How to harvest and cure onions for long term storage (and what to do when conditions aren't ideal)

[@jimconnell8994]

Hi from Scotland. An excellent video well put together. I’m a professional gardener that respects how well you covered the subject. PS happy to hear kids having fun in the background. Our future

[@MonkeyBoy-sd9vc]

White kids are our only hope

[@melindarathke851]

Glad to know they’re sweeter when first picked. That explains my stepfather eating them like an apple!

[@Bright_iiii_s]

I love that you address the questions that people don't even think to ask at the time. Thank you so much!❤

[@AuxhartGardening]

You are so welcome!

[@amywert8088]

Water + children + gardening = the best parts of summer!

[@frogstock2597]

Minus the kids...

[@marciakeilee1336]

Excellent video Rachel! I learned so much from you. Thank you so much.

[@AuxhartGardening]

I'm so glad!

[@ARUNKUMAR-gh3uw]

Love this onion information. Absolutely no bullshit embedded anywhere unlike some of the other videos on KZbin 😀

[@antoniustheiler1494]

Hello, you have made an absolutely super accurate video about the onion harvest, with all the problems that can arise. Thank you, it was very inspiring! Ursula from Bavaria

[@selectroses5708]

What a wonderful video ! Great detailed presentation. You covered all the points that were missing on other vids I watched. Thanks !

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@claudiaputnam9550]

I live in Iowa, we moved here over 30 years ago. Our neighbor warned me, don't leave your onions in the August sun. I harvested in July, and learned that it is a bad idea to leave our onions in the July sun as well. The onions cooked. I leave them in the shade, or in a shed where they are not directly in the sun. Near Muscatine, IA.

[@danielleterry2331]

I agree I am in Texas I pull them and move them into my leanto on a table, they get air flow but no sun.

[@tammycraine7493]

Hi, I am in Keokuk, Iowa 👋.

[@GM-tr3lt]

My in-laws who were lifelong truck gardeners would stomp the onion tops down when they were big enough then wait for a week or 2 and harvest them all at once. They always had great onions! As an aside, when I harvest my onions I hang them on my unused tomato cages to dry, works great!

[@Gos1234567]

In ireland here,not much sun so i hang mine up on the washing line in the day time,plenty ventilation and no animals or bugs can do nasty things to them;-)

[@carolynmaterne7795]

Excellent tutorial. Information is presented in a concise and pleasing manner.

[@karenhancock542]

This was an excellent video! Everything explained very clearly and concisely. Thank you! I grew onions in two different parts of the garden. One batch went to seed. The other didn't. I knew nothing about the curing process and would have tried to cure all of all of them with possibly disappointing results! Instead I got to share fresh onions with all my friends!

[@ceepark114]

I grew my long day onions from seeds started indoors this year. After the majority of the tops flop over I push the rest of them over then leave them in the ground until the green tops are half way dry then pull them and set them on a chicken wire covered cattle panel laid between two saw horses to dry for storage.

[@Santana-Rose]

So much amazing information covered in one video. Thank you!!

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@louisdevalois4358]

I really, really want and need to know things of this caliber because I really want and need to know these things. Subscribing to your channel will be most informative. Thank you so much.

[@OmahaJuicePlus]

Outstanding video! You are so cute! I finally understand how to cure! All the tips were things I thought of and didn't think of. I love the visuals too! Well done!

[@jameshill4005]

Love going back to see your older videos 📹 ❤ 💕 super fantastic video 📹

[@Englishamd]

Good information. Loved your prevention, very educational and straight to the point. I love the fact you provided fact with extra talking. Your presentation was not long winded. Loved hearing the kids in the background too, Thank you for the information.

[@JTBivens]

I started mine from sets. They did not go to seed but they did not get very large. I was happy with them though. The heat was killing them off. l So I pulled them all and cut up the greens and froze them. Then cut the bulbs up and froze them separate. I am going to try my next batch from seed :)

[@jenniferburton3716]

Hello. I love the way you explain things. It helped me understand completely the why and how. Thank you

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jamesgurney6576]

Thank you for for so much information. Last year was my first year growing onions. I grew enough onions that lasted until January. I had some really small onions , so I planted them, now they’re growing good size. I stored my onion in a brown paper bag in my basement last fall and winter. They browned up really good.

[@honeydew4576]

Such a great video! Thanks for sharing what you know. God bless you!

[@karen-hillshomestead]

Wow, what a great onion harvest! Good job Rachel!

[@AuxhartGardening]

Thank you!

[@smathe3]

Great video. I searched for curing onions as this is the first time I've grown them from seed. And then I realize we're in the same county. So I also just watched your fall prep video from last year as I'm prepping that now. Cheers from Pickens and the great state of South Carolina! 🧄

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad to see a local here! Seeing your comment reminded me its *July* already and I definitely need to be planning for fall.

[@whitleyhoover6480]

Hi from Ohio! This is my first year growing onions, and some of them are ready to be cured! Thanks for the informative video

[@amywert8088]

Very much depends on where you live. I would not live them on the ground here, it's just too damp. I put them on a pallet on the ground for air flow, a friend of mine puts them on a table in his garage.

[@jimjim2822]

Thank you. Calm, relaxed, earthy presentation with lots of valuable information 👍

[@StevenSoffos]

Thank you great video. Very informative. Love the cat photo bombing you.

[@LyThiHangDailyLife]

Your skills are impressive

[@LawrenceTyson-l3u]

A great post madam i will be pulling my onions in the next week or so here in the NE UK this is my second year of growing keep doing what you do very informative and simply narrated

[@tmontero8492]

Very well presented video! All info is helpful and important to know. Thank you for being succinct, direct, and for not playing annoying music! Background of happy kids playing in the pool was lovely! 😊

[@bryanbaker1000]

You are beautiful. Your knowledge of onion preservation has been very useful.

[@lisaslayton3880]

I just now accidentally found your video. This was an excellent video and very well put together, very informative. Thank you for all the information, God Bless 🙌

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad it helped you!!

[@glenmorse9533]

Best video yet on how to cure onions, yes, I did subscribe to this channel Thank you!

[@gregspence4692]

Good looking onions and a great video Rachel.

[@AuxhartGardening]

Thank you!

[@missymyers7043]

First time growing onions and havn’t harvested yet. 🧅 This is amazingly helpful. Thank you so much!! Also love your little kitty…so cute!!! You have new subscriber. 😊

[@joangreen200]

Thank you so much for what you taught us about the onions what ilike to know how often you water them without rainfall

[@AuxhartGardening]

I only water when the soil under the mulch is starting to get dry; I don't have to usually water because we do get a lot of rain here, and once things are established they are better resistant to short droughts.

[@patpuariea4228]

great video, but i wish vlogers would disclose the general local of where they are growing veggies, or at least what zone they are in, if you did tell us, i missed it...Knowing your zone would help guide some of us or earlier or later than what you are doing

[@AuxhartGardening]

I’m in the upstate of SC, zone 7B. If you ever forget, it’s always listed in the description of my videos.

[@GFennemore]

Your video was excellent, unfortunately I did not watch it before pulling all my red onions; cutting the green tops off and peeled so the dirt was removed. So now I guess I will have to give my beautiful red onions away because they will not be able to harvest! First time growing onions, live and learn. Question, is there any way I can harvest at this point? I even saved the tops thinking I could use them for sautéed scallions. Should have watched your video first, guess I was so happy to see how beautifully the onions grew. Thank you

[@AuxhartGardening]

They will be okay, but they won't stay good for as long. What you might look into is preservation techniques. You can dry them in the oven on low for onion powder, you could freeze them for use in vegetable stock, and I've even made french fried onions and frozen them and those heat up in the oven great.

[@monkeymommy778]

Great video as always Rachel. You are a great teacher!

[@AuxhartGardening]

Thank you so much!

[@franksinatra1070]

Very helpful video on a subject that has given me a lot of problems this year. I'm new to growing onions in bulk and trying to cure them so they store long. Last year I harvested and hung in my shed for several weeks and they cured well. This year I put them in the same shed right after havesting but put them upside down on a metal rack and most developed mold and rot. It was an excemptionally hot summer this year so that may have had something to do with it making my shed like an oven with poor airflow. So you advise letting them sit out in the hot sun as long as possible and then moving them indoors to finish curing? I was tying to avoid the strong smell of having them cure inside but maybe I'll have to do it that way. Was also thinking of setting up a mini poly tunnel in the shade with the ends open and hanging them in there to give them good air circulation while also protecting from rain. Will thaw work?

[@AuxhartGardening]

A poly tunnel might work nicely! I think good airflow is the most important part of the process for sure. And the recommendation for outside at first is really just to jumpstart the drying by using the sun. I never really notice the strong smell when I bring them inside to dry in my house though.

[@vickirickman9373]

Thank you Huge help loved how detailed you were in your explanation

[@edwinportier4763]

Great video with great information. I learned why my onions didn't store after going to seed!! Is that wheat straw you are using?

[@AuxhartGardening]

Yeah it's wheat straw. I find it tends to sprout some, but its generally manageable, and I like how easy it is to move around.

[@lisac9589]

Great information! I'm new at this.

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@patpuariea4228]

???? after onions are picked, instead of laying them on the ground to dry, can they be hung over the cattle panel? ie the stalk has folded, so, put the bulb on one side the dead stalk on the other, and leave for a week? then go to the storage rack?

[@AuxhartGardening]

This should work just fine as long as the onions are secure. I can imagine them falling and bruising if hung incorrectly.

[@wendya1250]

I just did that today lol. I actually twisted the green part around a bit to hopefully prevent falling. I wasn't sure if I did the right thing as it is still pretty hot out and she mentioned that some people cover the bulb with the green to protect from the sun. How did yours turn out?

[@anitahoward8506]

Excellent instruction - thank-you for sharing.

[@carbunklestine]

Any difference for shelf life of the different onion types? Thanks

[@AuxhartGardening]

I think long day onions are supposed to store longer, but I don't have much experience to speak from on that.

[@LadyGreenThumb2]

Hi there! I garden in a community garden and someone(s) stealing the onions I’ve planted. The tops on them have not fallen over so they still have a chance to bulb up larger. I’m not happy about this, to say the least! You covered briefly that onions tops that have not fallen over can be harvested but can you elaborate further on if I can cure them still (I guess longer) for long term storage?

[@AuxhartGardening]

I do not think you can cure onions that are picked early, but I haven’t tried it. Others may have a better answer for you than I do.

[@marilynearl6887]

If you cure indoors do you put under a light or in the dark?

[@AuxhartGardening]

I kept them out of direct sunlight but I didn't take action to make sure they were in a dark closet or anything like that.

[@janetvickers337]

Excellent information.

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@victormcox]

I had some "red burgundy " sets that went to seed and didn't bulb very good. Can I replant these smaller bulbs this fall and expect a larger bulb next spring? Or just restart from seed? Thanks in advance!

[@AuxhartGardening]

I don't know. My instinct says they probably won't bulb bigger, but instead will split into multiple smaller bulbs. So if you want big onions I'd try again from seed. Make sure you're choosing an onion that's well-suited for your area though; look for whether you should be growing short day or long day onions.

[@victormcox]

@AuxhartGardening Thank you so much for the response.! In my heart that's what I thought..

[@Passionbloom52]

Would the procedure be the same for Shallots ? As attempting to grow some of these this year , as well as Onions . Thank You

[@AuxhartGardening]

I've never grown shallots but I imagine it would be the same.

[@jenniferpepler5843]

I hope you can answer my question asap please and thank you!!!! I have a community garden where I live and paid for a couple of plots this year. Unfortunately, it is not fenced and between the rabbits, deer and people I am loosing lots of my bounty. People are stealing my onions in particular and I think if I don't harvest them asap I won't have any to harvest. My onion however have NOT even started to brown much less break at the neck. I am torn as what to do. If I harvest them now, even with proper curing are they likely to store long term? Do you know? Any advice is appreciated!

[@AuxhartGardening]

I'm not fully sure on that, but my intuition tells me they will struggle to cure. There's still so many things you could do with the onions though! Slice and dry out for onion powder, big batch carmelize and freeze, pickle them, etc. And next year, maybe get some of those like, arched frames for holding up frost fabric and maybe add some chicken/rabbit wire to them so you can close them over the beds to keep critters out, and put a lock on it if you must to deter people. If people are really out there stealing your onions from your community garden, that makes me really sad.

[@alistairmcdonald2382]

I love red onions & red spring onions

[@Boobear83]

What temp do you cure your onions? I’ve always seen warmer like 75-80, but my father in law said he does his cooler so I’m wondering if the temp matters at all or what the deal is? Thank you for any advice you may have. It’s my first year growing onions and also first year trying to fry serious about learning homesteading skills and long term food storage stuff.

[@AuxhartGardening]

I cure mine at outdoor temps in the shade when I can, usually thats between 75-95 depending on the weather. I've also had to bring them inside to cure them completely at standard room temperature. I've not been able to determine how much of an effect it can have yet tbh. I'm excited for you learning these skills! It can be a lot, and I'm still learning a ton and getting overwhelmed from time to time, so be patient with yourself on this journey :)

[@Boobear83]

@@AuxhartGardening Thank you so much for taking the time, and so quickly, to respond! Yes, I recently became a stay at home dad as we’ve moved further out from town so I’ve been working on a degree to teach English from home to foreigners online and one of the things I’ve really tried to embrace with this new found time is homesteading. So far I have: Tried to learn gardening to be somewhat self sufficient (my in laws have food for 2 years on the shelf or otherwise so they’ve been a big help too), built a couple tower gardens from buckets, bought a grow tent and lights, started composting in tumblers for now, started a worm farm…….and that’s about it hah. Sorry for my whole life’s story there, but long story short I found your video by chance and it was very easy to follow and I want to try to get my own answers instead of bothering my in laws ALL the time so I appreciate your channel and your help :).

[@VLXMario]

Love the Griffindor shirt 😍

[@kelcritcarroll]

If the onion gets decapitated and has enough stem to get a clothespin on the stalk would that work to create that seal of the onion body? This was a great video and i have onions growing to big bulbs in my garden this year…first time onion grower here!

[@AuxhartGardening]

I'm actually not sure! It might be worth trying though and just keeping an extra close eye on it.

[@angelaanderson5360]

Lots of valuable info. Great harvest.

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Smileface68]

Thanks for this thorough video

[@drewsenthused6079]

I'm so glad you don't add a "g" to onion. Looking forward to trying some for the first time this fall/winter.

[@debkincaid2891]

Thanks so much for this helpful video. I'd better get out there & harvest my onions! New subscriber. I'm in SE Idaho, zone 4b/5a.

[@AuxhartGardening]

Welcome! Glad I could help.

[@Linda-ue5nt]

So you’re saying leave them laying on their side in the garden a couple days before bringing them inside to finish curing?

[@AuxhartGardening]

Yes, if it's going to be dry and they are at least partially protected from the sun if you live in a very sunny place. If not, you can bring them onto a porch or even fully indoors.

[@francismeowgannou5322]

Nice crop! Congrats

[@AuxhartGardening]

Thanks!

[@marlenedimmitt1475]

I’m wondering if I can take the onions straight from the garden to drying racks in the garage with a fan on them? It is summer time but we have a lot of rain. Is the sun crucial to the drying process or will a fan suffice?

[@AuxhartGardening]

Yeah that should work fine!

[@richardliles4415]

Thank you for all this information. But how do I cure them?

[@AuxhartGardening]

Curing just refers to the process of drying them like I talk about in the video. Once the stem dries and seals up, it is considered 'cured.'

[@richardliles4415]

@@AuxhartGardening I believe I pulled some of my a little too soon, but I’ll get it right next year. Thank you so much for your help. 👍

[@darthlaurel]

Very thorough.

[@jerrythomas773]

Very good video thank you

[@health4lifecooking]

What if you have 1 green leaf and all others are brown and crinkly/dead?

[@AuxhartGardening]

Are you saying there's only one green leaf but it hasn't flopped over yet?

[@health4lifecooking]

@@AuxhartGardening Yes. Although I have pulled them up and a few of them have developed a seed pod/flower.

[@paulasiefert2059]

Great job! Thanks so much.

[@user-iz6hp4vv1q]

awesome thanks for sharing!

[@ActiveArtisan]

Awesome video!

[@Scrubrebel]

Great Job!

[@deca12351]

Great video !! Thank you !!!

[@AuxhartGardening]

Glad you liked it!

[@bethpolak2421]

Could I lay on my picnic table and put up the umbrella for shade to protect them from the sun?

[@AuxhartGardening]

That should work! Just be sure to bring them in if it rains too hard.

[@vickirickman9373]

If I harvested early, do I still have to wait for it to cure

[@AuxhartGardening]

It depends if you want to store them. You can eat any onion fresh from the ground (and do other methods of processing and storage), but if you want them to stay good for months at room temp as whole onions, you need to pick them when they're fully ready and also cure them.

[@vickirickman9373]

@@AuxhartGardening Ok I had just thought that you said if you pull onion too soon then you would not be able to store it for long-term use So therefore, wasn’t sure if I needed to still cure. I also ask Scott his opinion he said if I don’t let it cure for a little bit, the onion will be very strong and pungent So therefore, with your information and information, I will just let it cure and do it thing 😊👍

[@jeremystone5437]

What would cause the onions to get slimy I pulled mine left lay out under shade 2 days later thry were real slimy and nasty

[@AuxhartGardening]

I'm not really sure; maybe they were starting to rot before you pulled them, maybe you pulled them during a bunch of rain, maybe it rained on them after you pulled them, maybe you have a fungus that got to them... it's so hard to say for sure what happened.

[@cathypayton4804]

Great video

[@PhamvanDong]

What if you live in a country far up from the equator but the length of the days doesn’t matter because the summers are 98% cloudy and rainy and stormy… like Sweden *cough cough*

[@AuxhartGardening]

Haha maybe just try short day! They'll be stimulated to bulb almost anywhere. Being able to grow long day just means you have more options.

[@charliehenderson38]

Is it ok to trim my onion tops once?

[@AuxhartGardening]

I don't know what you mean, okay in what context? When are you trimming, and for what purpose?

[@charliehenderson38]

@@AuxhartGardening trimming the green tops on the onions for them to grow bigger

[@AuxhartGardening]

@@charliehenderson38 I don't know if that helps them grow bigger to be honest. I've heard people argue both ways, and I've just taken the easier approach of not trimming them.

[@susanvonrauensteinbreuls6058]

Great video thx

[@CraigGjerdingen-fo7te]

Hufflepuff, for sure!

[@AuxhartGardening]

I'm a ravenclaw, but this shirt was gifted to me so I still love to wear it.

[@fredrickvoncold]

my onions didnt get half that size . I guess they need fertilizer next time .

[@AuxhartGardening]

Could also have to do with variety and watering. Hard to say.

[@dc-wp8oc]

Like the causes of onions bolting, there seems to be multiple methods to "harvesting" and "curing" onions. Why do children scream nowadays when the play? Annoying for sure.

[@flrn64]

Good video, but you move your hands way too much and it took forever to get to the point and you really never got to the point of how to store the onions. I would have liked to see more of that.

[@joelsweeney8595]

Sorry hands police! She's done a great video full of useful information and explained it so well. Behave yourself

[@frogstock2597]

Great info thank you.. especially regarding bolting