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| Onions are ready to harvest |
Onions should be harvested when they have fully sized up and the green tops start to dry up and bend over. Pull the bulbs out of the ground and gently brush off any loose dirt. Lay them out in 1 layer and let cure in the sun for about a week to 10 days – this allows the outer skins to toughen and dry, so they can act as a protective layer. If you live in a very hot summer area, then let the bulbs cure in a dry and sheltered but warm place out of direct sunlight.
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| Lay onions to cure in the sun |
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| Snip off roots when onions are dry |
Once the onions are cured, trim back the roots and the tops and store the bulbs in a cool, dark and dry place for future use. You can also leave the tops long and braid them together, which is a classic and very decorative way of storing your onions. Each bulb can be snipped off the braid when needed in the kitchen. An alternative storage suggestion (although not as attractive)) is to put the bulbs into the legs of old pantyhose, making a knot between each onion.
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| Onion Braid |
