- Name synonyms: Red Ray
- Year of approval: 2015
- Ripening terms: mid-season
- Bulb weight, g: 80-95
- The form: rounded
- Dry scales: dark red
- Coloring juicy scales: reddish
- Taste: semi-sharp
- Appointment: for fresh consumption
- Yield: fruitful
Lovers of red onion varieties that can be planted in the garden bed will certainly love the mid-season Red Ray hybrid, ideal for growing in the Central Region. It is not difficult to cultivate a vegetable if you know the intricacies of agricultural technology.
Breeding history
The Red Ray onion is a first generation hybrid that was created not so long ago, but quickly gained popularity among gardeners and farmers. The breeders of the agricultural firm Bejo Zaden B.V. in 2012 brought out the culture. Onions have been listed in the State Register of Onions approved for use on the territory of the Russian Federation since 2015. The most productive vegetable crop when grown in the climate of the Central region.
Description of the variety
The red onion hybrid variety is a compact plant with a semi-spreading rosette. The feathers of the plant are characterized by a uniform dark green color, juiciness, light waxy bloom, an average height reaching 35-45 cm. In addition, the culture has a powerful root system, and there is also no tendency to shoot arrows during the growing season.
Characteristics of the appearance of plants and bulbs
Onions belong to the category of medium-fruited varieties. All specimens ripen neat and aligned, which attracts the attention of farmers and agrarians. The average weight of a vegetable is 80-95 grams, but sometimes individual specimens grow up to 150 grams. The shape of the bulb is correct - rounded or elongated-rounded, with a refined neck.
Onion peel is thin, glossy, but firm and tight, which ensures long-term storage of the vegetable. The skin of a vegetable consists of 2-3 dry scales of a dark red or reddish brown hue. Onion flesh has a uniform reddish or mauve color. The vegetable has a high density. By structure, the onion is a small-breasted one, consisting of 2 onions.
The dug out onions can withstand transportation without losses, and are also endowed with good keeping quality - vegetables can be stored practically until the next season.
Purpose and taste
Red Ray onions not only have an attractive presentation, but also an excellent taste. The pinkish flesh is firm, fleshy, tender, crunchy and very juicy. The taste of vegetables is harmonious - slightly sweet, semi-sharp, with hints of piquancy and incredible aroma. Onions have no pronounced pungency. In addition, the pulp has a useful vitamin and mineral composition.
The harvested crop will always find application in cooking - onions are eaten fresh, added to vegetable salads, pickled, frozen. In addition, Red Ray onions are ideally combined with meat and fish dishes.
Maturation
Red Ray is a mid-season hybrid. From the moment the shoots emerge to the absolute ripening of the bulbs on the ridge, 110-125 days pass. The ripening of the specimens occurs gradually, so the digging can begin from the time the feathers fall. As a rule, the harvest takes place in August - early September.
Yield
High productivity is one of the advantages of this hybrid. On average, from 1 m2 of plantings, you can dig up to 3-3.6 kg of juicy onions. On an industrial scale, you can count on an average of 224-338 centners / ha. The maximum yield was recorded at around 395-400 c / ha.
Planting dates with seeds, seedlings and seedlings
Sowing seeds for seedlings is performed in mid-March, and the mature bushes are transferred to the garden bed during the period when the air temperature is + 12 ... 15, and the soil is warmed up to + 7 ... 8 degrees. Sevok is planted in open ground in late April - early May.
Growing and care
Onions are grown by the seedling method or by sevka. Before sowing, the seeds are soaked for 5-6 hours in water, and then treated with a growth stimulant. Seeds are sown in a prepared substrate, well enriched with fertilizers. The depth is 8-10 mm, and the distance between the rows is 20-22 cm.
When growing a vegetable with sevka, it is necessary to select bulbs of the same size and prepare the soil. The bulbs are deepened into the grooves by 1.5-2 cm. The distance between the rows is 22-25 cm. Watering of the beds is carried out 10 days after planting.
Agrotechnics of onions consists of standard procedures - weekly watering (they completely stop 2-3 weeks before digging), top dressing 2-3 times per season (nitrogen compositions, phosphorus-potassium and mineral complexes), loosening the soil after each watering, weeding row spacing, mulching with a light layer of straw or hay, prevention of diseases and insect attacks.
Since the onion is an unpretentious and cold-resistant plant, it can be planted both in spring and autumn. It is necessary to properly prepare the planting material, competently prepare the garden bed and determine the timing of planting.
Soil requirements
It is important for a vegetable that the soil is fluffy, fertile, well-drained, breathable and not acidic. Planting is recommended on nutritious sandstones.
The bow is not as unpretentious as it seems. For good growth, you need fertile soil, quality care and nutritious fertilizers. Without top dressing, the bulbs will grow small, and the greens will not be lush. At different stages, it should be fed with different substances. The vegetable needs organic and mineral feeding. A good result for fertilizing onions is the use of folk remedies.
Required climatic conditions
Despite its good stress resistance (tolerates temperature fluctuations, heat, drought), the plant prefers to grow in sunny areas, where there is a lot of heat and light, and there is also a barrier against drafts.
Disease and pest resistance
Due to its strong immunity, the vegetable has a rare susceptibility to fungal infections. Only the onion fly is dangerous for the culture.
Despite the fact that the onion is a very useful plant, capable of repelling and killing many microbes and bacteria, it itself is often damaged and suffers from various misfortunes. Diseases and pests of onions can significantly reduce the yield. It is necessary to correctly determine the presence of this or that disease and take appropriate measures in time.