When to harvest onions and how to store them properly so that they last a long time: simple and easy-to-remember principles!

Experienced gardeners only need one look to know that it is the right time to harvest onions.

However, not everyone has this wisdom “in their eye” and needs to know some guiding principles when determining the right time to harvest.

If you catch them early, pull them out of the ground, and store them properly, you’ll have the healthiest homemade onions that will last until the next harvest.

We will advise you on how to calculate the right time to harvest onions.

According to a popular proverb, the date for harvesting garlic and onions is Anna’s day, that is, July 26.

But in warmer areas it is about a week earlier and at slightly higher elevations it is about 7-10 days later.

The onions you planted in the fall are ready to harvest in early July.

The one you planted in spring will be ready around  mid-July.

To know if the onion is ready for harvest, it is necessary to monitor the changes in the aerial part of the crop.

During growth, it is upright, and when it stops growing, it bends towards the ground.

Therefore, there is no need to wait for the twig to dry completely.

Green leaves  are a sign that the onion is ready to harvest.

If you take it out just before it dries, you can braid it and let it dry hanging in a well-ventilated place.

Depending on the planting season, onions can be harvested until August 15.

However, it should be noted that the longer a mature onion remains in the ground, the more its quality decreases or it may begin to rot.

The approximate maturation time of the bulbs is about 80 days from planting outdoors .

There is no specific harvest date; it is necessary to know the day of sowing and  the signs of onion maturity.

What you need to know about the appearance of a mature onion:

-Yellowish onion branch lying on the ground;

-The upper part from which the twig grows is thin and dry;

-The upper part of the skin has a characteristic golden color;

-The onion heads have already grown and are sticking out of the ground.

Rules for harvesting and storing onions:

Choose a sunny, dry day to harvest onions.

If the soil is very hard, use a suitable tool to loosen the onion from the soil and remove it along with the bulb.

Damaged onions will not be stored and will be discarded immediately for processing.

The harvested onions are lightly cleaned of soil and laid out in a single layer on a mat for 1-2 days to dry.

Dried onions are cleaned of excess skin and the top is cut off, leaving a “neck” of about 12-15 cm.

Many housewives still braid onion braids, just like our grandmothers did. They are hung in dry, cool and well-ventilated rooms.