Harvest onions early due to rain

[shmeen]

Hi there,

We took all our onions up yesterday (about 100!) because they had all been knocked over with the recent wind and rain and some were getting a bit soggy - we though better to take them up early than leave them to rot in this lovely summer weather!

So now I have a dining table covered in onions... I'm going to sort through and take out any rotten ones (there's a definite smell of something rotting in there...) but what do I do with the tops? Most of them still have green tops as we took them up a bit early - should I break these off? I'm guessing not yet, but when they've dried do I just leave them on? Planning to store them in hanging tights when they're dry.

Thanks,
S

South Wales

[Matt94]

hi shmeen, yes remove all of the rotting onions, otherwise the rot will spread, the onions that have started to rot may be still have usable bits, so chop the good bits off and freeze them.

But back to your main question, dont break the green tops off - what you need to do is bunch your onions up (say 10 to a bunch) and tie twine around the stems and hang them up in a dry place (i hang mine up in the shed). Then when they are completely dry with no sign of moisture in the stems, put them in tights.

[Paulottie]

I wash them and remove loose outer skins (don't overskin) then leave them spread out on pallets or chicken wire frames in the sun turning occasionally. I am lucky as I have 4 greenhouses and an open carport so this year the whole operation has been sheltered. (Otherwise an old corrugated sheet might help keep wet off)

Once leaves are papery I hang the best and firmest in ropes...not too difficult to do. I prefer to be able to regularly squeeze them and remove any soft ones.