Onion storage

The shelf life of onions is largely dependent on harvesting.

Dig up onions for storage only after they are fully ripe. The main signs that it is time are dry covering scales, a dry neck and drying leaves.

Onions should be harvested in clear, dry weather (1). Bulbs can not be pulled out – this can damage the bottom. They need to be dug up with a trowel.

The onions taken out of the soil are left for several hours in the garden to dry along with the leaves. Then it is dried indoors for 1-2 weeks. After the onion dries, the roots and leaves are removed (2).

Onion storage conditions

There are 2 main ways to store onions at different temperatures.

Cold. In this case, the onion is stored at a temperature of -3 to 0 ° C. No, no, no mistake – just at sub-zero temperatures. Rot in this case does not develop. And the flesh of the onion does not suffer, because it is protected by dry covering scales. This is perhaps the most reliable method, it is used in professional farms, but it is not available to an ordinary summer resident. Well, where do you find such a temperature? The freezer is much colder. It is warmer in the refrigerator, 4 – 6 ° C, and for onions this is already a lot. And most importantly, at this temperature, condensation forms on the surface of the bulbs, and they instantly rot.

Warm. In this variant, the onion is stored at a temperature of 20–24 °C and a relative air humidity of 60–70%. It would seem that the ideal option, you can keep it at home, but even here the problem is that in our apartments the air is much drier and the onion quickly fades. Therefore, it is important to choose the right storage method.

Shelf life of onions

The shelf life primarily depends on the variety. Late varieties of onions are stored the longest – they can lie until April-May.

Yellow varieties of onions are stored, as a rule, longer (there are more late ones among them) than red and white ones (they are more often early and mid-ripening).

Onions grown in northern regions store better than southern ones (3).

Ways to store onions

The easiest and most reliable way is to store onions at room temperature. The refrigerator is not suitable for him.

Onion storage in the apartment

In boxes and baskets. Well-dried onions can be stored in boxes or baskets, but it is important to cover them in a small layer so that they do not dry out and rot.

On the floor on the newspaper. If there is not much onion, you can sprinkle it on a newspaper and store it on the floor, for example, under the bed – so as not to interfere.

In braids. This is the most reliable way to store onions. But here it is important to choose the right time for harvesting onions. It is important that the tops do not dry out, otherwise it will crumble and braid it into a pigtail will not work. But you can’t rush either – an unripe onion will not be stored. The tops should be yellow, fading, but not completely dry. The collected onions are dried for a couple of hours in the sun, after which they are woven into braids and hung in the apartment. To keep the braids strong all winter, twine, narrow ribbon or straw can be woven into the tops.

Storing onions in the cellar

This is the worst option for onions – the cellar is too damp for them. But if there is no other option, you need to place buckets of ash, shavings or lime next to the onion so that they absorb moisture.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about storing onions with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova She shared some tricks with us.

Sources of

1. Fisenko A.N., Serpukhovitina K.A., Stolyarov A.I. Garden. Handbook // Rostov-on-Don, Rostov University Press, 1994 – 416 p.
2. A group of authors, ed. Polyanskoy A.M. and Chulkova E.I. Tips for gardeners // Minsk, Harvest, 1970 – 208 p.
3. Smirnov A.V. Plant world. Stories about cultivated plants // M .: Young guard, 1988 – 303 p.