How do You Know When to Pick Onions and Store Them?: Have you planted onions and are looking for the best ways to harvest them? It is then normal to wonder when to pick onions when the bulbs are hidden under the soil.
Well, the answer is, you can always pick up onions. However, it would help if you noticed a few things before harvesting. That’s because the type of bulbs depends on when you pick them up. Therefore, we will tell you when to pick onions in this article. We’ll also discuss when to harvest them for the best onion bulbs.
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How Do You Know When to Pick Onions?
Depending on the time you harvest onion, you can get two types. They’re:
- Green Onions
- Full Bulb Onions
Both of these onions have different tastes in cooking. Therefore, people prefer both onions.
So, you should know the best time to pick onions for both types. After that, you can inspect your plants and decide whether to harvest now or later.
So, without any further ado, let’s start with green onions.
Pick Green Onions
You should start early if you’re looking forward to picking green onions. You can harvest onions after a few weeks of planting them. The ideal time is after four to five weeks.
However, it depends on several matters such as:
- Breed of the onions
- Weather conditions
- Fertilization
Therefore, the easy way is to measure the green top of the plant. Get a tape and measure it in inches. If it crosses 6 inches, it’s the best time to harvest green onions.
Read more about When to Plant Hollyhock Bulbs?
To ensure that you’re satisfied with the onions, try picking one onion at first. After that, check the onion bulb. If that seems fine to you, continue harvesting all the onions. However, the more time you keep them planted, the harder the bulbs become. So, don’t be late for picking up green onions.
Pick Full Bulb Onions
On the other hand, you need to wait longer to pick fully grown onions. That’s because onions require some time to mature like other bulbs. The first tip is to wait three to four months after planting onions. It’s the usual time onions need to grow fully. Therefore, check the calendar regularly to know when it’s time to harvest onions.
Besides, you also have a look at the top leaves. You’ll see the leaves die or turn yellow at some point in time. It may get you worried, but there’s nothing to fear. Dying leaves are a sign of maturity. Also, it is normal. Hence, don’t get scared if you see the plants dying. However, instantly harvesting is not an ideal choice here. Once you see the leaves dying, you should leave the onions in the ground for a few more days. It will allow the bulbs to mature fully.
Usually, you can leave onions on the ground for ten to fifteen days. More than that will result in rotten roots, which will result in rotten onion bulbs. So, once you’ve determined it’s time to harvest, check the onions as we told you earlier. Pick one to see if it’s okay. After that, you can proceed to harvest.
We suggest you pick a sunny day to harvest the onions. That’s because you need to dry them after picking. In contrast, you’ll find it tough to dry the onion if you harvest after rains. Moreover, it also can damage the bulbs.
Curing and Storing Onions
So, once you pick the onions on a sunny day, you need to cure them properly. It would help let the onions dry in the sun for one or two days. After that, bring them inside.
Spread them on a dry surface. Avoid direct sunlight. Besides, the room should have good ventilation. Caution, never keep onions in a place where moisture can attack the bulbs. However, you can cut the leaves before storing them if you want. Or you also can do that after the onions are completely dried. Cut one inch far from the onions.
After spreading the onions, cover them with a light sheet. Be careful here; if you select heavy cover, it may result in damps, which will rot the onions. So, keep the onions like this for two to three weeks. And once the top neck is completely dried, you can store them. You can use baskets for storing.
Bonus Tip
Onions producing flowers is also known as onion bolting. However, a common question is what you should do if you face such situations? Our suggestion is to pick the onions as soon as possible. Then after drying them, eat those onions first. That’s because these bulbs are quite tough to store.
You don’t need to harvest all the onions in this situation. Only pick the ones that have flowers. And leave the rest to grow appropriately.
Conclusion: How do You Know When to Pick Onions?
So, how do you know when to pick onions? I hope you have got your answer. In short, harvest after four to five weeks of planting bulbs for green onions. Similarly, pick larger grown onions after the leaves start dying. Keep in mind; onions are susceptible to rot quickly. Therefore, store them in a dry place after you pick them up.