Allotments 4 All

I'm a little confused (well more than is normal for me).

As I read the technique for stringing onions is to lift them (possibly cutting the roots off), chop the stalk off several inches above the onion, and leave them on the grund there for a couple of days to dry out.  Then string them.

I think.

But why can;t you just pull them and string them immediatly, leaving them to dry on the string?

Anyone?

The way I strung my onions means that they are bunched touching each other, if they hadn't been left to dry off first this could start rot where they touch and the moisture between them builds up. I may be wrong but that is what I think they mean. If however you are going to string them up so they don't touch each other you would prob be ok??

thanks, GL, that makes sense! (if only I had enough or they were big enough to bunch up  :-[ )

i have found it is a lot easier to string them when they have dried out,when the stems are fresh it is hard to bend them.Wouildn't cut the stems till you strung em then just cut excess off.

One more question if I may?

How exactly do you tell when they are dried out enough for stringing?

I leave the stems and roots on.  I reckon they're ready when there is no green left in the stems.

Agree with Barnowl,
I tie a tight knot around the neck of the bottom onion then twist the rest around the hanging string in a spiral. Then trim the dry stems.
Always grow 'Stuttgarter', they keep well.

The old way was to dry them out off the ground (on a frame covered with wire netting), then to braid the tops into a rope adding onions as you go. I was normal to store them hanging in an apple tree. Onions do not suffer damage from frost. Lack of ventilation can do damage.