Harvesting Garlic

[Mackay]

Hi Everyone, I planted garlic last fall. Shelled out for some too expensive hard neck german garlic. Its now about 18 inches tall and came to life about 9 or 10 weeks ago.

When is the right time to harvest this?

thanks.

 

[hoodat]

When the tops die back and the stem is brittle. Keep them spread out in a not too sunny place for a few days. If you store them while they are too moist they may mold.
In my area I grow the soft neck. They can just be left in the ground. That's what I do. I just dig one at a time as needed. When the season is right the ones still in the ground come back up.

 

[majorcatfish]

once the bottom third leafs turn yellow time to pulled them, and place them in a place that has good airflow.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

for my neck of the woods i harvested in late July, early August. it may be sooner depending on the variety and zone you are in.

 

[hoodat]

We can get two crops of garlic a year here. We plant one in the fall and the other in the Spring. The Fall planted seem to get a bit bigger. I've tried the hardneck but they don't do as well as the softneck here. The softneck tops can be braided together for a nice kitchen hanging. Just pull off the bottom one as needed.

 

[Mackay]

thanks.... they still appear quite green and vibrant so I guess I have to wait a while.

 

[Mackay]

thanks.... they still appear quite green and vibrant so I guess I have to wait a while.

 

[hoodat]

Just a note; occasionally you run across a recipe that calls for green garlic. In case you wonder what that is it is harvested soon after the clove buds and before it begins to divide. The time for harvesting them is short since division begins quickly. Green garlic is always used fresh. It has a more delicate taste than mature garlic. The French sometimes use them to flavor white sauce.

 

[valley ranch]

I love garlic, where garlic belongs, nothing else will do.

 

[majorcatfish]

sigh.. i miss my garlic.....