Onions are easy to grow in your own garden. This article tells you how to harvest and store.

Allow freshly harvested onions to dry thoroughly before storing

The onion (Allium cepa) is ideal for growing in your own garden. The season extends from spring to late summer. However, you can still enjoy your onions long after they've been picked! We will tell you what is important when harvesting and storing the onion.

Harvesting onions: when and how to do it

The onion harvest itself is relatively easy. Much more important is the point in time and the further handling of your fine-spicy onion bulbs. Here's what's important:

Time for onion harvest

Most onion varieties are ready to be grown in mid to late August. At this point the onions can be stored. The time of harvest, however, depends heavily on the onion variety.

Onions are harvested when the leaves turn yellow-green and snap off

How to harvest onions

To harvest your bulbs, carefully pull them out of the ground by the above-ground leaf debris. Then you should spread the onion bulbs in the bed so that they can dry in the sun for a few days. It is important that you turn the freshly harvested onions regularly so that they dry thoroughly on all sides. When the outer layer of skin starts to crack and brown slightly, the onions are ready to be stored.

When the onion is completely dry on the outside, it is ready to be stored

Storing onions: the optimal storage conditions

When storing onions, there are some mistakes that you should definitely avoid. The onion needs a cool, dry and dark storage place to protect it from germinating again. Most basements meet these requirements. If you don't have a cellar available, you can store your self-harvested onions covered with a cloth in the pantry or kitchen. You can also store onions either hanging or lying flat. If you want to store your bulbs hanging, simply tie them to the remains of the leavestogether and hang in a dry place. The outer shells can also dry better here.

Onions are best stored hanging, dark and dry

Tip: Never store your onions next to potatoes! These secrete moisture, which the dry, outer skins of the onion easily absorb.

Onions will be stored shortly:

  • Store onions in a cool, dark and dry place
  • Can also be stored in the pantry or kitchen covered with cloth
  • Store onions hanging: tie together by leaves and hang in a dry place
  • Warning: Do not store onions together with potatoes!

Category:

Vegetables