Selecting the Best Onions for Storing Long term

Selecting the best onions for storing long-term takes research. Enjoy consuming the garden’s harvest throughout the winter months by learning which variety is better for storing onions.

Onions are a quintessential food item for us. There is rarely a meals which does not require these delicious bulbs as an ingredient. Not to mention, onions are used in many home canned goods.

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In addition to eating onions fresh, they preserve quite well.

The ability to consume vegetables from the garden well into the winter months requires canning, dehydrating, freezing, and storing fresh. For example, delicious garden fresh onions.

However, prior to storing any type of onion fresh, make sure it has been cured properly.

Storing Onions

Many make the mistake in thinking onions will naturally keeps for months. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true. Certain varieties store well, whereas, other varieties should be consumed within a few months after they have been harvested.

For example, the Walla Walla sweet onion. Because this variety doesn’t store well long-term other methods are available for preserving onions:

• dehydrating onions
• freezing onions
• freeze-drying onions
• utilize onions in home canned foods

What to Grow by Season

Onion grow primarily during the summer months. However, they need to be planting after the last frost date to maximize the growing season.

Plan to start onion seeds 8 to 10 weeks prior to the last frost date. Whereas onion sets and transplants can immediately be planted after the last frost. The last frost date will vary based on the region in which you reside.

Many vegetables require an extended growing seasons. For example, garlic. Growing and harvesting garlic occur during different seasons.

Garlic planted in the fall months produces a better bulb for a summer harvesting. Aside from planting garlic cloves in the fall, they can also be planted after the last frost in the spring months. With spring planting the cloves are then harvested in late summer.

Onions take an entire growing season to reach maturity. Planting in late spring with the harvest occurring in early fall for many regions.

This seasonal planting guide will assist with your growing schedule. Discover which vegetation grows best each season.

Selecting the Best Onions for Storing

Many onions will keep for a period of time. However, why not grow a variety which stores well long-term? Look for specific varieties which store between 6 to 12 months.

More times than not, gardeners plant both, long and short-term, varieties. This allows the grower to enjoy various types of onions in one season. Reserving the varieties which store best long-term to be consumed from mid-winter to early spring.

Learn more about growing and selecting the best onions for growing toward the end of this article.

Yellow Onion Varieties

Yellow onion varieties are excellent for cooking and canning. The texture holds-up quite well in heat.

• Bridger
• Copra
• Cortland
• Ebenezer
• Patterson
• Pontiac
• Stuttgarter (heirloom)
• Sweet Sandwich (hybrid)
• Talon
• Yellow Globe

Red Onion Varieties

This variety is amazing when served fresh. Add to a fresh salad and pasta, or pickled and then hot water bath canned.

• Red Bull
• Creole (heirloom)
• Burgermaster (hybrid)
• Brunswick (heirloom)
• Wethersfield
• Red Wind
• Red Zeppelin

Sweet Onions Varieties

Sweet onions are excellent served fresh. Slice and add to burgers, hot dogs, or brauts. A small amount added to pasta and a salad creates a sweet, yet, mild flavor to any dish.

• Southport White Globe (heirloom)
• Stuttgarter (heirloom)
• White Sweet Spanish
• Yellow Sweet Spanish

Keep in mind, when selecting the best onions for storing seed companies will carry different onion varieties. However, all seed companies will have an onion which stores well long-term.

Growing Onions

You have painstakingly weeded through the plethora of onion varieties available on the market. It’s now time to begin planting!

As previously mentioned, onions are planted as seeds, transplants, or sets. Starting onions from seeds is easy for many. Especially for those who have the ability to start seeds 8 to 10 weeks prior to planting them.

For those who do not have the space to start onions from seed, transplants and sets are available. These options are good for those with a short growing season. Especially since curing onions takes time.

But first, prior to selecting the onion variety, determine your growing zone. Select vegetation and onion varieties based on on the amount of daylight available during your peak growing season.

• 14 to 15 hours of daylight – select a long-day onion variety
• 10 hours of daylight – select a short-day onion variety
• the best option is to select day-neutral onion varieties. Day-neutral onions and vegetables are excellent for almost any region.

Fortunately, when selecting the best onions for storing you have a plethora of options to choose from.

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