Harvesting Onions and Potatoes

Break out the garden fork and get ready to start harvesting onions and potatoes.

Thin onion plantings and use as green onions, while leaving space for the remaining plants to reach full size. Dig remaining onions when the tops fall over and begin to dry for the best quality and largest onion bulbs.

Cure firm, blemish-free onion bulbs you plan to store. Spread them over the soil surface or on a screen in a warm dry place. Allow them to cure for a week or two before storing in a cool, dry location.

Harvest potatoes as needed or wait for the tops to die and the tubers to reach full size. Dig carefully to avoid damage and sift through the soil for stray potatoes. And if you grew your potatoes in a bag, simply dump out the soil. Dig through the soil to uncover your harvest.

Gently remove excess soil and store in a cool, dark location.

A bit more information: Store onions and garlic in an attractive manner that also extends their storage life. Braid the leaves and hang in a cool dark location. For step-by-step directions visit The Organic Life page Onion + Garlic Braids Too Beautiful To Hide In The Pantry.