Drying Garlic and Onions: Racks, Nets and Airflow Gear

For garlic and onions, buy open, strong supports with air on every side: slatted or wire racks for spreading bulbs, hanging nets or strong string for bunches, and a fan to keep the air moving. Herb drying is about light leaves on fine mesh. Bulb curing is about weight, spacing and weeks of steady airflow, and that changes what you need to buy.

This guide covers the equipment for the curing stage, the weeks between harvest and storage. It does not cover growing, and it keeps to equipment, with the University of Minnesota Extension and the University of Saskatchewan as sources for how long the stage lasts and how bulbs should be handled.

What the curing stage asks of equipment

University of Minnesota Extension says onions and garlic are cured until the necks are dry, usually three to four weeks, and then roots and stems are trimmed and bulbs with soft spots are removed. It adds that field curing works best in warm, rainless weather and takes about seven to ten days, while indoor curing works if air is circulated. Two things follow for gear.

• It takes weeks. A rack is occupied for a long time, so capacity matters more than for a quick-turn herb batch.
• Air has to circulate. Minnesota says indoor curing works when air is circulated, so gear that blocks airflow, such as solid trays, tight piles and walls, works against you.
• Bulbs are heavy. A shelf that holds a layer of herbs may sag under the same area of onions, so check the stated load for any rack and hook.

The mesh drying rack guide covers fine-mesh hanging racks for herbs and flowers. Those are the wrong tool for most bulbs, as the next sections explain.

Plan the space before you buy

Racks are easy to under-buy, because bulbs look small until a whole harvest is laid out. Before ordering anything, do a dry run with what you have.

1. Lay a typical harvest out in a single, shallow layer on the floor or a table and measure the area it covers.
2. Divide that area by the usable area of one shelf or rack tier, leaving out the edges and supports. That tells you how many tiers you need.
3. Check the headroom. Taller bulbs and stems need space above each layer for air.
4. Add a margin for a second variety or a wetter year. Racks that are full leave no gaps for air, which defeats the purpose.
5. Check the path in and out. A rack that does not fit through the shed door is hard to use.

If your total area is more than you can house, hanging or crates may be the better answer, because they use height as well as floor space. If the curing room is also used for other jobs, plan where each rack goes so the air still has a path across the room.

Racks and shelving for spreading bulbs

Spreading bulbs in a shallow layer is the simplest approach, and it needs a surface that lets air reach the underside of the pile.

• Wire or slatted shelving. Open shelves let air flow up through the bulbs. Check the load rating per shelf and the spacing between tiers. Leave room above each layer.
• Frames covered in hardware cloth or sturdy mesh. A simple frame with a coarse mesh deck works if it is strong enough. Fine herb mesh is not needed and may sag.
• Slatted crates and open pallets. Stackable crates with large openings can hold a single layer. Stack with gaps and do not stack solid-bottom bins.
• Rolling carts. A cart lets you move the load in and out of weather. The rolling rack cart guide covers wheels, brakes and shelf spacing; check the load rating for heavy bulbs.

The Saskatchewan pages add a warning for storage that applies here too: onions and garlic last longer when they are not piled up too much, so avoid deep layers at any stage. Keep each layer shallow enough that air reaches the middle.

Hanging nets, strings and hooks

Hanging uses vertical space and gives air all around the bulb. It suits bunches of garlic and onions with tops still attached, and it needs sturdier hardware than a herb line.

• Mesh nets and bags. The Saskatchewan pages recommend mesh bags, wicker baskets or boxes with slats or holes for onions and garlic. A hanging net with a strong top is a good fit.
• Cord or string. Choose a cord with a clear strength statement and enough thickness not to cut into the stems. Inspect knots before loading.
• Hooks, rails and beams. Check the load rating of every hook and the structure it is attached to. Do not assume an overhead beam, ceiling or wall can carry a full load; confirm it, or use freestanding supports.
• Spacing. Leave a gap between bunches so they do not touch. Bunches packed together hold moisture and block air.

Airflow gear and humidity checks

A fan is the cheapest way to improve curing in a closed space. Place it to move air gently through and across the load, rather than blowing hard in one spot. Leave gaps between racks and walls so the air has somewhere to go. Choose a fan whose manual says it suits the space, and keep cords and plugs dry. The circulation fan guide explains sizing questions and what to check.

Humid weather slows everything. A hygrometer at bulb height shows whether the room is staying damp, and the hygrometer guide covers accuracy and placement. If the room stays wet, move the load to a drier, better-ventilated spot rather than adding more bulbs. Minnesota's guidance on field curing assumes warm, rainless weather, so a roofed, open-sided shed is a reasonable place to look when the weather turns.

After curing: trimming and storage

When the necks are dry, Minnesota says to trim roots and stems and remove bulbs with soft spots. Keep a pair of snips for roots and tops (see the harvest snips guide), a soft brush for loose skins and a clean tray for rejects. Set aside any bulb that is soft, damaged or showing mold, and do not pack it with sound ones.

Then move the crop to storage. The long-term room, with bins, thermometers and hygrometers, is covered in root cellar and cold storage supplies. Use mesh bags or slatted boxes in storage so air continues to move, and check the stored lot regularly.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and verification