Harvesting Elephant Garlic.

[spider8]

I know this is so similar to ordinary garlic and harvesting should be the same for elephant garlic but I haven't grown either before.........I planted my elephant garlic cloves in late October/early November (bad memory!) and it's grown well but the outer leaves have only just started turning brown, most are still healthy green. Do I just wait longer for them to turn really brown and dry? Seem's like they've been growing there forever!

[Green Aura]

Don't know honey, but someone will.

Just wanted to tell you we're coming to Orkney for a day trip next week - our wedding anniversary present to ourselves Coach trip unfortunately, although it was recommended to us. Thought it'd be a good taster session for a longer trip some other time.

How's that for hijacking a thread - odsox eat your heart out

[spider8]

Hummm............I wonder if it would freeze (as in Odsox's entry in the cooking topic) but it could be too fat a clove for that to work . I planted six cloves - yes, too many really - one hasn't done much and looks weady and sickly but the other five look good so perhaps I'll try hanging some in the garage and see if they dry okay, freeze the weady one and see what happens. Think I'll leave them in a bit longer, another two to three weeks perhaps. Thanks for your help (raw spuds ).
Okay Green Aura, hope your trip to Orkney is a good one and the sun shines for you on your special day (how many years is it 'cos I'm nosey?).

[Green Aura]

Only 4th!!! We didn't like to make any hasty decisions (our daughter is 25 this year ).

[spider8]

Ha! I like that. Have a lovely time and if you go across Barrier No. 1 to the Italian Chapel perhaps, we live in the village just before it - St. Mary's .

[spider8]

Well I pulled the elephant garlic up the other day and although it looked fine, it wasn't the size I'd hoped for. The bulbs were about 2 1/2 inches across (hoping for more like 4 inches) but were healthy enough. They are now hanging bulbs-down in the shed......hope this is right? Sunday roast will have a whole bulb roasted with it, yum!