Planting
Growing onions is easy and rewarding. In the spring I plant a bag of red onion sets and yellow onion sets. In a few weeks I’m enjoying garden fresh green onions in salads.
Here’s what I do:
Work manure into soil and form it into mounded rows alternating with rows of carrots. Then plant onions about 1 1/2 inches apart, 1 inch deep with the point of the bulbs up.
Cover them with soil and gently pat the soil down.
Harvesting Green Onions
When they have grown into a nice green onion harvest every second one, so the remaining onions are spaced about three inches apart. This spacing allows the onions to get the needed nutrients from the soil so they can grow into lovely onions that will last a good part of the winter.
Storing Green Onions
I dehydrate my green onions so I can use them all year in dips, sauces and scalloped potatoes.
After they are washed and trimmed, cut them into 1/4 – 1/2 inch pieces and separate the rings. Then place them on my dehydrator trays. (I’ve tried it both ways and the cheesecloth liner on the trays is not necessary.)
Dehydrate them until they are very crispy. Then chop the pieces in a food processor and store in a glass jar.
Harvesting Onions
Onions are ready to harvest when the green tops bend over. At this point, they have stopped growing. They can stay in the ground for a few more days, but not too long or they may start to rot.
To get them ready for storage, pull the onions out of the ground and cut the greens off about two inches from the bulb. Do not wash or peel the outer layers off the onion. Simply rub off excess dirt once it is dry.
In order for the onions to store well, you have to “dry” them. Turn them upside down in a dry, warm area. I use a couple shelves of my utility shelving on my deck.
Keep them upside down until the two inches above the bulb is dry and shriveled.
Then store in a cool, dry area. Do not store with potatoes.
Here are some more gardening tips for you:
Subscribe to Homemaking Jewels today.
