"Dawn" wrote in message
...
I'm trying my luck with onions this year. I bought a bag of "red"
onion
bulbs. The planting instructions give me three choices: red onions ,
green table onions, and dry onions. I think I understand the first
two
choices, but I don't know what the third choice gets me. The
directions
say to 'harvest when fully matured and air dry.' I'm having trouble
imagining an air dried onion.

The directions are harvest when fully mature and (after harvest) air
dry. I.e., you air dry your harvested onions.

I suggest that you wait until the tops fall over. This is a sign that
the onions are mature. When the onions are ready, they pull nutrients
from the tops into the bulbs and the tops fall over. Then, you pull
them out and lay them in a sheltered spot to dry. We string ours
together by the tops and hang from from the rafters in the garage for
a few weeks to a month. Then you can bring them inside.

An alternative to hanging them is to spread them out on a surface,
preferably with air holes. A fine screen suspended in air is ideal.
Onion boxes have slats spaced closely enough together to keep the
onions from falling out but wide enough to admit air.

Guy Bradley
Chesterfield MO
zone 6