Methods and terms of storage of onions after harvest

A rich harvest of onions from your own plot is the dream of any gardener. This is a supply of a tasty product for the whole winter, the most important ingredient in many dishes, as well as fresh vitamins and nutrients until the next season.

The article will tell you how to properly store onions and other types of onions at home.

Preparing onions for storage after harvest

Before the onion is sent to storage for several months, it is selected and prepared. One of the most important conditions for a good keeping quality of a vegetable is timely harvesting from the garden. The bulbs fully mature in 3-4 months from the date of planting, but the timing varies depending on the variety and the growing region. Fully ripe turnips are maximally saturated with juice, filled with a whole range of vitamins and nutrients.

Work in the garden is carried out in dry weather, preferably on a warm and sunny day. Such vegetables are minimally exposed to the risk of rotting. It is easy to determine that it is time to collect, by the feathers that have sunk to the ground and dried up. When pulling turnips out of the soil, try not to damage the root part and dry feathers. The vegetables are shaken off the remains of sand and soil, without hitting hard on hard surfaces to avoid damage to the heads.

After harvesting, proceed to the next stage - drying the crop. Any convenient method is suitable:

• the layout of turnips on wooden flooring or on a bedspread in a summer cottage (in stable dry and warm weather);
• drying onions on the veranda under a canopy or on an open balcony;
• hanging in small bundles of 5-7 heads (to prevent contact with any surfaces).

Drying time is 10-12 days. The readiness of the turnips for storage is determined by the peel: it becomes smooth, slightly shiny, and the scales are easily separated.

Reference. In the absence of a summer cottage or a balcony in the apartment, the onions are dried using an oven. The vegetable is laid out at a distance of 1-2 cm, the minimum temperature regime is set and left for 1-2 hours.

Before sending the crop for storage, it is sorted out and rejected. Spoiled, rotten and damaged turnips are laid and used first. They are stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Optimal conditions for preservation

For the preservation of onions throughout the winter, the temperature regime is observed in the range from -3 to + 2 ° C. In such conditions, it does not germinate and does not rot. The optimum humidity level is 70-80%.

Many housewives keep the bulbs in the apartment. Temperatures from +18 to + 20 ° C are allowed, but under such conditions the product deteriorates and rots much faster. In the warmth, turnips actively germinate already at 4-5 weeks, so it will not work to keep them until spring.

Attention. To reduce high humidity, containers with ash, sawdust or lime are placed in storages. These substances will protect the heads from decay and absorption of excess moisture.

It is recommended to ventilate the room regularly to provide the vegetables with adequate ventilation.

What can you store onions next to?

The best neighborhood for onions is garlic, and the worst neighborhood is beets and potatoes. Many gardeners put turnips together with root crops in the cellar in one mound.In this case, the shelf life of the potatoes is reduced, since excess moisture is released from the bulb.

Neighborhood with radish, white cabbage is allowed, it is not recommended - with bell peppers, carrots, Chinese cabbage, fruits.

Storage locations for onions

Depending on their capabilities, gardeners choose an affordable and most convenient way to book vegetables for the winter.

In the cellar / basement

Before sending vegetables, the room is prepared, thoroughly ventilated, and disinfected if necessary... Remove all the remnants of spoiled products, last year's stocks. The optimum air temperature is -1 ... + 2 ° C, humidity is from 75 to 78%. Under such conditions, the onions lie until spring, mold and rot do not appear on the heads.

It is recommended to regularly inspect the bulbs, and if damage, rot or other diseases are found, the identified specimen is removed from the general storage.

At home

The vegetable is stored in the apartment under the so-called thermal regime. It is important to maintain a constant air temperature - from +18 to 20 ° C (the maximum allowable + 24 ° C, but the onion sprouts quickly).

Apartments use cardboard boxes or plastic containers with holes for air to enter. Ventilation to prevent rotting and deterioration of the product. A suitable place is a pantry, where there are no heaters.

If there is a balcony, turnips are stored in wooden boxes, if necessary, they are insulated with blankets.

Important. If, in severe frosts, the container with supplies is transferred to an apartment, the onions will begin to sprout quickly, but most of the heads deteriorate due to the sharp temperature drop.

In a vegetable store

Vegetable storehouses are special prepared rooms where onions are stored in industrial volumes. From there, it goes on sale to the markets throughout the winter, retaining its presentation, taste and useful properties.

The premises are equipped with modern devices that control humidity, temperature and lighting. All warehouses are equipped with automatic ventilation systems. Automation is designed to ensure minimum crop losses.

The warehouses use large containers with a capacity of 35 to 45 kg, and onions are also stored in huge mounds.

Storage methods

Over the years, housewives have been adopting each other's experience of storing onions and choosing simple devices and tools available for this task:

• braids - the dried turnips are woven into the braids with the help of bundles, carefully tying them up by the dry tips of the feathers;
• wooden and cardboard boxes - several openings for air access are necessarily made in them from all sides (a convenient way to store large volumes of crops on balconies, in storerooms, in cellars);
• in nets - Convenient packaging that allows you to regularly inspect the stock and find damaged specimens, polyethylene mesh packaging is suitable for short-term storage - 1-2 months;
• nylon stockings - it is convenient to use in closets or cellars, they hold about 10-15 kg of onions and let air pass well, allowing vegetables to "breathe", in addition, the product is better stored in a suspended state;
• packages - turnips do not last long in dense plastic packaging due to the lack of constant access to air and accumulating condensate.

Reference. To preserve the quality of the bulbs, they are poured into any container with dry husks, which prevents drying out.

Secrets of storing onions

There are several tricks and secrets to keep the product fresh for a long time. For example, roots that were cut incorrectly when digging up the crop germinate after a short period of time. To prevent this from happening, they are carefully set on fire.

Another way to prevent sprouting is to coat the ends of the turnips with lime paste. This will stop the appearance of green feathers and damage to the heads.

The processing of the roots and ends of the turnips makes them unsuitable for subsequent planting.Therefore, this method is not used for sevka.

Storing leeks

Leek stalks are best stored in the refrigerator in the compartments specially designated for vegetables. The duration of such a bed is 2-3 weeks, it can be extended, freezing product. Before being sent to the freezer, onions are wrapped in cling film or chopped and sent to the freezer. It is recommended to cut off more than half of the green stem and root portion.

At temperatures above 0 ° C on the balcony, the vegetable stays fresh by inserting its stems into a box of sand.

Reference. Leek withstands frost well and does not lose taste and useful properties when stored on a balcony from -5 to -8 ° C. At the same time, he is placed in boxes and wrapped in a warm blanket.

Green onions

Greens are difficult to keep fresh for an extended period, so the feathers are finely chopped and sent to the freezer. As such, the product is ready for use in hot dishes or salads in winter.

Luka sevka

Harvesting of onion sets ends by the end of August. The turnips are pre-dried well, spoiled or soft specimens are selected. Drying takes place at a temperature of 30-35 ° C, this will protect the seed from putrefaction and will save until the start of the season.

The optimal way of storage is in linen or canvas bags at a temperature not exceeding + 17 ° C. The workpiece is sorted out 2 times a month in order to remove rotten specimens and prevent the spread of diseases to the entire stock. The refrigerator is also a good place if it keeps the temperature in the 1-2 ° C heat range.

Select for storage onion set with a diameter of more than 1 cm, and small bulbs are left in the soil. In early spring, most of them will give young shoots.

Storage periods

The storage duration is determined not only by the optimal temperature and humidity, but also depends on the variety. Under optimal conditions, the product lasts 5-6 months without signs of deterioration. Yalta onions will last up to 4 months. In a cleaned form, fresh turnips lie no more than 5-6 days on the shelves of the refrigerator and 6 months in the freezer.

Green onions and leeks keep their freshness in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, so they prefer to freeze them chopped. The product will stay in the cellar for up to 2 months.

Mistakes to Avoid

Violation of the rules for the preparation and placement of turnips for winter storage leads to inevitable spoilage of the entire crop. Experienced gardeners recommend paying attention to the possible causes of bulb decay and other problems.

Possible problems

Among the most common problems are product rot and feather sprouting. Sprouted specimens are not recommended to be eaten, they are planted in containers with soil or water on windowsills for further growing greenery. The heads themselves lose their elasticity, become lethargic and rotten.

Causes of decay

The main reasons for rotting onions harvested for the winter are an inattentive attitude to the harvest:

• violation of the timing and technology of collection (work in the garden in rainy weather or after severe frosts);
• non-compliance with the drying technology (insufficient duration or placement of the collected turnips in conditions of high humidity);
• unsuitable room (with high humidity, lack of ventilation, bright lighting).

In addition, turnips are sometimes affected by diseases typical of them - cervical rot (externally manifests itself as a grayish bloom and progresses very quickly, spreading to the entire stock) or root rot (the fungus manifests itself as a white bloom on the root part, and inside the fruit becomes watery and lethargic).

Reference. If a characteristic putrid smell appears in the room, this indicates the appearance of a diseased bulb, which attracts insects - bulb flies. We recommend that you delete the damaged instance immediately.

Outcome

Winter storage of onions requires strict adherence to temperature and humidity.When maintaining optimal parameters, correct preliminary preparation and drying of the harvested crop, it is stored until the onset of the new sowing season.

An unpretentious vegetable lies well on balconies and cellars, in the refrigerator and in the freezer, and in the cold season it pleases with a fresh aroma and is used daily in cooking.