Content
Indian onions are grown in apartments and in private plots. The flower has decorative properties, and the juice from its shoots is an effective external remedy.
Description
Indian onion is a perennial indoor flower, a member of the Asparagus family. The name is due to the similarity of the burning juice of the flower with Indian spices. The plant is also known as poultry, ornithogalum, Chinese, Mongolian and sea onion.
In nature, the flower is distributed in the subtropics and temperate zones of the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa, and America.
The plant reaches a height of 30-80 cm. The bulb is ovoid, 8-9 cm in size, covered with dense scales up to 5 cm in size. The leaves are basal, linear. There is a whitish vein in the middle of the leaf blade.
The flowers are yellowish or white, odorless, collected in corymbose or racemose inflorescences. After flowering, a fruit is formed in the form of a capsule with seeds.
Indian onions are grown in greenhouses, residential and public buildings. The flower does not need special care, but grows more intensively in good sunlight. In summer, the plant can be transplanted into open ground.
In folk medicine, the plant has external use.It is added to ointments, water and alcohol tinctures.
The plant has disinfectant properties, reduces inflammation and relieves pain. Products based on it help with fractures, hematomas, radiculitis, osteochondrosis, varicose veins, accelerate tissue regeneration, and relieve itching.
Photo of Indian onion:
It is better to consult a doctor before using Indian onions. Individual intolerance to the plant juice is often observed. When working with a flower, you need to protect the skin from the effects of its juice. When interacting with poisonous parts of the plant, you need to wash the contact areas with water.
Reproduction methods
Indian onions are propagated by children or seeds. Small bulbs appear on an adult plant. They develop quickly and separate from the main bulb. The children send out their own roots and take root in the soil.
Young bulbs are carefully disconnected from the mother plant. They are planted in the ground or stored in a dry place. The children are placed in a container, peat is poured in and good ventilation is provided. Under such conditions, the bulb remains viable for 2 years. Planting material tolerates transportation well.
To obtain planting material, inflorescences are pollinated by hand. If the flower is in open ground, pollination is carried out by insects. Seeds are collected in the fall and stored until spring. To speed up germination, seeds are kept in the refrigerator for 4-5 months.
In the spring, fertile soil is prepared and the seeds are planted to a depth of 1.5 cm. A layer of soil is poured on top and the plantings are watered abundantly.
The germination period of a flower from seed is up to 8 months.The containers are stored in a warm, ventilated place, and the soil is regularly moistened. When the seedlings have 3-4 leaves, they are planted in separate containers.
After the formation of the bulb, the plant begins to develop intensively. The bulb is not buried; it is partially left above the surface of the soil.
Growing at home
Indian onions are adapted to indoor conditions. Caring for a flower is simple and involves a minimum of operations. The plant needs moderate watering, responds well to fertilizing, and can withstand replanting.
Soil preparation
A substrate is prepared for planting. To do this, mix river sand, leaf and turf soil in a ratio of 2:1:1. Instead of turf soil, humus can be used.
The plant is transplanted into a clay or ceramic pot. Such containers are quite heavy and do not tip over under a powerful plant. The walls of the pots allow air to pass through well, and excess moisture evaporates faster.
In addition to the holes in the pot itself, you need to provide a drainage layer. Expanded clay or fragments of bricks are used as drainage. They are placed at the bottom of the container.
Care plan
When grown at home, Indian onions require regular watering. Moisture is added after the top soil layer has dried. In July, after the leaves fall, the intensity of watering is reduced. Plants tolerate drought for 2-3 months.
The flower prefers bright light. At home, the flower is placed on a south, west or east window.
The flower tolerates heat better than cold weather. Room conditions are comfortable for the plant. It is important not to allow the temperature to drop below +12 °C. The plant is not left in a draft or cold windowsill.
If the air in the apartment is dry, the shoots of the flower turn yellow. The plant is sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle. Air humidity must be increased in summer, as well as in winter in a heated room.
Spraying is carried out early in the morning. If the drops remain on the leaves, the plant will get burned when exposed to sunlight.
The root system needs access to oxygen. The soil in the pot is regularly loosened. It is best to loosen after watering. Dust is removed from the leaves of the flower to improve the process of photosynthesis.
Since the plant bulb is actively developing, it needs a constant supply of nutrients. The soil does not contain all micro- and macroelements, so their lack is compensated by fertilizing.
Types of fertilizers for growing Indian onions at home:
- complex fertilizer for indoor plants;
- infusion of wood water containing 1 tbsp. l. substances per 1 liter of water;
- mullein solution in a ratio of 1:15;
- weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Feeding is carried out from March to August. During this period, the plant grows green mass and produces inflorescences. Solutions are applied once a month by watering in the morning or evening. It is best to alternate the use of organic matter with mineral fertilizers.
Transfer
Every 2 years you need to change the soil and container in which Indian onions grow.Over time, the plant increases its root system and above-ground part, so it is transplanted into a larger pot.
A drainage layer of expanded clay is placed at the bottom of the container, then the prepared soil is poured. For replanting, take soil of the same composition as when propagating a flower.
The bulb is half buried in the soil, the rest should rise above the ground. The plant is watered abundantly.
Growing in open ground
In warm climates, if the air temperature does not drop below +12 °C, Indian onions are planted in an open area.
The flower is grown in a garden bed illuminated by the sun. The plant feels good in partial shade under bushes or trees; it is planted in neutral soil and humus or compost is added. During the season, the flower is watered moderately.
In open ground, more babies appear on the bulb for reproduction. Abundant and long-lasting flowering is also observed.
In autumn, the flower is dug up and stored indoors. In winter, it is grown as a houseplant, periodically watered and protected from exposure to cold air.
The plant can be provided with a period of rest. Then it is stored in a dark place, and the soil is periodically sprayed. After transplanting into the ground in the spring, caring for the flower is resumed. The flower is watered abundantly, which stimulates its awakening.
Photo of Indian onion growing outdoors:
Conclusion
Indian onion is an unpretentious plant with beneficial properties.The shoots and bulbs are suitable only for external use; their juice is poisonous. When growing, special attention is paid to watering and fertilizing. The flower is grown at home; in warm climates, planting in the ground is allowed.
