When to harvest onions in the middle zone

Content

1 When to pick onions
2 Why is it important to remove onions on time?
3 Proper harvesting
4 Onion storage
5 Conclusion

Almost all gardeners grow onions on their plots. This crop is in great demand in all parts of the world. But in order for onions to be stored well, they must not only be grown correctly, but also harvested on time. You should also know exactly how to harvest so as not to harm the bulbs. About, when onions are harvested in the middle zone we will talk in this article.

When to pick onions

The growth period of onions directly depends on the weather conditions of the region. In central Russia, onions fully ripen in 2-3 months. It is very important to monitor the upper part of the plant. If the green mass begins to dry out and sank into the garden bed, then it’s time to stop watering. This is done to prevent the root system from starting to grow back. In addition, without water, the sprout will dry out faster, and you can start harvesting.

Attention! Only onions that are fully ripe can be removed from the site.

If the fruit takes a long time to dry, you can use a regular pitchfork. They lightly dig up the bulbs. This causes damage to the root system. As a result, onions dry out faster in the ground. Usually the fruits begin to be harvested from the second week of July. If it was planted late, you can extend the time until mid-to-late August.

Harvesting must be done in appropriate weather. It should be dry and warm outside.To stop growth, the sprouts should be bent to the ground. Bent stems will not be able to receive nutrients, causing growth to stop. After a few weeks, the green mass of the plant will be completely dry, and you can start harvesting.

Important! To accurately calculate the timing of onion harvesting, you need to write down the planting date and count approximately 70–80 days. If you don’t remember the date, you can determine maturity by the appearance of the plants.

You can tell if an onion is ripe by looking at the feather. It should dry completely. At the same time, the main stem of the plant remains soft. When pulling plants out of the ground, some stems may come off. You can't keep onions in the garden for too long. In this case, the root system grows greatly, and this has a bad effect on the keeping quality of the fruit in winter.

Leeks, unlike regular onions, are not afraid of frost. It can also be harvested in October. There will be no damage to the crop. It can even be left in the beds for the winter under a special covering material.

Why is it important to remove onions on time?

Digging up onions either later or earlier can have a negative impact on the quality of the fruit. Such bulbs will not store well in winter. So what do we get, digging up onions too early:

the integumentary scales do not have time to form;
the neck of the bulb remains thick, which is why it dries poorly;
the presence of a thick neck provokes the entry of various microorganisms into the bulb. Subsequently, the fruits begin to rot;
Such onions cannot be stored for long. It must be used immediately.

Late harvest is accompanied by the following factors:

overdried integumentary scales that will quickly begin to crack;
re-growth of the root system;
Late-harvested bulbs also store poorly and are prone to rot.

Proper harvesting

Onions are harvested at the moment when the main stem of the plant has become soft. It is very important that it does not dry out. In this case, the taste of the fruit deteriorates. The most convenient way to dig out onions is with a pitchfork. Harvesting fruit by hand can be inconvenient, especially if the soil is dry and compact. The forks do not damage the fruits themselves and do an excellent job of the task.

Attention! A shovel is not used in this case, since it can be used to cut vegetables.

The dug up fruits are left in the garden bed for a day to dry. Please take weather conditions into account. If the air is humid, it is better to postpone harvesting the fruits to another day or bring the fruits to a dry room. After complete drying, the bulbs are cleaned of soil and the dry stems are cut off.

If you leave onions in the garden overnight, you should cover them with special material or unnecessary rags. In the morning, the fruits must be opened again. Many gardeners dry and store bulbs in the attic. It is important to turn the fruits over from time to time.

Important! You cannot remove soil from the bulbs. During the impact, the fruit itself can be seriously damaged, which will reduce the shelf life significantly.

Onion storage

Dryness of fruits can be determined by the following signs:

The top scale should be quite fragile and break easily.
When sorting through the fruits, you should hear the rustling of the husks.
After complete drying, the cervix becomes hard and thins.

Attention! When trimming onions, you need to leave about 5 cm of the neck and up to 2 cm of the roots.

Next, the fruits are laid out in boxes, sorted by size and variety. If some fruits are not completely dry, they are left for some more time.The following containers and devices are suitable for storage:

wooden boxes;
baskets;
grids;
carton boxes;
nylon tights.

Also, when sorting fruits, it is necessary to remove rotten or damaged bulbs. Previously, it was customary to braid onions and hang them in the kitchen in this form. To do this, you need to very carefully dig up the fruit without tearing off the feather. The storage area must be dry. In a damp place, fungi quickly multiply, causing the onions to rot.

Important! Polyethylene is not suitable for storing bulbs. In this form, the fruits will not receive the required amount of air. And accumulated moisture will cause rot.

Even in boxes and crates, it is necessary to make special holes so that air can get inside. It is recommended to store onions at a temperature not lower than 0°C and not higher than +5°C. Bulbs do not tolerate frost well, so storing onions on the balcony will not work.

Conclusion

Now you know exactly how not to make a mistake with the harvest. The signs of maturity of small fruits and large turnip onions are no different. So the rules described above are universal. Weather conditions are different every year, and even in the same area it is difficult to guess the specific harvest time. But by carefully observing your onions, you can accurately determine whether they are ripe or not.