How Do You Know When Onions and Garlic Are Ready to Harvest?

Onions and garlic are long-season crops that reward patience. Lift them too early and the bulbs are small and wet; lift them too late and the outer skins split or the cloves begin to re-sprout. Getting the timing right means months of storage rather than a few weeks — so it is worth knowing the signals clearly.

Onions: Wait for the Tops to Fall

The classic indicator for onions is the tops — the green stems — falling over. When roughly half the tops in a row have bent at the neck and fallen to the ground, the bulbs have finished swelling and are beginning to ripen. Do not rush this. If you bend the tops deliberately to speed drying, as some older guides suggest, you risk introducing infection at the neck. Let the plant take its own time. Once most tops are down, ease the bulbs gently out of the soil with a fork — do not pull by the tops — and lay them on the surface or on a wire rack to dry. In wet weather, bring them into a greenhouse or cold frame to finish drying.

Garlic: Leaf Count is Everything

Each green leaf on a garlic plant corresponds to a papery wrapper around the bulb. When you harvest, you want as many wrappers intact as possible — they protect the cloves and extend storage life. The rule is to harvest when roughly half the leaves are yellow and dying from the bottom up, but at least 3–4 green leaves remain. If you wait until all the leaves are brown, the wrappers have disintegrated and the bulb falls apart — it is still edible but will not store. Loosen with a fork, never pull by the stem. Brush off loose soil and cure in a warm, airy spot for 3–4 weeks.

Spring Onions and Shallots

Spring onions (salad onions or scallions) are harvested while still entirely green — whenever they reach a diameter you want to eat. Shallots follow the same rules as onions: wait for the tops to die back, lift gently, and cure thoroughly before storage. Shallots are smaller and dry more quickly than main-crop onions, usually needing only 2–3 weeks of curing on a rack before the outer skins paper over.

How Long Can They Store?

Well-cured onions and garlic kept in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot will store for 6–9 months. Plait them or hang in nets — never store in sealed plastic bags. Soft necks, mould spots, or sprouting indicate a bulb that should be used immediately. Check stored bulbs every few weeks and remove anything that is beginning to deteriorate before it spreads.