This is my first crop of garlic and I’ve been confused about when to harvest it. Discussion about counting layers of skin, number of leaves, etc. In the end, I needn’t have worried. The garlic itself told me–it fell over. Just laid down and said, “I’m exhausted. Come ‘n get me.”
There were other signs; the lower leaves had begun to die and, well, it’s late spring in the South. Time.
By the way, falling over isn’t the best indication your garlic is ready–it may mean it has been left a little too long. It worked out pretty well for me this time, though.
I have to say this was one of the most rewarding harvest experiences I’ve ever had. I can’t get over how I can get a whole head of garlic from one little clove. Duh, I know, but . . . garlic. Amazing. And so easy–I just loosened each one a bit with a trowel and found a 4-year old to pull them out for me.
Almost 30 heads of garlic. I’m thrilled.
I’m going to get a little pushy here and order my dear readers around. If you’ve never grown garlic, repent your ways and get out your calendar. Figure out about when the first frost of the year happens and mark on that date in assertive letters: PLANT GARLIC NOW.
When that day arrives, PLANT IT. Even if it is only a handful of cloves you got from the supermarket (mine were–not officially recommended, but it worked). Plant them by the mailbox. Plant them in the front flowerbed. Anywhere.
You will thank me.
Here is a good resource for detailed garlic growing advice.
The classic reference book on the subject is Growing Great Garlic: The Definitive Guide for Organic Gardeners and Small Farmers.
Do it.
P.S.: In later posts we’ll talk curing and we’ll see how adept I am at braiding . . .
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I really must give garlic a try! Your harvest looks great. I’m anxious to see how you finish them off for storage! Congratulations! Well done!
Thanks, Donna! I’m going to take a look at braiding them very soon. Do plant some, they are the best!
Good Morning,
This is the first comment I’ve made to you, but I have been following for several months and have learned A LOT from you, thank you!
For the garlic, is this the only harvest you will get this year, and will braiding them cause them to last longer? If so, how long should they keep.
Have a great day,
Kimberly
Hi, Kimberly!
Thank you very much!
This is my only garlic harvest this year. Perhaps had I also put in a late winter/early spring crop I would have another sometime early this summer.
Braiding is not necessary, you can just tie them up in bundles and hang them for storage or lay them out in a dry, dark spot, but braiding is a pretty and compact way to go.
Under good conditions, and if you have enough, they should last you until the next year’s harvest.
Thanks for your comment! We appreciate your support.
Ivory:
It is very nice to grow garlic, besides they last very long. Unlike the onions, garlics have leaves, or chemical compounds in their leaves-skin and themselves that do not alloud to grow another plants (in my case were trees), if you add them to the compost. Just to let you know the experience I had once, but not garlic as a plant, they grow very well, next to almost all vegetables. I have never made a research, but please read if it is true, or it was just a bad spot, that my Daddy told me previous owners used to dry and throw garlic non useful parts.
Nothing that a garlic soup for the common cold, or just a garlic bread…mmmm
Ruth
Thanks for the garlic 101 lesson. When I purchased my seed potatoes and onion sets last month they also sold garlic to plant in the garden. I don’t remember seeing a date to plant on the package … so just planted it … I’ll be curious to see how far along it develops before the fall. Guess I’ll be using it as fresh garlic throughout the summer … and planting more later this year.
Interesting. I’ve never heard that before.
I have heard about it’s healing abilities.
I say it’s better to plant it whenever than not to plant it at all. It will probably do well.
Will have to try this come fall!
Which plants grew better, the cloves you treated or the ones you didn’t?
The untreated ones all did well. Many of the treated ones did just as well. It is a tough call. I think the main variable was clove size–the bigger cloves make larger heads of garlic.
Absolutely! We planted last November, and aside from a little weeding and and a few waterings it was effortless – as easy as radishes, and far more useful! Now it’s almost ready, and an unseasonable thunderstorm these past few days means I probably won’t even have to water it again.
(Chesnook Red and Bavarian Purple did very well here in Western Oregon’s Coast Range Mountains. Chinese Pink started off too fast and mostly didn’t make it through the winter. We planted in single-dug former pasture with several inches of compost worked in)
Love that Garlic….I put a few up in the early spring…they are hanging in…
I don’t know what will happen with them…But I have marked my calender
for the first frost…..and am going to plant lots o garlic….Can’t wait to see
the blog about the braiding…..love that look…..
Thanks
Faith
I’ve always wanted to try growing garlic because I love eating it. I’ll have to give it a go this fall.
I plow through it pretty fast myself. I don’t think I can cook a meal without it.
Early spring is good, too.
I have them cleaned and may start the braiding tomorrow. Stay tuned . . .
It is easy. I should have been raising garlic for years. So rewarding.
Hi TL and Ivory,
I hope you don’t mind that I have nominated your site for an award at:
http://www.socialluxelounge.com/blogluxe/
Under the category “Blog You Have Learned The Most From”
Maybe you could put a little thing at the top of your site to let your readers know that we can all vote for you once a day from each of our email accounts?
Good Luck! You girls deserve to win!
Oh no! Bad squirrels!
The supermarket garlic probably already has some age on it when it gets to you, so it isn’t anything you are doing. You do want to store it out of the sun in the proverbial cool, dry, airy spot, of course.
We tried to grow some garlic last spring, but the squirrels decided that they wanted it more than we did! I am amazed to learn that your harvested garlic will last that long! What am i doing wrong that mine from the grocery store starts to sprout after a couple weeks???
Garlic is a wonderful plant. I’ve been growing garlic for years and you can plant it fall or spring. I live in the deep south and plant it anywhere from Oct-Dec. It is best to let it have some growth before it freezes. Come spring it will put on new growth and then flower- I snap off the flower heads so more energy goes to the bulbs but you don’t have to do that. Did you know you can eat the leaves, flowers and bulbs of the garlic? Some pe0ple around here just leave the garlic in the ground and pick it when needed that is an option. I always save some garlic to replant. To help with those pesky squirrels try sprinkling red pepper flakes over your garlic bed and reapply after a really hard rain.
Someone told me recently about eating the leaves and flowers–I had never thought of that!
Good tip about the pepper flakes. Lots of people have mentioned the squirrels getting all their bulbs.
thanks for the tips! I will definately be trying it again!
Surprising that the squirrels like it so much…must be afraid of vampires!
And what a beautiful harvest! I agree with Ivory – garlic goes into almost everything I make unless it is sweet! Can’t get enough. One of my favorite ways to fix just garlic is to remove outer husks, trim the top of the whole head so the tops are exposed and bake (or nuke) mostly submurged in some chicken broth & dotted with butter & chives. When it is soft squeeze from the husks and spread on crispy baguette & dip into the broth. Just make sure you don’t have a date or that your significant other has some as well!
I have garlic growing wild at my home but the bulbs are very tiny – almost more work than it is worth! I tried replanting some this fall – perhaps they are like flower bulbs and need to be thinned every so often? We will see. I also planted some elaphant garlic cloves from the grocery. Don’t know if they grow in my area (NW OH) but I hope so!
I read to plant in the late fall so they can begin to root before it frosts and harvest when the leaves begin to turn brown. Don’t need to water much especially after established. It makes it more “garlicy” just like witholding water from hot pepper plants after established (unless they begin to wilt of course!) makes the peppers hotter.
Have grown my own garlic for many years. Have always cured,then blanched in hot water for seconds,just to get skin off & then packed in container & covered with olive oil & placed in my fridge. Have had garlic up till June of following year. Always so good.
Last year we had a problem with mold & we were afraied to use it & threw it out. Please help. Why was it so good for many years & then bad when I did nothing different. Thank you
Nancy–I’ve never packed mine in oil. I can only speculate that at some point mold spores were introduced and the conditions were right for their development. Storing them dry works well for me. If you like the oil-packed method I would suggest packing them like that in small batches that you can use rather quickly, reserving the bulk of your harvest in a cool, dry environment simply cured. That way you can continue to have them in oil without risking your entire year’s garlic. Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you. Best of luck.