How Do You Know When Onions Are Ready To Pick. Onion (Allium cepa), a biennial plant, is classified in Liliaceae.
How Do You Know When Onions Are Ready To Pick
They are grown for the edible bulbs that reach their full size in three to four months (100-120 days) from planting.
Maturity Season
They mature in the early to mid-summer.
Signs That Shows Matured Onions
No. of leaves
Count the leaves on the onion. If they are thirteen in number, that might be the right time to harvest the onions. Wait till the onions are with only seven leaves.
After that, observe further signs, and go for removing the onions.
Soft Neck
When the onions are fully grown, you will observe a soft neck. At this stage, the carbohydrates transferring to the rings from leaves are finished. You can say that no more cell division will occur. Your onions are ready for a harvest.
Tip
Avoid watering the plant at this stage. It may cause sour skin and black mold to the plants.
Falling leaves
When the tops fall off the plant, the onions are fully ready for a harvest.
At this stage, you may also observe a soft neck.
Brown Leaves
At this stage, the onions are ready for harvest. The leaves start to flop over and turn brown. The onions have finally reached their maximum size.
Tip
You need to wait for 85-90% of the tops to fall over before opting for a harvest.
Height
The matured onion plant reaches 6 inches (15 cm.) in length. The height indicates a sign that your onions are ready for a harvest. The longer you wait for the green tops, the bulkier the bulbs obtained.
Harvesting Time
Harvest the onion in the early morning when the temperature is cool.
Harvesting Procedure
When you observe signs of maturation, take the necessary procedure for removing the onions from underground.
Dig the plants and pull the bulbs out of the soil. You can use a fork to remove extra grounding around the plant. After pulling the bulbs out of the ground, lay them down on the soil surface.
Curing
The drying of onions is known as curing. Curing is necessary for storing onions. Let them lay for drying out under the sun for a week.
You can also use a wire rack for better ventilation. In case of wet weather, cover them inside a well-ventilated greenhouse. Some farmers go for already made tunnels.
Tip
While pulling onions, handle them with gentle care to prevent bruising.
Storing Onions
- Onions require a cool, dry, well-ventilated area for their storage.
- Avoid direct sunlight.
- An ideal storage place is a garage or unheated room.
- Avoid the storage of onions with thick-necked or soft bulbs.
Use Storage Nets
Opt for storage nets. The onions in the net are stored separately for later use. The bags must be placed or hung up off the ground. Weekly inspect the onions. Remove the rotten onion from the net.
Required Temperature for Storage
Onions in a wire basket or nylon bag require a temperature of 32 to 40 F. (0-4 C.).
Required Humidity for Storage
Humidity levels must be between 65 and 70 percent for better results. In case of high moisture, the onions will start rotting.
Period of Stored Onions
The onions can work for up to three months if dried and stored with proper conditions and cautions.
Conclusion
Onion (Allium cepa), a biennial plant, is classified in Liliaceae. They are grown for the edible bulbs that reach their full size in three to four months (100-120 days) from planting.
Carefully handle the onions to avoid bruising. Maintain adequate storage conditions to last the long for use.
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