When to remove onions from the garden for storage? In order for it to be stored for a long time, it is necessary not only to grow it correctly, but also to properly prepare, clean, dry and provide storage conditions for the winter.
Preparing onions for harvesting
At the end of June at middle lane In Russia, onion greens are bent to the ground (in southern latitudes in July). This promotes the ripening of large bulbs. From this moment on, the vegetable in the beds is not watered, otherwise it will not ripen.
Another way to speed up the ripening of onions is to partially trim their roots 2 weeks before the intended harvest or simply rake away the soil from the bulbs.
When and how to harvest onions
Harvesting is carried out when the bulb is formed, some of the outer scales have a color characteristic of the variety, and the bulk of the leaves have fallen. In mid-latitudes, onions are harvested in early August, in the southern regions in late August and early September.
It is better to carry out the event in dry weather so that the bulbs can dry out in the beds. Sunlight and wind contribute to better storage of onions.
Ripe bulbs must be dug up before the onset of rainy weather, otherwise they will re-root and will not store well. Partially unripe onions are also harvested before the rains, so as not to lose the harvest. After ripening, the bulbs of many varieties fully ripen.
When starting to harvest, the bulbs are dug up and selected from the ground. Do not pull out, this can damage the bottom of the bulbs and they will rot. The bulbs are handled carefully, avoiding mechanical damage and shock.
Drying
The dug up onions are dried in the beds at a temperature of +25 -30 C. Covered from dew at night. In rainy weather, onions are dried under a canopy, in a barn, or in attics. It usually takes a week to dry.
Dried bulbs are hard to the touch, have several dry, dense outer scales, and a well-closing neck.
Dried onions are cleaned of soil residues, the roots are cut off without damaging the bottom, and the leaves are cut off, leaving a 4 cm neck. A short cut neck can serve as a gateway for infections, which will reduce its storage.
Storing onions in winter
They sort through and discard bulbs with depressed necks. This is a sign of infection with neck rot. Such bulbs will not be stored; they are eaten first.
Onions are stored in small boxes, drawers, nets in a cool, dry place. The best storage temperature is +1-3 C. At this temperature, the bulbs do not dry out, they do not wake up longer after a period of rest, that is, they are stored longer. During storage, diseased and sprouted bulbs are periodically inspected and removed.
If the onion is supposed to be stored in braids, the leaves are not cut, but twine is passed between them and braided. The braids are hung in a dry, warm room.
When to harvest onions in 2019 according to the lunar calendar
In order for onions to be stored well, they must be collected on time and properly prepared for “wintering.” It is believed that harvesting crops in favorable times lunar days significantly increases the resistance of vegetables to rotting.
Most onion varieties ripen on average in 70-80 days, but these figures are approximate, because a lot depends on the weather. It is known that the drier and warmer the summer, the faster the vegetable ripens and vice versa.
In this case, the first weeks after planting the crop are especially important, because the main growth of plants and the increase in feathers occurs precisely in the first month, and after the formation of the above-ground part, the vegetables themselves begin to grow rapidly.
From this we can conclude that the harvest in each region occurs at its own time, so there is no need to look for exact dates.
Determining when it’s time to harvest onions is quite simple: the feathers of the vegetables lie on the ground and half dry out and turn yellow.
You can conduct an experiment and accurately determine whether the crop is ready for “wintering”; to do this, just remove a couple of vegetables from the ground, cut off their feathers at the very neck and wait a couple of days; if the plants do not begin to grow new feathers, then you can safely harvest .
Now as for lunar calendar.
To calculate when it is best for you to start harvesting onions, you need to count 75 days after planting and on the closest of the above days, remove the crop from the soil for drying (this, of course, needs to be done in dry and sunny weather). And after a couple of days you can start trimming vegetables and preparing them for storage.
For example, if onions were planted on May 20, then counting 75 days, it turns out that August 3 is the most favorable day for harvesting, however, provided that the summer was warm enough and moderately rainy.
Video: how to determine that onions are ready for harvesting
When to harvest onions in different regions
Each region has its own climatic conditions; they are an important condition for determining the time when it is time to remove onions from the garden for storage.
Deadlines for central Russia
In this region, the bulbs ripen in 2.5 months. If planted in mid-May, they will be ready by the end of July. The weather of the season will also have an effect on the duration. Heat will speed up ripening, cold weather will slow down.
Onion harvesting in Siberia
In Siberia, the crop is planted later, and the harvest date moves to the end of August or beginning of September. Be sure to do this before the rains come.
Harvest in the Urals
In the Urals, summer is short, so you need to choose early ripening varieties. They can be planted from May 10, and after 75 days they will reach maturity. Usually happy moment falls on the last ten days of July.
When to harvest onions from the garden in 2019 in the Moscow region
The onion is ready to be harvested from the garden when it begins to lose its leaves en masse. Under favorable climatic conditions, this usually occurs closer to mid-August.
Summer residents and gardeners know that onions need to be harvested when the leaves begin to turn yellow, dry out and fall off. True, only many years of experience make it possible to distinguish leaves that are yellow and withered due to disease from onion feathers that dry out naturally.
In addition, it happens that it’s already August, but it continues to turn green and throw out new feathers. What to do in this case? You need to figure out for yourself when you still need to harvest onions in the Moscow region and what the timing of collection may depend on.
This is what confuses the gardener in his desire to start harvesting, because if it is harvested ahead of schedule, the onion may not have time to form covering scales, and its neck will remain thick and open. Pathogens of various diseases can easily penetrate through it while the bulbs are still in the garden. Therefore, they will quickly deteriorate during storage.
However, belated harvesting will also have a negative impact on keeping quality, since overripe bulbs crack and dry scales fall off, roots re-grow, and this in turn reduces resistance against disease. Such bulbs are not suitable for winter storage.
Onions are perennial herbaceous plant which is consumed as food. In order not to buy it in the store, you need to properly harvest and store the crop. In this article you will learn when onions planted before winter are harvested and how they should be stored.
Winter bulb
Harvesting winter onions
Everyone loves onions from the garden. The main thing is to collect it correctly, and do it before frost sets in. Why is it important to harvest onions on time?
If you start collecting it early, it’s bad, it won’t have time to ripen and the scales won’t have time to form. If you remove it too late, nothing good will come of it either. The bulbs will begin to crack, the scales will dry out and fall off, and the roots will regrow.
Please note: Many experts say that onions should be harvested when the leaves have already begun to lie down. Most often this happens towards the end of August if the weather conditions were favorable.
If the harvest time is running out and the onions are not yet ready, the ripening process can be accelerated. How it's done? Raking soil from bulbs. Using a fork, you need to lift the bulbs from the ground, undermining the roots. Some people use a shovel and cut the roots by 4-5 cm. What will happen? Nutrients from the leaves will be transferred to the bulbs. This is done a week before harvest.
Harvesting is best done in drier weather. If the onion was formed in heavy soils, then you will have to dig it up to get it out. If the soil is soft and loamy, then you can simply grab the tops and pull up.
Onions are a product that is very sensitive to mechanical damage. Therefore, when removing it from the ground, you should not shake it to free it from scraps of dirt. It's best to do this by hand.
Onions are sensitive to mechanical damage - they must be removed carefully
Drying the crop
If the onions were grown in soil that is rich in nitrogen, then drying alone is not enough. Drying must be repeated five to six times to avoid neck rot. It should be stored at a temperature of no more than 33 degrees. If drying is carried out at high temperatures, then eight hours will be enough.
Another good advice– chalk powder. They can be sprinkled on the crop and left to dry. After this procedure, the onions can be considered prepared for storage for the winter.
If the onion was removed from too wet soil, then it is washed and cleared of husks and tops. The roots are cut off and the onions are laid out to dry in one row with a good ventilation system. During drying, which is about three weeks, new scales form on the onion.
Important! In order not to damage the keeping quality of the onion, you need to dig it out very carefully. It is strictly forbidden to pull out or tear off the tails and roots.
Storing winter onions
At what temperature is it best to store onions? The temperature should not be more than 18 degrees Celsius. There are several varieties of this vegetable. It is advisable to store spicy varieties at -3 degrees, and sweet ones at zero temperature.
- Before storing onions, you need to check their readiness. If it is dry and hard, then the vegetable is ready for storage for the winter.
- Onions love coolness and moderate humidity. Good places– basement, attic, balcony, etc.
- Nylon tights are often used. And this correct solution. The dry onion is placed in a stocking, a knot is made, followed by a second onion, and so on. This method reduces the risk of the vegetable rotting.
Storing onions in tights
If all conditions are met, onions can be stored for six months. The sliced product can be preserved for a month, frozen – up to five months.
Video: How to harvest winter onions
Conclusion
You can save onions, the main thing is to properly harvest and dry the crop. Here you need to adhere and listen to advice. We must remember that onions like to be treated with more care. This product is more gentle.
Not everyone is able to grow onions on their own plot, but time passes, they ripen and the time comes to harvest. To do this, the summer resident needs to know when to remove onion sets from the garden for storage, what conditions should be observed in order to get large, healthy turnip heads next year.
What are onion sets?
These are small onions, measuring one to three centimeters in diameter, which are obtained from seeds. If planted dry, they will sprout within three weeks. To speed up germination, seeds are germinated by soaking for a day in water or a nutrient solution. They are then kept wet at room temperature. As soon as a tenth of the seeds have hatched, they are ready for sowing. The soil must be moist; if it is dry, they will die. If the weather outside is unfavorable, the seed material is stored in the refrigerator before sowing.
The area is well prepared for planting. It should be dug up, and the soil should be cultivated until it becomes crumbly. To obtain a high-quality seed, after sowing it is regularly watered, weeded, shoots are removed, and the row spacing is loosened.
Optimal harvest time
The time to harvest onion sets is affected not only by weather conditions during the growing season of the plant. In dry summers it is removed - after the twentieth of August. If weather forecasters predicted a rainy August, the collection should be planned for the last days of July.
According to breeders optimal timing ripening of onion sets, that is, the average that everyone adheres to is seventy days after sowing the seeds. But again, you should take into account the planting date, growing conditions, climate, and care.
In addition, the selected crop variety must correspond to the growing zone. In Siberia and the Urals, vegetables are harvested different time, because the climate in these territories is different from other zones. The summer months here are unpredictable. If it is hot and dry during this period, vegetable harvesting begins earlier.
In the middle zone, summers are often cool and rainy, so onions take longer to ripen. If nigella is sown in winter, then when the snow melts, the plant will begin to develop, and seedlings will appear much earlier than when sown in May or June. This means the harvest will have to be harvested earlier.
There is no exact date suitable for all regions. We have to take into account all factors - weather, climate, soil composition, seed grade. The correct calculation is made in advance to determine the ripening of the vegetable and here we must start from the sowing date.
The future turnip depends on the quality of the seedlings, and many people buy them in stores. Again, you need to know the purchased variety (whether it can ripen in a given area) and its maximum shelf life. For example:
- Red Baron - early ripening with stable yield, excellent ripening
- Sturon is a popular, stable variety with excellent germination, productivity, and disease resistance. Compared to others, it is harvested ten days earlier, and also behaves well during long-term storage.
- Stuttgarter Risen - early ripening, adapted to our zones, has excellent productivity, germination, and is well stored for six months
- Centurion - has excellent qualities for sets, is resistant to bolting, and has a long shelf life
- Hercules - successfully used throughout the Russian territory, resistant to diseases, produces high yields
In any case, you can try to grow such a crop yourself, and determine the harvesting time according to the lunar calendar. It suggests favorable phases for harvesting different cultures and sevka as well. If this is not possible, you can harvest it during the full moon, since in this phase the plants have the greatest nutritional value.
Calculating by month, the harvesting period most often falls in August-September. More experienced gardeners have long known the time to dig up onion sets. They rely on the main and obvious signs - the greenery has turned yellow, is completely dry and lies on the ground. At this time, you should arm yourself with forks and get to work.
If you keep it in the ground for a week or two, it will begin to grow new roots and grow. Such bulbs will begin a new growing season - they will grow into turnips, and besides, such specimens are not stored for a long time.
If you rush, without waiting for the indicated signs, the seed will not form the correct onion, an outer garment of two scales. Its still green neck will begin to rot, but it should dry out and become thinner. Otherwise, the seedlings will be affected by neck rot, and they will not survive until they are planted in the ground.
The main indicator of a high-quality set is its size. The best is an onion with a diameter of two centimeters. But it depends on how fertile the soil is, as well as the method, sowing density, and care for it. Dense planting allows the seedlings to form a small onion within forty days.
Preparatory work for cleaning
Proper harvesting and on time is half the battle, a guarantee of high-quality preservation, but first you need to carry out some preparatory measures:
- During the growth of the vegetable, it is necessary to remove the arrows in time
- in July, watering should be stopped, then from the green above-ground part of the plant useful material will be used to form the onion
- Check the planting a few days in advance to make sure all the onion tops are on the ground; harvest only in dry, sunny weather.
- The soil must be dry. If the weather is damp, you should postpone the event, because wet onions will immediately begin to rot.
- prepare equipment, because the sets must be dug out carefully so as not to injure small onions
Digging up bulb sets
Their storage duration depends on how they are dug up; damaged ones quickly deteriorate and also infect others. This trouble can be avoided by following simple rules:
- The best time for such an event is in the morning
- the most suitable tool is a fork, which minimizes the likelihood of mechanical damage; it is better not to use a shovel
- Since the soil surface will become very compacted during the summer, you should not pull out the seeds from soil that is too dry, so that the torn stem does not injure the bulb
You should not immediately store the crop; it should be dried thoroughly. Experienced gardeners do this.
Detailed drying process
Onion sets are laid out on the bed for ripening and final drying. Due to the fact that heavy dew falls on the last summer nights, it needs to be covered with film in the evening. If the weather worsens, it is better to bring it in and spread it in a thin layer in a room with good ventilation or under a canopy.
To ensure that the seed material dries evenly, the onions must be stirred regularly. It takes two weeks for them to dry completely. After that, roots and dry vegetation are cut off with a sharp instrument (scissors, pruning shears). The neck is not cut short; it is better to leave one or two centimeters to avoid unwanted infection getting into it.
It is important to remember that only the first drying phase is carried out in the garden bed.
After cutting, the sets are left to dry for another week at a temperature of thirty degrees. Then, for disinfection and storage resistance to rot and disease, it must be kept for twelve hours at a temperature of forty degrees. This is the final stage of drying. But do not overdo it so as not to dry out the onions. The scales may peel off and the storage period will be shortened.
A well-dried onion should meet the following characteristics:
be uniform in color, without extraneous stains
have a fairly dense, solid husk; when tossed, it does not remain in the hands, but simply rustles
have no foreign odors - dampness, rot, mold
correspond in color and shape to the characteristics of a particular variety
have flat surface, without traces of spoilage, rot, or exposure to pests
Completely dried, empty specimens should not exceed one percent of the harvest. Among other things, the onion sets must be sorted before storing.
When growing seedlings of one fraction, the gardener receives benefits. This means that such planting material increases the yield by twenty percent and you can get the expected size of the turnip.
What is necessary for quality storage?
After the timing has already been determined when to remove onion sets from the garden, it is important to take care of the conditions for their storage and prepare an appropriate place where the fruits would retain their quality properties until spring.
The room should be warm, dry and dark, that is, without access to sunlight. It is better to place the harvest in wooden boxes, drawers, or special nets. It is better not to use cardboard boxes, they become damp.
Storage quality is affected by air humidity and temperature regime. Humidity, which will not lead to spoilage of the onions, should be maintained at seventy to eighty percent.
If turnips for food can be stored at minus three degrees, then set needs heat, but not higher than plus twenty degrees. The optimal parameters are plus ten to fifteen degrees.
Changes in temperatures are possible, but within one to two degrees. When there are sudden changes, the bow gets stressed and goes straight into storage.
By creating proper storage, losses can be reduced to a minimum. Before storing the crop, you should check each bulb for damage, otherwise everything will rot before the planting season begins. It is necessary to regularly check the condition of the seedlings, remove sprouted, lethargic, dried out, and disease-affected ones. If the required temperature is not maintained, bolting occurs.
Small onions that overwinter at low temperatures above zero do not form shoots and do not dry out. Seeds two centimeters in size shoot up to twenty percent, and large specimens shoot up to sixty percent.
Storage options and their features
There are several options for storing sevka: warm, cold, combined. It is important to remember that planting material begins to shoot at temperatures ranging from zero to eighteen degrees. Therefore, storage should be carried out either only in room conditions, or only when minus. Gardeners also practice a combined option, combining the previous two.
With the warm method, the sowing is placed in a heated room with good ventilation, where a constant temperature of plus eighteen to twenty-five degrees is maintained. As a result, shooting will not occur. If the limits decrease, arrows appear; if they increase, the onions dry out prematurely.
For the cold storage method, use the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, an unheated basement, or a cellar, where the temperature is kept from minus one degree to minus three. Before storing for such storage, the onions are preheated at plus thirty-five for two weeks. With the onset of the spring season, in twenty-five days they are taken out and the same warming procedure is done with them, and only then they are planted in the ground.
With the combined method, the onions are first stored in room conditions, as with the warm method. Then the storage is cooled, when the mode is set from minus one to minus three, the seeds are stored in a cold way. With the arrival of spring, the seed material is transferred to a warm storage method, and the degrees are raised to plus twenty-five. When the onions warm up, and this is in five days, the temperature is lowered to plus twenty. This is how they are kept until the seed is planted in the ground.
Now we know what signs can be used to determine the readiness of onion sets for harvesting and if you follow the conditions of its storage, a 100% guarantee of the future harvest is provided.
Kira Stoletova
Cleaning plays a paramount role in preserving onions. When onions are harvested in a hurry or, conversely, too late, this equally negatively affects the further preservation of the crop. Often, to find out when to harvest onions or when to plant, they use the lunar calendar.
How to determine the ripeness of root vegetables
To make it easier to collect root crops, you need to take care of this at the planting stage. The beds should not be located too close to each other. Throughout the entire period of fruit ripening, it is necessary to loosen the soil, prevent it from drying out and free it from weeds. Onion harvesting usually falls in July - mid-August. It all depends on the condition of the top husk and tops. The ground portion should be yellow and fall completely to the ground. The ripening time for onions in total is approximately 68-83 days. If in doubt, it is necessary to make basic mathematical calculations by adding the ripening period to the planting date.
When making calculations, it is also necessary to rely on weather conditions. If the summer turns out to be rainy and cool, you need to wait longer, if on the contrary, remove the root crops earlier. Experienced people advise paying more attention external signs. Do not forget that cleaning should take place on a sunny, windy day. An important point is the cleaning and storage of onions, to which it is important to pay the necessary attention.
Features of collection
Turnips should be dug in sunny weather, preferably on a windy day. Depending on the type of soil on the site, select the appropriate cleaning tool. On heavy soils, it is advisable to use a shovel; for light soils, you can take a glander. There is no need to rush too much, otherwise you can damage the roots or bottom, which will significantly shorten the shelf life. You should start digging up the soil 5-6 cm further than the bed itself.
Almost all people make one mistake when harvesting: tapping the soil from the root crops on a hard surface. This should not be done, because the vegetable, although it has a rather dense structure, is completely unstable to mechanical damage. Even a single blow can cause rotting, so after pulling the bulb out of the garden bed, remove all the soil around it by hand.
An important point is the weather forecast. If rain is predicted for the end of summer, you need to harvest the crop a little earlier; if, on the contrary, the weather is sunny, you don’t have to rush.
The time for harvesting the crop will also depend on the climatic conditions of the region. The lunar calendar recommends harvesting onions in the middle zone in mid-July. The summer of 2017 is not particularly warm, so it is best to start cleaning around August 8th. In Siberia and the Urals, it is better to start harvesting in mid-August. It is also important to consider what type of onion was planted.
You can plant onions for the winter. Seeds are placed in pre-prepared beds in the fall and left for the winter. People who have tried the method say that this method of planting gives excellent results and the onions almost do not deteriorate throughout the entire storage period. However, this method can only be used in regions with a temperate climate, for example, in the Moscow region.
Preparatory work
Root vegetables should not be put into the cellar immediately after harvesting. First you need to dry the onions. It is advisable to dry the root crop in the sun for fresh air. However, weather conditions do not always make it possible to do this, so it is advisable to prepare for storage by laying out the onions in a well-ventilated area.
The drying time for the bulbs is approximately 12 days. The onion must be turned over periodically. Next comes sorting into ripened and unripe fruits. Unripe fruits should be used immediately, but fully ripe ones can be sent to the attic for the whole winter after trimming the feathers. For storage in the apartment, you can not cut off the feathers, but make a braid out of them and decorate the kitchen with onion bundles.
After the bulbs have dried thoroughly, they should be prepared for wintering as follows:
- cut off the roots, leaving 1-1.5 cm;
- cut off the stems, leaving 7-10 cm;
- remove excess husks and damage.
When to hide and assembly features in rainy weather
An important point is to determine the readiness of the crop for harvesting in the cellar. Immediately after drying, you can remove the fruits. You can tell when onions are ready for winter storage by several signs:
- the outer scales will be intact;
- If you lay out a mound of onions and try to remove one onion from the middle, your hand will pass freely between the other fruits.
If the summer turns out to be rainy, it is necessary to dry the crop twice. The second drying will take about 5 days, after which you can safely put the crop in the cellar for the winter. It often happens that the harvesting period coincides with the season of prolonged rains: it’s time to dig up the turnips, but the weather is not at all conducive to this. In this case, the onion is pulled out of the damp soil. After digging, the root vegetables should be washed, excess husks, tops and rhizomes removed, then they are folded in one row in a dry room and left for 21 days.
After some time, new scales will appear on the onion. There is no need to worry that the crop was collected in bad weather. If you dry the onions correctly, they will be stored just as well throughout the winter.
How to speed up maturation
It often happens that the harvesting time has already come, or the rainy season is just around the corner, but the tops are green and smooth. In this case, they resort to small tricks that will help the onion:
- dig up the bulbs and lift them a little;
- cut the roots with the tip of a shovel;
- they expose the bulbs by raking away the soil;
- They undermine the roots manually, thereby depriving them of contact with the nutrient medium.
It is important to remember that you need to trim exactly root system, but under no circumstances mow the ground part. The wrong approach will lead to crop loss.
How to collect seeds?
Beginning gardeners often ask the question when can they start collecting seeds. Seeds are harvested when the first cracked capsules appear in the umbels. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in several stages, since the maturation of umbrellas is uneven. The timing of seed harvesting is approximately the same as the timing of harvesting. In dry weather, harvesting begins at the end of July, and with sufficient moisture - in mid-August. If the seeds have not yet ripened, and the first frost is around the corner, you should pull out the onion by the roots and put it in a warm place for complete ripening.
The timing of harvesting your onions will depend on several factors: variety, climatic conditions of the region, soil structure, weather conditions, soil moisture. Experienced gardeners immediately say that it is simply impossible to theoretically calculate when to harvest onions. The main criterion by which the degree of ripening is determined is the tops: when they turn yellow and lie on the ground, it’s time to prepare the crop for storage. On average, onions ripen within 70-75 days from the moment of planting. Usually they begin to harvest onions from the garden in mid-July. It is important to monitor the weather forecasts, because you need to harvest onions in dry weather. It is also recommended to stop watering 2 weeks before harvesting.
Storing onions is closely related to proper cleaning. Harvesting root vegetables correctly is not as easy as it seems. It is necessary to take into account a lot of nuances and focus on visual data. In some cases, when the onion is already fully ripe, but the tops have not yet fallen off or turned yellow, you need to help it a little by eliminating contact of the rhizome with the food source. Under no circumstances should the tops be cut off, otherwise the root crops will become infected and they will begin to rot.
If the end of summer is rainy and you need to remove the onions, then you can dig them out of the wet ground. The main thing in this case is to properly dry the root vegetables, then the onions will be stored just as well as if collected according to all the rules. It will be even easier to collect bulbs from a damp bed: it is important to choose the right time, and then you will not lose the harvest.
The most important and enjoyable mission for gardeners comes during the harvest period. It is necessary to take into account that each individual crop requires special rules during the harvesting process, and onions are no exception. Therefore it is important to know when to remove onions from the garden for storage. This article describes in detail when and how to collect onions of different varieties, and how to do it correctly in order to preserve the harvest all winter. In this process, it is very important to determine the time of harvest; its safety in the future will depend on this.
How to correctly determine the timing of onion harvesting
Onion need to clean up after it reaches full maturity. Given climatic conditions, this does not happen at the same time in different regions. For accurate information, it is recommended to use the lunar calendar.
Consequences of untimely harvesting of onions
Harvesting unripe onions can lead to disappointing results. The fact is that his bulb is not yet fully formed. In addition, it is necessary that the neck of the onion dries to the desired degree. Otherwise, it will be difficult to preserve and it will simply rot.
Collection time
Gardeners should know the onion harvest time in their region. If you do not follow the recommendations, you may not have time to harvest the crop before the air temperature drops and the daily rains begin. As a result, the vegetable will spoil and will not be stored for long.
Moon calendar
Using data from the lunar calendar, you can determine at which moon (full or waning) it is best to collect onions and garlic. So, according to the calendar data on 2018, bulb harvesting must begin on the appointed days.
- July. 6 – 13 and 27 numbers.
- August. 4th – 11th, 26th – 30th.
- September. 3 – 9, 25 – 30 numbers.
Such information is of great benefit to the gardener. However, the days should be adjusted if there is heavy rain at the appointed time. Then you need to wait until it subsides.
How to tell if an onion is ripe
To know the exact date of onion ripening, you need to know the date of planting and the growing season. In addition, a ripe crop can be determined by visual data:
- the feather dried up and fell to the ground,
- the neck of the bulb is completely dry and no moisture comes out when pressed,
- the bulb itself is dense and “dressed” in dry husk.
Mathematical method for calculating onion harvest
It is known that this crop finally ripens in a period of 67 to 82 days. By remembering the planting date, you can accurately determine the harvest date.
In this case, some calculation nuances should be taken into account:
- The minimum number of days for the vegetable to ripen is given if the summer is dry and not rainy.
- If the summer season is cool with frequent rains, you need to take advantage of the maximum ripening period.
Watch the video! Harvesting and storing onions
When to remove onions from the garden
When all signs of ripeness of a vegetable appear, it should be harvested immediately.
turnip
The false stem of an onion can indicate its degree of ripeness. The turnip stops growing when the green feathers become soft and limp. Now wait for it to dry and start collecting onions for the winter.
Baton and green onions
The onion is ready for cutting when it reaches 25 cm in height. With these parameters it is more healthy and juicy. From July its leaves become coarser; it needs a rest period of 45-60 days.
And in September-October the harvest can be re-harvested.
If you plant trampoline sets in the fall, you can get early greens. The first harvest of this crop is carried out in May, when the leaves reach 30 cm.
Advice! In order to harvest the bush several times, the onion feathers are cut off above the growth point. However, subsequent fees will not be as rich.
Leek
It does not have any characteristics by which its maturity can be determined. You just need to remember the planting day and calculate the collection time. Typically, this type of onion begins to be harvested from the beds in late September - early October. The vegetable tolerates cold well, but before the first frost it must be completely collected from the site.
shallot
This plant can be described in the same way as onions. Distinctive Features are only that shallots belong to the early variety. Already at the end of July, onion feathers turn yellow and fall off. This becomes the signal for harvest.
Sevok
To obtain onion sets In April, black onions are planted. By August it will reach full maturity. The set itself is one of the stages of onion development. All rules for growing and harvesting are similar. Maturation can be determined by yellow and fallen feathers.
Watch the video! Bring the onions to full maturity
Onion harvest time by region
The climate in different regions of Russia is not the same. Weather conditions are always taken into account when growing any crop. Thanks to calculations, in each region with its own special climatic conditions it is determined when possible dig up onions for winter storage.
- In central Russia. In this part of the country, onions finish growing and are fully ripened in 75 days. At the end of July, you can harvest if the vegetable was planted in mid-May. However, the period may vary depending on weather conditions. So, in hot summers, onions will ripen faster; in cold weather, they will slow down their development.
- For the Moscow region. When growing winter crops, planting begins in the spring. Winter onions start cleaning up Moscow region from late July to early August. In good sunny weather, the vegetable can be dug up at the end of July, since by this time the ripening process is completed.
- In Siberia. Given the climatic conditions of this region, onions are planted here much later. Therefore, the harvest can begin to be harvested only in last days August or early September. It is important to dig up the vegetable before the rainy season.
- In the Urals. In this part of Russia, summers are short but can be hot. For sowing this crop they prefer early varieties. From May 10, you can start planting onions on the site. After 75 days, the vegetable ripens. The harvest in the Urals is usually harvested at the end of July.
Onion harvesting technology
Best weather for picking onions
It is better to collect garden onions on a warm and sunny day. It would be good if there was also a breeze at this time. This will allow the vegetable to dry well right on the site. Well-dried onions will be stored until next season.
How to dig up onions correctly
- You can remove the vegetable using a gentle method - using a pitchfork. Thus, the bulb remains unharmed. The onion is dug up with a pitchfork, retreating a short distance from it. The stuck earth is cleaned off by hand. The onions are laid out on beds to dry.
- When using a shovel, you need to be careful not to cut the onion. To do this, the tool is stuck into the ground at a distance of at least 10 cm from the vegetable.
The feather must be left intact during harvesting.
Advice! If the tops fall off, then such onions are not left for long-term storage. It is sent to the kitchen for quick use, as are specimens whose neck is still juicy and thick.
Soil may stick to the bulbs. In this case, they must be carefully cleaned. It is better to do this with your hands so as not to damage the head and scales.
Important!!! If you remove the soil from the fruit by tapping it on any object, you can damage it and it will quickly deteriorate.
These rules for harvesting onions apply to almost all types. But the shallot variety is capable of quickly producing green shoots, so it is necessary to strictly adhere to the timing of its collection.
On leeks, the good feathers are left and the others are cut off.
Harvesting in rainy weather
It also happens that the time has come to harvest onions, but the rains don’t stop and you can’t wait for a sunny day. In this case, you will have to start harvesting on a cloudy day and get it out of the wet ground. Such an onion will take a long time to dry, so it is difficult to preserve it for a long time.
If the bulbs are very wet, you can cut off the roots and feathers, and clean the top layer of scales. Then, they are laid out in a dry and ventilated area in one layer. In such conditions, within 20 days the onion will be able to dry out and form a new husk.
How to cut and dry
Having dug garden culture, it must be dried well for 15-20 days. For high-quality drying you need favorable conditions: warmth and fresh air.
Drying methods
Most effective method drying onions - in the area under open air in sunny weather. The bulbs are laid out in a row, and the feathers are directed in one direction. In this position it will be easier to turn them. At night, the crop can be covered with film, or better hidden under a canopy.
If the weather is cloudy and it is drizzling, the dug vegetables are taken to a dry room. It is good if it has a ventilation system. In any case, the room should be well ventilated. It is even recommended to open the windows for a draft. It is important to turn the bulbs more often.
As a last resort, dry in the oven at a temperature of +44°C. This procedure should be done no longer than 8 hours. This method is not ideal, but it can save turnips collected in rainy weather from rotting. You can set the temperature to +33°C, then the drying time is extended to 5 days.
Onion seeds are cut off and placed in one layer in a dry place. There, they will ripen for 20 days; they are constantly stirred so that they do not begin to germinate. In addition, stale feathers can become moldy.
Pruning rules
After the onion has dried a little, its roots and feathers are trimmed. If this operation is not performed in a timely manner, the bulbs will not be able to dry properly.
When trimming leaves, do not cut off the neck. If you cut it down to the vegetable itself, it will begin to rot during storage. If onions are to be stored in wreaths, then the leaves are cut off, leaving 4-5 cm for possible weaving. The roots are not cut off completely: there should be 0.5–1 cm left to the bulb. Before storing the leek, wash it well.
How to tell if an onion is dry
Experienced gardeners store onions, focusing not only on the timing of drying the crop. There are some signs that indicate that the bulbs are dry and can be sent for storage.
- When the heads are stirred, they rustle.
- The top layer of husk falls off.
- The husk takes on a golden color.
- The neck is significantly reduced in size.
- The hand easily fits under the onion layer.
Important! The bulbs should not be overdried, as the protective scales may crack. As a result, the lower layers of the scales will be exposed, and the onion crop will not be able to survive until the required time.
Storing onions at home
When planning to send the crop for storage, you should carefully examine each specimen.
Onions of questionable quality are set aside for quick use. They can be identified by the following characteristics:
- were left without scales;
- fresh shoots are visible;
- the neck is still wet;
- do not have elasticity;
- there is mold;
- onion without bottom.
Specimens that were damaged during harvesting should not be stored in the refrigerator, as they will quickly begin to rot there. A fresh cut can be coated with fat, sprinkled with salt, placed in water or packed in a food bag. This product can only be stored for up to 5 days.
Storage
Until severe cold comes, the crop is stored indoors without heating. Most often this is the attic. In winter, onions are kept in a dry and warm room at a temperature of 0°C +20°C. A cellar, pantry or mezzanine in an apartment is best suited for this. The enemy of turnips is excessive moisture.
Storage methods
The heads are placed in containers in layers 30 cm high. To preserve onions in winter, use a container with good ventilation.
- Baskets. They have excellent ventilation.
- Boxes. Must have holes.
- Cardboard containers. Holes are made on four sides.
- Nylon stockings. They can be hung. They allow air to pass through well.
- Bags. Enough air is supplied to the bulbs.
Most effective method storing onions - weaving them into braids. In this case, it will not rot, even if it is not completely dry. For this you can use any rope. It is wrapped around the neck, creating a long braid. Hang it in a place where the sun's rays do not penetrate.
To protect the crop from the development of diseases and rot, you can use the following methods:
- treat the heads with chalk powder, which will require 200 g per 10 kg of onions;
- coat the bottom with lime solution;
- Lightly burn the roots of the vegetable.
It is worth noting that such onions are stored well and do not sprout. However, it is not suitable for planting.
- Storage rules for sets are the same as for turnips. It is not recommended to move the container with it to another place, as the heads will begin to rot.
- Heirloom onions are stored in whole bunches.
- It is advisable to braid the shallots and hang them after trimming the greens.
- Leek leaves are not trimmed or dried completely. Only the tops are cut off. Leeks are stored in the basement in boxes with sand. You can wrap it in film and store it in the refrigerator, but not for long.
Any type of onion crop must be sorted at least 2 times in winter. Rotten specimens are thrown away so as not to infect the entire crop.
Watch the video! Tips for Harvesting and Storing Onions