# How long can you store onions

How long can you store onions: good onions from storage last from harvest to spring, even into summer. We explain what it depends on, using our 1300 tonne store as an example.

A good onion can lie from harvest right through to spring, and with the right variety and conditions even into early summer, which means 8 to 10 months. That is not down to luck. Longevity comes from three things: the variety, drying after harvest and stable conditions in the store. In this post we show how long onions really keep and what it depends on, using our store for around 1300 tonnes as an example.

## How many months does an onion last

The short answer: a well dried onion of a firm variety, kept in stable conditions, comfortably lasts 7 to 9 months, and the best batches longer. An onion with thin skins, still moist or kept warm, goes off within a few weeks. The difference between the two is not luck, but the sum of decisions from field to store.

Our onions are drilled from seed, firm Rijnsburger type varieties, and after proper drying they keep easily until May, often into June. That is how we can supply onions even when most farms have run out.

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Our yellow Rijnsburger type onion (Hybelle F1, Hysinger F1) is firm and well skinned, so after drying it keeps with us until May or June. That lets us supply for most of the year, not only at the harvest peak.
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## What onion longevity depends on

Storage life is always the sum of several factors. None of them is enough on its own.

First, the variety. The Rijnsburger type has firm bulbs and a strong, multi layered skin, so it withstands long storage better than fresh market varieties. Second, maturity at harvest: we harvest onions when the tops fall over and the skin is ripe, because only then does the neck close properly. Third, drying. A moist neck is an open door for storage diseases. Fourth, conditions in the store: a steady low temperature, the right humidity and ventilation.

## How long an onion keeps, depending on conditions

| Situation | Approximate storage time |
| --- | --- |
| Firm onion (Rijnsburger), dried, ventilated store | 7 to 9 months, best batches into summer |
| Well skinned onion in a cool, dry cellar | 4 to 6 months |
| Poorly dried onion or with a moist neck | a few weeks, high risk of rot |
| Red onion and fresh market varieties | shorter than yellow storage onion |
| Onion kept warm and moist | fast sprouting and mould |

The table shows one thing: the same vegetable can last a few weeks or almost a year. What decides is the preparation, not the harvest date itself.

## Why drying decides everything

The most common mistake is storing onions long term too early. Even a healthy onion will rot if it goes into the store with a moist neck. That is why every batch here goes to drying first. In our maritime, humid climate this usually takes 2 to 4 days: we close the neck at the tops and remove excess moisture, and only then does the onion go into long term storage. We describe exactly how we do it in the post on [drying onions before storage](/blog/dosuszanie-cebuli-przed-przechowywaniem).

{% captionedImage src="/images/video/zaladunek-magazyn.webp" alt="Onions being loaded into our store after drying" caption="Onions go into long term storage only after drying." /%}

## Conditions in the store: temperature, humidity, ventilation

A storage onion likes cool and stable conditions. In practice that means a low, steady temperature just above zero, moderate air humidity and regular ventilation, which draws off moisture and evens out the temperature through the pile. Swings are worse than cold itself: jumps in temperature and humidity wake the onion to sprout and encourage disease.

Our store for around 1300 tonnes lets us keep these conditions under control and manage the release of stock over time. It is what means we do not have to sell everything right after harvest. We break the whole process down, from temperature to storage diseases, in the guide on [storing onions](/blog/przechowywanie-cebuli).

## What spoils onions in the store

From our experience the same things fail most often:

- **A moist neck.** Skipped or too short drying is the main cause of rot.
- **Heat and temperature swings.** They wake the onion to sprout and shorten its life.
- **Harvest before the skin is ripe.** The onion does not close its neck and keeps worse.
- **Mechanical damage.** Bruised onions rot first and infect their neighbours.
- **No ventilation.** Without moving air, moisture builds up in the pile.

Every one of these mistakes can be avoided by planning: the right harvest date, gentle handling of the onions and patient drying before storage.

## What it means for a wholesale buyer

For packers and processors long storage life is something concrete: onions can be collected not only in autumn but for most of the year, in repeatable quality. On top of that, with us you get:

- Firm, well skinned Rijnsburger type varieties, chosen for long storage.
- Our own store for around 1300 tonnes with controlled conditions.
- Onion yields of around 60 tonnes per hectare on more than 150 ha of onions.
- GlobalG.A.P. and GRASP certificates and management under the rules of Integrated Crop Production.

It is thanks to the store that we manage sales over time and supply onions even outside the harvest peak. How wholesale cooperation and delivery formats work we describe in the post on [wholesale onions from Zulawy](/blog/cebula-hurt-dostawca). You will find our onions and their varieties in our [onion offer](/oferta/cebula).

## Frequently asked questions

### How long can you store onions?
A well dried onion of a firm variety, kept cool in stable conditions, lasts 7 to 9 months, and the best batches into early summer. With us, Rijnsburger type onions usually keep until May or June.

### What does the storage life of an onion depend on?
On the variety, maturity at harvest, drying of the neck and conditions in the store. A firm, well skinned and dried onion in a cool, ventilated store lasts longest.

### Which onion variety stores best?
Rijnsburger type varieties such as Hybelle F1 and Hysinger F1, because they are firm and well skinned. Red onions and fresh market varieties keep for a shorter time.

### Why do onions rot in storage?
Most often because of a moist neck after too short drying, because of heat and temperature swings, or because of mechanical damage. Bruised onions rot first and infect their neighbours.

### At what temperature should onions be stored?
Low and steady, just above zero, with moderate humidity and regular ventilation. More important than the exact value is stability: swings wake the onion to sprout.

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Looking for onions that hold their quality for most of the year? Write to us through the [contact page](/kontakt) or see how we [store our onions](/blog/przechowywanie-cebuli).