10 Easy Pieces: Onion and Garlic Baskets

Question: What is the modern equivalent of a root cellar? Answer: A root cellar, of course. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have one these days (I imagine that even my grandmother’s has been turned into a basement rec room by now).

The next best thing? Get a woven basket with good ventilation that allows air to circulate around your onions and heads of garlic. Hang the basket in a cool spot and your vegetables will stay fresh for weeks. We’ve rounded up 10 of our favorite woven hanging baskets for onion and garlic storage:

Natural Fiber Baskets

Above: Handwoven in North Carolina, a Root Basket keeps vegetables dry and within easy reach; $39 from Clyde Oak. Note: If you have space for two baskets, separate the potatoes to avoid contaminating them with onion odors.

Above: Woven from fiber rush, a “tautly twisted paper material,” an Onion Basket measures 10 to 13 inches high and has a 4½-inch handle; $15 from Gather Journal.

Above: Made of reed, a Shaker Onion Basket “smells like a hayride through a forest on a fall day,” says Alisa Grifo, proprietor of the homewares store Kiosk; $45 from Cooper Hewitt.

Above: A set of two hand-woven rattan Onion Baskets (the tall one is 14 inches high, including its handle; the smaller one is 13½ inches) is $29.95 from Williams-Sonoma.

Above: A vintage, one-of-a-kind Three Tier Woven Wicker Hanging Basket is $22 from White Elephant Co. via Etsy. For a contemporary version, a three-tier Hanging Basket woven from Nito vine measures 25 inches tall and 12 inches in diameter; $59.50 from Kouboo.

Above: Working with dyed jute and cane, Auckland artist Ruth Castle weaves Black Garlic Baskets in three sizes; for pricing and availability, see Everyday Needs.

 Wire Baskets

Above: Hanging Wire Baskets from Australia are available in black or white wire; for more information and prices, see Love Loans and Linens.

Above: A steel wire Spherical Hanging Basket made in Connecticut is 14 inches high including the hanging loop and will hold garlic, onions, or small tomatoes; $60 from Provisions.

Above: A Traditional Garlic Basket will hold from five to six bulbs; £8.75 from Nutley’s Kitchen Gardens.

Above: Made in France, a galvanized Metal Basket with a wooden handle measures 25 centimeters long (nearly 10 inches) and is €24 from Neí«st.

Headed to the farmers’ market? See our 10 Easy Pieces: French Market Totes and, on Remodelista: 10 Parisian-Style Net Bags.

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