Bulb onion form and method of reproduction. Tiered bow: planting, care, reproduction. Propagation of bulbous crops

Onions are one of the types of onions that are most common among gardeners. Plants of this species do not form underground bulbs, they are used as fresh herbs. The most popular are perennial bows, which can grow up to 10 years in one place.

Planting onions

It is best to start preparing the soil in the fall. The earth needs to be dug up, about 20 cm deep, and rotted manure or compost should be added. It is not recommended to apply fresh manure, this can cause diseases, because it may contain weed seeds that are not so easy to remove. In case of increased acidity of the soil, lime must be added to get good harvest. But at the same time, it should be borne in mind that it is impossible to introduce both manure and lime at the same time, because. the amount of nitrogen will decrease. Lime can be replaced with dolomite flour or wood ash.

With the advent of spring, you need to fertilize the soil with minerals, but not immediately, but in several passes, because. high salt concentration negatively affects the culture. Half of the mineral fertilizer should be applied when digging before planting, and the rest can be distributed over 2-3 top dressings during the growing season.

Planting material preparation

If the sevok is purchased, it is dried before planting. To do this, it must be scattered in a small layer in a warm room. If the sevok is grown on its own, it is heated so that the growth process begins. It is recommended to warm up in several visits: half a month at 20 ° C, and after that - about 10 hours at 30 ° C. Warming up the sevka is carried out in order to activate growth and to prevent the shooting of onions in the future. It is important to ensure that the sevok does not overheat, because. its growth will be greatly reduced.

If gradual warming does not work, right before planting the seedlings need to be poured hot water(45°C) for 15 minutes, then cool cold water. It is effective to treat after heating with "Zircon", "Humisol" or "Growth-1", which stimulate the growth of onions. The last thing to do before planting is to disinfect the seedlings with copper sulfate or potassium permanganate.

Landing

The landing time is greatly affected by weather conditions. If spring has come early, you need to plant sevok in third decade of April, and in the case of a protracted cold spring, wait until the soil warms up by 7-8 cm. If the soil temperature is below 12 ° C, you should not plant onions, because. he will go to the arrow. But it is also not advisable to be late with landing, especially in dry and warm spring, because. the feather will begin to develop first, and the root will lag behind in development. As a result, the greens will not be able to germinate normally, and the bulbs that have already formed will remain small. You need to plant sevok in the beds in rows, sorting them by size in advance. A small set (up to 1 cm) is planted at a distance of 4-5 cm, a set with a diameter of up to 1.5 cm - at a distance of 6-8 cm; large sets (2 cm) - by 8-10 cm.

Rows are recommended to be done at a distance of 20 cm, so that the processing is easier, as well as for good ventilation. Having placed the sowing in the ground, it must be compressed with earth and covered with mulch with a layer of about 3 cm. After 6-7 days, the first shoots most often appear.

Onion care

Onion care includes loosening the soil, regular watering, weeding, fertilizing, treatment against diseases and insects, and timely harvesting.

loosening

You need to loosen the soil even before germination, because. during this period, a dense crust of the earth may form. It is recommended to loosen frequently, in parallel getting rid of weeds. Loosening is necessary so that the roots of the plant constantly receive oxygen. It is especially important to carry out this procedure after wetting the soil. When the bulbs grow a little, you can shovel the ground away from them so that they can grow large and ripen faster.

Watering

Onions should be watered regularly, especially in the first half of the growing season. At this time, watering should be done a couple of times a week. If the days are rainy, watering can be reduced. The main thing is that the soil is not dry. In July, when the bulbs begin to ripen, watering should be reduced, and completely stopped a couple of weeks before harvesting. In the case of a hot and dry summer, the onions at this time should be watered occasionally so that the bulbs do not stagnate and do not fade.

Weeding

It is impossible for onions to become overgrown with weeds, because. because of this, the humidity will increase, which will provoke fungal diseases. Moreover, if onions grow on unweeded beds, a thickened juicy neck is formed, which complicates the onion drying in the future and its storage.

Fertilization

You need to feed the onion several times. The first is carried out half a month after planting with slurry or bird droppings. You also need to feed the plant after three weeks. If minerals are used as top dressing, it is first recommended to add nitrogen, for example, ammonium nitrate. In this case, after three weeks, nitrogen must be applied with potash fertilizer.

Minerals are applied in a dry form, sprinkling beds with them before rain or artificial irrigation. Or dry minerals can be broken up in water and watered with such a solution.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Onion is a fungicidal plant, but despite this, it also gets sick and becomes insect food, so it is imperative to carry out preventive treatment against fungal diseases and insects.

For processing, you can independently prepare a solution from blue vitriol(1 tsp), liquid soap (1 tbsp) and water (10 l.). Ready solution onions must be sprayed after their leaves grow 12-15 cm long. Also, for prevention, onions and soil can be dusted with wood ash or tobacco dust. After 20 days, the treatment is repeated.

Harvesting

So that in the future the onion can be stored for a long time, it must be collected in a timely manner. harvesting winter onion usually held in July, and spring - at the end of summer. When the feather no longer grows, and the old greenery has already dried up and died, the bulb is pulled out and inspected. If the husk is dry, bright and tightly covers the bulb, you can harvest. If you are late with the collection of onions, they will continue to grow and release greens. It can be eaten, but it is not suitable for storage.

Onion heads should be carefully dug up and, in dry weather, laid out on a row so that they dry out. If the day is rainy, the bulbs are dried under cover. When they are completely dry, they must be carefully cleaned from the ground so as not to damage the husk. After the harvest, it is necessary to sort out, discard the rumpled, sick and those without husks. The selected onions need to cut off the tails up to 6 cm. If the tail is badly dry, the onion will not be stored for a long time. Then the onion must be transferred to a small box or box, and moved to a dry room, the temperature of which is from +5 to 20 ° C.

Propagation of onions

Onions are propagated by seed. In August, arrows with "balls" containing seeds are formed on the plants. When the arrow dries and the seeds turn black, they must be carefully poured for further storage. Seeds are used in order to get a set, which, a year after planting, forms a full-fledged bulb.

A few years ago, even the most experienced gardeners looked at this plant in amazement. The tiered bow really looks a bit odd. On its high arrow in several "floors" there are air "fruits". And there is a pattern: the higher the tiers, the smaller they become. It is for this that this vegetable crop has earned its original name. However, it also has other names: “Egyptian”, “viviparous”, “horned”, etc. But it is known to many gardeners precisely as a multi-tiered onion. Planting and caring for it do not require special knowledge or skills, so it can become an ornament to any garden.

A bit of history

The first information about the onion form, similar in its morphological features to this plant, is in the ancient Chinese herbalist of the fourteenth century. It was called "lau-chi-tsun". The Chinese called it a grass that does not form seeds and grows in floors.

Biologists believe that the multi-tiered onion, the cultivation of which began in East Asia, came to England in the nineteenth century. And it was from there that his victorious march through the countries of Europe began. True, then this plant was called a tree-like or Egyptian onion. Due to the very strong aroma and spicy taste of its airy "bulbs", it was already used in the preparation of marinades of finely chopped vegetables as a seasoning. In Russia, this garden culture appeared much later - at the end of the last century.

Beneficial features

According to experts, the leaves of this onion have excellent phytoncidal properties and can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent. Its green part is very rich in nutrients. Compared to the onion variety, the multi-tiered onion contains much more vitamin C and carotene.

Another valuable quality of this original plant is that it does not accumulate nitrates, and in terms of nutritional value it is much superior even to batun. In addition, this species enhances the secretory activity of the intestines and stomach better than others, and is characterized as a pronounced bactericidal and antihelminthic folk remedy.

Description

Belonging to the onion family, this garden plant has a very interesting appearance. Its leaves are wide, tubular, covered with a wax coating, as a result of which they acquire a bluish tint. They grow up to forty centimeters in length. The tubular arrow ends with an inflorescence, on which air bulbs then form. The height of the first "link" of the arrow can reach up to a meter. From the first inflorescence a new one grows, which also ends with airy "fruits".

Thus, up to four levels can form on average on one plant. Air bulbs, weighing about one and a half grams, hang in a bouquet on inflorescences, forming three to thirty such heads on each. The fruits are covered with a strong skin.

The multi-tiered onion, whose varieties are not numerous, has not yet received wide recognition in our country, although in its properties, if not superior, then it is not inferior to other varieties. Meanwhile, this plant is one of the best among those that give greens in early spring. It has a very resilient crispy feather, while the batun, for example, is soft and not so juicy.

bulbs

The multi-tiered variety differs from the onion and other perennial varieties of its species with an exotic flower arrow. From two to five "floors" are formed on it, on each of which from three to eight bulbs of an elongated rounded shape grow together in nests. They are dressed in "shirts" of purple, yellow or brown.

The inner scales are whitish, with a slight greenishness. The size of these amazing air bulbs gradually decreases from the first to the last tier. The largest of them are located below.

Arrows break under the weight of the crop, so they need to be tied up. If this is not done, the peduncle may end up on the ground, and the bulbs will germinate in the soil where they fall. This is why a multi-tiered bow is sometimes referred to as a "walking" bow.

Often, on long pedicels, white single flowers are formed among the heads, but they are sterile.

This plant does not form seeds, it reproduces only vegetatively or by dividing the bush. By July, its air bulbs sprout right on the bush, since they do not have a dormant period. Underground ones ripen only by September.

Agricultural technology

A multi-tiered onion, planting and caring for which is carried out in almost the same way as, for example, for a onion variety, under certain conditions, can be grown in one place for up to five years. With proper agricultural technology, each such three-year-old plant can produce up to four kilograms of crop per square meter.

Many gardeners plant multi-tiered onions on greens in early spring. At the end of autumn, its aerial part dies off almost completely, and in this form it goes to spend the winter. The plant is very frost-resistant: according to specialists involved in breeding vegetable crops, he is not afraid of even forty-degree cold - in the presence of a small snow cover and with severe freezing of the soil. True, the plant must already have a sufficiently developed root system.

However, sudden changes in temperature can be dangerous for this onion, especially in March and April, when after an early and prolonged thaw, severe frosts suddenly come again. At the same time, even bulbs hidden under a layer of snow that have fallen from a bush retain their germination capacity even on the very surface of the soil.

Landing

Experienced gardeners, who have already managed to get a crop more than once, determine for themselves when to plant a multi-tiered onion. With summer planting, he manages to take root. Having released shoots and formed several leaves, the plant will go to wintering, and will begin to grow in early spring. If the heads are planted in the ground immediately after they ripen, then one feature of this culture must be taken into account: it will be possible to collect feathers only next year in mid-March. Otherwise, by harvesting the crop in the fall, you can destroy the onion, which, in a fragile state, will not be able to overwinter.

Basal bulbs should be planted in a square nesting pattern with a distance of twenty centimeters between them. Planting a multi-tiered onion can also be carried out more densely if the seedling is small. In this case, the depth of laying in the soil also changes: for large ones - about ten, for the rest - up to six centimeters.

At the same time, each fraction must be planted separately, since they differ not only in the type of sowing, but also in the timing of harvesting the pen.

Some gardeners, already familiar with the characteristics of this culture, use more rational option. Dividing the bed into two parts, they often plant heads on one, less often on the other.

In early spring, from the first part, they harvest the greens along with the bulbs, pulling out the plantings and thereby thinning out the plot, and leave the second until the summer in order to have lush greens in June, which will just need to be cut. The bulbs obtained from the tiers are immediately placed in the ground. Cropped stumps will again give a bountiful harvest, and the planted material will be able to take root and safely overwinter. Apparently, thanks to these features, many people prefer to have multi-tiered onions in their garden.

cultivation

This plant is cultivated in both perennial and annual crops. It grows best on areas of southern or southwestern slopes, early freed from snow cover, on light fertile soils. In general, its cultivation differs little from the agricultural technology of the batun, but it also has its own characteristics.

In non-chernozem zones, as a perennial crop, especially in northern and damp lands, a multi-tiered variety grows better on ridges, and as an annual, planted in dry areas in the middle and southern regions - on a flat surface. At the same time, the preparation of the site with the scheme of its planting is no different from growing a batun.

Peculiarities

In spring, a multi-tiered onion sprouts one of the first among perennials. Its leaves grow very quickly even with some shading of the site. Experienced gardeners say that growing this plant is not at all difficult. It will feel good on any soil and in any conditions.

Of course, on loose land, free of weeds, with frequent watering and proper feeding, it will delight with its harvest, but even in a forgotten far corner of the site, it will bear fruit.

By the fifth or sixth year, many new basal bulbs are formed, so the planting thickens. In turn, the underground part of the bulbs is noticeably smaller. Therefore, the plant is transplanted or simply thinned out.

How multi-tiered onions propagate

This plant, as you know, does not form seeds. It propagates by basal or aerial bulbs. The latter take root much faster. It is better to take large material from the first two tiers for planting. In the first year in the fall, they form two or three daughter bulbs.

The heads for sowing must be ripe and have roots or root tubercles on the bottom.

Reproduction of multi-tiered onions is best done using material collected from three- or four-year-old plants. Heads intended for distillation, as well as for winter or spring planting, must be dried and stored at a temperature of about zero degrees.

Care

After the snow melts from the onion beds, you need to remove all dead plant residues. After that, start feeding. Usually, by the third or fourth year after planting, the beds of multi-tiered onions become too thickened. Therefore, in autumn or early spring they are thinned out, leaving one, maximum two basal heads in each nest. Some use the extra bulbs for food, while they are also perfect as planting material.

The highest yield has a two- or three-year-old bush. In prolonged cool and rainy weather, air bulbs ripen worse. The leaves grow well and retain their green appearance until the very frost.

In dry, hot weather, air bulbs should be collected at the end of July, maximum at the beginning of August, because by this period the arrows, having turned yellow, begin to dry out.

In early spring, multi-tiered onions are best grown under a film. In this case, greens can be obtained fifteen days earlier than with open ground. Moreover, as experienced gardeners say, it will have a lighter color and a less pungent taste.

top dressing

In early spring, mineral fertilizers must be applied to the soil. Potassium chloride, ammonium nitrate and superphosphate are mixed at the rate of ten grams each square meter site. A month later, feeding the beds with onions must be repeated again, not forgetting to loosen the aisles.

In our country, unfortunately, only one variety of this amazing onion has been released so far: this is Odessa Winter 12.

reproduction

Most onion species can reproduce both by seeds and vegetatively. A few exceptions are the sowing garlic, the multi-tiered onion, the viviparous variety of the blue onion, and some other species that do not form or almost do not form seeds and reproduce only vegetatively.

The main method of vegetative renewal under natural conditions is the formation of a replacement bulb (Fig. 8). It occurs in the axil of the leaf next to the peduncle. As a result, the young bulb replaces the mother bulb by the autumn of next year. Such a bow is called a sighting. If for some reason the inflorescence on the flower arrow does not develop or breaks off, the arrow bulb can grow to the size characteristic of the uterine bulb, and it can be distinguished from the usual bulb only by the dry strip left on the side of the flattened dried flower arrow.

Figure 8. Formation of a replacement bulb at the base of the onion peduncle: a, b - general form, c - transverse section; 1 - color-nose; 2 - sighting bulb; 3 - common integumentary scales

Sometimes large sighting bulbs are formed during the development of inflorescences.
In the case where bulb replacement is the only way to renew, the coefficient vegetative propagation is equal to one, that is, instead of one dying shoot, one bulb remains. As a result, only renewal occurs, but not reproduction. However, this is rarely seen.

A common method of natural vegetative propagation is the formation of several axillary buds in the axils of the outer succulent scales that can develop into independent bulbs. When the leaves dry out, the axillary buds separate from the mother plant and proceed to independent development.

In garlic and onions, in inflorescences, instead of flowers, small bulbs are formed, called bulbs, which also give rise to new plants. The formation of bulbs in inflorescences is a fairly common phenomenon, it is observed in different types(including onion) with any violations in the formation of flowers. You can cause this phenomenon and artificially, carefully cutting off the buds on the receptacle.

Bulb babies can also develop on rhizomes, stolons, and even on bulbs. They also serve for vegetative propagation. Perennial onions that form clumps are propagated by dividing the clump. This method is often used in the cultivation of perennial onions so that the breeding process takes less time. In nature, such reproduction is observed in rhizomatous onions when individual parts of the rhizome die off, as a result of which several independent plants are formed from one overgrown bush, the location of which depends on the length of the internodes of the rhizome.

You don't have to be a nerd to understand biological features vegetable crops. Knowledge in this area will help you cultivate an onion bed correctly, without making elementary mistakes. Having at least a minimal idea of ​​​​the structure of the plant and its features, the gardener will be able to pay attention to those nuances that will increase the yield. Since the onion fruit is a bulb, a modified root process, in order to increase productivity, you first need to learn more about the root system of this species.

Characteristic

Onions are a biennial crop belonging to the class of monocotyledonous plants. The homeland of onions is Afghanistan, Iraq and Turkmenistan, with a mountain climate characteristic of these regions (low air pressure and humidity, hard rocks and soil rich in minerals, but devoid of organic matter). Later, breeders bred many varieties adapted to different climatic conditions.

For the onion family, there is no clear distinction between organs. These plants are not divided into root, shoot, leaves. The reason for this is the gradual transition from one morphological part to another. The rhizome, transformed into a bulb, gives rise to a shoot that does not have a main stem, but is represented by a bunch of hard, erect leaves. Grow onions to obtain:

1. Sevka - in order to obtain further planting material. Usually, .
2. Directly onions, the varieties of which are described in.
3. For decorative purposes. Varieties and methods of cultivation decorative bow are described.

Generative organs capable of sexual reproduction mature only in the second year of growth.

The root system of different types of onions

Like the entire class of monocots, onions have a fibrous root system. That is, the plant does not have a main root, but instead a lot of adventitious thin filaments-roots. This allows the onion to firmly establish itself in the soil: the roots gradually draw the bulb deeper, penetrate the soil with a dense network, and cling to the rhizomes of other plants.

Onions have a fibrous root system

Onions are still considered a superficial, shallow, sedentary crop. For this reason, it requires special loose soil types, especially when propagated by seeds.

Onion roots are highly capable of chemotropism, the instinctive search for and absorption of dissolved nutrients. Roots are an annual structure and die off after the end of the growing season. Nutrients accumulate in a modified basal shoot - a bulb.

stem structure

The stem of the onion is also modified. It is presented in the form of a simplified plate - the bottom. On this plate is one or more buds, surrounded by leaves of the vaginal type. These kidneys are called buds.

When propagated by a vegetative method, a “heel” is formed in the plant - dead and hardened remnants of the maternal bottom. The heel protects the bulb from excessive moisture penetration and subsequent decay, which is especially important in the last stages of its development. Therefore, to ensure good keeping quality of the crop, it is more profitable to breed its sets.

Onion cut

The ability of the plant to produce a green crop depends on the number of primordia (the fewer primordia, the more actively the leaves develop).

leaf structure

Onions are characterized by conical, erect, cone-shaped leaves, narrowing towards the end and hollow inside. From frost and lack of moisture, the sheet is protected by a loose wax coating. The color of the leaves depends on the level of light: the more sunlight the plant receives, the lighter the color of the feathers. In general, the color varies from light green to gray-green, dark.

Leaves also vary in size and density. Toward the end of the growing season, the leaves become denser, acquire a pronounced venation (in onions it is longitudinal-transverse). The most dense are the leaves formed from the extreme open scales of the bulb. The multi-tiered onion has a different root system, which can be found.

Onion leaves are cone-shaped, tapering towards the end and hollow inside.

The structure of the bulb

The bulb is called false leaves sitting right on the bottom, protecting the kidney inside. The cross section shows that the scales form concentric circles, and their density and juiciness increase as they approach the center. Bulb-forming scales are divided into:

• closed juicy. Modified leaves of a conical shape, not assimilating and performing an exclusively storage function.
• open juicy. Thickened, non-photosynthetic parts of the leaf with a succulent base, thinning towards the top.
• dry integumentary scales. They have a different color (depending on the variety -,), dense and smooth, protect the bulb from pests, drying out and help it be stored for a longer time.

The juicy parts of the bulb, depending on the variety, may have a loose granular, fibrous, papery, mesh or membranous structure.

In the center of the bulb, buds are spirally located, from which heterophytes (flowering shoots) or new bulbs are formed in the future . By the number of such primordial buds, the onion primordia and nesting are determined.

The shape of the bulbs are divided into several main types:

• flat;
• rounded flat;
• rounded;
• long (elongated or oblong);
• melon;
• round melon.

The structure of the flower and shoot

The number and size of flowering shoots in onions depend on the variety and growing conditions. . They are formed after new feathers stop growing, at the very end of the growing season. For this reason, the shoot has the ability to photosynthesis, which ensures the maturation of seeds. Seeds are also involved in planting. As a rule, sevok is obtained from them. Growing onions in open ground with seeds and sets is described.

The flower stalks of onion plants are called an arrow, and the process of their formation is called arrowing. The arrow is a hollow thin-walled tube with a slight thickening at the base. Its length can reach from 45 to 130 cm.

Onion flowers can be white, blue, purple or yellowish in color. They form a complex inflorescence-umbrella, which can contain from several pieces to several thousand flowers. On average, the flowering period of an individual flower is 3-7 days, and the entire umbrella is 7-35 days. Symmetrical flowers do not have sepals, but they have a constant set of gametophytes - 6 stamens and 1 pistil.

reproduction

Onions are characterized by both sexual reproduction with the help of seeds and vegetative reproduction with the help of bulbs. sexual reproduction occurs by self-pollination or pollination by insects. During double fertilization, one seed is formed for each flower. From the receptacle develops a dry multi-seeded fruit - a box. Seeds of irregular pyramidal shape ripen within 40-60 days. After the seeds, covered with a dense black peel (for which the people called them “chernushka”), are ready for assembly . In 1 gram, up to 1000 individual grains usually fit.

I have several types of perennial onions growing on my site, and of all in my family, it is the slime onion that is preferred. It has flat green leaves with blunt, rounded ends, similar to the leaves of daffodils. They are tender, juicy, with a weak garlic taste, retain high palatability throughout the summer, while other onions become coarser by the time of flowering.

The slime onion, or otherwise the drooping onion, got its name because when the leaves are cut, liquid droplets resembling tears are released. In addition, it has a drooping spherical inflorescence, covered with a thin sheath, like garlic, and at the beginning of flowering, the arrow straightens. Its flowers are pink or pink-purple.

The slug onion has a very well developed rhizome, which serves as a storage organ. Several bulbs are attached to it.

Slime Bow - perennial, relatively unpretentious, tolerating frosts down to -35 degrees, as well as a short drought.

Propagated vegetatively and by seeds

Onion slime is easily propagated by dividing the bush and seeds. In the first year, two shoots with 4-5 leaves are formed on the plant, in the future their number is constantly increasing. For the 4-5th year, there are already up to 28-30 shoots on the bush. After 5-6 years, the plants grow old, the shoot-forming ability decreases. Plants need to be divided, planted or grown new from seeds.

The seeds of this onion are sown in the spring on a bed with fertile soil. Seedlings appear 20-30 days after sowing. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the top layer of soil from drying out, where the seeds are located. When the onion plants have 2-3 leaves, they are seated. In the second year, the distance between plants in a row should be at least 15-20 cm, as they grow strongly.

It is better to divide onion-slizun bushes in August-early September, so that the plants get stronger by winter. Therefore, the further north the garden is located, the earlier you need to start this work. Although I share it with my neighbors throughout the summer. When planting, cut the roots and leaves of the delenok. They take root well, provided timely watering, shading with non-woven material. The distance between rows during planting is 50 cm, between plants in a row is 20-30 cm.

Four cuts for the summer

Cut off the leaves of plants grown from seeds, begin in the third year. Usually the leaves are cut when they reach a length of 25-27 cm, but we also cut smaller ones in the spring. Cutting leaves increases the branching of plants and accelerates the aging process of plants. After 2-3 cuttings of leaves per season, flower arrows no longer form on it. After the first cut, the growing leaves have a reduced fiber content and increased water content in the tissues - the leaves become softer.

Depending on weather conditions, the region of cultivation and care, up to four cuts are made per summer.

They love top dressing

Proper care ensures successful overwintering, friendly regrowth of the feather. Small plants are afraid of weeds that can drown them out. IN further care consists in watering, loosening the soil and weeding. In the spring, a garden bed with onions is put in order, the soil is loosened. During the period of leaf regrowth, full mineral fertilizer or carry out top dressing with infusion of manure (1:10) or chicken manure (1:20), which allows you to start cutting the leaves almost a week earlier.

At the end of summer, they are fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

Getting seeds

Different types of onions do not pollinate during flowering. That's why quality seeds can be obtained even if another type of onion blooms nearby. In contrast to growing onions on a feather, the testes are given a second top dressing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers before flowering. Choose healthy, well-developed plants from which the leaf is not cut even once during the season. The flowers in the inflorescence bloom at the same time, so the seeds ripen unfriendly.

It is important not to miss the cleaning period. Inflorescences are cut off when the baskets turn brown, single ones begin to open, and scatter them for ripening on a bed of burlap and paper. Seeds spilled out of ripe boxes on the litter are cleaned of impurities and dried. For own consumption, 3-4 inflorescences are enough.