I usually harvest my “keeper” onions in mid-August. Of course, before the bulbs go into winter storage, I first let them “cure” outdoors in warmth and air. Well-cured onions retain their good eating quality for months. Read on, and I’ll show you how to cure and store this valuable crop:
Onions are ready for harvest when their green tops fall over. After lifting the bulbs, brush or shake off loose soil. Then lay them out in a single layer in sun or shade, on some kind of surface that permits ventilation from below. I sometimes spread my onions out on old window screens propped up between chairs. A mesh-type patio table works as well. Allow the bulbs to cure for 3-4 weeks, until their outer skins turn papery, and their green stalks wither and brown. Curing is vital to winter-storage success.
It is imperative that bulbs remain dry throughout the curing period. At the first threat of rain, either transfer the onions to a sheltered location until fair skies return, or cover the bunch with a tarp. Alternatively, the bulbs can be cured indoors, in a warm, well-ventilated shed or garage.
After curing, cut off all but one inch of stem. Then store the bulbs in a dim, dry, cool place, such as a cellar or barely-heated shed or garage. Give the onions as much air circulation as possible. The perfect storage container is pantyhose, as pictured above. Otherwise, store the onions in nylon mesh bags, wicker baskets, milk crates, or burlap sacks.
I should probably mention that “sweet” onions do not store well. Sweet varieties include ‘Walla Walla’ and ‘Vidalia.’
Good yellow storage onions include ‘Bridger,’ Copra,’ ‘Patterson,’ and ‘Yellow Globe.’ Among the excellent reds are ‘Brunswick,’ ‘Red Bull,’ and ‘Red Wind.’
Thank you for reading this little food-storage tutorial. I hope it was helpful to you. xKevin
WAIT!!! To see the onions (and the weeds) in my garden, please watch the video above.
Heather (Campbell River, BC) says
Perfect timing for this email!
I was going to pull my onions today and of course I have zucchini
I appreciate the meatless recipes.
Sue Smith says
I grew Patterson storage onion this year. They are huge. Also, Walla Walla. Also huge. The Walla Wallas will keep in my outdoor fridge crisper until about Nov. and I will dehydrate some of them. We are pulling them a few at a time because I like to wait until the necks narrow and the tops fall over. We then take them to our curing place, which is a big screen in our airy shed with a roof. This year I will try the pantyhose method for the Pattersons. It is so great to have those delicious onions all winter long.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Heather – So glad you enjoy the meatless recipes. More soon, I promise.
Hi Sue – I remember ‘Walla Walla’ onions from my time in Washington State. Delicious!
dori says
I cure onions and then strip off the loose leaves, and then I braid them and hang the braid in a darkish dry place. I do the same with garlic except I cut out the hard center stem. Some varieties of onions, like Copra and Red Bull, store better. They also seem hotter. The sweet ones like Walla Walla don’t last very long, so drying them is probably a good idea but I never tried it.
Linda A says
Thank you for this, Kevin! Loved it.
Very good instructions and informative.
Curious about the squash and how you store them, as well. (I know the store-bought ones last a good while on the kitchen counter but wonder how you store your home-grown squash.)
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Dori – Braided onions are not only useful — they’re decorative! Kudos to you.
Hi Linda A – Last autumn I filmed a video called “How to Harvest, Cure, and Store Butternut Squash.” You can apply the same curing/storing technique to any and all winter squash. Click here watch the episode.
Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
I pulled my organic Patterson onion crop a few days ago. I also use a mesh patio table for curing! It’s very convenient. Mine is a shorter rectangular table.
I was pulling smaller onions for several weeks, just one at a time when I needed it, so my final crop was 53 instead of the original 77 plants installed. Each onion pulled early was still DELICIOUS! Total luxury to have such a versatile ingredient at one’s fingertips.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Beverly – Total luxury, yes. Like having a “produce department” in your own backyard.
mlaiuppa says
Great. I just pulled some onions last week and of course I’ve done it wrong. I hope I haven’t ruined them. I’m afraid I got busy and they got neglected.
I have no idea what kind I have. All I remember doing is buying onion sets last year but I intend to try to grow from seed this coming year.
My entire summer was lost waiting delivery of a refrigerator that was never going to come. When I called Kitchenaid and found out I immediately called my appliance dealer and told him that model was pulled from the line months ago and they have no date as to when it will go into production again. An entire year wasted waiting and preparing for it. I canceled the order and he’s sending me a check for a full refund. The next day my refrigerator died so yesterday I went to Home Depot to buy the cheapest model in stock. It can last a year or more until the Kitchenaid starts production again.
Good thing I didn’t put those onions in the refrigerator. They are still laying in the kitchen, which has been hot because the weather has been in the 80s all week and will continue to do so. I suppose I could still put them outside. Probably a good idea as I have them in a bag right now.
Now….can you give me some advice on the late garlic I planted?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi mlaiuppa – Designing a kitchen around an appliance that never shows up — grrrrr! Garlic and onions have similar needs — cure first, then store. Directions for planting, growing, harvesting, curing, and storing garlic can be found in my Garlic Growing Guide.
Taina says
Hi Kevin,
Appropos of nothing, will we ever see a piano concert? You play beautifully in your video on cleaning the music room. Oh, and the onion storage video is very useful, I never knew how to cure onions before this. Thank you so much!
Jerry Miller says
I think I might make a garden video and show you what a weedy garden really looks like! I really tried to keep the weeds at bay this year. I did a better job than previous years but your garden puts mine to shame.
On the bright side, I planted two varieties of butternut squash. After watching last year’s video on growing butternut squash on the cattle panels, you encouraged me to grow some this year. I think I’ll have a nice harvest. I like butternut squash but I especially like to use it to make pumpkin pie. Next year, I’ll plant some acorn squash.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Jerry – Glad your butternut squash is producing well. The squash does make excellent “pumpkin” pie!