Bunching Onions: How to grow, harvest, clean, and sell bunching onions

Summary

In this video, Keith Darkberg Farms shares an insightful guide on how to grow, harvest, and prepare bunching onions for market. Starting with seeds planted in February, the onions are grown in fabric beds and harvested over a span of months. The process includes cleaning, trimming, and packaging the onions for sale. Keith demonstrates various harvesting techniques, such as pulling the onions by hand or cutting them in the post-harvest area, and explains how to efficiently clean them using a sprayer. The video provides a thorough overview of the practices involved in producing and preparing fresh bunching onions for customers.

Takeaways

• 😀 Keith Darkberg Farms shares insights on harvesting, planting, and cleaning bunching onions for market.
• 😀 Onions are started from seed in February, with the goal of growing them out in the field by April.
• 😀 Different successions of bunching onions are planted in the field using 200-cell flats with about 8-10 seeds per cell.
• 😀 Onions are grown in landscape fabric, with rows spaced on a 6x6 grid, using both white-on-black and black fabric.
• 😀 Harvesting is done by pulling the whole bunch out and shaking off the dirt or by cutting the onions at the post-harvest area.
• 😀 Dead or small onions are removed to improve the appearance of the bunches.
• 😀 Rubber bands are used to bunch the onions, typically in groups of three.
• 😀 Onions hold well in the garden for weeks, and about 20 bunches are harvested per week.
• 😀 After harvesting, the onions are washed using a sprayer to remove dirt from the inside and outside of the bunch.
• 😀 A final trimming is done to bring the bunches down to their market-ready size.
• 😀 The speaker encourages viewers to like and subscribe if they found the information helpful.

Q & A

When is the optimal time for planting bunching onions?

The optimal time for planting bunching onions is February 1st, as it aligns with the ideal time for planting allium crops for the season.

How are the seeds for bunching onions planted?

The seeds for bunching onions are planted in 200-cell flats, with a pinch of seeds placed in each cell. The goal is to plant around eight to ten seeds per cell.

What is the role of the germination house and prop house in the planting process?

The germination house is used to get the seeds started and warm enough for growth. Once the weather allows, the seedlings are transferred to the prop house to further grow until they are ready to be planted in the field.

What type of fabric is used for planting the bunching onions, and is there a noticeable difference between fabric types?

The onions are planted using a six-by-six fabric with five rows in it. One type of fabric is white on black, while the other is black fabric. The grower has not noticed any significant difference between the two types of fabric.

What are the two techniques for harvesting bunching onions?

The two harvesting techniques are either pulling the whole bunch of onions out of the ground and shaking off the dirt, or pulling them gently to the point where the roots come out and cutting them at the hole.

Why does the farmer remove the smaller onions or dead leaves?

The farmer removes the smaller onions and dead leaves to ensure that the bunching onions look more uniform and appealing for the market, focusing on the larger, healthier onions.

How often does the farmer harvest bunching onions?

The farmer typically harvests around 20 bunches of onions per week, and they have been harvesting the crop for two to three months.

What is the farmer’s approach to watering the bunching onions?

The farmer has not been watering the bunching onions much during dry conditions, which has led to more dead stringers on the plants.

How are the onions cleaned after harvesting?

The onions are first sprayed with water to remove dirt from the inside and outside of the bunch. The outer coating is then peeled off slightly, and the onions are further trimmed to finalize the cleaning process.

Why does the farmer not worry too much about dirt inside the bunching onions?

The farmer doesn’t worry much about the dirt inside because once the outer layers are cleaned, the interior is not visible, and the onions are sold as a complete bunch as they came out of the ground.