Onions are a vegetable garden favorite . They are members of the large and diverseAlliumgenus that includes Allium sativum and leeks , and are staples in recipes from countries around the earth .
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There are both early- and late - time of year varieties , establish it possible to imbed in succession for multiple harvests .
Ourguide to growing onionscontains all you take to cognize for cultivation . This clause focalize on Allium cepa storage .
Here ’s what we ’ll cover :
What You’ll Learn
Let ’s get started . It will be harvest time before we know it !
Onion Primer
In our guidebook to15 of the respectable onion varieties , we expose the veggie down into three categories :
Here ’s a synopsis of each .
Bunching
Bunching or green varieties have the short originate season . Prized for their sweetened tops , they are ready in as minuscule as eight hebdomad for cutting - and - fare - again harvest .
When we let them amply age in 65 to 100 days , count upon the multifariousness , we can attract them up and love the more pungent soft ashen theme , too .
case of bunching type arescallions , spring onion , and theirAlliumcousinschivesandleeks . These typically bring about spring and/or summertime crops .
Readour guide for more information about growing bunching onions .
Fresh
Fresh eccentric generally take 100 solar day or more to grow . They have sweet ball , flattened , or gun - shaped bulbs . The layer and neck are thick and entertain wet , making for a softer consistency than storage types .
Some you may know are Bermuda , Cipollini , shallot , Spanish , and Vidalia .
These are also bound and/or summer crop .
Storage
And finally , storage varieties may take up to 150 days to maturate . Their flavor is the most pungent , and the many fragile , frosty layers often make for tears to the eye during preparation .
Rounded like globes , they have a minute neck opening that keeps the electric-light bulb siccative and better suit to curing for long - condition store .
We reap storage types in fall and/or winter .
Storing Bunching Onions
The softer the green groceries , the short the ledge - life .
Bunching types are the most perishable . Use snip tops the day you cut them . Those plucked from the ground , roots and all , last between one and two weeks .
There are two preferred ways to keep them from becoming slimy and pamper .
Stand one or more in a glass with about an inch of water . Keep the field glass out of unmediated sun on the kitchen counter and transfer the water day by day .
Or , stand a clump in the kernel of a moist paper towel . Gather the towel around them and loosely tie down it with a rubber dance band or kitchen string . put the bundle in a low - humidity veggie crisper bank identification number . Moisten the towel daily .
sweet and computer memory type last longer , cater they are “ cured . ”
Curing Fresh and Storage Varieties
At maturity , when most of the foliage collapses and turns dark-brown , grasp the slender leaves and lift the electric-light bulb from the earth .
lie down the bulbs in a unmarried bed on a flat open in a cool , dry , well - ventilated cellar , service department , or another protect area .
Richard Jauron , anextension plantsman from Iowa State University , recommends leaving them undisturbed for two to three week .
Learn more about how to harvest and cure onions in our guide .
Storage Solutions for Cured Onions
How long you could put in your crop depends on the kind , bring around , and storage condition .
Some varieties such as ‘ Walla Walla ’ and ‘ Sweet Spanish ’ are of course high in wet than others and may only last a few weeks . Good keeper such as ‘ Patterson ’ and ‘ Candy ’ can last from six months to a year .
When the neck and outer sheath are dry and crisp , clip the spinning top off an inch above the light bulb to pack them broadly speaking .
Or , you’re able to leave the leafage attached and braid it to suspend bunches from hook or nail , like you might also do with Allium sativum .
aim loose medulla in container with air holes . They may rest on top of each other .
Keep the containers in a disconsolate , teetotal localization at 32 to 40 ° F , with 65 to 70 pct comparative humidity .
TheNational Onion Association ( NOA)recommends heap onion container no higher than five feet and maintaining one infantry between containers and rampart to optimize airflow , for big surgery and those with big home harvests .
If you ca n’t achieve the Iowa State - recommend temperature ambit , you could endeavor for the 45 to 55 ° F range the NOA intimate , as it may be more realistic for the dwelling house gardener .
ledge - life varies .
Some soft , fresh kinds last for a few weeks and others – such as shallots – for months .
Firmer storage case last the longest , from several months to a year , depend upon environmental conditions .
Properly cure and with the right container , you ’ll get the most out of your crop .
There are numerous ways to save cured bulbs , including crates made of alloy , plastic , or wood , and woven bags and basket .
Here are five to consider :
Canvas Keeper
This twice - seamed cotton fiber bagfrom Wayfairbreathes to keep bring on impudent while blocking out light . Suspend it by the ready to hand grommet and start the drawstring to take what you need .
At 12.5 by 5.3 inches , it ’s perfect for pocket-sized - scale stowage out in the shed or in the kitchen for short - term use .
Find the sail keeperavailable from Wayfair now .
Jute Baskets
This pair of broken and pliable woven hoop from VK Livingvia Amazonhang conveniently from hooks or nails in a cool , dark position , letting in ample air for long - term impudence .
Measuring 11 by eight inches , they are suited to small - scale storage that offers promiscuous accession .
recover jute baskets useable via Amazon now .
Laundry Basket
In add-on to product made especially for keeping root vegetables , you probably have an particular or two already on hand that may do just fine , like a wash basket .
An open top , ventilated side cutouts , and commodious hold make this a functional choice .
Mesh Bags
Mesh bag are another alternative , you may just fill them up and lie them flat or flow them as desire .
Sandbaggy Mesh Bags
Each 15 - by-25 - inch polypropene sack is red with a black string handle that snap shut .
Sandbaggy Mesh Bags areavailable via Amazonin software package of 10 or 50 .
Storage Rack
This vegetable storage rack fromGardener ’s Supply Companyaffords the power to keep a large and wide-ranging harvest in well - aerated unmarried stratum .
Vegetable Storage Rack
Please take down that while the photo shows divers crops , it ’s best to isolate onion plant . veg likesquashandpotatoesare mostly water and increase the ambient humidity . They are prostrate to rotting , and may adversely affect neighboring crop .
Constructed of Formosan fir tree , this six - grade rack has commodious sliding drawers . It measures 39.5 by 23.5 inches .
Find the Vegetable Storage Rackat Gardener ’s Supply now .
And lastly , please remark that under - counter source veg draftsman may be all the rage , but heat and indoor humidness may translate them useless .
Check on stored refreshed onions on a regular basis . If the temperature goes above 40 ° F , or your repositing area is too humid , bulbs will start to sprout .
If this happens , absent and apply them immediately . await for sign of decay such as soft spots or mould on or in the neck opening . shed by any rotting specimens , or cut off away the affected portion and apply the repose in good order away .
Onions for all Seasons
Whether you delight clump , fresh , storage , or all three , storing your allium harvest properly go a longsighted mode toward forefend waste .
Here are a few terminal crown :
Discard acquire with blemishes , mould , slippery skin , or soft spots that may harbor bacterium , are prone to rot , and may damage neighboring vegetables .
Keep onion with their skins on out of the icebox to avoid moisture buildup that causes rotting . However , once you abridge an onion , put it in the fridge in an airtight container and use it within the week .
If you have a bumper crop this year , believe canning or freeze for future use of goods and services . Properly canned foods last for years .
PerKayla Colgrove of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resourcesat the University of Nebraska - Lincoln , frozen sensitive onion plant should last for about eight months in the freezer at 0 ° F .
With succession planting and efficient repositing option , you’re able to supply your family and friends with delicious homegrown favorite class - round .
It ’s meter to get quick for a bountiful harvest !
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Nan Schiller
