You shouldn't harvest onions randomly. You have to wait for the best time to do that. We'll tell you which one it is.
When harvesting onions in your own garden, it is important to know the ideal time. Harvest time is usually late August / early September. It is very important that you don't get the bulbs out of the ground too early.
Recognize the right time to harvest
When harvesting onions, you shouldn't stubbornly stick to the calendar. Only when the leaves have withered by themselves and fall over by themselves, is the growth of the bulb complete.
In earlier times, a trick was used to bring the harvest time forward. The leaves of the plants were simply snapped off. But you shouldn't do that, because that way you only get an emergency maturity. The yield could suffer so significantly. Normally, a lot of sun in summer will cause the plants to wither on their own.
You can only help a little if the weather isn't quite so favourable. To do this, lift the onions very easily and carefully with a digging fork. This causes the fine roots to tear off. The plants can then no longer absorb water. They stop growing and get their nutrients from the foliage. As a result, the foliage yellows and dries up.
» Warning: If onions are harvested too early, their shelf life is significantly reduced.
Harvest and ripen onions
When harvesting the vegetables, you should definitely choose a phase with dry weather. If the onions are wet when harvested, they don't store as well.
Harvest Instructions
» Step 1:
The onions are pulled out of the ground and rubbed with your hands, this loosens the loose part of the skin. Foliage is removed about two inches above the neck.
» Step 2:
Before you can store the onions, they should have formed as firm a skin as possible. For this reason, the onions are left to ripen for another seven to ten days. If the weather is dry, you can simply leave them on the bed for this purpose. When humidweather, they can also be easily dried under a roof. Or you can gather the onion into braids and hang them up in a suitable place. It is important that the place is airy and dry.
» Step 3:
Do not let the onions ripen in direct sunlight. Too warm a climate causes the outer shell to burst open easily. You don't necessarily have to hang up the onions to ripen, you can also put them loose in wooden boxes. After 10 days at the latest, the foliage should be completely dry, then remove the remains of the roots and loose shells.
» Tip: If onions are damaged, they should be eaten soon and not stored. Well ripened onions can be stored dry in the cellar for several months.