My grandparents grew a bunch of onions. They would plant about 2,000 every year to eat and sell. Every hamburger, every pot of chili, every dish grandma made had onions in it. Cucumbers and onions in vinegar was something we all loved to eat! Before you can eat them you need to harvest and cure them for use later. How is this done?
Onions are ready to harvest when about half the plants have tops that have fallen over. This is a sign that the onions are mature and need to be pulled out of the ground. Bulbs may sunburn without the foliage to protect them. The secret to onions keeping well is to allow the tops to dry completely before storage. This may take 2 to 3 weeks. Large-necked onions take more time to dry than small-necked onions such as Bermuda types. Move onions to a shaded, well-ventilated area after harvest and spread them out.
After tops are completely dry, remove the dry foliage and compost. Store the bulbs in a cool, dry location. Avoid storage in plastic bags because the lack of air circulation will shorten storage life. Use an open, mesh bag instead.
