When to remove onions from the garden for storage in the suburbs and how to prepare for this

Onion, a member of the Liliaceae family, is a valuable vegetable crop. Not a single culinary dish can do without it. This valuable culture comes from Asia. Growing onions began more than four thousand years ago. The vegetable came to Our Country in the middle of the 12th century. Since then, it has been used as food and in folk medicine.

Ripening of onions of various varieties

Depending on the place of growth and climate, the ripening time of onions of different varieties may be different. On average, the maturation process lasts 60-85 days.

Sevok

Onion sets are obtained by planting seeds. They are small in size, black in color, popularly called “chernushki”. Bulb sets are obtained in the second year after planting the seeds. Sevok ripens at the end of summer, in July-August. During onion harvesting, the plant is completely removed from the ground, then laid out to dry. In 14 days, the vitamins and microelements contained in it will pass from the drying tops into the bulb. After the expiration of the period, the feather is removed, leaving a small process.

winter onion

In mid-October, winter onions are planted. This method is considered very promising for obtaining an early and high-quality turnip crop. It doesn’t cost much.

Onion

The ripening of onions is directly dependent on the time of its planting, on the climatic zone. In central Our Country and the Moscow region, plants planted in the second half of spring are ready for harvest at the end of July. In regions with cooler temperatures, such as Siberia, the harvest is ready for harvest at the end of September.

A sign of a ripe onion may be the appearance of the culture:

• green feathers are inclined to the ground, changing color to yellow;
• feathers begin to dry;
• the neck of the onion was exposed, became dry;
• the top of the bulb is visible.

Harvesting is more productive on a sunny and dry day. The date of collection must be preceded by several days without precipitation. The earth must be dry in order to improve the keeping quality of the onion, to simplify the process of assembling it.

Batun

Another member of the Onion family, the order Asparagus Onion, is a perennial herbaceous plant. It is also called pipe bow, Tatar.

Compared to ordinary onions, batun can be grown in one place for more than seven years, but in the first three to four years, productivity is much higher. Onion feathers are cut off as needed, at soil level. Ripening begins a month after planting, when the stems grow in length by 20 cm. This usually occurs from June to September. During the season, the onion crop is harvested two or three times.

Leek

Leek or, as it is also called, a pearly, herbaceous biennial from the Onion subfamily. The white basal part of the plant is eaten. Ripening and harvesting season twice a year: April-May and September-December.

family bow

The family onion is a subspecies of the onion. Another name for it: multi-pronged onion. It got its name because when one set is planted, several bulbs grow in the nest.

Family onions are early ripe varieties suitable for cultivation in central Our Country, the Urals, and Siberia. The maturation period is, on average, 80-90 days from the moment the first sprouts appear when planting in open ground.

Influence the maturation time:

• climatic zone;
• characteristics of the variety;
• landing time;
• weather conditions.

 In the Moscow region, family onions are planted in April. If the weather favors, then ripening occurs after the fifteenth of July.

Shalot

Shallot, or Ascalonian, belongs to the perennials of the Onion family. Gardeners consider it a delicacy variety of onions. The differences are not only external, but also taste: there is no sharp bitterness. There are early ripe varieties that ripen in 30 days. On average, ripening occurs at the end of July, the harvest period is July-August. After harvesting, the plants are sent for sorting, drying and storage.

Acceleration of onion ripening

From the point of view of biology, onion ripening is considered the completion of the vegetative phase and the transition to a dormant state. At the same time, growth and metabolic processes stop. In this “asleep” state, the vegetable is successfully stored for the entire period until the next harvest. But this happens on the condition that the crop is harvested on time.

In cases where maturation is delayed, it can be accelerated.

Techniques that accelerate the ripening of onions:

• digging up the underground part of the vegetable a few days before harvesting: one-third of the bulbs are exposed with a pitchfork so that it, as well as the feathers and the neck, rise above the soil surface;
• undermining the roots before the green feathers dry: when the feathers wither, turn yellow and dry, all the beneficial substances go into the bulb;
• treatment of onions with the HEFC biopreparation: for a plot of 20 sq.m, it is enough to add 9 ml of the preparation per liter of settled water;
• cutting the roots under the bottom of the bulbs by 6 cm: three to four weeks before harvesting;
• covering garden beds with plastic wrap: ethylene is released, blocking growth hormones.

Determination of onion readiness for harvesting

Onion ripening is evidenced by external signs recorded during the inspection of crops.

Characteristic features of a ripe crop:

1. Fallen and yellowed feathers.
2. Thin, drying onion neck.
3. The dry skin of the part of the bulb protruding from the ground.
4. The outer scales acquire a bright yellow color, easily exfoliate.

Onions harvested on time will last longer.

Preparing for cleaning

According to the agrotechnical rules, for the ripening of the bulbs, it is necessary to stop by watering at the end of July, two to three weeks before harvesting. In order for the bulbs to warm up and be disinfected by the sun’s rays, you need to remove the soil from its upper part, exposing the neck.

If onion harvesting occurs during a rainy period, then soil disinfection should be carried out by distributing ash, which not only inhibits the development of mold fungi, but also serves as a source of plant nutrition with mineral salts.

Collecting onions according to the lunar calendar in 2021 in the Moscow region

The phases of the moon affect the growth and ripening of vegetables. According to the lunar calendar in 2021 in the Moscow region, the following days are categorically not suitable for harvesting onions and garlic:

• 8-10, 13-15, 26-27 July;
• August 5-6, 10-11, 22-24;
• 1-3, 6-7, 19-20, 29-30 September.

The harvest dug on these dates will not be stored for a long time.

It is recommended to harvest onions on a waning moon.

According to the lunar calendar in 2021 in the Moscow region, you need to harvest onion sets on the following days:

• 11-15, July 20;
• August 1-2, 18, 26-27, 29;
• 2, 23-26, 30 September.

planted in spring

The crop of leeks sown in April-May is harvested in late autumn: October 24, 28-29.

planted before winter

It is better to dig winter varieties on June 3, 12, 25-26.

Cleaning tips

To fully store the onion crop, it must be properly harvested. A few harvesting tips:

• do not water the onions two to three weeks before the day of collection;
• avoid damage to the tops, otherwise it will lead to rotting;
• use special scissors for cutting onions or garden forks for cleaning;
• shake the ground from the bulbs with your hands or with the side of the scissors;
• dry after digging in the garden for two to three hours, and then 10-12 days indoors.

It is not recommended to pull the onions out of the ground by the tops and beat them on the ground to shake off the remnants of the soil from the roots. This will damage the feathers and significantly reduce the shelf life.

Preparing for storage

Before putting the onion into long-term storage, some preparatory measures should be carried out. First, the crop must be thoroughly dried. The ideal option for this (in clear weather) would be open air.

Feather trimming

Properly cut onions for storage should be as follows:

1. Dried and cleaned from the remnants of the earth, the bulbs should be freed from the roots.
2. With a razor or knife (you can use scissors), cut the tops of the bulbs so that a neck 5-10 cm long remains
3. For leeks, cut off the tops of the leaves so that the green part is 10-15 cm

Drying

For long-term storage, it is very important to lay only absolutely healthy bulbs. Unfortunately, at the time of harvesting, it is impossible to see the first signs of rot, so you need to know how much to dry the onions. The drying process usually lasts about two weeks and is a kind of quarantine period, which helps to identify rotten bulbs in time. During drying, the bulbs are repeatedly sorted and sorted.

For consumption in the near future, onions with detected defects are laid aside:

• arrows inside the head;
• mechanical damage (from a shovel, pitchfork);
• with a weeping neck.

At the slightest doubt in the quality of the head, it must be rejected. Careful selection of onions will ensure their long-term storage.

Sorting bulbs

After harvesting onions, the longest possible storage periods are important, without loss of quality. To do this, raw materials must be properly prepared and sorted by size and shape. Bulbs, different in shape and parameters: large, small, rounded, oblong, are stored separately.

Conditions for storing onions

Gardeners with high-quality storage of onions try to avoid three negative factors: high humidity, damage to the outer scales and plastic packaging.

Storage rules:

1. Dry room (the absence of mold fungi will ensure long-term keeping quality of the crop).
2. Use of breathable packaging (in plastic bags, onions suffocate in plastic containers. Best storage option: nylon stockings, mesh bag).
3. The integrity of the protective shell of the onion (the absence of damage will protect the crop from premature decay).

The danger of late harvest

Onions harvested ahead of time, immature, have a thin skin, which is quickly damaged during transportation, as well as a thick, not dried neck. During storage, such a vegetable becomes a nutrient substrate for the development of bacteria. Mushroom spores penetrate the bulb through microcracks on the peel and through the undried neck. Therefore, after a month or two, the onion begins to rot after being stored.

For the full preservation of the crop, one should not neglect the timing of harvesting and preparing it for proper storage, in compliance with all conditions.