How to store onions in winter: basic storage rules and useful tips

In the autumn, the owners begin to collect and prepare their crops for the winter. Each vegetable requires certain storage conditions. How to store onion in the winter so that it stays there until spring? To do this, it is enough to follow some storage rules.

Content:

• Preparing onions for storage
• Rules for storing onions
• Storing green onions
• Some tips for increasing the shelf life of onions

Preparing onions for storage

Before storing onions, you need to prepare them. Preparation involves proper cleaning. Harvesting should begin 90-120 days after the onions were planted. This also depends on the variety chosen. Harvesting often begins in August. During this period, the foliage turns yellow and begins to fade.

Harvesting should be done in dry weather. To do this, carefully dig up the bulbs so as not to damage them. Experienced gardeners do not recommend pulling out onions or hammering the soil. This can damage the crop, which reduces its lifespan. storage. Onions are preserved much better if the crop has been properly dried. To begin with, you should lay out the bulbs with foliage in the fresh air.

If the weather interferes with this method of drying, lay the onions on the floor, on the balcony or outside, but do not forget to cover them.

Some owners are inclined to use a different drying method. To do this, they tie the bulbs and hang them in a draft.If the harvest is small, then it can be dried in the oven. It heats up to a low temperature. The main thing is to ensure that the bulbs do not dry out. The dried harvest is ready for further processing. Next, trimming is done using scissors.

Dried foliage should be trimmed, leaving about 5 cm of the neck. It is necessary to remove the remaining soil and cracked scales. After this, it is worth re-drying, which lasts 2 weeks. It is necessary to systematically stir the bulbs. After the work has been done, the harvest is ready for further winter storage. But before that it needs to be sorted. Separately, it is worth setting aside strong and damaged bulbs. After that Preparation storage ends.

Rules for storing onions

After drying and sorting, the onions are placed in prepared containers. For winter storage the following containers are used:

• Wooden boxes
• Wicker baskets
• Textile bags
• Nets designed for storing vegetables
• Nylon tights

You should not take large boxes; their height should not exceed 30 cm. There must be holes for ventilation. Medium bags are suitable for storage. Experienced gardeners say that it is better to use several containers than to pour the entire harvest into one container. This way the onions will be stored much longer.

Onions must not be stored in plastic bags. This is an unsuitable material, since air does not pass through it and excess moisture does not escape. Storing in such bags will cause the crop to sweat and rot. In order for onions to last for a long period, it is necessary to check them periodically. To do this, the owners should sort through the crop several times during the entire storage and eliminate onions that have deteriorated.This will save the rest bulbs, will not let them die.

Secrets of storing onions on video:

If it is noticed that the crop is damp, it must be dried and placed in dry containers for further storage. A basement or cellar is ideal for storing at home. But the owners need to ensure that the room temperature is not freezing. If the onions will be stored indoors, then you should choose a dark and cool place. A loggia is well suited for this.

The most difficult thing during crop storage is to provide the necessary air humidity. It should always be approximately the same. If it is too low, then the onions will begin to dry out. If the humidity is high, then the bulbs will begin to sprout. This can also trigger the development diseases, for example, cervical rot.

Storing green onions

Not only are the bulbs preserved, but also the green onions. A refrigerator is used for this. There are several ways to store green onions. The harvest is perfectly preserved in vacuum-sealed plastic containers. To begin with, wash the greens, remove the yellow and limp onions and place them in containers. They close, and then air is removed from them using special turntables. This container is placed in the refrigerator.

To store green onions, you will need a damp cloth. The greens are wrapped in it and placed in the refrigerator. But before that, it should be washed and divided into bunches. Cling film is also suitable for storage. Green onions must be peeled, dried and divided into bunches, which are wrapped in cling film. The harvested crop is also stored in the refrigerator.

There is another interesting way to store green onions. The stems must be washed and placed in a container of water. The greens themselves are wrapped in a dampened cloth and covered with a polyethylene bag. All this is placed in the refrigerator. Using this method, the onions will last for 2 weeks.

Some tips for increasing the shelf life of onions

There are some tricks that will increase the shelf life. Namely:

1. To dry onions, it is recommended to use shell nets. In this method, air will penetrate from all sides, so the crop will dry out better.
2. To create protection from drying out, the bulbs are mixed with the husks.
3. If the room where the crop is stored is too damp, then you can use a little trick to reduce air humidity. A container with ash, lime or shavings is placed in the basement. This material will absorb excess moisture.

So, after harvesting, people think about quality storage of their vegetables. Onions can last for a long period if owners stick to simple storage rules.