Cold-resistant onion variety Radar for planting before winter

Onions are grown in all regions of the country, both in vegetable farms and in private plots. For winter farming, frost-resistant onion varieties are chosen for planting, for example, Radar from Dutch breeders. It is unpretentious in cultivation and resistant to adverse conditions, rich in useful compounds.

In the article you will find a brief description of the variety, the nuances of planting and care, and you will learn how and when to plant Radar winter onions before winter.

Description of the Radar variety

The Radar variety is a winter, cold-resistant, mid-season onion that is not prone to bolting.

Cold-resistant onion variety The radar was obtained as a result of the work of Dutch breeders about 30 years ago. Included in the State Register of Russia in 2006.

Features of application

It is important to eat onions in winter and spring, when the body lacks vitamins. His Universal use in cooking: eaten raw, boiled, fry, stew, baked.

Delicate taste with moderately spicy notes goes well with vegetables and meat dishes and complements soups, borscht, and stews. This vegetable is ideal as a seasoning for meat and fish.

Read more about this variety in our other article.

Ripening time and yield

Radar is an early ripening variety characterized by frost resistance. The first harvest is harvested 250-270 days after planting. The first greens are cut in mid-May, and large bulbs are dug up at the end of June.

The Radar variety is considered high-yielding, because from a small set the resulting bulb weighs from 90 to 150 g, and sometimes up to 300 g.

Disease resistance

The variety is highly resistant to bolting, pests and diseases.. It is important to observe crop rotation - do not plant onions in one bed for more than 2 years in a row, alternate crops correctly, and also carry out preventive spraying.

Characteristics of the bulb

The head is dense, transversely elliptical in shape, juicy inner scales are white.. The outer husk is dry, dense, golden in color. The feathers are glossy and dark green. Medium sized onion neck. The taste is semi-sharp.

For which regions is it best suited?

Initially, the Radar onion variety was intended for planting in the North Caucasus region. However, due to its undemanding nature and soil quality, it is successfully cultivated in all regions of the country. Only the planting dates differ depending on the region of growth.

Radar transfers temperature -13…-16°C in conditions of little snow in winter, and under a thick cover of snow it will overwinter at a temperature of -25°C.

The main advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Advantages:

• high germination of seedlings;
• unpretentiousness to soil quality and weather conditions;
• good yield;
• keeping quality;
• resistance to diseases and bolting;
• powerful root system and thin neck of the onion.

There are no significant deficiencies in the variety.

Unlike popular onion varieties planted in spring, the cost of Radar is significantly lower. And from other winter varieties, for example, Karatalsky or Boterus, Radar differs in good keeping quality and resistance to diseases. Although its yield is slightly lower.

Features of planting and growing

When planting Radar onions before winter, adhere to the deadlines plantings, dig up the beds and prepare planting material.

Preparing for landing

Select quality planting material - sets up to 1 cm long, without signs of spoilage, rot or sprouting. Then it is dried in a warm place for 2-3 weeks. Next comes double processing of winter seedlings. First, it is placed for 5 minutes in a 3% solution of table salt, and then disinfected for half an hour in a strong solution of potassium permanganate. Before planting, the seedlings are dried.

Reference! Experienced gardeners practice planting sets cut in half. Both halves will be accepted if they have roots.

Soil requirements

Variety Radar is not picky about soil composition. The beds are made where water does not stagnate in the spring, after the snow melts. Choose a well-lit place. Preparation of the beds begins approximately 1.5 months before planting.

The soil is cleared of plant debris, dug up and spilled with a disinfectant composition, for example, a solution of potassium permanganate. After this, fertilizers are added: humus or rotted compost, potassium salt, superphosphate.

Important! It is not recommended to fertilize the soil with fresh manure. This will cause the green mass to grow and the bulb to become loose. Such onions will become unsuitable for long-term storage.

Predecessors

It is best to plant winter onions where tomatoes, garlic, and cucumbers previously grew.. They don't put him in place carrots, cabbage and any other onion.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

The timing of planting winter onions depends on the climatic conditions of the region. For example, in the Northwestern part of the country Radar imprisoned in early October, in the Moscow region - in mid-October, in the Krasnodar Territory or Stavropol Territory - in early November.

Planting scheme:

1. Prepare the beds at a distance of more than 30 cm from each other. Level and compact the soil.
2. Make grooves 5 cm deep.
3. Place the seedlings in a furrow at a distance of 10 cm from each other.
4. Fill with peat-humus mixture.
5. Mulch the soil with straw and cover the top with spruce branches to retain snow.

Geotextiles are considered the best mulching material.. This is a special white non-woven material that allows moisture and air to pass through to the soil and inhibits the growth of weeds.

Features of cultivation

After planting Radar onions in the fall, no watering is required. In winter, add additional snow to the bed. Mulch is removed in the spring to warm the soil.

Nuances of care

For a good harvest, provide the vegetable with minimal care, consisting of watering the beds, loosening the soil and timely fertilizing.

Watering mode

Start glaze falls in the middle or end of May. 1-2 times a week, the bed is watered with settled water at room temperature. 6-8 liters of water are consumed per 1 m². The frequency of watering depends on the amount of precipitation.

Loosening the soil and weeding

After each watering, the soil is allowed to dry and the top layer is loosened.. Do this carefully, without going deep, so as not to damage the bulb. At the same time, weeds that interfere with full growth are removed.

Top dressing

The first feeding with ash is carried out immediately after the snow melts.. 1 tbsp. l. ash is diluted in 10 liters of water. The next feeding is done when the onion has 4 green feathers - use organic fertilizers, for example, a solution of bird droppings. It is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:15 and left for at least 5 days.

The next time feeding is done after 14 days. superphosphate, urea and potassium. For 1 m², use 2 liters of liquid fertilizer.

Disease and pest control

Bow Radar susceptible to peronosporosis - downy mildew. The reasons are weakened plant immunity and waterlogging of the soil. Affected plants are sprayed with the preparation “HOM” 2-3 times with a break of 10 days. For prevention purposes, plants that have reached 10 cm are irrigated with Bordeaux mixture, and the beds are dusted with tobacco dust.

The most dangerous damage to the Radar variety is onion flies. To prevent and control insects, plantings are sprayed with a solution of 150 g of salt and 10 liters of water and the plants are promptly dusted with tobacco dust and wood ash alternately. If you cannot get rid of the fly for a long time, then use the bioinsecticides “Aktara” or “Alatar” - 50 ml per 10 liters of water.

Important! To get a more lasting result, add a little liquid soap to the onion fly solution.

Harvest and storage

Growing season - 250-270 days. The vegetable is considered ripe when the feather turns yellow and “lies” on the ground, and the bulb is overgrown with golden husk. Often the feather does not “lay down”, but by all indications the onion is ripe. In this case, it is laid manually.

Collection and storage rules:

1. Cleaning carried out in dry weather. It is manually pulled out of the ground, digging with a pitchfork.
2. The collected bulbs are sorted by size, leaving small ones for winter planting, and large ones for storage.
3. Dry in a place protected from rain for 10 days or until the root collar dries.
4. After this, dry feathers and roots are trimmed, and the onions are sent to a cool place, for example, a cellar. You can not trim the feathers, but weave a braid from such a bow. This way it will be well preserved, just like in a box or nylon stocking.

The variety has good keeping quality.

What difficulties may there be when growing

Gardeners do not note any particular difficulties when cultivating onions, but sometimes the following problems occur:

1. Onion germination ahead of schedule. Plant winter onions no earlier than October.
2. Bulb rotting. The reason is excessive watering or an incorrectly chosen place for the bed in the lowland.
3. Onions will not germinate if the sets are buried more than 10 cm during planting.
4. Buying low-quality seeds. Buy seed material from trusted sellers. The packaging must be made of mesh and contain information about the timing and conditions of planting.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Recommendations from farmers who have been growing this variety for a long time:

1. The sets are kept in a warm room for at least 2 months to avoid bolting.
2. Pour a mixture of sand and ash into the furrow, and plant onions on top.
3. Use only organic matter as mulch - corn leaves, tops, hay. The bed cannot be covered with plastic film.
4. Check the lunar calendar. Onions are not planted during the full moon phase.

Reviews about the onion variety Radar

Gardeners speak positively about the Radar onion variety.

Alena Ivanovna, Rzhev: “I like to plant onions before winter - a minimum of hassle, and fresh vegetables at the beginning of summer. I really like the Radar variety for its ease of cultivation, good preservation in winter and moderately pungent taste. My husband asks me to marinate the kebab with him!”.

Konstantin, Armavir: “In the south, we usually plant winter onions in early November. It's warm here at this time and there is time before frost. If it’s a snowy winter, the onions will be large and sweet. I started growing radar recently, and now it’s one of my favorites.”.

Borovoy Sergey, Stavropol region: “A neighbor once shared a jar of Radar onion sets. Why haven't I heard of him before? No hassle with planting in winter. In May there are already strong, juicy greens on the feather.In July - large heads of bitter onions. Now I advise everyone to plant Radar.”.

Conclusion

The Radar variety is characterized by high yield and mid-early ripening. It is undemanding to the composition and quality of the soil and is suitable for cultivation in all regions of the country.

Cultivation of winter onions Radar is possible even for a beginner. By following simple agricultural practices, you will get a high-quality harvest of mid-season onions, which are also perfectly stored.