planting Cupido's onion in open soil, you need to choose the right place - it should be well-lit, ventilated (but without gusts of the north wind).
The variety does not tolerate high humidity, against the background of which putrefactive diseases develop, so the site should have a slight bias for rainfall to drain.
Be sure to observe the crop rotation - they plant onions after zucchini, cucumbers, legumes and nightshade crops, watermelons and melons, pumpkins and squash.
Soil preparation
Successful cultivation of onion crops requires fertile and loose soil, therefore, regardless of the planting period, the soil is fertilized and carefully digged. Organic fertilizers are usually added from fertilizers - compost, slurry, humus, chicken droppings.
Immediately before the planting material is planted, weeds are removed along with the root system, the surface of the earth is leveled with a rake, after which grooves with a depth of 5 to 7 cm can be made (distance between rows is 20 cm).
Seed selection and preparation
Since Cupid's onion is an F1 heterosis hybrid, seeds are usually purchased in specialized stores. Such material has already been processed for disinfection, so the first preparation points are skipped.
However, today on sale you can also find uncertified seeds (without a certification document from the manufacturer), so you should use all the preparatory measures:
- Carefully inspect the appearance of planting material for signs of damage, mold, rot, stains. If they are present, throw them away. If you have chosen seeds, they should have a uniform shape, if the seeds are golden husks, a thin neck.
- It is important to determine the hollowness of the material, since such seeds will not germinate. For this, dip the grains in saline for 10-15 minutes - healthy material will sink.
- To disinfect, prepare a weak solution of potassium permanganate, lower the seeds or seeds in it for 20-40 minutes. After washing them under running water, dry.
- To speed up the process of germination, use special growth stimulators, which can be bought at the store.
- The penultimate stage is germination. To do this, planting material is wrapped in a moistened tissue, laid out on a flat container and left in a warm place for 3-4 days. As the fabric dries, spray it with water so that the seeds are in a humid environment. But there is another way of germinating seeds and sowing - in a peat cup.
- In conclusion, it is necessary to harden the sprouted material - daily reduce the air temperature in the room.
Landing time
Sowc is planted in autumn or spring in open ground. In the first case, it may be October-November, depending on the climate of the region. If we talk about spring planting, then in the middle lane the onion is transferred to the ground after April 25, in the south - from April 10.
If the temperature conditions on the street do not meet the standards (frosts are expected, etc.), it is more advisable to plant onions under a greenhouse or in a greenhouse. Seedlings are transferred to open ground after weather stabilization.
Landing technology
Cupido is grown according to 2 technologies - seedlings in open ground and seedlings. Each method has its own planting pattern and cultivation features.
In open ground
If sowing is planted immediately in the ground, regardless of spring or autumn, it is necessary to adhere to the following schemes:
- the distance between the rows is 18-20 cm;
- the distance between the heads is 8-11 cm;
- the depth of laying the bulbs is from 3 to 5 cm.
Landing process:
- divide the plot into beds - make grooves with garden tools;
- moisturize with warm, settled water (you can add Kornevin, Epin - root system growth stimulants);
- let the liquid soak;
- push sevka into the ground;
- sprinkle with earth, maximally compacting;
- mulch, which allows you to maintain the required level of humidity.
Planting seedlings and transplanting in open ground
After careful preparation of the planting material, the seeds are planted in seedlings. For this, any container is used - peat cartridges, pots, boxes and the like. Soil can be purchased at the store or prepared independently. To do this, mix the soil from the garden with peat and humus, which is replaced by compost or vermiculite. The variety loves loose soil, so you can add coconut fibers, for aeration - river sand.
Seeds are planted for seedlings, starting in February, depending on the climate and the possibilities of the gardener. At the same time, it is taken into account that seedlings are fully formed 60 days after planting the seed material.
Before laying the seeds, be sure to disinfect the ground, as weed roots and pest larvae may remain in it. This is done in many ways:
- pour boiling water on the substrate, stand for several minutes, dry;
- treat with potassium permanganate solution;
- place the soil in an oven or microwave for 10-15 minutes.
Disembarkation process seed material:
- Disinfect seedling containers with potassium permanganate.
- Make small holes in the walls for oxygen.
- Pour the substrate into the container, placing a few expanded clay pebbles on the bottom for drainage. The soil layer should be at least 8-9 cm.
- Tamp the surface lightly and make grooves up to 1.5 cm deep.
- Pour in warm water.
- Insert the grains 3-5 cm apart. In each hole, you can lay 2-4 units.
- Sprinkle with earth, spray with water from a spray bottle.
- Be sure to cover with plastic wrap or glass (if using plastic containers, then with a lid).
- Put in a warm place (temperature - 22-26 degrees).
The first seedlings appear after a week, massive - after 12-15 days. During this period, it is necessary to open the shelter for ventilation once a day, moisten the soil, maintain an appropriate air temperature.
Rules for the care of seedlings after the formation of sprouts:
- When strong shoots appear, the film is removed, the temperature regime is slightly reduced (up to + 10-20 ° С).
- Watch the light - the light should be present for 12-14 hours. Additional lighting devices - luminescent or phytolamps - help in this.
- Water the bulbs so often that the soil has moderate humidity. Water should be slightly above room temperature and must be left standing, since the tap contains substances that are harmful to plants (chlorine, etc.). After settling for 2-3 days, the elements evaporate, water becomes suitable for irrigation.
- When the seedlings grow, be sure to thin it - a maximum of 2 bulbs should remain in one hole, but preferably 1.
- Seedlings require top dressing. The first time fertilizers are applied 5-7 days after a mass shoot. The second time - after another 2 weeks. What is used: water - 9-10 l, urea - 10 g, superphosphate - 20 g, potassium chloride - 5 g. If there are no such components, use chicken droppings mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10.
- To develop the root system, trim the leaf part for a couple of centimeters.
- 12-15 days before transplanting to garden beds, seedlings need to be hardened, that is, prepared for other climatic conditions. To do this, the containers are taken out onto the street (balcony) or windows are opened. Plus artificially create a shadow. Procedures are introduced gradually - an hour is enough on the first day, 2 on the next day, etc.
Cupido's onion is not subjected to picking, so seedlings are immediately planted in open ground. But if you have a desire to transplant plants into other containers, you can safely do this, since the roots of the variety are strong and are not afraid of picking.
Care Rules
Agricultural technology for growing onions involves observing special rules for the care of plants planted in the ground. If you do not stick to them, then it becomes impossible to grow a quality product and collect a decent crop.
Watering
The Cupido variety is characterized by increased resistance to drought, therefore, it is not worth watering the soil. In addition, stagnant water contributes to the development of fungal diseases that lead to decay of the plant. On average, in the absence of rain, it is enough to water a variety 2-3 times a month.
To prevent a shortage or oversupply of water, adhere to the main rule of irrigation - there should not be large cracks on the surface of the earth, the soil cannot be chamois.
Loosening
Loosens the beds after watering or rain, which eliminates the risk of dry crust formation, saturates the soil with oxygen. When loosening, proceed carefully so as not to catch the heads with tools. Try not to expose the bulbs.
Weeding
In the presence of weeds on onion beds, the crop stops its growth, as the grass absorbs all the important trace elements from the soil. In order for the onion to develop normally, it is necessary to weed as weeds form, tearing them out of the ground along with the root system.
Top dressing
Onion Cupid prefers fertile soil, but fertilizing too often is undesirable, so it is enough to feed the land before planting the crop. If there are few useful substances in the soil, minerals and organic matter are introduced. If you want to get a feather, fertilize it with nitrogen fertilizer at the stage of its growth, if you need a large bulb, add potassium and phosphorus.
An alternative is chicken droppings, compost, humus or slurry. You can make a mixture of humus - 3 kg, ammonium nitrate - 10 g, potassium salt - 15 g and superphosphate - 30 g. The resulting slurry is distributed over 1 square. m
Pest and Disease Control
Cupido is not afraid of diseases and pests, as it has a powerful immune system. But the onion has one enemy - the onion fly. Recognize its presence by the following signs:
- wilting green mass;
- rotting heads;
- suspension of feather growth;
- the appearance of white larvae under the husk.
What to do for the prevention and control of onion flies:
- In the autumn, dig the beds to a depth of 20-25 cm, so that the larvae will be on the surface of the earth and die before spring.
- Plant carrots or marigolds next to onions - these plants repel the onion fly.
- Prepare a decoction of coniferous branches - pine, if, fir. Add a little mint to it, spray feathers.
- Every 10 days, add saline into the ground (for 10 liters of water - 1 cup of table salt).
- Dandelion root helps a lot - pour crushed roots with boiling water, let it brew for 2-3 days, then dilute with water (for 200 g of grass - 10 l of water).
- Water the plant with a weak solution of manganese.
- Combine wood ash - 200 g, 1 tsp. black pepper, as much tobacco dust. Sprinkle with onion beds.
- In the store you can buy specialized products - Mukhoed, Aktara, Medvetoks, Sochva, Tabazol, Karate Zeon, Zemlin. Preparations are used in strict accordance with the instructions for use.
How to collect and store crops?
Onions are harvested from mid-summer, depending on the planting period and climatic conditions. Some collection rules:
- Approximately 2 weeks before the expected date, stop watering the onion.
- The weather should be sunny and dry. Harvesting begins in the early morning, after which the heads are laid out in beds until the evening for drying.
- It is forbidden to pull the heads by the tops - it is necessary to dig the root crop with a shovel or pitchfork, and then remove it from the ground.
- Do not crush the soil by hitting the bulbs on solid objects. It is better to wait until the soil dries and the dirt falls off on its own.
- Depending on the storage method, the tops are cut (if you intend to weave braids, leave greens). The neck should have a length of up to 4 cm.
What is the proper way to store Cupido's onion:
- Boxes are wooden or plastic. A mandatory requirement is to make ventilation holes on the sides.
- Carton boxes.
- Baskets of natural vines (small size).
- Fabric bags made of burlap, cotton, linen without synthetic threads.
- Old nylon tights.
- Polypropylene nets.
Weaving braids is considered the best option for storing onions. The principle is identical to braiding hair, but in this case, twine is required. The rope is folded in half, one bulb is fixed by the tail and the other heads are woven. Advantages - the onion is ventilated, looks beautiful, does not rot.
Storage conditions:
- In the basement, the bulbs are stored at a temperature of 0 to + 4-7 degrees at a humidity level of 80-85%.
- In an apartment or house, the air temperature should be 20 degrees, humidity - 70%.
Reviews
Valery K., 51 years old, farmer, Krasnodar Territory. I grow onion crops for many years. But the Cupido variety was purchased only 3 years ago. Onions do not require special conditions that create difficulties - it is enough to weed and loosen in a timely manner. I don’t even water it in the fields, but I collect an excellent crop.
Marina Vitalievna, 55 years old, amateur gardener, Moscow region. Cupid advised me a neighbor in the country, she grows this onion for about 5 years. I was satisfied with the variety - very tasty and juicy, and most importantly - not demanding in care, which is very important for me personally. It was only this summer that the onion fly attacked the onion, and that I just didn’t do anything, it didn’t help, but then I read that ground pepper and wood ash can be mixed and sprinkled with plants. And so it did - the fly disappeared, though not in 1 day, but nonetheless.
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The onion variety Cupid is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, high productivity, excellent indicators of taste, therefore it is popular among summer residents and farmers. It has an important feature - resistance to drought and disease, therefore it does not require frequent watering, taking measures against diseases and pests.
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