Curing Onions, Harvesting and Storage

Curing Onions is Easy

Onions are “long keepers”. This means properly “cured” and stored, you will enjoy homegrown onions all winter long. And, now for the good news, curing onions is easy.

Most varieties of onions are great for long-term storage. Properly “cured” and stored, they will last all winter long.

When onion bulbs are mature, the plant turns brown and falls over. Keep the onions in the garden for another 7-10 days, to allow them to begin dry.

Harvest the bulbs on a sunny day. Loosen the soil around the bulb with a shovel or pitchfork. Pull onions out of the soil. Clean off the bulb. It is okay to rinse off dirt, although some sources suggest this is a “no-no”. But, do not soak onion bulbs in water.

Curing Onions for Long Term Storage

Curing onions is easy. It is important to let them dry well. Fresh onions that have too much moisture, can mold and rot in long-term storage. So, they are cured first.

Allow clean bulbs to dry in the sun.
Spread onions out on a flat surface, in full sun. Allow them to dry in the sun for a few days until the onion roots and the plant itself is a dry, brown. If rain is in the forecast, cover them or bring them indoors, until the weather clears.
Cut the tops off the onion, to about an inch from the bulb. Trim off dried roots.
Continue to cure the onion bulbs.
Place bulbs loosely on a table or counter, out of direct sunlight. The area should be warm and well ventilated.
Cure bulbs for an additional 2 -3 weeks.
Now, the bulbs are ready for long-term storage.

After curing onions, they should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place. Properly stored, most varieties keep well into winter.