All of the onions were grown in two 4' x 8' raised beds and I haven't bought a single onion since early spring when I started pulling our young onions as scallions. So even though I now know how many pounds I have to store for winter use, I'd be curious to know how many pounds I've already used over the summer months. No way to tell; that would have been a tad labor intensive to keep track of, but I can say that we use A LOT of onions regularly. (I even saute a few onions to add to our scrambled eggs in the morning . . . a little dismaying, perhaps, to guests who haven't been forewarned, but hey, doesn't everybody know how good onions are for you?)
At least one-third (maybe a smidge more) of one bed was planted out to red onions.
Although the reds are on the smallish side, I was tickled to get even this harvest of 8 pounds 4 ounces because I've never had much luck getting them to grow for me before. And I do love red onions. They add so much color to foods and have their own unique flavor. I'm guesstimating I would have had about 4-5 pounds more to harvest and store if I hadn't stolen so many before they reached maturity. Great job, red onions, you done good!
So one entire raised bed and perhaps two-thirds of another were given over to the old mainstays, the yellow onions. As with the red ones, I hit the yellow ones pretty hard during the summer for a lot of cooking. Total weight for them today? 46 pounds 6 ounces. Not too shabby, huh?
All bagged and ready for storage. If these keep as well as the ones did from last year, you'll not hear any complaints from this here gardener. Assuming they do, we should have enough onions to take us all the way through the coming winter and early spring.Whew! One more garden-type job I can cross of the list.
15 comments:
I've never had much luck with onions either. They always are quite small. Yours look like they were store bought they are so beautiful. Congratulations on your harvest.
What beautiful onions-I LOVE that red!
I always grow Copra--I'm STILL using some up from last year, and they are as nice as the day I harvested them.
Great harvest---enjoy!
Onions go with eggs most certainly! And if someone you don't like comes over too early, add extra and take a big shot of coffee too!
Lovely onions!!
You and Mr. H (the gardener/blogger, not my husband) have a thing for onions today. Must be September!
Frugal Gardener - Welcome and thanks for commenting. I'm pleased with my onion harvest but now just hope they prove to be good "keepers!"
Sue - That says something for your storage conditions that you STILL have some onions to use from last year. Good show!
Apple Pie Gal - The first time I made morning eggs for my brother (with onions, of course), he went back to my mom and asked if she put in onions when she made them. He didn't think so but couldn't figure out why I did it.
Thanks for the kind words.
JJ - It is indeed that time of year when we have to get those onions tucked away for the winter.
Those look fabulous! I am not fond of onions much, but my son loves them. We bought some to plant, but never seemed to manage to get them in the ground. Oh well, next year lol.
Lovely harvest!
I like onions in just about anything EXCEPT eggs - unless it's an omelet :)
I love onions too! Those look fantastic, I can grow them here but they never look that nice or get to be as productive!
Wow, I am so impressed! Great job to you and the onions. Love it. Someday I hope to achieve onion success myself.
Stephanie - Next year, I have a feeling, will be a LOT different for you!
Jen - Thanks!
Erin - Have you tried Vadalia onions? Don't they prefer a warmer climate to grow?
Kelly - We have trouble growing a lot of stuff up here but usually root crops do well for us. Hmmm, potatoes, carrots, beets, onions for seasoning and a little venison? We'd survive the winter!
Mama Pea,
Would you mind elaborating on how you prep and store them.
Thanks
Great looking onions, Mama Pea. I love the red ones too! I hope mine do well, but I should have planted much more. Have you ever started them from seed? I have always used sets.
How are the apples doing...has the netting helped?
The Vidalia Onions actually need even further south than I - down near GA & SC. People grow them here but not enough that you would see local Vidalias in the farmer's market or anything. The ones that do best for me are a red, I don't even know what they are but the local feed & seed stocks them so I figure they would know, maybe I'll branch out and try some small whites this year.
I am hoping to try them next year - I'll use you as my standard! I, too, would like more detail on how you manage to get them from dirt balls to looking radiant.
KM and Susan - I'm going to go do a blog post (kinda long to write out here) on curing onions right after I reply to the comments. If you want, you can check out my method on the blog.
Lorie - I have to admit I've never started onions from seed but it's something I feel I must learn to do! I've always just used onion sets.
The netting has helped but the jays still go after any apples they can get to. Dang!
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