Important rules for storing onions at home

The lack of a cellar is not a reason to give up onion supplies for the winter. This unpretentious vegetable can remain fresh for a long time, even at home.

Following simple recommendations will allow you to eat it until the weather warms up.

Read the article about how to properly prepare and store onions at home (in an apartment, in a house) from winter until spring.

Preparing for storage in the apartment until spring

Preparation of the crop for storage is carried out with special care. If any errors are made at this stage, the onion will not last for several months.

All the most important information about storing onions can be found in this section.

Variety selection

Only late-ripening varieties are suitable for storage. They should have dense, thick scales and a pungent taste. The abundance of essential oils and multi-layered “chain mail” protects vegetables from rot and pests.

The longest dormant period is found in varieties such as:

1. Rostov local.
2. Arzamas.
3. Strigunovsky.
4. Sturon.
5. Timiryazevsky.
6. The farmer is late.

Bulbs with white and red husks and a mild taste, for example, Yalta or Snowball, are stored worse. If you plan to leave the crop for the winter, then you need to take care of choosing the right variety in the spring.

Drying

Onions need to be dried for at least 2 weeks.This period is a kind of quarantine period during which all specimens affected by rot can be identified.

Harvesting from the beds begins on a warm sunny day. Drying Features:

1. Shake off the soil from the onion and leave it in the garden for 2 hours. The sun's rays will disinfect and dry the feathers and scales.
2. At night, cover the bulbs with a cloth to protect them from dew.
3. After 2 days, the harvest is transferred to the barn or attic, scattering it in a thin layer.
4. After 7 days, the onions are sorted and all healthy specimens are sent for drying.
5. Leave the heads indoors for another 7 days.

After final sorting, you can harvest the crop to a permanent wintering site. Indicators of a well-dried onion: smooth and dry head, no signs of spoilage and a dry, closed neck.

In what container?

Bulbs can be stored in an apartment in several ways:

• in wooden or plastic boxes;
• in cardboard boxes;
• in wicker baskets, volume 5-6 l;
• in fabric bags made of linen, burlap or cotton;
• in paper bags;
• in polypropylene nets;
• in nylon stockings.

If a suitable container is not found, you can weave braids from dried arrows and hang them on a crossbar in the pantry. For a strong screed, use twine or straw.

Optimal conditions

Onions in the apartment stored under the following conditions:

1. The air temperature in the room is from +18 to +22 degrees.
2. The air temperature on the balcony or loggia is from -1 to 3 degrees.
3. Air humidity is not higher than 65-70%.

This will tell you at what temperature it is best to store onions. this article.

How to properly preserve your home in winter?

Until the cold weather, the harvest can be kept on the balcony. After the temperature drops below -1 degree, he is brought into the apartment.

In a refrigerator

Bulbs can be stored in the refrigerator in 2 ways:

1. In the bottom vegetable drawer. This is not the best option, since within a month the bulbs will begin to sprout.

   Therefore, a small amount of root crops are removed for storage, which will be consumed within a short period of time.

2. In the freezer. Vegetables need to be peeled, chopped and placed in plastic bags.

   They are packaged in small portions that will be used at a time. Repeated freezing of the product is unacceptable.

In the freezer, chopped onions remain edible for 8-13 months.

At room temperature

You can keep a small amount of onions in the drawer of your lower kitchen cabinet. Many sets are provided with special trays. In such conditions, root vegetables can remain fresh for about 1-2 months.

If the room temperature remains at +22 degrees, the harvest will last about 4 months.

On the balcony

Vegetables can be stored on the balcony until the air temperature drops below -1 degree. If it is insulated, vegetables are left to winter there. They are placed in boxes, which are placed on thick foam and covered with a blanket.

However, over-wrapping can cause vegetables to sprout.Therefore, the crop needs to be inspected from time to time.

To maintain stable temperature and humidity, vegetables are sprinkled with calcined sand or chalk. This measure helps prevent the proliferation of microorganisms.

In the pantry

The bulk of vegetables are sent to the pantry for storage. The air temperature there is lower than in the entire apartment. In such conditions, the bulbs will feel comfortable.

Boxes with onions need to be kept away from crops such as:

• apples,
• potato,
• beet,
• carrot.

It tolerates proximity well to:

• dried berries,
• pumpkin,
• garlic,
• herbs.

Alternative methods

Onions can be dried, pickled or pickled. This method of preparation will save space in the apartment and retain most of the nutrients in vegetables.

Dried

Onions, deprived of moisture, remain edible throughout the year. There are several ways to dry it:

1. Outdoors. The pieces are laid out on a board, cardboard or cotton cloth. Drying time is about 14 days.
2. In an electric dryer. Depending on the thickness of the rings, drying takes from 5 to 7 hours.
3. In the oven. The baking sheet must be covered with parchment. The cabinet should not heat above 60 degrees. Drying time – from 5 hours.
4. In a convection oven. With its help, vegetables can be dried in an hour.

Regardless of the drying method chosen, the onions must be peeled and chopped. Store them in glass jars or paper bags.

How to dry onions in an electric dryer, video instructions:

Pickling

Traditional pickling involves using 1 kg of onion and 200 g of salt. Some housewives add vegetable oil to jars.

Procedure:

• peel, wash and cut the onion into rings;
• sterilize jars;
• Place prepared vegetables in them, sprinkle all layers with salt;
• Close the jars and put them in the pantry or refrigerator for storage.

Pickling

Pickling onions for the winter is not difficult. To prepare the brine you will need:

• 1.5 liters of water;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt and 3 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 0.5 tsp. citric acid;
• 120 ml vinegar 6%;
• For taste, add a little dill, bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves.

Procedure:

1. Sterilize the jars and fill them with onion heads.
2. Prepare the marinade by bringing it to a boil.
3. Pour it into jars and leave for 20 minutes.
4. Drain and boil the marinade again.
5. Pour brine over the bulbs again and roll up the jars.

Onions prepared this way will be stored for about a year.

Difficulties and ways to eliminate them

There are several reasons why onions in an apartment can spoil:

1. Resorting vegetables. If there are different varieties in one box, then it will not be possible to avoid rot. This is why it is so important to carefully sort through the crop immediately after harvesting.
2. Damage to vegetables. They must be stored carefully, avoiding injury to the heads.
3. Rotting of one or more specimens. If you don’t sort the bulbs at least once a month, you can lose most of the harvest.
4. Removing husks before storing. Scales should not be removed from the bulbs. They protect vegetables from spoilage.
5. Root germination. To avoid this problem, you need to treat them with lime or cauterize them.
6. Bulb rotting due to dampness. If the humidity level in the room is high, then next to the boxes you need to place a bucket of sawdust or wood ash.

Read more about why onions rot during storage and how to avoid it. this article.

Video on the topic

This video will show you how to keep onions in your apartment until spring:

Conclusion

You can store onions in your apartment until it warms up. There are many ways to extend the shelf life of a crop. Vegetables are stored in:

• refrigerator,
• in the pantry,
• on the balcony,
• even in living rooms.

The main thing is to observe the temperature and humidity levels in the room.