Early ripening winter onion hybrid Troy with a moderately pungent taste

The Troy onion hybrid appeared on the market not long ago, but is already loved by vegetable growers. It ripens quickly, is unpretentious in care, high-yielding, has strong immunity and high shelf life. The ripening rate after ripening reaches 100%. Read more about its advantages and rules growing Let's talk further.

Description of the variety and photo

Thanks to its semi-sharp taste, Troy onion is universal in use: it is consumed fresh, added to salads, first courses, marinades for meat and fish, and canned food.

This winter heterotic hybrid was obtained as a result of breeding work by Dutch scientists from the BEJO ZADEN company. Troy was included in the State Register of Russia in 2008.

Composition and beneficial properties

Onion contains:

• vitamins C, E, PP and group B;
• bioflavonoid quercetin;
• phytoncides;
• prebiotic inulin;
• fructose and glucose;
• pectin;
• macro- and microelements: calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and others;
• essential oils;
• alimentary fiber;
• organic acids.

The vegetable is useful for diabetes, cleanses the blood and normalizes digestion, activates metabolism, improves hematopoiesis. Onion juice is used as a natural antibiotic: it has general tonic, strengthening and antibacterial properties.

Ripening time and yield

This is an early ripening hybrid: the harvest is harvested 75–80 days after planting. Troy's marketable yield is 323 c/ha.

Disease resistance

Troy is resistant to most diseases and pests characteristic of onions:

• downy mildew;
• gray rot;
• bacteriosis;
• onion mosaic;
• onion flies and moths.

Characteristics

The plant reaches 45 cm in height, the leaves are tubular, dark green, covered with a thin layer of waxy coating.

The bulbs are broadly obovate in shape with a neck of medium thickness. There are one and two germs. Covered with a light brown husk, they weigh on average 80–90 g.

The pulp is greenish-white, juicy, and the taste is semi-sharp.

What regions is it suitable for?

The hybrid is included in the State Register with permission for cultivation in the Central region. At the same time, it adapts well to different climatic conditions and is frost-resistant, so it is successfully cultivated almost throughout Russia.

Main advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of the Troy bow:

• early maturation;
• high productivity;
• resistance to bolting, frost, diseases and pests;
• universal application;
• long term storage;
• possibility of mechanical harvesting.

Disadvantages of a hybrid:

• high cost of seedlings;
• impossibility of growing from your own seeds;
• Cultivation for bulbs only: not planted for greenery.

Differences from others

Comparative table of different hybrids:

Planting and growing

To obtain a high-quality harvest, it is important to plant the seedlings in the ground in a timely and correct manner.The material is purchased or grown independently from nigella - seeds planted in early spring.

Preparing for landing

To get the sets, seeds laid out on a damp cloth and placed in an airtight container for germination for 4-5 days. This will speed up the emergence of seedlings.

To minimize bolting, the sets are hardened. To do this, it is lightly exfoliated, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then dipped in cold water. Afterwards, dry the bulbs on a paper towel.

Reference. Usually the sets are soaked in a disinfectant and growth stimulating solution, but Troy is a hybrid, so there is no need for this.

The soil is dug up in advance, cleared of weeds and plant debris, and organic and complex mineral fertilizers are applied. 2-3 days before planting, water the soil generously and cover it with film to retain moisture longer.

Soil requirements

Onion Troy is not too picky about soil composition, but prefers light, nutritious soil with good moisture and breathability and neutral acidity.

Lime, dolomite flour, chalk or wood ash are added to acidic soil several months before planting, which serves as fertilizer.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

Sowing to obtain seedlings is carried out in early May according to the following scheme:

1. Shallow grooves are marked across the prepared beds at a distance of 10–15 cm from each other.
2. Seeds are placed in them, deepened by 1 cm and maintaining a distance between them of 1–1.5 cm, followed by thinning to 2–3 cm.
3. Cover everything with earth.

Troy onion sets are planted in open ground in the spring (in the Central region - in early May) or before winter, about three weeks before the onset of frost, when the average daily air temperature drops to +5°C.This usually happens at the end of September - beginning of November, more precise dates depend on the growing region.

Planting pattern:

1. A rake is used to loosen the previously prepared soil on the site.
2. Form beds with a ridge height of 15–20 cm at a distance of 60–70 cm from each other.
3. Planting furrows 4-5 cm deep are made in them, sand mixed with wood ash is poured into the bottom.
4. Place the seedlings in the furrows, deepening them at least for the entire “growth” of the bulb, at a distance of 10–12 cm from each other.
5. Sprinkle everything with humus and soil, compacting it slightly.

When planting before winter, for protection from frost and additional fertilizing, the soil is mulched with spruce branches, dry straw, sawdust, or covered with agrofibre. The mulch is removed in early spring, after the snow melts.

Features of cultivation

Plant onions in a well-lit and ventilated area, avoiding lowlands where the accumulation of melt or rain water will cause the crop to rot.

The same place for two years in a row is not suitable for Troy: such a site is used no earlier than after 3-4 years.

The hybrid should not be planted after carrots, herbs, spices, turnips, and tomatoes. The best predecessors: cucumbers, cabbage, bell peppers, zucchini, potatoes, beets, peas, radishes.

It is important to choose the right time for sowing: if planted prematurely in open ground, the onion will begin to grow early and die from frost; if planted too late, it will not have time to take root.

Nuances of care

This is an unpretentious hybrid, but it requires minimal care, which consists of proper watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil and thinning out the seedlings.

Watering mode

Irrigate the plants regularly, but moderately, avoiding excessive moisture and waterlogging of the soil: this provokes rotting of the bulbs.When watering, they are guided by the condition of the soil: it should be moistened to a depth of 3–5 cm.

Reference. Water at room temperature is poured between the rows, without getting on the sprouts.

A few weeks before harvest, irrigation is stopped to allow the bulbs to fully form and dry.

Loosening and weeding

Loosen the soil between the rows a day after watering: this enriches the soil with oxygen and improves moisture circulation.

Weed the plantings every 10–14 days. Around the bulbs, weeds are removed manually, carefully, trying not to damage the surface of the vegetables, and a cultivator or other tools are used between the rows.

Top dressing

Fertilize the crop several times per season:

• at the end of April - beginning of May - with organic compounds (rotted manure, compost);
• at the end of June - liquid mineral products containing sodium and phosphorus.

The soil between the rows is watered with an infusion of medicinal herbs: nettle, chamomile, dandelion.

Disease and pest control

Thanks to its good immunity, this hybrid is rarely affected by diseases and insects. If this happens, it is only due to improper care or non-compliance with planting rules.

If there are signs of disease, the crop is treated with fungicides, and insecticides are used against pests.

Harvest and storage

The readiness of the crop for harvesting is judged by yellowing and leaf lodging.

How and when to collect

Vegetables are dug up at the end of June - beginning of July, on a clear sunny day. In large areas, they resort to mechanical harvesting; in small areas, onions are collected manually, pulling them out of the ground, having previously dug them with a shovel.

Storage features and shelf life of the hybrid

When the onions are collected, they are inspected and carefully sorted, damaged specimens are thrown away or set aside for prompt use. The harvest is dried in the sun or under a canopy for two weeks.

Reference. When the tail of the onion becomes completely dry, the vegetables are sent to storage.

Keep Troy in a dark room at a temperature of 0...-3°C and air humidity in the range of 75–90%. Onions are hung in nets, braided, or laid out on a dry surface. If all conditions are met, the crop does not lose its marketability and taste for 4-5 months.

Difficulties in growing

When cultivating Troy onions, farmers face some problems:

• rotting of turnips due to excessive watering, accumulation of melt or rain water;
• premature germination and abundant growth of green mass with an excess of nitrogen-containing fertilizers;
• cessation of leaf formation, early formation of bulbs or growth cessation due to violation of the rules of agricultural technology and lack of proper growing conditions.

Advice from experienced gardeners

A few recommendations from experienced vegetable growers:

1. When planting before winter, form high beds, otherwise the seedlings will freeze.
2. Carefully level the furrows on the site: this affects the consistency of seedlings and yield.
3. Plantings are mulched with natural materials, in extreme cases - agrofibre. Do not use plastic film.
4. Branches of yarrow, wormwood or tansy are laid between the rows to protect the plantings from insect pests.

Reviews

Reviews from gardeners on forums confirm the positive characteristics of the hybrid.

Evgeniy, Kursk region: «I have been planting Troy for 6 years in a row, the hybrid is excellent. I always buy ready-made seedlings and plant them before winter.It has never happened before that the harvest was small or spoiled. A couple of damaged bulbs don't count. I store vegetables in the cellar, they stay there until the New Year without any problems.”

Anna, Oryol region: “I usually don’t have the best luck with winter onions: I seem to plant them in mid-October, but they still manage to germinate, and then they freeze and die. Last year I tried to plant Troy, and it was a success. I don’t even know what’s wrong: either I guessed right over time, or the onion itself is excellent. Overall, I liked everything: the harvest was large with minimal care, the taste of the vegetables was mild.”

Conclusion

Troy is a winter onion hybrid, but it can also be planted in the spring. The crop is resistant to diseases and pests, does not require special care, produces consistently high yields and is suitable for cultivation in almost all regions of Russia. The shelf life of up to five months and the semi-sharp taste of the bulbs make them versatile in cooking.