Comments on: Garlic Harvest

By: Tomato Lady

Tomato Lady — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:16:03 +0000

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.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:45:19 +0000

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

By: Handful

Handful — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:25:57 +0000

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.

By: sharon

sharon — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:32:55 +0000

thanks for the tips! I will definately be trying it again!

By: TL

TL — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:37:27 +0000

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.

By: Viki

Viki — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:51:13 +0000

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.

By: sharon

sharon — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:17:05 +0000

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???

By: TL

TL — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:51:21 +0000

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.

By: LisaPie

LisaPie — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:34:36 +0000

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!

By: TL

TL — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 05:00:55 +0000

It is easy. I should have been raising garlic for years. So rewarding.