Mid-early onion hybrid "Helenas" with high yield

Helenas are one of the most popular types of onions. The choice of gardeners is due to its characteristics - high yield, unpretentiousness and resistance to diseases typical of the crop.

Description of the hybrid

Helenas - first generation heterotic hybrid. Suitable for fresh consumption and as an additive to various dishes, as well as for canning.

Origin and development

Bow Helenas was launched in 2009 in the Netherlands, originator – ENZA ZADEN BEHEER B.V.

It was included in the State Register of Russia in 2011.

Chemical composition, trace elements, vitamins and beneficial properties

Onion Helenas contains:

• vitamins A, C, PP and group B;
• essential oils;
• phytoncides;
• iron;
• potassium;
• carotene;
• zinc.

The vegetable prevents vitamin deficiency and strengthens the immune system, destroys microbes, increases hemoglobin, supports the functioning of the cardiovascular system, accelerates metabolism, and helps remove toxins from the body.

Ripening time and yield

This is a mid-early ripening hybrid. Bulbs form within 90-105 days.

Marketable yield Helenasa is 434-601 c/ha.

Reference. The maximum yield was recorded in the Volgograd region - 982 c/ha.

Disease resistance

The hybrid is immune to diseases, but only with proper care. In case of sudden temperature changes, the risk of developing fungal infections increases.

Characteristics of the bulb, description of appearance, taste

Onion Helenas has tubular leaves that are deep green in color., covered with a thin layer of waxy coating. The bulbs are round, weigh on average 100-170 g, covered with dark brown husk. The pulp is white with a greenish tint, has a semi-sharp taste and a characteristic onion aroma.

Growing regions and climate requirements

Hybrid included in the State Register for the Lower Volga region, but, due to its unpretentiousness to climatic conditions, it is successfully cultivated in other areas.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros of Helenas onion:

• early maturation;
• large onions;
• unpretentiousness;
• disease resistance;
• high productivity;
• ripening rate – 90%, after ripening – 100%.

Minuses:

• sensitivity to temperature changes;
• impossibility of growing from your own seeds.

Difference from other varieties and hybrids

A comparison of Helenas with other varieties and hybrids is presented in the table:

Features of planting and growing

The quality of the harvest depends on how correctly was seed material has been prepared and planted in the ground in a timely manner.

One of the main advantages of this hybrid is the ability to grow from sets and from seeds.

Preparing for landing

A week before sowing, the seeds are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate for 24 hours until they swell, then laid out on a damp cloth and left to germinate in a bright room at a temperature of +20...+25°C, making sure that the cloth remains damp. Before sowing, they are dried at room temperature for half an hour.

Reference. Many farmers, instead of germinating, soak the seeds for 18-20 hours in a growth stimulant solution.

Soil mixture for growing seedlings is made from equal parts of sand, soil from the garden, peat and compost. To disinfect the finished substrate, it is spilled with a fungicide solution or calcined.

Before planting, the seedlings are heated for 8 hours at a temperature of +35°C, and then cut off the upper part along the neck line to speed up the emergence of seedlings.

In autumn, plant remains are removed from the site, the soil is dug up 30 cm deep and humus is added. In the spring, they dig again and enrich the soil with superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and potassium salt.

Soil requirements

The soil should be loose, nutritious, with weak or neutral acidity and good moisture and breathability.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

The time for sowing seeds for seedlings depends on the climate of the region. If it is early spring in the region, sowing is carried out in the second half of February, in other regions - in mid-March.

The process of growing seedlings:

1. Pour the soil mixture into the prepared containers and make furrows 1 cm deep in it every 5-6 cm.
2. Place seeds in the furrows at 3 cm intervals.
3. Sprinkle them with soil and water lightly.
4. Cover the container with polyethylene and put it in a bright place with a temperature of +20...+25°C.
5. When shoots appear, remove the polyethylene and reduce the room temperature to +16...+20°C.
6. After 3 weeks, water the seedlings with mineral fertilizers, repeat the procedure after 10 days.

Seedlings are planted in open ground 2 months after emergence. In the south this is the end of April, in other regions it is mid-May.

Instructions for planting seedlings:

1. Make furrows 1-2 cm deep in the area, maintaining a distance between them of 25-30 cm.
2. Lightly moisten the soil along the furrows.
3. Place the seedlings in the furrows at a distance of 5 cm from each other, sprinkle with soil and water.
4. Mulch the beds with peat.

Sevok is planted in the ground at the end of April or beginning of May. In areas with moderately cold winters, winter Helenas onion sets can be planted in late October or early November.

Important! During winter planting, the air temperature should not exceed +5°C.

Set planting scheme:

1. Mark rows on the site at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other.
2. Every 5-8 cm, dig planting holes 3-4 cm deep.
3. Place an onion in each hole, cut side up.
4. Cover the holes with soil and tamp lightly.

The beds are watered in the spring and mulched in the fall.

Nuances of care

Grow onions in a well-lit areawhere moisture does not accumulate, so it is better to choose places on the plain or hills.

Helenas should not be planted after garlic and carrots. The best predecessors for it are legumes, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes.

Reference. The optimal air temperature for crop development is +20…+25°C.

When caring for plants, you must follow rules for watering, loosening and weeding the soil, as well as timely application of fertilizers and treatment of plantings from pests and diseases.

Watering mode

The hybrid does not tolerate drought and excessive moisture.Therefore, when watering, the main thing is regularity and moderation.

During active growth plantings are watered every 3-4 days, during the period of bulb formation - weekly, focusing on the condition of the top layer of soil. 20 days before harvesting, watering is stopped so that the bulbs have time to dry and are better stored.

Loosening the soil and weeding

The ground is weeded as the weeds grow, which shade the sprouts and take moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Loosen the soil to a depth of 2-3 cm after each watering. The procedure helps to get rid of the dense crust on the soil surface and improve the access of oxygen and moisture to the roots.

Top dressing

Fertilizers are applied according to the scheme:

• 14 days after emergence - diluted bird droppings (1 kg per 15 liters of water);
• during the formation of bulbs - 10 g of potassium chloride and superphosphate per 1 m².

Disease and pest control

Despite good immunity, if planting and care rules are not followed, plants can become infected with diseases and pests, so it’s important to know how to deal with them:

• onion flies – remove the affected parts of the plants, dust the beds with tobacco dust and lime, and in case of severe damage, treat with the insecticides “Aktara”, “Corado” or “Vantex”;
• onion mites - scatter a mixture of tobacco and ash between the rows, treat the plantings with Nugor, Fostran or Kemidim;
• peronosporosis and gray rot - get rid of infected plants, and treat the remaining ones with fungicides “Quadris”, “Ridomil Gold”.

Difficulties in growing

When cultivating Helenas onions some problems may arise:

• poor seed germination as a result of sowing without prior preparation;
• rotting of bulbs due to excessive moisture;
• poor growth and weak development of bulbs, damage by diseases and pests if crop rotation rules are not followed.

Harvest and storage

Onions are stored well only if timely cleaning.

How and when to collect

The harvest is harvested 10-14 days after the feathers have turned yellow and died. When planting in spring, onions ripen at the end of summer, and when planting in autumn, in the second ten days of July.

The bulbs are carefully dug up 10 cm from the neck and pulled out of the ground by the leaves.

Storage features and shelf life

The dug up bulbs are manually cleared of soil, sorted and all specimens are removed from mechanical damage or signs of rot.

Harvest dry for 2-3 days in the sun or under a canopy, placing the leaves in one direction, and then cutting off the above-ground part.

Store onions in cardboard or wooden boxes with holes for ventilation.. The storage room must have good ventilation, humidity within 70-80% and air temperature +4°C. In such conditions, Helenas is stored for 4-6 months.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Recommendations from experienced farmers:

1. A month before harvesting, slightly expose the top of the bulbs. This helps them to be warmed by the sun and ripen faster.
2. Be sure to disinfect seed material to reduce the risk of disease development.
3. Spray the onions with wormwood solution once every 3 weeks. This repels insects.

Reviews

Reviews from gardeners confirm the positive characteristics of the hybrid.

Marina, Volsk: “I have been growing Helenas for 3 years now. The first time I bought seeds and sowed them for seedlings, but then I didn’t want to bother with it and started buying ready-made seedlings. I like everything - the yield is good, the bulbs are large and beautiful. The only thing that onions lack is resistance to temperature fluctuations.".

Vasily, Saratov region.: “I saw a photo and read a description of the Helenas onion variety on the Internet, and heard about it for a long time, but I still never got around to planting it. I started growing it last year. I was pleased with the result - the bulbs grew on average 120-150 g, the harvest was rich, it lay in the cellar for 4 months, then some of the bulbs began to deteriorate".

Conclusion

Helenas is a medium-early ripening onion that even novice gardeners can grow. The hybrid is characterized by large bulbs with a semi-sharp taste, abundant yield and a high degree of resistance to diseases and pests.