Storage of any fruit and vegetable business quite difficult. After all, you need not only to preserve the fruit itself, but also all of its beneficial properties. Otherwise, all efforts will be in vain summer.
Over the years, the horticultural practice I have tried many ways to store onions. Today will tell only about the most effective.
Long-term storage starts with the right choice of onion varieties. This will determine half the battle. I recommend to plant the following classes:
- Lighthouse;
- Almadon;
- Stuttgart Risen;
- bessonovskoy;
- Shallot.
These varieties are a long time remain fresh and retain their beneficial properties. The record holder among the entire list - Lighthouse by this variety, you'll definitely savor his bow throughout the winter.
Preparation and storage of onions is divided into 3 stages:
1. cleaning of onions
From very much depends on the correct harvesting onions. If you pull the root after the due date, it will start to deteriorate after 2-3 months. And if the harvest in rainy weather, the onions will absorb much moisture and too long will lie.
Therefore, you need to pull out the root in time as long as he does not overripe. A 1-2 weeks before the planned better to stop watering collection. This will allow the onions to get rid of excess moisture and dry naturally.
Clean the onions must be very careful not to damage the fruit. I take out the bulbs hooking land a small spatula. This preserves the fruit and feathers intact. Do whatever is necessary only in a dry sunny weather. Once the roots are extracted from the ground, they can be left for a few hours to lie straight on the bed.
2. Preparation for storage
After the harvest, the onions must be sent to dry. To do this, it is best to use special "bench". (As pictured above). Make them is not difficult, and after drying, you can make out the back on the stick.
Drying will be a long - from 2 to 4 weeks, so it is better to prepare a dry and ventilated room. If the day was good, I stand at the bow street.
Once the onions well dries, it is necessary to select applicants for storage. Our task is to remove all the bulbs with:
- cuts;
- dents;
- Black spots;
- Soft spot;
- Broken at the root feathers;
- Unnatural forms;
Too much overgrown fruit is best eaten immediately. As shown by my practice, they will not be stored for a long time.
Trim the feathers or not - a private matter. But if you do decide to get rid of the feathers, it should be done immediately, but after 3-4 days after harvest.
3. Create conditions for storage
Bow is best stored at a temperature of from 2 to 5 degrees above zero. The apartment can maintain this temperature in the refrigerator or insulated balcony.
Of course, the onions can be stored at room temperature, but it will not be the most favorable conditions.
I keep onions in the loggia. She's partially insulated, so in winter the temperature does not fall below 2 degrees in it. Which is enough to store this root crop.
Onions can be stored in boxes, but I prefer to do braids. So root is better ventilated and easy to inspect. During storage, there will always be spoiled fruit that will need to urgently clean up.
A small trick. If stored at room temperature bow, the upper dry flakes better not to break off. They help retain moisture and root stored longer.
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