Do you plant onions in your garden? If so, here is a easy, simple way to store your onion harvest. Your amazing cooking recipes can have fresh home grown onions all winter long. Yummy!

Every year, I plant a garden and onion bulbs are one of the top requirements. Onions, gotta love them but they make you cry!

I had to dig up my onions earlier than normal due to the excessive rain we had received. When the garden soil is too wet, the onions will start to rot. My onions are smaller because of this but at least I saved the crop.

After digging up the onions, I did discover several rotten ones. Bummer!

Drying Onions

After digging up the onions, do not remove any onion layers. You need to keep the protective layers on for drying. Do not rinse with water!

My onions are covered in wet, soggy soil when dug up. I wiped off most of the wet soil to help with the drying process.

The onions need to be placed in a dry, sunny location with a window for one week. (A window facing south works great.) Keep in mind, the onion smell will be really strong while they begin to dry.

The onions should be spaced out for faster drying. I placed mine in our outside shed to dry on top of paper bags.

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Getting Ready to Braid Onions

After a week of drying, the stems are ready to be braided. You can do this process on a table or outside like I did. You can separate the onions that can’t be braided due to the short stems.

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Start Braiding Onions

Pick out three large onions. Tie them together with string and knot it. Add another large onion and tie with the tails of the strings and knot it. This just adds extra strength.

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Grab another onion and add to pile. Divide the stems into three sections and start braiding. Always cross the stems into the middle nice and tight. Add an onion and continue the process. If you know how to braid hair, it’s the same procedure.

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Finish Braiding Onions

Once you determine how many onions you want in a bunch, stop adding onions and just continue braiding the dried stems. Tie a string at the end and make sure it is tight when tying a knot. Make sure there is a loop in the string to hang up on hook or nail.

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Continue to Dry Onions

Once the braided onion bunches are done, hang up in a dry location with a window. The onions need to finish drying.

I usually let the onions hang in my outdoor shed for one month to dry before bringing into the house. If the temperature drops below freezing while still in the outside shed, they will be ruined. I don’t want that to happen.

The onions that didn’t have stems long enough are place in a wire basket to dry. I cut off the little stems to clean them up. I will use these first for cooking.

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Braided Onions for Storage

After drying in the shed for a month, I bring the onion bunches into the house and hang them in a cool, dry place. I usually place a pair of scissors with the onions so when I need one for a recipe, it can be easily cut off the braid. Home grown onions have a great flavor!

The next time you plant onions, considering braiding them into bunches for easy storage. You can enjoy your harvest during the winter months.

Happy harvesting!

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