[miggs]

Dug up my Onions last weekend and they have been drying at the plot ever since. Brought them home today (approx 177) and have just finished trimming them up. They are now in the potting shed drying a bit longer. How long would experienced Onion growers leave them now, before stringing them up?
Thanks.

[JayG]

Rot in storage usually starts in the neck of the bulbs, so you need to be as sure as you can be that the necks aren't still juicy - any with unusually thick necks probably won't store well.

Same with shallots, although I always manage to lose some however careful I am.

Can't be precise about how long it takes, it obviously depends on the warmth, humidity and airflow you (and nature) have provided, but if in doubt, dry them some more - they won't mind unless you've got them somewhere really hot.

[solway cropper]

I put mine on wire racks in the greenhouse and leave them for up to several months before trimming and storing. Any I need I just take as required. I can usually make them last till March.

[sunshineband]

Yes I agree with Solway Cropper that it takes a long time to fully dry off onions, and slow is better than trying to hurry them.

Ours have been lying on a rack made from pallets and covered with debris netting to provide air circulation ( kept under cover at the plot) for several weeks now, with the shallots. I keep the leaves on until they are crispy

The last lot is coming up this week, and will stay there until the Autumn. I shall have to take off some of the first batch (the Autumn planted ones ) and they will be put in stout cardboard trays stacked in the garage where it is cool and dry. Any "dodgy" ones will be first in the queue for the kitchen

This is a photo taken on 1st June, with the shallots and some of the onions, The leaves have since completely shrivelled and pulled off.... took about a month

[Yorkie]

I put mine on wire racks in the greenhouse and leave them for up to several months before trimming and storing. Any I need I just take as required. I can usually make them last till March.

Re. drying them in the greenhouse, just bear in mind that someone on here (might even have been John, the site owner) has previously reported completely baking his drying onions one very hot summer.  They were completely ruined by the extreme temperatures in the greenhouse.

[AlaninCarlisle]

I dry mine outside on slatted benches that live in the greenhouse over winter. I leave them outside in wind, rain and, yes sun for about five or six weeks until leaves have turned crispy and then after a thorough check, remove any loose leaves and store them in large vegetable racks in a disused stable. The fact that we are still using last year's crop says a lot about this method