"Roger Tonkin" wrote ..

Onions are ripening nicely, the leaves have turned over, so it is about
time to lift them.

Convention/experts say pull them out of the ground and leave them on the
soil to dry. ----- WHY?

I have always put them in the greenhouse (if there is space) on dried
them on an old sheet on the patio or in the garage if the weather is
wet. If you leave them on the soil they will surely rot or atract pests
- perhaps I'm missing something!

Well a dry greenhouse in sun would be the preferred option, ours is very
humid and over full of plants so I couldn't get my onions in there anyway.
They were out on the ground with the bases facing the sun but realising
there might be rain (joke!) we picked them up cleaned them and laid them out
in our garage to dry two days ago.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK