How to store onions

in Home : Projects: Fruit and vegetables

You will need

  • Home-grown onions
  • Garden twine (doubled up)
Do it: autumn
Takes just: 1 hour

Project categories

Overview

Stringing onions is a great way of storing gluts, as you can keep a large number of bulbs in a small space. Hang them in a cool, dry, frost-free place - such as a shed - until you need to bring them into the kitchen. If you have room, grow more onions than you need and string them up to see you through the winter.

Leave your bulbs to dry out thoroughly before you string them, by laying them out and leaving them in the sun for a few days. If it's raining, lay them on trays in a warm, dry place, such as a shed or conservatory. Choose the best quality bulbs to store - any that are damp and moist should be eaten straight away as they won't store well and will be prone to mould and mildew.

How to do it

Tying a knot in the twine

1Knot one end of the cord back onto itself to make a sliding noose. Then tie the other end onto a strong hook or wooden beam.

2Wind the tops of three or four onions through the noose to create a 'pendulum' at the bottom of the cord.

Cutting water-retention mat to fit roof of bird table

3Wrap the tops of each of the remaining onions around the cord, then slide them down onto the pendulum. As the onions stack up, their weight tightens the noose at the bottom and pinches the onions in place.

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