Harvesting Garlic

If there is one type of vegetable that I would highly recommend growing (because its easy) it would be garlic.  You plant it in the fall and then simply harvest it in the summer. Its low maintenance and virtually pest and disease free.  We have decided garlic is a new staple in our garden.  

This was our first year growing 2 different types: Tochilavri (soft neck) and German White (hard neck).  We planted the cloves from the 2 bulbs in the above picture and they produced 21 bulbs of garlic! They were planted in the fall on November 16th, 2013.  The trickiest part of growing garlic is knowing exactly when to harvest!  But have no fear we were successful with harvesting this year.  Here are my tips on harvesting:  

"ochilavri" GarlicPlanting Garlic

Lower leaves turning brown: ready to harvest!

The ideal time to harvest is when 6 or so leaves on the top of the garlic are still green and some of the lower leaves are brown.  A couple of weeks ago the lower leaves of our garlic started turning brown.  Its time to harvest!  

BED #4 Garlic, Lettuce, Onions and Summer Squash

 To prepare for harvesting the garlic needs to have time to dry out and cure.  In order for this to happen stop watering a couple of weeks early (and if it rains wait a week before harvesting).

HARVESTING GARLIC:
STEP 1: Loosen the soil around the bulb using a fork or your hand.  The soil will be fairly compacted so be careful not to damage the bulbs.  Also make sure not to pull on the stems. Carefully lift out the bulbs with your hands and brush off any soil that remains. 

Carefully removing soil around garlic bulb

STEP 2: Make sure to leave the stalks and roots on the bulbs. 

Roots left on bulb for storage

STEP 3: Get the bulbs out of the sun right away. Select a well-ventilated room or dry shaded spot outside (in the shade) and allow the bulbs to cure.  The location should be airy, dry and have some air circulation.  

NOTE: We put down plastic garbage bags under our rug on the deck (to stop rain from coming through the deck onto the garlic below) then hung a PVC pipe under the deck and hung the garlic.  One hour later the rain started pouring and I am happy to say the garlic stayed dry!

Our drying location (under our deck)

STEP 4: Now the waiting begins!  It takes about 3 to 8 weeks for the bulbs to cure.  When the wrappers are dry its time to prepare the bulbs for storage. 

The garlic a week later

 STEP 5: Cut off the tops to an inch above the bulbs and then trim the roots to about 1 inch.  (Do not wash the bulbs).  Remove just the dirtiest layers of the wrappers around the garlic. (Remember the wrapping protects the garlic).

HOW TO STORE GARLIC: 
STEP 6: Store in mesh (net bags) in a location that is cool and dry.  The ideal temperature is 35-50 degrees F.  Some air circulation is also helpful.

Softneck Garlic: Can be stored for 6 to 8 months.  Just make sure its not sprouting or soft.

Hardneck Garlic: Lasts for 2 to 4 months.  If it goes soft, dry or sprouts it has already begun to deteriorate.  If possible keep this variety at 32 degrees F for longer storage. 

Cloves we planted in November 2013. 

Finally keep the best bulbs for replanting in the fall.  Plant around October or November and then enjoy your own garlic harvest in the summer. For details on planting garlic see my previous post: Planting Garlic

Planting Garlic

 This is the first year that we have planted garlic and its exciting to have something growing in the garden during the winter and early spring months.  I have heard that garlic is simple to grow and we decided it was worth trying! In the last post I shared tips on growing garlic and in this post I go further to explain how its planted. 

Tochilavri Garlic

"German White" Garlic is supposed to be an easy garlic to grow if its your first time planting garlic.   It is a very strong variety and easy to peel with a sweet flavor.  It grows well in most of the U.S. and loves cold winters in the north. 

"Tochilavri" Garlic also known as "Red Toch" has up to 18 cloves per bulb.  Its a good garlic to start with because each head produces many new plants.  It also matures earlier than other garlics.  It is a soft neck garlic - See more at: http://followingthemastergardener.blogspot.com/#sthash.25rfoalI.dpuf

"Tochilavri" Garlic also known as "Red Toch" has up to 18 cloves per bulb.  Its a good garlic to start with because each head produces many new plants.  It also matures earlier than other garlics.  It is a soft neck garlic.

German White Garlic

"German White" Garlic is supposed to be an easy garlic to grow if its your first time planting garlic.   It is a very strong variety and easy to peel with a sweet flavor.  It grows well in most of the U.S. and loves cold winters in the north.

Tochilavri (left) German White (right)

Life was busy around our house and the garlic arrived in the mail before I was ready to plant.  I kept it in the refrigerator for a week until I was able to plant around November 16th. It was a very simple planting process.

1. First I broke up the cloves in each bulb.  

2. Then I added an organic fertilizer to the soil and mixed it in with a rake.

  Press them 1 1/2" inches deep into the soil about 6-8" apart.    - See more at: http://followingthemastergardener.blogspot.com/#sthash.25rfoalI.dpuf

3. Next press the cloves 1 1/2" inches deep into the soil spacing them 6-8" apart.

 4.  Then add about 6 inches of leaves (straw or dried grass clippings) for mulch.

In about 4 to 8 weeks (depending on the weather) you should see shoots growing.  

Garlic planted in front portion of BED #4 (far right)

Note: It snowed the week after I planted the bulbs so I won't be seeing any shoots. The bulbs stop growing in the winter and then start up again in the spring.  Then sometime in June you harvest!

Growing Garlic

PLANTING GARLIC IN RAISED BED #4

From left to right Bed #1 through #4

For the first time we decided to plant one bed over the winter.  Garlic was the appropriate choice to plant for the fall!  Last week we ordered 2 different types of garlic : German White & Tochilavri.   

"German White" Garlic is supposed to be an easy garlic to grow if its your first time planting garlic.   It is a very strong variety and easy to peel with a sweet flavor.  It grows well in most of the U.S. and loves cold winters in the north. 

"Tochilavri" Garlic also known as "Red Toch" has up to 18 cloves per bulb.  Its a good garlic to start with because each head produces many new plants.  It also matures earlier than other garlics.  It is a soft neck garlic.  

SOWING GARLIC
1. To protect the cloves from fungal diseases you can soak them in a jar of water containing a tablespoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of liquid seaweed for a couple of hours before planting.  

2. Sow the cloves from mid November to December.  Press them 1 1/2" inches deep into the soil about 6-8" apart.   

3. Use about 6 inches of straw or dried grass clippings mixed with leaves as mulch.  You could see shoots growing in 4 to 8 weeks depending on the weather.  Bulbs will stop growing in the winter and start again in the spring.