Onions

[Mrs Ava]

Look what I pulled for drying today.

 These are all bigger than tennis balls, and are only the first pulling.  There are approximately 80 still to go!

The kohl rabi are for our tea, going to cook them like chips.  :P

[Mrs Ava]

[Doris_Pinks]

Co-er missus, look at the size of them!! (actress n Bishop stuff again!) They look yummy EJ, and yours are bigger than mine! ;D

[tim]

The kr should win a prize.

A thought on the onions - without 'teaching my grandmother' - might it be sensible to leave the next lot till they are 'ready' for lifting? Or you might have a job ripening them?? = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

Aha, okay Tim.  I really only pulled them because I am out of shop boughts in the kitchen so decided 'I have grown my own, time to start using them', plus that plonk Monty Don lifted his on Friday so I thought is was what to do.  Still have lots in so will leave them put.  Do I bend the leaves down when I want them to start to dry in situ?

[tim]

Yes, indeedy - use them when needed!

Bending? Arguable - some say do, others - as usual - say don't!

To save me pontificating, try this one -
http://www.garden.org/articles/scripts/articles.taf?id=501&ch=foodguide&food=onions-h.
I always dry on wire racks. We then string them & they hang in the kitchen, like a real 'farmhouse'! = Tim

PS Some folk cut, or break out the roots to tell them to give up but, with 400+ onions - ? - I've better things to do!!

[kenkew]

Me too, Tim. Upside down on wireframe and then string. Mrs won't have 'em in the kitchen tho. Some in the shed, some in the garage.

[Ceri]

thanks for the link Tim - found that really helpful as I'm growing onions for the first time.   I've pulled about 1/2 dozen of my overwinter onions for immediate use.  These were my first harvest - I'm so proud as they are the first real allotment produce I've ever grown.  Lovely used fresh from the lottie as well - much juicier than I expected.

I did hear/read/makeup in my own head that the overwintered ones don't keep in the same way as main crop onions so I should just harvest to use rather than try and cure.  Is this right - and how long should I expect correctly cured onions to store?
thanks
Ceri

[tim]

Right - the Japanese early ones won't store for more than 2-3 months. Nor will thick necked ones. So, if you can, leave them (earlies) in & use as needed. = Tim


btw - bakers' trays are great for drying. We 'came across' a dozen or so!!

[Wicker]

Not having nearly as many onions as Tim we find that we can dry ours off by suspending thru the wire shelves in the mini greenhouses (3 shelves in each) and they are kept sheltered from the summer rain but with the flap up get the wind.  Handy since the minis aren't being used for anything at that time.

[tim]

Made the mistake of over-drying my garlic last year. Didn't know you could! = Tim

[derbex]

I used my daughters trampoline, which has a mesh base, last year. I'd better stock up on chocolate mice and dodgy videos (any video with Barbie in it is dodgy :)) and see if I can book it again this year.

Jeremy