How To Harvest, Cure And Store ONIONS For Up To A Year 

I wish I could grow them, but they're a long day onion that won't grow well in the South. Vidalia (Yellow Granex) is our comparable, I guess 😅

It's a real concern. They're one of the most toxic foods that humans eat. They're more toxic than chocolate, yet few know that, and they're in almost everything we cook.

Thank you!

I've grown onions from sets, and I had good results. I just think growing from seed is more reliable. Sometimes, onion sets will fail entirely if they get confused. Growing from seed is more consistent, and it's a lot cheaper since you can get 200 seeds for about $3-4. 200 onion sets would be considerably more. Any time I can get more variety and a higher percentage of success for a lower price, I go that route.

@@TheMillennialGardener , i typically do as well. I was pointing out that onions are pretty resilient to cold and lack of care and still do pretty well. Thanks for the content

YAY!!!!❤ Sounds exciting and thx for sharing. Isn't it when you neglect the veggies they just do their thing!?! I baby my garden waaaay too much. Can't help it... Again, thx for sharing your story...Love this channel. 😊

You’re welcome!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Thank you! They’re fantastic, and they don’t make me cry as badly as grocery store onions.

Dale says hello! 🐕 Thank you for watching!

How do you dehydrate

I want to do this!

@@jangutz5110 With a dehydrator. Just peel, slice thinly and spread out ( do it outside, under a porch, or in the garage. They stink!) Some ovens will dehydrate as well, but I don't think I'd want to dehydrate onions in the oven, just because of the smell.

You're welcome!

You're welcome!

Glad to hear it!

Thank you!

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

Thanks!

I've been buying a bunch of shade tarps. I'm going to experiment with them more. They're really tough. They are a possible way to protect things.

You're welcome!

Yes, I think you can dry them in the shade provided it is 100% shade, it stays in that 75-85 degree range and you won't get them wet. It's very popular to cure the onions in "breezeways" in the South, meaning basically under a roof with no walls so it's 100% airflow and shade, but it keeps the rain off. As long as it stays dry, shady, warm and breezy, your onions won't care if it's indoors or outdoors. Just don't let them get wet or roasted in sun. The allium family will suppress pests. Is it 100%? No, not at all, but it does make a difference, and every little bit helps. That's a good idea to keep the dog busy while you're away. I fear it would be no challenge for Dale's, hound nose...

@@TheMillennialGardener amazing! I have an ideal spot to dry them in. I also have a cabinet I constructed to cure meat in to make biltong (kind of like jerky). It basically lets air flow over the meat at a constant rate. I might experiment with that and onions. Dale sounds amazing. Our groodle has an amazing nose, but definitely not hound-like like Dale's. But he can hear pretty well. Even with the utmost stealth from my part he can still hear when I open a bag of his treats from the other side of the house 😂

That tangerine REALLY wanted to live! Good thing that it was you who bought that bag of citrus. Also, you can regrow carrot tops and onion bottoms for greens for your salads and soup.

Thank you! I can vouch for Yellow Granex and Red Amposta. Both performed EXCELLENT. So did Davidor shallot. However, the key is to grow them from seed. I start transplants from seed in January in trays and transplant them out March 1. It was perfect. Please see here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-K4JAfAyIrO8.html

Thanks for watching!

I haven't made a garlic storage video, but the procedure is basically the same. Harvest them, let them dry in the sun the first day, move them somewhere shady and breezy til they dry out, bag them in mesh bags or braid them and hang them up in a cool, dry place.

I lived in Philly for 13 years, and nobody where I live seems to actually be from North Carolina. I don't think my pronunciations are changing anytime soon 😂

Smaller onions, I’m sure you can. Bunching onions, I have no doubt. I don’t know if you can grow a fully bulbed 4 inch diameter onion in winter…but admittedly, I never tried.

Yes you can in Phx, Az. I start seed 6/8 week early inside and plant out in Oct. at the same time as garlic..

@@rogerspaulding6569 thanks. Can’t wait to try!!

I have several: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_hPl5MPgNwM.html

You can store onions in the freezer, but keep in mind that's less freezer space for more expensive items like meat. I try to stock up on meats when there are great sales, so I don't like using my freezer to store vegetables. If you don't want to hang your onions, I think a better way to save onions would be to can them, pickle them or process them into salsas in mason jars, since you can store them at room temp and not use precious freezer space.

@@TheMillennialGardener Unfortunately, there are very few canned vegetables that I like to eat. Frozen is much fresher tasting. I do store most of my onions and garlic by hanging, but it is very convenient when I am not feeling well or really tired to have the processed veg to drop into the recipe.

Thank you. No, because I use my freezer almost exclusively for meat storage. I don't personally find freezing vegetables to be a good use of space, because they're inexpensive relative to meat prices these days. I use my freezer space to stock up when I find aggressive meat sales. I think a better use of space, personally, would be to pickle them and can them in mason jars since you can then store them at room temperature and save the freezer space for more expensive items. You could also process them into salsa and store them in mason jars.

@@TheMillennialGardener good idea...Thank You.

I dehydrate them. Long term storage, takes little space.

@@TheMillennialGardener I freeze mine also

That would provide zero airflow, so I would assume very poorly and rot them very quickly. I'd stick with mesh bags or organza bags. They're really cheap. I think the onion bags I have linked in my Amazon Storefront are around $9.99 a 3/pack, and the organza bags I have linked are even cheaper. I think it'll be worth the investment, especially since they're reusable for years to come.

You can also save the bags you buy onions in and refill them

This is a great resource for onion storage: www.onions-potatoes.com/storage/onions.php According to the data, the *worst* temperature to store onions is at room temperature, because that's the temperature that best fosters bacteria growth. You either need to store onions at temperatures where it's too cool for the bacteria to grow but *not* freezing (33-40 degrees ideally, but 55 degrees or cooler could work ok), or too warm to foster growth (78-88 degrees according to the article). 70 degrees would be a bad choice. This is why I'm keeping my onions in my hot, 90 degree garage instead of inside my house at room temp. They'll actually last longer in my hot garage, because it's too hot to cause rot right now. By the time it cools down, my onions will be eaten. They will need airflow, though, so keep that in mind.

Thanks for watching!

I would think onions could grow in Alaska. It may be a challenge. You can certainly grow things like bunching onions. The daylight would be a challenge, but the temps are perfect.

You can certainly do that. Usually, that is for hanging without bags. If you use mesh bags, you’ll want to remove the tops or you’ll take up the whole bag too quickly.

Not yet. I grow greens throughout the winter, and it's too hot to start any seeds yet. I'll probably start cruciferous transplants within 2-3 weeks or so to get them in in September, but lettuces I'm not going to bother just yet. They'll bolt on me.

He did say that he had left them go too long,so yea just dont wait till they dry and shrivel,his ones seem ok though

I never really stopped watering mine. I just waited for the bulbs to get to where I wanted them to be, then I waited for a hot, dry day to harvest them, because I needed the soil to be dry and I needed the onions to dry out in the sun for several hours.

You would have to either have to use an herbicide, rip it out by the roots, or, probably the safest way, cover the whole area with weed barrier and smother it. That way, you don't have to touch it or spray.

It's a space issue. I use my freezer predominantly to store meat and other more costly items. Using all that electricity to store onions is lost on me. I'd rather pickle them and store them in mason jars if it came down to that.

My onion tops never flowered. The yellow onions, red onions, shallots, bunching onions...they all never flowered. The tops just wilted and started dying back, so I pulled them. There is no need to allow them to flower unless you want them to reseed themselves.

@@TheMillennialGardener I'm not sure what type they are but they flower before they die. I pull them when they flower. They also never get very big. I think I'm starting from seed next year. These were sets.

The funny thing about onions is room temp is the worst temp to store them. It encourages bacterial growth. You either want to store them in cold storage, 32-40 degrees, or warm storage, around 85 degrees or so. Those conditions are either too hot or too cold for rapid decay. The worst place to store onions is at around 68-77 degrees. Cold is ideal, but they’re better off in my 85 degree garage than in my pantry.

@@TheMillennialGardener thank you

What about a 100 degree garage??

They're in the same family and are closely related, so the process is pretty similar.

I realize I left them in too long, but a lot of that is because it rained here every day for 4 weeks straight, so I never really got a good opportunity to harvest them. I don't intend for the onions to store into winter, because they are sweet onions. I also only have around 10-15 lbs of onions, and considering I go through several pounds a week, it won't be an issue to use them all. If you are trying to store mass quantities of onions, you should be growing pungent onions.

WOW... I like ur directions on BRAIDING the tops & storing! This DFNTLY will help w airation & pet safety 👍👍👍 I didn't know this and cut above onions about 7 inches ... Next time for sure

MillennialGardenwer you should have clarified that in the video for newbies.

You seem to know stuff……I’ve never done onions until this year so I have a few questions if you know the answers: 1. What exactly does long and short day mean? I planted both in Minnesota on accident, but the short day are bulbing now and long day I plan to try storing are small, but plugging away and no noticeable bulbing yet. 2. Store in a dry cook place: this video says 32-40 Fahrenheit. That sounds like a fridge, but I haven’t seen or heard fridge anywhere, would a fridge be bad for storing long term? Thank you much!

@@Boobear83 Long Day/Short Day Onions define the day light hours needed for onions to bulb up....short needs 10 hrs a day and Long need 12-15 hrs/daylight. MInnesota needs Long Day-type Onions to reach size. Also, onions are a cool season crop, so you can plant them 4-6 weeks before last frost date...which is beneficial in our Minnesota climate. Space them minimum 4" inches apart if you want them to grow to maturity, and water regularly, Onions gave shallow roots, so don't all I w to dry too much, but also, don't keep them soaking wet either. Prior to harvesting, stop watering completely. Fertilize soil every 2-3 weeks with ammonium Sulfate in the neighborhood of 21-0-0, and water after you do. Regular Nitrogen feeding is ok too, like a common 10-10-10 garden fertilizer, 1st number is nitrogen (N). 2nd number is phosphorous (P) and 3rd number is potassium (K). For optimal onion results use ammonium Sulfate fertilizer. Stop fertilizing once onions begin to bulb up. Remember, onion like ph between 6.2 and 6.8 (never alkaline 7.0 or above). If it's too alkaline incorporate some lime into soil. If your using store bought potting soil type in a raised bed, be sure to also add some compost to enrich the soil, as the typical potting soil is pretty sterile, typically composted bark, wood fines/chips and missing minerals and micro nutrients. You will never grow a large onion in strictly potting soil. A mature onion will ideally have about 13 leaves. Store in a dry space with dappled sunlight until completely dried, then store or braid as previously described. SWEET onions like WallaWalla or Videlia have a short storage life, about 3 months. Storage onions 6-8+ months. A lot depends on the soil you have...if you have good established soil 10-10-10 fertlizer is likely enough...for organic nitrogen use feathermeal or bloodmeal....they have 10 to 13% nitrogen. The idea of adding fertilizer is you want to encourage leaf growth before the bulbing starts. Potassium is also good for leaf growth...bonemeal is good for that.

I would agree for the most part, but I have a dog that will literally eat anything including garlic and onions so there are exceptions. I save my dog from natural selection all the time. 😂 He's not the brightest but he sure is cute.

They’ll eat anything if they’re in the mood. They will eat an onion. I have seen it.

I've also seen dogs try and eat onions. Our dog tried several times in the past.

My dog is retarded. She will eat plastic, bed covers, sticks, you name it, LOL.

I’m sure much of our onion supply is imported. They’re so easy to grow and fit well in between rows, so there is little reason not to grow them.

Much is grown in New Mexico. Hatch onions and peppers are famous here in the southwest.

I'm happy to hear that! I still have those sweet potatoes growing, and the vines must be hundreds of feet long when you add them all together. I haven't done anything to the bin and they're still growing like a jungle.

Soybean oil is so highly refined that it usually isn't considered allergenic, even to people with soy allergies. The problem with soybean oil is it is rancid. The processing process itself destroys the oil, because it's very fragile polyunsaturated fat. Soybean oil is horrifically bad for your heart and arteries and also may lead to hypothyroidism because of the high quantity of polyunsaturated fats. Oils high in polyunsaturated fat are not suitable for human consumption, in my opinion. I only use saturated and monounsaturated fats for cooking and consumption. Polyunsaturated fats are for seasoning cast iron pans or to be used for staining wood, only.

@@TheMillennialGardener Polyunsaturated fat is a type of dietary fat. It is one of the healthy fats, along with monounsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated fat is found in plant and animal foods, such as salmon, vegetable oils, and some nuts and seeds. Eating moderate amounts of polyunsaturated (and monounsaturated) fat in place of saturated and trans fats can benefit your health since saturated fat and trans fat can increase your risk for heart disease and other health problems. Information HOW POLYUNSATURATED FATS AFFECT YOUR HEALTH Polyunsaturated fats can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance that can cause clogged or blocked arteries (blood vessels). Having low LDL cholesterol reduces your risk for heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats include omega-3 and omega-6 fats. These are essential fatty acids that the body needs for brain function and cell growth. Our bodies do not make essential fatty acids, so you must get them from food. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart in several ways. They help: Reduce triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood Reduce the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) Slow the buildup of plaque, a substance comprising fat, cholesterol, and calcium, which can harden and clog your arteries Slightly lower your blood pressure Omega-6 fatty acids may help: Control your blood sugar Reduce your risk for diabetes Lower your blood pressure HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU EAT? Your body needs some fat for energy and other functions. Polyunsaturated fats are a healthy choice. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting no more than 10% of your total daily calories from saturated fat (found in red meat, butter, cheese, and whole-fat dairy products). Keep total fat consumption to no more than 25% to 30% of your daily calories. This includes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Eating healthier fats can lead to certain health benefits. But eating too much fat can lead to weight gain. All fats contain 9 calories per gram. This is more than twice the amount of calories found in carbohydrates and protein. It is not enough to add foods high in unsaturated fats to a diet filled with unhealthy foods and fats. Instead, replace saturated fats with healthier fats. Overall, eliminating saturated fats is twice as effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels as increasing polyunsaturated fats. READING NUTRITION LABELS All packaged foods have nutrition labels on them that include fat content. Reading food labels can help you keep track of how much fat you eat a day. Check the total fat in one serving. Be sure to add up the number of servings you eat in one sitting. Look at the amount of saturated fat and trans fat in a serving -- the rest is healthy, unsaturated fat. Some labels will note the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat contents. Some will not. Make sure most of your daily fats are from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources. Many fast-food restaurants also provide nutrition information on their menus. If you do not see it posted, ask your server. You also may be able to find it on the restaurant's website. MAKING HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES Most foods have a combination of all types of fats. Some have higher amounts of healthy fats than others. Foods and oils with higher amounts of polyunsaturated fats include: Walnuts Sunflower seeds Flax seeds or flax oil Fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, albacore tuna, and trout Corn oil Soybean oil Safflower oil To get the health benefits, you need to replace unhealthy fats with healthy fats. Here are some ideas: Eat walnuts instead of cookies for a snack. Be sure to keep your portion small, as nuts are high in calories. Replace some meats with fish. Try eating at least 2 meals with fish per week. Sprinkle ground flax seed on your meal. Add walnuts or sunflower seeds to salads. Cook with corn or safflower oil instead of butter and solid fats. Alternative Names Polyunsaturated fatty acid; PUFA; Cholesterol - polyunsaturated fat; Atherosclerosis - polyunsaturated fat; Hardening of the arteries - polyunsaturated fat; Hyperlipidemia - polyunsaturated fat; Hypercholesterolemia - polyunsaturated fat; Coronary artery disease - polyunsaturated fat; Heart disease - polyunsaturated fat; Peripheral artery disease - polyunsaturated fat; PAD - polyunsaturated fat; Stroke - polyunsaturated fat; CAD - polyunsaturated fat; Heart healthy diet - polyunsaturated fat References Arnett DK, Blumenthal RS, Albert MA, et al. 2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: Executive summary: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association task force on clinical practice guidelines. Circulation. 2019;140(11):e563-e595. PMID: 30879339 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30879339/. Grundy SM, Stone NJ, Bailey AL, et al. 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the management of blood cholesterol: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;73(24):e285-e350. PMID: 30423393 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30423393/. Hensrud DD, Heimburger DC. Nutrition's interface with health and disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 202. Mozaffarian D. Nutrition and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In: Zipes DP, Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Braunwald E, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 49. US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th ed. www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf. Updated December 2020. Accessed June 14, 2022.

This is addressed in the middle of the video.

@@TheMillennialGardener Yes, it is. I was just stressing the importance. All your videos are great. Nice job! 👍☺️👍

Thanks for watching!

It isn’t edible at that point. It is dried out and died back. You can eat them when they’re young, but they’re not good when mature.

@@TheMillennialGardener 🙏👍❤️