http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XCLZE 3 July 2010 Garlic Harvest
The garlic was dug today and the curing process was started, which will take about three weeks to complete. This is hard neck garlic and I use cloves from year to year from the current harvest. There are 88 bulbs total and ten were culled due to small size and some were damaged when digging. I choose to harvest at this time, since some of the leaves were changing color to brown, and usually the beginning of July is the time to dig in my area. This bed was planted in October of 2009, heavily mulched, and not touched until this harvest. There was still some moisture present at the root level. The quality and size is typical for this type of garlic.
Garlic Harvest. When to Harvest Garlic?
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grahamhobbs
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Re: Garlic Harvest. When to Harvest Garlic?
Some people say plant garlic on the longest day and lift on the shortest day. This is not the best idea, they do better if planted earlier than December and may not be ready before the end of June, as I found out to my expense.
I lifted one lot of garlic 21st June, as the leaves were beginning to go brown although this was a bit obscured because they got hit with rust in the last couple of weeks, and asked my OH to lift the next lot the following weekend. She called to say they were a bit small (they were different varieties) but in the end she decided to lift them. When I saw them I realised she had lifted them when they should have been left for another week or two - the bulb hadn't grown to its full extent and the cloves within the bulb hadn't seperated.
So different varieties take different times, yes they should be lifted when the leaves start to die off - but check that the cloves have formed properly.
I lifted one lot of garlic 21st June, as the leaves were beginning to go brown although this was a bit obscured because they got hit with rust in the last couple of weeks, and asked my OH to lift the next lot the following weekend. She called to say they were a bit small (they were different varieties) but in the end she decided to lift them. When I saw them I realised she had lifted them when they should have been left for another week or two - the bulb hadn't grown to its full extent and the cloves within the bulb hadn't seperated.
So different varieties take different times, yes they should be lifted when the leaves start to die off - but check that the cloves have formed properly.
Re: Garlic Harvest. When to Harvest Garlic?
How can you check they have separated without digging them up? Mine aren't dying off yet but wind has blown a couple right over so thinking of digging those out.
Re: Garlic Harvest. When to Harvest Garlic?
Knowing the time in the ground helps, but digging one up is not difficult. They are expensive but not the price of gold, and the one dug up can be used even if small.bobby280 wrote:How can you check they have separated without digging them up? Mine aren't dying off yet but wind has blown a couple right over so thinking of digging those out.
Re: Garlic Harvest. When to Harvest Garlic?
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?NTYRF 16 July 2010 Hardneck Garlic further drying.
Garlic has been drying in the shed for about 15 days, and was trimmed today for further drying (curing). Adequate drying insures long storage life. Four bulbs equals one pound weight. The bulbs are almost uniform in size. The largest bulbs were selected for seed stock to be planted in October 2010. There are five to six cloves in each bulb. There are about 60 bulbs or about 15 pounds for consumption.
Garlic has been drying in the shed for about 15 days, and was trimmed today for further drying (curing). Adequate drying insures long storage life. Four bulbs equals one pound weight. The bulbs are almost uniform in size. The largest bulbs were selected for seed stock to be planted in October 2010. There are five to six cloves in each bulb. There are about 60 bulbs or about 15 pounds for consumption.