I ought to give my onions more time to mature, but I really need the spot for my kale. So a week ago after a wind storm knocked down a large section of them, I went out and knocked down the rest.
Then on Friday I pulled them all out to dry for a day. I wanted to get them out then because there was possible rain all weekend long. Just what the onions didn't need. I just loved how they looked lying out on Friday.
Redwing and Copra on the sheet, Alisa Craig in the corner
But they couldn't stay there. I had to bring them in out of the rain to finish curing. I'm guessing my husband isn't all the pleased about me keeping them in the dining room to dry. But I lack a garage and the shed is too small.
In past years I've always had bad onion harvests. I was lucky to get an onion that was 2" in diameter. This year I'm very happy with my harvest. I wonder how long those onions will last.
Now I removed those onions for a reason. The kale in their newspaper pots was getting really big and had to get planted.
So this morning before work I was busily trying to get it all done and watered. Then I tossed the row cover over it. Time for work. Thank goodness I finished.
I tried making kale chips a while back. I had great expectations. But I didn't like them:(
ReplyDeleteKale and onions are two of my most important crops. Like to have lots of both. Great onion harvest.
ReplyDeleteNice onion harvest. looks like you'll be all set for winter now.
ReplyDeleteVery nice onion harvest. My copra onions were pretty small last year too. This year, I may have some large ones for storage.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a very fine harvest.
ReplyDeleteMy onions were so small last year. I usually count on 2-3 a week, but they were so small , I ran out of onions early this year. I hope mine turn out as well as yours did.
Have a great weekend
(and I'm quite sure hubby loves you no matter WHERE you store the onions!)
:)
Beautiful onion harvest - and they really are very pretty laid out in that pattern in the bed! The newly planted kale should be much happier with the expanded root room.
ReplyDeleteI hope they keep for you, too. Good looking onions.
ReplyDeleteKaren, I still haven't made them yet. I keep wanting to, but I never seem to get the chance when I have kale. I'm hoping to have a lot of kale this fall and coming spring.
ReplyDeleteBridget, I'd have a hard time picking my most important crop. Kale is important to me because it is a shoulder season crop. It give me food when nothing else in the garden is alive - well spinach too, but most things in the garden aren't alive. But tomatoes are probably my most important. I eat them fresh and can all the tomato products I use over the year. It is the only crop that has more than one full bed. Yes kale fills up the bed in the photo, but it is only half the size of my main beds.
Mrs Pickles, I hope so. I have no clue as to how long they will keep. They are supposed to keep for a long time, but will they? And how many onions do I really need for a year? I've never had a good onion harvest, so I don't know the answer.
GrafixMuse, I'm happy that variety turned out as large as it did. I know they are supposed to store well. I've got my fingers crossed.
Sue, lol yes hubby loves me no matter that I put onions all over the floor. Though it is hard for an OCD guy to love that. Too dirty.
Laura, I love how they looked too. I was just doing that so the onions would all be on the bricks as they were laid out. I figured it would be better than the bed which had some moisture in it from the last rain storm.
Stefaneener, I hope they keep too. Copras are supposed to be good keepers. I'll find out.
This was my first year growing onions, and most of mine are less than 2" in diameter. Did you do anything differently this year to get them to be larger? I'm thinking I need to start them earlier next year, but it's only my first time growing them, so if you've got any advice I'd love to hear it.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking onions! We too are trying to figure out the secret to growing larger bulbs. Next year, I'm starting my seeds earlier so the plants will be more mature when I transplant them out. I'm actually planning on starting the seed in mid December this year and they'll be transplanted out in mid-March. Hopefully it'll help...
ReplyDeleteYour onions look great, I have had teeny onions the last two years. What kind of wire do you use for your row cover and why did you decide to cover your plants?
ReplyDeleteJess, no I didn't do anything different. But I have a different garden. My old garden had clay soil and the new one has sandy soil. Maybe that was the difference that they needed.
ReplyDeletefoodgardenkitchen, I usually start mine at the end of January and plant them out in early April, but our zones are very different.
Vanessa, thanks. I use 9 gauge wire. I didn't cover my onions as they don't need it. But the kale will be eaten to death by the caterpillars if they aren't covered. So this year I'm covering them up and they will grow a lot better.