Chufa (earthen almonds): planting and care, description, cultivation and application

Each plant needs to find its own approach. After all, one likes the shadow and good moisture, and the other - the sun and a rare watering. Therefore, before you start planting any plant, you should first study the characteristics of its cultivation. Chufa is an earth almond, planting and caring for which also requires preliminary study.

Features of culture

Chufa is a perennial herbaceous culture,which reaches 1 m in height. The terrestrial part is green narrow arrow-like leaves with trihedral truncheons. At the very top of the plant are small inflorescences of white small flowers, resembling umbrellas. Underground part - the main bud of the tuber (from which grows greens) and side tubers (from them come out shoots of a powerful root system).

The plant is pollinated by the wind. Under good conditions, the walnut walnut in the first year only forms nodules, but does not bloom. From one plant for a year collect up to 1 thousand good tubers, which can be described as follows:

• length - up to 3 cm;
• oval shape;
• inner white flesh;
• when dried, the tuber becomes wrinkled.

Origin

Hazelnut root is from North America andThe Mediterranean. People were familiar with it many centuries ago, at the time of the pharaohs. Even in the famous works of Herodotus, you can find mention of this nut. In Russia, the plant appeared in the XVIII century, but he had a different name - a winter queen. But later it began to be called earth almonds.

At the present time, Chufa is very popular. India and Sudan are actively engaged in its cultivation in order to use in cooking. In Turkey, the plant is grown to attract game. Ukraine has brought out unique varieties of Chufy called "culinary" and "confectionery". It is possible to enumerate the countries in which this culture is grown for a long time, but the main thing is that it is popular because of its usefulness and universality.

Ideal conditions for planting

How does the chuf sit? Plant seeds are small tubers. To get a good harvest from any plant, you need to put it right. For this, it is necessary to recall the climatic features of the native land of this culture.

Ideal for Chufy:

1. The soil must be loose and the land fertile. If the rock is clayey, then from the autumn it is necessary to deal with its preparation: add sand and peat to it. When the local soil has increased acidity, then lime will help.
2. Humidity is what is important to pay attention to. The heifer of the Chufa came to us from the tropics, which means that he needs water constantly. But you can not fill the plant, this will lead to decay of the rhizome.
3. The tubers should be planted with the arrival of heat, because this culture does not tolerate frost.
4. If the garden is properly prepared (makenecessary fertilizers), then the whole season the plant will not need additional fertilizing. Only in those cases when the soil is very poor, 2-3 times it is necessary to fertilize with organic infusions, prepared independently.

Landing

Experienced summer residents know that any seeds needsoak before you put them on a bed. This also applies to earth almonds. Tubers are soaked in clean water for several days, with daily water changes. If the liquid stagnates, the tubers will become sour and become unsuitable for cultivation. Over these days the tubers will absorb the moisture, which means that sprouts in the soil will be allowed to grow faster.

When to plant? May is the ideal time for planting. The air and the earth have already warmed up, but in the soil as long as there is enough moisture, so necessary for the Chuf. The beds should be small. Sometimes you have to plant tubers between vegetables in the garden and even in the flowerbed, where there is an extra place.

Instructions for planting:

1. Trowel grooves depth of 6-8 cm. Between the ditches should be a distance of 25 cm.
2. Dry soil must be watered, and after the water has absorbed, proceed to plant the tubers.
3. Between tubers in one row should be a distance of at least 20 cm.
4. When everything is planted, you should carefully cover the seedlings with earth.

If you follow all the rules, then the first shoots can be seen after a week.

Care

Chufa (earth almonds), planting and caring for which require vigilance, will be pleased with its fruits, if you adhere to two basic rules:

• regularly water the plant, especially in dry weather;
• get rid of weeds at the initial stage of growth.

The main thing is not to overdo watering. Excessive moisture leads to the fact that the greens become more beautiful, but from this the quantity and quality of the tubers decreases. In the rainy season, no problems with watering should arise.

Harvesting

If you know when to plant the Chufu, right after herto care, the first tubers will appear only a month after the appearance of the first leaves. Harvest time is autumn. During this period of the year the leaves of the plant turn yellow and dry up.

With the help of garden forks you need to gently pullbush and gently pull it to the surface of the earth. Manually collect all the tubers and put in a strainer to filter out excess dirt. Next, you need to rinse the harvested crop and put it to dry in natural conditions (spread out on a table that is placed in the sun). When dried, the "nuts" wrinkle and decrease in size.

For planting for the next season choose the largest fruits, and the rest are in use. Tubers are stored for a maximum of 4 years.

Beneficial features

Chufa (earth almonds), planting and care for which were produced correctly, will yield a good and high-quality harvest. Collected tubers are used in various fields due to their qualities.

Useful properties of "nuts":

• improve sleep;
• strengthen the immune system;
• empower a person;
• well affect memory and attention, greatly improving them;
• reduce blood sugar in diabetes mellitus;
• with the help of milk, prepared from the tubers of Chuf, treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• help the body to clear radionuclides;
• cope with bladder ailments;
• relieve toothache;
• help to get back to normal in ARVI;
• there are facts that Chufa cope even with complications after childbirth.

Where to use

Where, in addition to traditional medicine, Chufa is used(earth almonds)? The use of this "nut" in cooking has been practiced for a long time. Most often from the tubers are cooking oil, which is like olive. It is used not only in cooking, but also for lubrication of various tools. Overcooked tubers are suitable for the production of surrogate coffee.

The taste of this product reminds everyone familiaralmonds or peanuts. Therefore, confectioners actively add Chufu to sweets, cakes and other products. In Spain, they practice ice cream and a very delicious groundnut drink.

The leaves of the plant go to feed the cattle. It is even harvested for the winter, previously dried well. Crushed nodules are also not thrown away, they are well eaten by birds.

Other applications:

• stems are used to weave very beautiful and strong baskets;
• from leaves make paper, fuel, insulation and ropes;
• this plant has found application even in cosmetology - add to shampoo and toilet soap;
• Fishermen use tubers as bait.

As you can see, very useful is the Chufa (earthenalmond). Planting and caring for this culture should not be difficult for those who like to grow something unusual. And if everything is done correctly, then the harvested crop can be used for the treatment of diseases, in cooking and even in the household.