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
Onions should be harvested after they reach 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 under which moon (full or waning) it is best to harvest onions and garlic. So, according to the calendar for 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
There are people who do not really trust the authors of the lunar calendar. Then the time when you need to remove the onion can be found out using mathematical calculations.
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
Content
- 1. What is the danger of untimely harvesting of onions?
- 2. Timing for onion harvesting in Russian regions 2.1. Onion harvesting in the Urals
- 2.2. Onion harvest in Siberia and the North-West
- 3.1. How to properly remove sets
The correctly chosen time for digging up onions determines the size of the harvest, its quality and safety, or keeping quality.
If you harvest onions in a timely manner, they will retain more vitamins and nutrients. Their number reaches a maximum when the leaves begin to lie down and the influx of assimilates stops. The synthesis process is completed, the bulb comes to a state of rest along with the accumulated nutrients. Then you should start digging.
An important sign that it is time to harvest the onion is the softening of the false stem and its loss of elasticity. This indicates that the plant has stopped growing and the bulb is fully formed. The bulb color characteristic of the variety appears. He also talks about the appropriate time to harvest onions.
IN THE PHOTO: Lodging of onion leaves indicates full ripening.
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 until it dries 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. The only distinctive feature is 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 get onion sets, black onion is planted in April. 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
Why does the housewife need a lot of onions?
Onions are a favorite vegetable of many housewives, gardeners, and cooks. Without onions it is difficult to prepare delicious borscht, salads, vegetable stews, meat and fish dishes. This vegetable can cure colds. You cannot do without it during the rampant flu, ARVI, for the treatment of many skin diseases.
Each gardener plants enough onions to last throughout the winter fresh and for preparing vegetable preparations, sauces, and marinades.
No one needs to be reminded that onions contain many useful vitamins and microelements. This is a real repository of everything useful for the body. Therefore, every gardener rejoices when he sees a rich harvest of this treasure.
In order for the vegetable to last until the new harvest, we collect it for storage on time: not too early and not too late.
If you violate the deadlines, for example, collect early, then the scales will not cover the head well. And an unprotected turnip will become a haven for harmful bacteria, which means it will begin to rot faster. This onion is suitable for harvesting, but it is not suitable for storage. But most importantly, there will be a decrease in taste and usefulness.
When sitting in the ground, onions may begin to sprout, and in rainy weather they may simply rot.
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, each region with its own special climatic conditions determines when it is possible to 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 begin to be harvested in the Moscow region from the end of July to the beginning of 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, harvesting can begin only in late 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, early varieties are preferred here. 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.
How can you dig up onions if they are not ripe?
If the summer is cold and rainy, you have tried all the tips to speed up the ripening of the crop, but this has not yielded results, you need to dig up onions with green feathers, but in no case tearing them off.
How can you dig up onions if they are not ripe:
- It is necessary to carefully remove the bulbs from the soil, while preserving the feathers.
- They need to be laid out on a dry cloth under a canopy and left to dry the top part for about 5-7 days.
- As soon as the feathers are dry, you can cut them off and prepare the onions for storage for the winter.
Onions for storage
Onion harvesting technology
To better preserve onions, there are some harvesting rules that must be followed. The collection technology involves some preparation of the vegetable before starting to dig it up.
- Undermining the roots. To do this, lift the head slightly.
- Stop watering the onion crop 2 weeks before harvest. At this time, water does not bring any benefit to the vegetable, but, on the contrary, promotes root growth and inhibits the ripening of the bulb.
- The bulb is stripped of the soil, leaving only the root in the ground. To do this, the earth around the bush is raked, exposing the bulb itself. This way, the turnip will dry out in the open air and be ready for long-term storage.
Best weather for onion harvesting
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 bulb 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 have fallen off, then such onions should not be 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.
Do's and Don'ts before collection
Now let's talk about agrotechnical measures that can be carried out before harvesting and which cannot be carried out so as not to spoil the bulbs.
The same applies to fertilizing. At this point they will no longer be needed.
There is also no need to hit the onions against each other. This will cause damage and the vegetable will have less shelf life.
Also, you should not pick off feathers. If you accidentally tear off the leaves while harvesting, it is better not to store the vegetable, but to use it for cooking.
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 trim and dry
Having dug up a garden crop, it must be dried well for 15-20 days. For high-quality drying, favorable conditions are necessary: warmth and fresh air.
Drying methods
The most effective method of drying onions is in an open-air area 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.
Preparing root vegetables for storage
It is necessary to properly prepare onions so that they can be stored longer. The preparation procedure boils down to drying, trimming leaves and sorting the vegetable.
Feather Trimming
Whether or not to trim the feathers depends on how you plan to store the onions. If you store it the old fashioned way, by braiding the heads, the feather should be left untouched. If the vegetable will be stored in boxes or other containers, the above-ground part is cut off, leaving a stump 5 cm long.
Pruning is done after the onions have dried before storing them. At the same time, the roots are cut off. Some of the heads that are planned to be used for planting do not have their roots trimmed.
On a note! Feathers cannot be trimmed close to the onion, because in this case it will be easier for pathogenic microflora to get to the inside of the vegetable and spoil it.
Drying
They dry the onions directly in the garden bed, using boards as a base, but only if the weather is good.
If the forecast is for rain, the heads are placed in a saran or under a canopy, spread out in one row for 1-2 days.
Further drying continues in a dry, warm room with good ventilation. This could be a closed veranda, the attic of a house, or a warm barn.
Onions can be braided and hung, or laid out on material, in nets, lattice boxes raised above the floor. The heads are turned over daily to ensure even drying. After 1-2 weeks, the harvest can be harvested for long-term storage. The sign that the onion is dry will be its appearance.
A properly dried vegetable should have a thin, dry neck, dried roots and a rustling husk.
Onions that were picked from wet soil require special drying conditions. The harvest is kept for 8 hours at a temperature of 40° C. Additionally, you can sprinkle the heads with crushed chalk, this will guarantee the preservation of the onions for several months.
Bulb sorting
Before the onions are transferred to storage, they are sorted. Not all crops will be stored equally long. Heads with signs of damage, rot, without top scales, or with a thick neck should be separated and used primarily for cooking. Only strong, even onions with dense covering scales and no signs of disease are stored well.
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.
