Onion harvest time is approaching: How to tell if onions are ripe?

Onions are grown in almost every garden. This undemanding crop is the basis for many dishes, has many uses and it is extremely popular. Depending on the variety you have the time for onion harvest is slowly approaching. Planted onions are usually harvested in mid-July, but in higher altitudes the harvest comes two or more weeks later. Onions grown directly from seeds are harvested around mid-August. Now, we shall tell you how you actually know that your onions are ripe and ready for harvest and how to dry and store onions properly.

How do you tell that onions are ripe and ready?

The first indicator is the stem, which gradually dries up as the onion ripens. If it is mostly dry and still little bit fresh in the neck area, you may start harvesting. If you time things correctly, you will not lose any part your harvest, but late harvesting can make your harvest susceptible to various diseases during storage , and on the other hand, if you rush things up, you will have hard time to dry onions properly. Leaves and stems should not be twisted or clipped in any way before storage.

Photo: Pixabay

Onions are easily pulled out of the ground

Onions are not set hard in the ground, so you can pull it out easily. If you feel that it is difficult, use digging fork but make sure that you are removing them from the ground as gently as possible.

Some onion drying tips

Onions are slowly drying out while they are still in the ground, or you can dry them elsewhere. If you get a lot of persistent rain, which is definitely not the case lately, use a dry place in your garage or shed. After some 3 weeks, remove dried stems, and clean soiled outer skin layers. The traditional way is to make bundles out of dried onions and hang them in the storage room, but before you do, make sure that they are completely dried, otherwise, they may start to rot and may even catch a disease. If you make nice bundles, similar to garlic braids, you may even use it as a decoration.

Photo: Pixabay