On 18/08/08 18:31, Wilson wrote:
sometime in the recent past Ed posted this:
On 18/08/08 13:41, Wilson wrote:
It's my first season for onions and am wondering how to best store
them. I planted a pound of yellow onion sets. From the wind and rain,
almost all the green is on the ground, but still green.

Should I wait for the tops to wilt? How about braiding onions? Are
they braided while the tops are still green?

Thanks.

Wilson mate,

Ideally I think you should wait for the tops to wilt, then loosen them
up from the ground and let them bake themselves dry in the sun.

But here (UK, South East) we have had such a bad wet summer, that I
have already lifted them before they completely wilted cos I was
fearful that they would rot in the ground. I now have them laying on
wire trays in the cold frame to dry out. I have removed all the soil
and any powdery looking white stuff from each one and am leaving them
on the wire trays upside down so that they do not touch each other.
Kinda like you would dry off dahlia bulbs.

I don't think I will braid em either cos if one gets infected then I
think that will rapidly extend to the rest on the rope. So, after
they fully and totally and absolutely dry, I will just shift then into
the garage on the wire frames, keeping them separate all the time.

You got hot sunny weather?

Ed

Not enough to spare. lol. Mostly fog, drizzle and such with occasional
rain. Today makes 2 days in a row with sun and we had one good week in
the middle of July. Otherwise, night time lows haven't stayed above 61F
yet. Hope this bit of sun makes a run for it.

I grow in 6 3'x10x9.5" beds, so I have a little control over moisture -
probably drier than if I was in the ground proper.


Wilson babe , u gotta decide on wot to do based on ur local climate.
Wot r ur neighbors doing? Any clues there?
Last thing u wont is for em to rot in the ground!!

Ed