One of the most delicious types of onions is Exibishen Onion: characterization, planting and cultivation of the Exibishen variety. Its large and juicy bulbs add a piquant taste to salads, and the growing process does not require much work. To be able to enjoy the fruits of this variety in the cold season, you need to know the features of their harvesting and storage, as well as be able to correctly determine the timing of the harvest. All this will be discussed in this article.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Exibishen onion belongs to salad varieties, as its taste combines well with other ingredients, it is softer and devoid of an unpleasant aftertaste.

Did you know? One of the oldest images of bulbs was found on the walls of the tomb of Tutankhamun and dates from 1352 BC. e.

A brief description of this variety is presented below:

1. The plant belongs to the perennial and belongs to the Onion family. The variety is late-ripening, the crop can be harvested 120-140 days after the appearance of green shoots.
2. The leaves of the onion are tubular, have a dark green color, and their base is white and thin. Exibishen onion feathers are recommended to be eaten when their height reaches 20 cm.
3. The flowering period of the plant falls in June or July and ends with the formation on the peduncle of a box with small trihedral seeds.
4. The large onion has a rounded and slightly elongated shape, and on the outside is covered with yellow scales.
5. The flesh of the onion is fleshy and juicy, painted white and has a pleasant sweet taste, without bitterness. The fruit has no specific onion smell.
6. The crop yield can reach 3 kg with 1 m², while the average weight of one fruit is 700–800 g.
7. Root crops of this variety are characterized by a short shelf life of only 3-4 months. Exibishen variety is afraid of frost, but is simple enough to grow and does not require specific care.

How to determine the maturity of onions

In the same growing region, the onion crop in different years can ripen differently, depending on the specific weather conditions. When growing onions Exibishen determine its maturity by the appearance of plants. To do this, you need to regularly inspect the beds, especially after about 4 months have passed since the planting of the crop.

The main signs of onion maturity of this variety are listed below:

• yellowing and lodging of 70–80% of plant leaves - after ripening, all nutrients pass from the green mass to the bulb;
• the onion stalk becomes soft, and its growth stops - this indicates that the formation of the fruits is completed, and they no longer need nutrients from green tops;
• dried neck, on the cut of which there are no succulent leaves - such tubers are ready for storage and will not decay after trimming the tops;
• onion flakes become dry, acquire a rich golden yellow color and have a dense structure - such a peel will well protect the onion from damage during storage;
• the death of 15–18% of the roots — a ripened bulb no longer needs moisture and nutrients from the soil.

Important! You can not delay with the collection of bulbs, waiting for yellowing and lodging of the entire green mass - this will lead to over-ripening of the crop.

When to remove onions from the beds for storage

The correct determination of the timing of harvesting onions from the beds will help increase the shelf life of the crop. Unripe bulbs are covered with too thin scales. It does not protect the fruits from the adverse effects of external factors, as a result of which the crop quickly deteriorates.

Overripe tubers lose their taste and useful properties, and the scales that cover them easily separate from the surface of the bulb. As a result, the crop is poorly stored, and the fruits quickly rot.

Exibishen onion harvesting period lasts from August to September. To correctly determine when to harvest root crops, you need to take into account the territorial location of the region where the crop is grown and weather conditions, and some gardeners also recommend checking the Lunar calendar.

Depending on the region

When grown in different regions, the Exibishen onion has different ripening periods, due to different climatic conditions. In hot summer conditions, bulbs always ripen faster, and in the northern regions this process requires more time. But in any case, the crop must be harvested before the onset of the rainy season and the first frosts, as these factors worsen the taste of the fruit and reduce their shelf life.

The harvesting times for Exibishen bulbs depending on the growing region are listed below:

• in the middle lane and Moscow region they dig the crop in late July or early August. If the summer was rainy, then the onion harvest will have to be postponed for another 7-10 days, but until mid-August, the bulbs must be dug up so that they do not suffer from night frosts;
• in the northwestern regions and Siberia Excibishen variety onions are dug up at the end of August. If the tubers did not have time to ripen before this time, then harvesting can be postponed until the first decade of September, but not later. From mid-September in these regions, the rainy season begins, which can lead to decay of fruits in the ground;
• in the Urals bulbs are usually dug from the ground in the first half of August. If the weather is warm and dry, then the crop can be harvested in the middle of the month, but no later than the 20th day - before the onset of cooling.

Lunar Calendar Fee

Many gardeners determine favorable terms for harvesting onions using the Lunar calendar. This is explained by the fact that different phases of the moon have different effects on the movement of juices inside the stem of a plant. To determine this or that phase of the satellite, you can carry out personal observation of the Moon or use the data from the calendar for the current year.

Did you know? Onions were brought to America by the expedition of Christopher Columbus. The plant was planted on the island of Isabella, and then it spread to the rest of the mainland.

The lunar calendar for harvesting onions is listed below:

• after the new moon, the juices inside the stem of the plant are directed upward, so the bulbs dug at this time will be less juicy and will not be able to be stored for a long time;
• harvesting during the full moon is considered the best option, since during this period the fruits acquire the maximum nutritional value;
• in the phase of the waning moon, all the juices in the stem are directed towards the underground part, so the bulbs dug at this time will be juicy and will be able to be stored longer.

Using the lunar calendar, it is also important to pay attention to weather conditions and onion maturity indicators.

How to dig out from the garden

When digging the Exibishen bulbs, care must be taken not to damage them. Fruits with mechanical damage quickly begin to rot and are unsuitable for storage even in a room with an ideal microclimate.

The basic rules for digging fruit are listed below:

• Harvesting is carried out in warm and sunny weather, so that the bulbs are not saturated with moisture and better stored;
• the roots of the fruit are carefully undermined with a pitchfork, and then they are picked from the ground manually;
• after extracting from the ground, the fruits are slightly shaken off from earthen clods, while it is necessary to avoid impacts of the fruits and damage to their integrity;
• if the crop is already ripe, and the weather is rainy outside, then you must immediately dig up the tubers from the ground so that they do not begin to rot;
• if the harvest was carried out on a rainy and damp day, then they cut the dug out bulbs, and then send them to dry.

How to Trim and Dry Onion Exibischen

After digging, bulbs of this variety need to be dried. This procedure helps to remove excess moisture from root crops, which will contribute to a longer storage of the crop.

Important! The drying procedure for the bulbs lasts 10–20 days, depending on the air temperature, weather and the selected drying method.

The basic rules for drying Exibishen onion are listed below:

• in sunny weather, dug bulbs are laid out for drying right on the bed, placing them in one layer;
• at night, you need to cover the fruits with a film or remove them under the roof to protect root crops from dew;
• if the crop was harvested in rainy weather, then after digging and pruning the bulbs are brought into the room and dried for 7-8 hours in the oven at a temperature of + 40 ° C, and then another 2 weeks in the room at a temperature of +25 ... + 30 ° C;
• to ensure uniform drying of the onion, it is necessary to periodically turn over the unfolded fruits;
• if the crop is dried indoors, then it is necessary to ensure good air ventilation in it;
• for better air circulation, root crops can be dried on a horizontal grate;
• in sunny weather, the bulbs can be hung vertically on the fence - so they dry faster under the sun.

You can determine the readiness of the bulbs for laying for storage by the following external signs:

• the neck becomes dry, and its edges are completely closed;
• the outer husk becomes smooth to the touch and rustles from touch;
• the root surface is hard and dry;
• bulbs should not be allowed to dry out, which is indicated by cracking of the husk - such fruits cannot be stored for a long time.

Trimming roots and tops is performed only after drying the plants. An exception can only be the case when the fruit was dug from the ground during rain.

Did you know? According to the UN, most onions per capita are consumed in Libya. Every citizen of this country eats about 33 kg of product annually.

Key pruning recommendations are listed below:

• cut dried tops so that a dry tail 3-4 cm long remains on the bulb - it will prevent harmful bacteria from entering the pulp of the fetus;
• if tubers will be stored by braiding them, then a tail of about 10 cm in length is left during trimming of onion feathers;
• the roots are cut with scissors close to the bottom, trying not to damage it;
• when harvesting during rains, root crops are cut off from roots and roots immediately after digging from the ground, and then completely peel the onion from the husk to prevent it from decaying.

Features of storing onions at home

After the crop is harvested and well dried, you need to select the whole fruits without damage and put them in storage. But even if the onion was harvested according to all the rules, improper storage can quickly destroy all the fruits. Therefore, you need to know how to keep the crop for a long time, and also create suitable conditions for storing this crop in the storage.

Optimal conditions

Bulbs of this variety have poor storability, so you need to create optimal conditions in the store for the best storage of fruits.

The main requirements for the microclimate during storage of Exibishen onions are listed below:

• air temperature should be + 4 ° С - in a too cold room, the fruits can freeze, and in a warmer room they will quickly deteriorate;
• the storage should be dry and well ventilated - with stagnation of air, the bulbs quickly deteriorate;
• the onion storage room should be dark - sunlight reduces the shelf life of tubers;
• the humidity in the room with root crops should be about 70% - in dry air the onion quickly fades, and with high humidity it can begin to rot;
• Sudden temperature changes and drafts should not be allowed in the storage.

Ways and places of storage

Harvest of onions of this variety can be stored in a dry basement or cellar, in which all the above microclimate conditions are observed.

Culture storage methods are listed below:

• in clean nylon bags mounted on wooden pallets;
• in wicker baskets or wire trays stacked on top of each other;
• in small grids suspended vertically;
• in boxes or crates filled with ash or sawdust;
• in the form of braids woven from bulbs and hung under the ceiling or on the walls of the vault.

Storage time

Unfortunately, Exibishen bulbs are rarely stored for longer than 4 months, even if all of the above conditions are met. To avoid the rapid loss of the entire crop, you need to regularly inspect the root crops and immediately remove those on which mold or rot has appeared. Fruits that have mechanical damage are not suitable for storage - they must be used immediately after harvest.

Important! You can’t pour the bulbs on the cold floor of the storehouse or store them in one big heap - this makes it difficult to regularly inspect the fruits and can cause their mass rot.

Despite poor stubbornness, the yield of Exibishen onion can be successfully preserved for some time. To do this, it is enough to know the basic rules for harvesting fruits and use the recommendations for their storage, which are listed in this article.