Onion sets grown from seed for the next garden year are naturally harvested earlier than the fully grown onions. Read here what you need to consider when harvesting onion sets.
Identify the right time to harvest
Did you sow the onion seeds in March-April to get your onion sets for the next gardening season? Now the densely grown onion sets are to be harvested. This is usually the case around the end of July. You can tell when the onion is ready for harvest - as with a fully grown onion - by the fact that the leaves have turned yellow.
In addition, the onion sets should have reached a certain size by the time they are harvested. A diameter of about 1.5 cm or the size of a hazelnut is ideal. Onion sets that are too large tend to bolt. If onion sets that are too small are harvested, there is a risk that they will dry out before they are set in spring.
However, if one or the other specimen is too small or too large, you can plant such onion sets in the autumn of the same year. In this way they will sprout in early spring and if not for large tubers, at least ensure the fresh green in the salad.
Harvest onion sets
When harvesting onion sets, the same procedure must be followed as when harvesting fully grown onions. These must also dry well in the air so that they can be stored. The healthy onion sets are firm and dry. The herb is removed after it has completely dried out.
Store onion sets
When storing onion sets until they are planted out, it is important that the room is frost-free, cool and dry. It is best to store the onion sets in nets, in any case good air circulation must be ensured. Before planting, the onion sets are warmed up by keeping them in a heated room at 25-35°C for about four weeks. Among other things, this measure is intended to prevent the annoying shooting