The vegetable onion is one of the oldest cultivated plants. People have been growing the spicy tuber for more than 5,000 years. Over time, countless varieties have been developed. Autumn sowings of table onions are called winter onions.
When and how to harvest winter onions?
Winter onions are ready to harvest between May and July, depending on the planting method (onion sets or seeds). You can recognize ripe winter onions by completely yellowed, bent leaves. To harvest, pull the onions by the yellow leaves and remove the leaves.
Setting winter onions
Some onion varieties are adapted to winter cultivation. They require less light than their relatives and are unproblematic when it comes to frost. Temperatures down to minus ten degrees are no problem for a winter onion. If the thermometer drops below this limit, the winter vegetables will be grateful for a cover with fleece (€34.00 on Amazon) or twigs. In the event of prolonged drought, irrigation also makes sense during the cold season.
Attractive varieties:
- Senshyu Yellow: yellow winter onion
- Silvermoon: white variety with a mild taste
- Electric: red color and intense spice
Put in the garden
After harvesting your summer onions, put winter onions directly into the bed, then you can enjoy the next harvest in spring. The bulbs should be in the ground by the beginning of October at the latest so that they can grow until winter.
What you need to know about harvesting
The leaves provide a source of vitamins after budding in spring. In order for the onion to continue to ripen, you should not harvest too many leaves. The actual harvesting time for the tubers begins in May, although the exact harvest time depends on various factors. If onion sets have been planted, they will ripen earlier than seeds sown. Sowings made in August are harvested from the end of June to July.
Identifying ripe onions
The plant draws its energy from the leaves and stores it in the roots, causing the foliage to slowly yellow. The onion bulbs are ready to harvest as soon as the leaves are completely yellow and folded over.
Harvest tips
Pull the mature tubers out of the soil by the yellowed leaves and remove the leaves. This step prevents unwanted rot formation. You can leave the harvest spread out loosely on the bed in the sun so that it dries out. In rainy weather, it is recommended to store the onions in a warm room to dry.
Tip
The onion skin dries out quickly when exposed to excessive sunlight. They should not be exposed to temperatures above 30 degrees.
