How to Dry Onion Plants for Next Year

Onions plants can easily be dried at the end of summer to be planted again the following spring. Since onions are actually a biennial plant, they need the two growing seasons before they will produce a large bulb that is ready for harvesting. The actual plant will die off, but the small bulb will retain its vitality and continue its growth quickly after being replanted.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rubber band
• Garden fork
• Mesh bag

1. Pull up your onions that will be the onion sets for next spring. They will be little bulbs about the diameter of a quarter. If you use the garden fork carefully, you can lift the little onions from the ground without breaking off the tops. Shake off as much soil as possible.

2. Bind bunches of the onions together with a rubber band a few inches down from the tops of their greens. Hang them up in a cool garage or shed where they can dry out for about two weeks.

3. Cut the shriveled tops off when the plant is dry about two inches from the bulb. It's important to leave on as many of the outer layers of the onion as it dries. These layers will protect it from mold and moisture.

4. Gather the dry onions. Place them in a mesh bag where they can get plenty of air circulation. Hang the bag up in a cool storage area where they will stay at about 36 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit until spring.

5. Press the dry onions into the soil in the early spring. This should be done as soon as the soil can be worked. They should sit just below the surface of the soil with their tips just at the surface. By July or August, you should have full-sized onions.

References

• OurFriendBen.WordPress.com: In praise of Onion Sets
• UrbanExt.Illinois.edu: Onion - Watch Your Garden Grow