I usually braid the tops of onions and garlic. I braid them while they are green and I only knock the dirt off of them. When onions and garlic dry the bulbs decrease in size which allows more air flow between the bulbs, thus decreasing storage spoilage. This link is another way to braid using twine. Nice and simple How To Braid Onions For Long Term Storage
I used to use panty hose that my wife was ready to discard due to runs. I'd wash them and when they were dry put onions in starting at the toe, and then tie an overhand knot, add another onion - repeat. Then hang them in the kitchen for good air circulation, and just cut them from the tube as I needed them. I'll have to try the braiding now as my supply of hose has diminished.
My son (who has a massive garden in TX) sent me some photos of this year's strings of onions They lace breaks (with twine) to allow pulling a few at a time for their cooking. I'd be jealous, but it was 107F in Austin last week..... (Shudder)
Miss the days of braiding them and hanging them in the woods barn to cure. Ended up making wire mesh top 4x8 racks 6 shelves high to cure them. Then I get the 50# onion bags and put them in there after they are cured. Think it works out to like 9 cents per bag if you buy them in lots of 5000 and they last forever. Then hang them in a cool dark spot. The bags also make great dirty clothes bags, and are good to store just about any cellar veggie or fruit.
That works too I just don't grow that many or eat that many =) The key for onions and garlic is lots of air circulation
When I get around to replacing my camera, that somehow got under a tractor tire I will take some pictures of my Tater Bunker, 40' shipping container buried 6 feet down at the roof. Maintains a pretty consistent 50-55 year round and steady humidity. It does have a exhaust and and a air intake port on a humidity and temp sensor set up. Works on a 600W solar set up with (6) 310AH deep cycle batteries and cheap modified sinewave inverter since none of the hardware is particularly sensitive as a bonus it makes enough spare electric for 12v LED lights inside and powers the electric fences. Anyway I welded steel rods 8" down from the roof and hang the bags with S hooks and put things like carrots and turnips on plastic pallets on the floor, in stackable produce crates. Carrots and turnips I put in there in November will be just as good next April. It is a real balancing act keeping the humidity low enough so the taters and onions don't get funky and high enough so the carrots and turnips don't get rubbery.
I like to keep my Aromatics separate from the rest of my produce during storage. Mint and other "sweets" stay up stairs on the main floor, and the rest are in divided areas of my cellar! Humidity is a constant concern due to such low levels, so I keep the Taters up high, near the ceiling, and the onions down near the floor! I have to use a Humidifier during much of the year, and I keep things at about 7 1/2 % in the "dry area" and 13 % for most every thing else! I keep the main floor of the house around 11% mostly for breathing reasons, as well as keeping all the wood preserved and to keep it from drying out and cracking!
