How to Store Onions From the Garden

The best way to preserve onions from the garden.

It’s officially harvest time at my house. I love this time of year. When the fields turn golden, the garden is producing, and I can finally enjoy the fruits of our labor. I have been curing my onions the past couple of weeks and am excited to have them saved in my home to enjoy throughout the winter months. Onions are one of the easiest garden crops to grow. They are very low maintenance and easy to harvest and store. I’m excited to show you today how to store onions from the garden (which is so easy PS!).

Harvesting Onions

There are two main signs telling you that your onions are ready to harvest.

The first is that the green stems will begin falling over.

The second sign is that the onions will be large and sticking out of the ground.

Harvesting onions are really easy. All you need to do is pull the onions out by grabbing down them by the bulb and yanking them out of the ground. Most of the onions will come up fairly quick and easy! Fill that wheelbarrow up with onions and you’re ready to store them!

Now, it’s time to preserve your onions. You can do this by curing them or freezing them! I like to do both and will explain both options below!

How to Freeze Onions

I love to freeze onions! It makes meal prep so quick and easy to just grab them out off the freezer and they are already chopped and ready to use.

First, you need to chop the onions into tiny pieces. (secretly, I totally wear swimming goggles when I do this to help prevent crying….it works!)

Next, lay the chopped onions onto a cookie sheet. You want them in a single layer and not touching each other as much as possible.

Stick the cookie sheets into your freezer. We are doing what’s called a “flash freeze.” I explain the purpose of the flash freeze in my Quick Start Guide to Frugal Living.

Let the onions freeze on the cookie sheet for 2-3 hours or until frozen.

Once frozen, pull them out of the freezer and scoop the onions into ziplock freezer bags.

Label your freezer bag with the contents and year and then stick it into your freezer. These will stay good for up to one year.

Related: How to Blanche and Freeze Your Garden Peas

How to Cure Onions

If you want to store your onions for long term storage they will need to be cured first, don’t worry it’s so easy!!

After harvesting your onions place them in a dry and shaded spot. You don’t want them to get wet or to much direct sunlight. In a garage or under a porch is perfect for this! Don’t worry about windy conditions. This will actually help them to cure quicker.

Let your onions cure for about 3-4 weeks. You will know they are done when their stems are completely dry and brown.

Check your onions to make sure they all cured correctly. If you find a few with bruised spots or didn’t completely cure just toss them out. I don’t worry about those to much.

Now just cut the stem off using scissors and place them in a basket or mesh bag. Make sure they have air circulation and are only stacked three deep.