When should onions be put away for storage in 2024 according to the lunar calendar?

The exact dates have been determined when it is best to harvest onions in 2024 according to the lunar calendar. Advice and recommendations from experienced farmers will help you calculate the most successful days for harvesting a ripe crop. They will help you figure out how to properly harvest and store the crop so that all the beneficial properties of the spicy vegetable are preserved.

How to determine the ripeness of onions?

Quality onions directly depends on compliance with harvesting rules and determining the timing of this procedure. The ripeness of the bulbs can be recognized by the external signs of the above-ground and underground parts of the plant, and can also be calculated mathematically.

The timing of harvest depends on many conditions. The most important criterion that determines the timing of ripening is the selected variety. Onions with early, middle and late ripening limits can be planted. Weather conditions play a significant role. In cold, rainy summers, ripening dates shift by several days or even weeks.

External signs of maturity

External signs that can serve as a guide to starting to dig up ripe onions include:

• stems that were previously straight and green begin to dry, turn yellow and wither;
• the neck of the bulb becomes thinner, turns yellow and withers;
• feathers begin to spread along the ground (if the summer is cool, then this symptom may appear before the heads ripen);
• The scales of a ripe bulb are dry, golden in color and peel off easily.

Mathematical method

You can calculate when to remove onions from the garden for storage using a simple mathematical method.

In order to calculate what date is best to dig up bulbs, you need to solve a simple example. 70–90 days are added to the date when the onions were planted. The amount received will serve as the starting point for harvesting. The number of added days depends on the selected variety.

When calculating the ripening time, you need to take into account weather conditions. If the weather is hot and dry, then you can harvest the onions earlier than the calculated date. In case of cold weather and rain, you need to add a few more days to the resulting number.

When to remove onions from the garden: timing

Some vegetable growers prefer to harvest onions according to the lunar calendar. This is the simplest and most convenient way to calculate the timing for harvesting the bulbs.

The Moon and Sun influence all living things, including plants. There are days when these space objects attract juices from the ground parts of plants to their roots. These dates are considered ideal for harvesting crops that have ripened underground. These vegetables include onions.

Moon calendar

In places with moderate climatic conditions, according to the lunar calendar 2024, it is recommended to start collecting ripe heads in early August (starting from the 7th). At this time, the Moon will be in its waning phase. This will have a beneficial effect on the further process of drying and storing the crop. In areas where heavy rainfall occurs frequently, it is recommended that you begin digging before the rainfall period begins.

If you are wondering whether it is possible to remove onions during a new moon (crescent moon, waxing), the answer is yes. The new moon period is characterized by a slowdown of all biological processes in the above-ground parts of plants. At this time, weeding, weed control and pest control should not be carried out. But you can collect ripened root crops. All the power of plants goes into the underground part. Therefore, the harvest harvested during the new moon is juicy and fortified.

Good days according to the lunar calendar when bulbs can be collected will be August 2, 8, 13, 14 and 20. The unfavorable period is from August 4 to August 7. At this time, it is better to loosen the soil.

Country life hack

The phases of the moon, which the lunar calendar takes into account, have no less influence on the quality and quantity of the harvest than other factors. It has long been noted that plants grow and develop differently in different phases of the moon.

During the waxing moon, all juices flow from the roots to the above-ground parts of the plants. At this time, crop growth is activated. It is not recommended to harvest root crops during this period.

The waning moon is characterized by plants going to rest. All strength and juices rush to the roots. It is during the waning moon that it is better to remove onions. The nutritional value of the bulbs will be at the highest level. The full moon is also considered a favorable period for harvesting onions.

How to properly dig onions from the beds?

Having determined the best time for harvesting onions in 2024, you need to begin preparatory work:

• Two weeks before the expected date of digging the bulbs, stop watering the beds. If it rains, it is better to cover them with film. This will allow the heads to dry, which will have a beneficial effect on the storage of the harvested crop.
• It is best to start work early in the morning to have more time to dry under the sun.
• It is not recommended to pull out the bulbs by hand. The root crop can sit firmly in the ground and only damage the tops. It is better to use a shovel or pitchfork. After carefully digging into the ground, they pull out the vegetable.
• The dug up crop is laid out in one or two layers on previously prepared material, carefully shaking off the adhering soil. Periodically you need to stir the onion so that different sides are exposed to the sun's rays.
• After digging, do not immediately cut off the tops. It is left until the bulbs are completely dry (the drying process takes about two weeks). The tops contain many nutritional components that will continue to reach the onion heads for a long time.

If you miss the harvest time (harvest earlier or later than the recommended date), the risk of early rotting increases.Such vegetables are poorly stored and do not have high taste.

Bulb

When harvesting a plant, the ripening period can be calculated by adding 75 days to the planting day. According to the lunar calendar for 2024, favorable days for cleaning in August fall on the 2nd, 3rd, 13th, 15th, 20th, 29th.

Leek

For the timing of excavation leek influenced by weather, variety, climatic conditions. If the onions are not supposed to be stored in winter, you can harvest them as early as August. When a vegetable needs to be prepared for storage, harvesting begins only in early October.

Leek leaves should not turn completely yellow, much less wither and dry out. If warm, sunny weather with periodic rains prevailed in the summer, then you can harvest the crop 8–10 days earlier. Harvesting onions in rainy summer conditions should also start earlier. This will avoid rotting and it will be possible to dry the crop fairly well.

Sevok

Onion sets act as planting material, and the harvest of next years will depend on its quality. You can grow sets yourself from nigella seeds, or you can buy ready-made sets in the store.

Onion sets begin to ripen 90 days after planting. The most successful period for removing seedlings from the beds is considered to be from the beginning of August to the middle of the month. By this time, the tops dry out, turn yellow and fall to the ground.

You need to dig up onions from the ground earlier if the weather is rainy. In this case, the seedlings will take new roots, and the harvested crop will not be stored for long. After planting in the spring, active flowering will begin and the yield will decrease.

shallot

The difference between shallots is the presence of not one, whole head, but several cloves. Externally, in color and shape, it is similar to garlic.Shallots are distinguished by earlier ripening, a long shelf life and the content of a large number of nutritional components.

Shallot They begin to remove them from the beds when the feathers turn yellow, dry, and fall closer to the ground. Similar signs appear around mid-July. You must not miss the harvesting time, otherwise new roots will appear and the shelf life will be significantly reduced. Each bulb is dug up with a pitchfork and dried for about 10 days. Then the tops are cut, leaving a stump of 4 cm.

Many people harvest shallots according to the dates indicated in the lunar calendar. The most successful collection period is during the full moon. At this time, the harvest is the most juicy and ripe.

How to speed up the ripening process?

If it's time to harvest or heavy rains are forecast and the tops are still green and straight, there are a few clever tricks you can use to help your crop ripen faster. All work on the garden bed: watering, fertilizing must be completed two weeks before the expected harvest date. Besides this, there are other tricks.

Stop watering

Harvesting is carried out before the period of prolonged rains. At the same time, stop watering the plants. Moisture promotes the growth of feathers and the appearance of new roots, which prevent the bulbs from ripening.

Undermining the roots

If the soil is loose, you can manually pull the bulbs a little to tear the roots. You can dig up the heads with a shovel, but do not remove them from the garden bed, but leave them in that position. It will be possible to harvest crops with damaged roots earlier.

Exposure of bulbs

If the onion heads are planted deep, a method of pushing the soil away from each head will help. Being exposed, it receives more light, air and ripens faster.

Sometimes the roots of the bulb are cut off by about 5 cm. It is not recommended to mow the above-ground part of the plant. This can lead to complete loss of the crop. Onions dug up ahead of schedule can ripen precisely thanks to the tops, which contain many nutritional components.

How to prepare onions for storage?

Before storing the dug up onions, you need to dry them thoroughly. Without trimming the dry feathers, the onions are laid out in the garden after harvesting. If the weather is good, you can dry it this way for several days. From the sun's rays after harvesting, the entire crop not only dries, but is also disinfected. At night you need to clean the room so that morning dew cannot spoil the harvest.

If you decide to leave the onions in the garden, then in the morning you need to cover them with film.

After two weeks, when the onion has completely dried, you can start cutting off the dry tops, leaving a stump of about 4–5 cm. Some gardeners store onions, weaving the tops into braids. In this case, there is no need to cut it. For storage, you need to select large bulbs that are free from defects and spots of rot.

Wicker baskets, wooden or plastic boxes with holes, nets or cardboard boxes are suitable as storage containers. It is better to move the containers with the harvest to the basement or cellar, but you can also store them in the apartment, but only away from heating appliances. The optimal storage temperature is 0–+5 degrees, and the humidity should not be higher than 80%.

There are secrets that will help preserve the harvest for a long time. Onion peels are placed between the layers of onions in the box. It prevents overmoistening and protects against drying out. Wood ash or sawdust will help keep the humidity level at an optimal level. A bucket with the selected component is placed near the boxes.