When to harvest onions: how to store them correctly

Onions are one of the most popular vegetables used in so many dishes. Not only does it add a unique flavor and aroma to dishes, but it also has numerous health benefits that make it an indispensable part of the diet.

However, for onions to bring maximum benefit and be stored for a long time, it is important to follow some rules. They are described in more detail by the World of Plants.

When to dig up onions

Onions should be harvested when they are fully ripe. As a rule, it takes about 68-80 days from the moment of planting the vegetable to the moment of digging it up.

Signs that the onion is ripe:

• The neck is dry, thin and begins to acquire a characteristic yellow color if the onion is yellow;
• The onion feather begins to lean towards the ground, lie on the ground, and turn yellow;
• The skin of the root crop becomes dry and begins to peel off easily.

How to harvest onions correctly

Onions should be harvested in dry weather in late July or early August. Stop watering two weeks beforehand, otherwise the bulbs may sprout new roots.

The vegetable should be removed from the soil very carefully, using a garden or garden pitchfork. This reduces the risk of damaging the tops.

If there are pieces of earth left on the bulbs, you should remove them with your hands so as not to damage the vegetables, as this can lead to rotting.

After you've dug up the entire crop, leave it to dry in the sun for a day, turning it over from time to time. Then you can cut off the feather so that the tip remains about 4 cm, and later cut it off, but not to the very edge, and move the onions to a place with good ventilation for a week.

Rainy weather

If the onions are not yet objectively ripe, and the weather forecast warns of a period of rain, you should not leave them in the garden, because excessive moisture can ruin the harvest. It is better to dig it up earlier, but do not cut off the feather. Let the roots lie in this state under a canopy or in the attic so that the green part gives all the nutrients to the bulbs and dries up. This method is called ripening.

How to store onions properly

Before storing onions, they need to be sorted by size. Large root vegetables store worse, so they should be eaten first. Other fruits should be laid out in a dry room so that they can be ventilated. The temperature there should be between 15 and 20 degrees.

During storage, periodically check the onions, turn them over, and throw away those that have begun to rot.

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