Harvesting and curing garlic.
Harvesting and curing garlic comes at the end of its rather long, but rewarding growing season. It’s why getting this stage right is so vital. We want to leave it as long as possible to get big bulbs, but not risk losing it. Once the garlic has started to die back it’s time to get it out of the ground. If left too long it can start to split the bulbs. This increases the chance of rotting, and lack of storage. To harvest it is better to not water for a few days. Letting the soil dry out a little makes it easier to remove the bulbs.
Gently remove the soil from around the top of the bulb to expose the whole of it. Don’t be fooled by it’s stem. Don’t be temped to pull the plant by the stem. The roots of garlic can reach down deep, so there is risk of snapping the stem at the base. It is better to insert a trowel, or fork several inches from the side, down and under the bulb to lift it. Take care not to pierce the bulb with the fork, but if this happens use this bulb first.
How to cure garlic
Once you have all your garlic out of the ground it is time to cure it. In warm dry climates it can be laid in a single row to dry out in the sun. However, where there is a chance of rain, or high humidity it is better brought under cover. I like to remove the first layer of leaves, so the bulbs are clean. I then cut the roots short with scissors. Once fully dried I will set aside my largest bulbs as seed for the coming Autumn. If you have grown hardneck garlic you wait for it to fully dry before cutting the stem down to a suitable length for storage. Softneck garlic can be left the same, or plaited before the stems become too dried out. Store in a cool area out of direct sunlight.
Of course, garlic can be used as soon as it comes out of the ground. This is called green garlic, and is milder than before being cured. It is very good roasted, and a good way to use up any damaged bulbs.
Garlic Rust
In some cases plants may suffer from a fungal issue called Garlic Rust. Little rust coloured spots that rapidly spread over the leaves make it easy to identify. It can soon spread throughout an entire crop. There are various reasons for its spread, but constant high humidity and rain are main factors. If using insect netting to protect your crop from allium leaf minor, make sure there is adequate ventilation.It may be that the rust spreads so quickly the leaves lose the ability to function. At this point it is better to remove the garlic from the ground.
Instead of risking the rust spreading through the crop during curing, I remove as much of the infected foliage as possible. Again, this harvest may not store as long, but it is best viewed as a rescue. We do have recipes to preserve a harvest that needs using quickly for longer storage.
Honey Fermented Garlic
Pickled garlic
You can see our related video on harvesting garlic here-