Dig them up too early and you have small bulbs, barely more than a clove. But wait too long, and the bulbs can split and separate in the ground. To reap your crop at the optimal time, you must become adept at reading the leaves, because the correct ratio of brown to green leaves is the best way to predict when ripe bulbs need to be lifted.
Garlic, Allium sativum , belongs to the Allium genus, a large group with numerous species that include chives , leeks , onions , scallions, and shallots.
For the home garden, there are two subspecies to know about, which contain all 10 of the culinary types. Hardnecks, A. These families or sub-varietal groups contain all of the different hardneck cultivars that you may find in nurseries and catalogs. Hardnecks feature flavorful, easy-to-peel bulbs that are typically planted in the fall in regions with cold winters. Plants develop a rigid seed stalk, or scape, and bolt in late spring to set aerial seeds called bulbils.
But for the largest bulbs, scapes should be removed before the flowers open, cutting them close to the stem base. Until recently, Asiatic, Creole, and Turban types were considered softneck subspecies. Softnecks, A. They lack the rigid center stem of hardnecks, and their soft foliage tends to flop as plants mature — which also makes them easier to braid for storage. Softnecks are the type most often found in grocery stores, because they have the best storage life. Garlic plants are triggered to set bulbs by warm weather and are typically harvested in early summer, from mid-June to August, depending on your region and the varieties you are growing.
However, in areas with mild winters like the southern United States, lifting can begin as early as May. The calendar gives a general guideline, but maturity is more dependent on location and weather conditions.
Variations in the spring emergence of shoots, summer temperatures, and moisture levels all play important roles in bulb maturation, and harvest times can vary by a week or two from year to year. Plus, the types of varieties grown can make a difference in harvest time as well, with some taking longer to mature than others. As a rule of thumb, Asiatic and Turban types reach maturity first, followed by Artichoke, Creole, and Rocambole varieties.
Knowing when to harvest garlic is as simple as watching the leaves die off, first turning yellow and then light brown. For hardnecks, wait three to four weeks after the scapes have been removed and the brown-to-green leaf ratio is half and half, or two-thirds to one-third. Well-developed, intact tunics are what retains flavor and fragrance. And if all the leaves have died, the tunic will be thin and patchy.
This can prompt the cloves to split and separate, exposing them to moisture loss, pests, and a shorter storage life. Most hardneck cultivars though, should have their flower stems removed before this time, because growing a flower stem reduces the nutrients going to the bulb so that bulbs are smaller. But there is also some evidence to show that leaving the flower stem attached until after curing will lengthen storage times. So you may need to choose between bulb size and length of storage!
Garlic that has been planted in light soils can just be pulled out of the ground. Shake or brush off any excess dirt. Some books and articles suggest drying the bulbs in the sun for a few days before curing. This may be OK in cool countries and climates, but in Australia our summers get too hot and the bulbs are likely to get sunburnt. In dry areas, some growers place freshly dug bulbs in groups on top of the soil, to dry out and start the curing process.
They are arranged so that the green leaves from one clump of bulbs, protect the next clump from the sun. However, even then some garlic bulbs can get sunburnt, and the dramatic rise and fall in temperature from day to night can harm the bulb, reducing storage times. If an appropriate space is available they are better cured under cover, where temperatures fluctuate less. An old window screen, resting on sawhorses or something similar, makes a good drying tray.
Or hang them from the eaves, as long as they are out of the sun. Leave them for a minimum of two to three weeks but if you can leave them for two months then they are likely to store for longer. In more humid areas it is a good idea to cut the roots really short or remove them altogether as they can act as a wick absorbing moisture and carrying it to the bulb thus increasing the chance of fungal diseases.
Also, keep an eye on the leaves and if they show any sign of going mouldy, cut them off immediately because this mould will spread to the bulb. Curing is particularly important if the bulbs are not quite mature, as the bulb continues to absorb moisture and nutrients from the stem and leaves after harvest. Take care to plant them the right way up, with the flat basal plate facing downwards and the pointed end upwards.
Space the cloves 15cm 6in apart, with the tip 2. Space rows 30cm 1ft apart. Prevent birds from pulling up newly planted cloves by covering with horticultural fleece until well rooted in. On heavy, wet soil, garlic is best started off in modules in autumn, overwintered in a coldframe or unheated greenhouse, then planted out in spring.
Although garlic is usually trouble-free, it can be affected by similar pests and diseases as onions and leeks, including leek rust , onion white rot , allium leaf-mining fly and leek moth.
Unfavourable growing conditions may also lead to:. Called top sets, the cloves can be used in the normal way. Softneck garlic occasionally produces flower stalks as a result of adverse growing conditions, such as high temperatures or drought.
They can be used as normal, but are unlikely to store well. A soil-borne fungus that can cause yellowing and wilting of the foliage above ground, while rotting the roots and invading the bulb beneath the soil. A white fluffy fungus appears on the base of the bulb and later becomes covered in small, round black structures. There is no chemical cure for onion white rot when it is the soil. It is important to avoid introduction to previously clean sites.
It is transported in contaminated soil, for example on tools or on muddy footwear. Take particular care in areas where cross contamination can occur easily, for example on allotments. This is a fungal disease causing bright yellow spots on the leaves. It is often worse in long, wet spells. There is no control for rust once you have the infection. Birds, especially pigeons, can cause an array of problems including eating seedlings, buds, leaves, fruit and vegetables. Protect the plants from birds by covering them with netting or fleece.
Scarecrows and bird-scaring mechanisms work for a while, but the most reliable method of protection is to cover plants with horticultural fleece or mesh. While the bulbs are still growing, you can harvest a few of the green leaves to use as a garnish or in salads. Garlic bulbs are ready to harvest once the leaves have turned yellow. Autumn-planted garlic is ready in early summer and spring-planted from mid-summer to early autumn. Try not to delay harvesting, as the bulbs open up and store less well if lifted late.
Carefully dig up the bulbs with a fork. Handle them gently, as bruising also reduces their storage potential. Alternatively, place in a dry, well-ventilated shed or similar environment. Expect drying to take two to four weeks, depending on the weather. If you spot any mould, you can speed up drying using a fan heater, but this is not usually necessary.
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