Onion Questions

[Python15]

I was watching the Beachgrove Garden the other week there and Jim McCall was bending over the tops of his onions. Is this to prevent bolting or for another reason? Also, does anyone have any tips as to how I dry my onions out for storage since the weather has been so damn miserable and wet up here. I would do it in the greenhouse but it leaks like a sieve and nothing would dry. Any hints appreciated.

[SelkirkAlex]

that's the "old" way of doing things , modern wisdom is to wait until they fall over themselves, personally don't think there's much difference either way.

what I have done for drying is strung double strands of washing line along the walls of my wooden garage, provides quick easy drying room for onions and garlic with stalks still attached.

[Python15]

Thanks for replying so quickly Alex. Are you putting your onions and garlic between the strands upsides down with the stalks facing downwards or am I way off beam?

[1Bee]

I've dried mine under the roof overhang in our backyard. I've used hanging baskets (the wire, basket types) and also balanced a disused slatted shelf over my potting tray. I don't have a garage, greenhouse, shed, or dry weather, so I have to get creative.

[Snoop Puss]

I lie them on a slatted sunlounger with the stalks facing towards the sky. There's an awning for protection against rain and they're in the shade from around 11.30 am. Tough luck anyone wanting to lounge!

[burnie]

Bending the tops over just starts the drying process by stopping the sap rising into the green leaves, you then lift the bulbs breaking the roots thus accelerating the drying. I just hoick mine out of the ground and dry mine in the greenhouse on the soil for a week or two, then tie them in a bunch with string and hang them in the air in the greenhouse( I used to plait the tops and make a string of onions, but it was unreliable and I often had onions hit the floor bruising them)

[Python15]

Cheers guy's, best I get these things lifted then!

[SelkirkAlex]

yep, that's exactly it, stems down between the clothes line which holds the bulbs up, holds them pretty securely until they are dry

[Penellype]

I dry mine on the wire shelves that come with the blowaway greenhouses. If the weather is dry I put them outside, if not I fall over them for a few weeks in the garage before they are dry enough to string.

[rary]

If I can't get my onions dried off I leave about three inches of stem, bend it over and put them sideways into an old pair of tights which holds the fold down put a knot or a clip between each onion to keep them separated this avoids any rot transferring if one starts to rot, its not the best way,but if I have done this in the past when it was to wet to get them dried