how do you dry your onions?

horticgirl · « **on:** July 26, 2010, 13:43 »

Mine look ready to lift and just wondering how best to dry them. I don't have a rack or a covered area avaialble.
I have some membrane down on the path at the moment and wondered about just laying them on there, as i thought they would stay reasonably dry (unless it rains obviously).
How long do you leave yours to dry for?
Thanks

Debz · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2010, 14:35 »

Last year when we had all the rain in the autumn, I pegged my onions to an old clothes drier in my kitchen and let them dry off in there. They didn't smell particularly strong and I just left them there for a few days before I plaited the stems together.

andy135 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 26, 2010, 15:05 »

I'm going to string mine, now that I have found out how to do them, and hang then in the greenhouse.

http://picasaweb.google.com/photomacro/OnionStringing#5098616606703455714

Click the blue arrow to follow the pictures of the process.

madcat · « **Reply #3 on:** July 26, 2010, 15:17 »

I tried drying them on pallets covered over with a tarpalin 'roof' outside last year, and never got them properly dry, plus the slugs

. This year we have rigged racks under the rain-gathering roof over the compost heaps - racks being stripped pallets covered with chicken wire. If they work (so far so good) we will be able to use them for potatoes and later winter squashes ..... Well, that is the theory.

Pompey Spud · « **Reply #4 on:** July 26, 2010, 15:21 »

I wouldnt in the greenhouse unless you want them to cook.

Paul Plots · « **Reply #5 on:** July 26, 2010, 15:49 »

What I do is:

once the tops begin to go over slide the fork under the onions to gently lift them free so the bottoms and roots can begin to dry in their rows
On a dry day, when the tops are browning and crisping, ease from the ground and lay them out in full sun - cover them if it rain threatens but try to get as much air over / through them as possible.
hang in a grarage or shed - plenty of air through
check periodocally for any soft bulbs and remove and use these

I do lay mine on a greenhouse bench where its very sunny when I can (My dad's greenhouse is ideal for this as there's room).

Celtic Eagle · « **Reply #6 on:** July 26, 2010, 20:21 »

Lay them out in old bread trays and cover with rigid plastic sheet. leave till dry, plenty of air and semi shade on top of the compost bins

shokkyy · « **Reply #7 on:** July 26, 2010, 21:26 »

Quote from: andy135 on July 26, 2010, 15:05

I'm going to string mine, now that I have found out how to do them, and hang then in the greenhouse.

http://picasaweb.google.com/photomacro/OnionStringing#5098616606703455714

Click the blue arrow to follow the pictures of the process.

Oh, thanks for that, that's really helpful. I'll give that a go this year.

horticgirl · « **Reply #8 on:** July 27, 2010, 08:35 »

lots of ideas - I think I need to have a root about and find something I can cover them with.
I thought you weren't supposed to string them until completely dry though?

Babstreefern · « **Reply #9 on:** July 27, 2010, 12:57 »

We dry ours out in the greenhouse for a day or two, then plait them and hang them in the shed where there's virtually no light. I'm still eating mine from August last year.

JayG · « **Reply #10 on:** July 27, 2010, 14:22 »

I grow shallots rather than onions as I find they give a better return in a limited space (financially if not weight-wise.)

I went to great lengths to try and dry them properly in last year's damp summer but a lot of them still didn't store well.

This year I am leaving them a bit longer in the soil to really die back as my current theory (!) is that it is much harder to get them sufficiently dry if there is still a lot of sap in the necks of the bulbs.

(I'll let you know if this helps in about 4 months time!)

noshed · « **Reply #11 on:** July 27, 2010, 14:38 »

I've left my shallots in the greenhouse in blue trays. Then I'll pickle them...

aelf · « **Reply #12 on:** July 27, 2010, 14:59 »

mine are hanging up in the rafters of the shed. I lifted them last week as the tops were beginning to rot in all this rain. Not as big a haul as usual

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how do you dry your onions?

horticgirl

how do you dry your onions?

Debz

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andy135

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madcat

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Pompey Spud

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Paul Plots

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Celtic Eagle

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shokkyy

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horticgirl

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Babstreefern

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JayG

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noshed

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aelf

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