Onion storage update

9 years ago

I’ve been storing my ‘Sierra Blanca’ and ‘Candy’ onions in my basement since harvesting in July.

Like many modern homes outside the Far North, my basement is far too warm at harvest time, and long after, for ideal onion storage. It’s in the mid to upper 60s in summer (mostly due to the AC-cooled air sinking down), and even now, with outside temps in the 40s, it’s about 63 down there.

Candy – still solid. A few have some skin crinkling or black spots on them, but they’re still perfect inside. No sign of sprouting.

Sierra Blanca – meh. About 10% have begun sprouting already, and the skins are very wrinkled, with many soft spots showing.

Winner – Candy, so far.

Featured Answer

flowergirl70ks

8 years ago

My Candy lasted until April when I finally ran out of onions. They hang in panty hose next to a cement wall in my basement. It's where I store my canned goods and flower bulbs ect. Heated basement, but there is a door separating this closet under the basement stairs. I don't recall ever having a spoiled onion.

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Comments (6)

LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
That is expected. Candy is a better storage onion than Superstar (aka Sierra Blanca). If I were you I would chop and freeze any of the Superstar that are still in good shape and make sure to keep the questionable onions away from the good ones. I am sure you have heard the saying "one bad apple spoils the bunch". Ditto with onions.
wolverine1012
9 years ago
If you have access to a food dehydrator that would work too. In addition to herbs, my wife has dried tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic. The garlic got turned into garlic power; the others sealed in vacuum bags.
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lgtung
8 years ago
Thanks for letting us know! Please continue to update, since I am planting candy next year and would really like to know how long it will store.
wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
8 years ago
I find that Candy stores until Christmas.

I have some Highlander sweet onions that are going to keep better than Candy. I planted a 'longer' keeping onion [Copra] but it did not keep much better than Candy.

I am going to plant some more sweet varieties as a trial. I think that I have planted 1015Y successfully in the past.

Many years ago I raised a variety. I am guessing it might have been Southport Yellow Globe. It was the tastiest and a spicy onion...a bit strong though.
lgtung
8 years ago
Hairmetal4ever how are the candy doing?