Garlic Harvest
Some of the tops of my garlic are beginning to yellow, so I decided to harvest a few sample heads. This was my first time growing garlic, so I was delighted when I actually pulled up a head of garlic (and not the single clove I planted in the fall).
After pulling up this sampling, I reviewed the instructions:
Harvesting & Storing
When the garlic leaves begin to turn yellow (around July), stop irrigating for 2 weeks and then pull up the plant. Immediately place plants in a shady place to cure. Regardless of what you read elsewhere, do not leave your garlic in the sun because it will sunburn and rot. A good way to cure garlic is to tie it in bunches or braid it (if it is a soft neck garlic) and hang it in a dark place where it will receive good air circulation. Cure Elephant garlic for thirty days before eating it. “Green” Elephant garlic is bitter, but it becomes milder with age. Standard garlic takes less time to cure and becomes stronger tasting with age. Hard neck varieties generally will only store for 6 months or less. You can store your garlic in mesh bags (like onion sacks) in a cool dry area. The optimum storage temperature is 50°F, and the relative humidity should be below 60%. If some of your bulbs turn out onion-like (do not divide into cloves) you can eat them or use them as seed for next year.
Tags: Garlic, garlic harvest, harvest, July, June, leeks, yellowing
June 16th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
You know to begin harvest when at least 1/2 of the “leaves” on the plant turn brown
or yellow. each of the leaves corresponds to a paper sheath that will protect the drying garlic. Dig rather than pull – since the pulling takes off the sheathes ( papers) of the ripe garlic. you can dry at room temperature if you have good ventilation. the maturing also corresponds to the putting up of the seed head in the hard neck. It is called scape- cut it off as soon as you can to allow all energy to transfer to the developing bulb. the scape is edible! enjoy. Peace, Ruthanne
June 16th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I just harvested my garlic too! They’re hanging up to dry in the garage. What should I plant as a cover crop in that bed that will prepare it for next year’s garlic crop?
June 19th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
You might consider crop rotation by planting your garlic in a different spot this Fall. Either way, you’ll want to plant a warm season annual cover crop. Here’s the page in the Peaceful Valley catalog with several choices: Click Here.
There is also a Summer Soil Builder Mix: Click Here for that
Plan on tilling in the crop 4-6 weeks before planting the garlic.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Thanks! I’ll take a look and get my order together. =)