Garlic is an herb that has countless health benefits. Planting and harvesting garlic is straightforward if you know how.
Knowing the right time to harvest garlic can be tricky. You can pull the bulbs too early and harvest small garlic indeed a immature state.
If you harvest too late, the bulbs will dry out and perhaps crack; the trick to a good harvest is actually in the leaves.
To tell if garlic wants to be harvested, look at the bottom leaves. Once the bottom leaves start turning brown, it’s time to think about harvesting.
Garlic is an underground clove that shall only be exposed after you harvest it. Thus, timing is everything! Read on to discover and learn how and when to harvest garlic.
How Many Varieties Of Garlic Are There?
In general, garlic is classified into two main types. Nevertheless, each of the main types has many subspecies.
Let’s look quickly at some of the main types;
Softneck Garlic
Known scientifically as Allium sativum, softneck garlic is a derivative of hardneck garlic.
This type of garlic is characterized by the soft stalks that grow above the ground.
Sometimes people refer to it as braid garlic; this is a method of storage that is inherent to the softneck variety.
Although the flavor is strong and spicy, the cloves are small and challenging to peel.
Additionally – It matures faster than hardneck garlic and produces larger quantities of cloves. The distinct types of softneck garlic include artichoke and silverskin.
All of these reasons contribute to them being the best variety of garlic commercially.
You are more likely to find softneck garlic at the grocery store than hardneck. It is general knowledge that softneck garlic has a longer shelf life and is easier to store.
Hardneck Garlic
Scientific Name: Allium stivum ophioscorodon, hardneck garlic has the most flavor out of all garlic types.
Usually characterized by firm stalks that have a few cloves per plant but very large bulbs.
Hardneck garlic was originally cultivated from wild garlic grows in all colors and has a robust spicy flavor.
Due to their size, the bulbs are easier to peel than the softneck variety.
The tall stems and flowering buds of hardneck garlic are called garlic scapes.
Garlic scapes resemble wavy green beans, and they are edible. You can chop the scapes into pieces to include in salads or in stir fry dishes.
Most garlic farmers find it necessary to trim the stalk in the summer so that, the bulbs get all of their nutrients.
Common types of hardneck garlic:
- rocambole
- porcelain
- creole
- and the purple stripes variety
What Is The Best Time To Plant Garlic?
Garlic is ideally seen to thrive only in the cooler months of the year.
Farmers have suggested anytime from early October to early March.
This is best, because garlic needs at least 30 days of cold weather so the garlic can sprout into cloves.
However, at different times of the year, and even into warmer growing seasons, garlic can still be planted and produce good cloves.
There will be some downsides if you plant in the warm season, because they will not have the true look and shape of traditional garlic.
Garlic produces 1 large clove when planted in warm seasons.
You will find that, although these might seem odd, these singular flavor guns (example Kashmiri garlic) are a bit common in some areas.
When to Harvest Garlic
As the warm weather arrives, garlic plants start forming bulbs.
Most garlic varieties should be ready to harvest during the warm months of June – August.
However, harvest time does depend on:
- planting date
- region, and
- garlic variety
So how do you know when to harvest?
Garlic will take anywhere from 8 to 9 months to reach full maturity. Some regions start early harvest as early as May.
Interestingly, hardneck garlic will mature faster than softneck garlic.
So it is important to monitor moisture levels and different growth stages to make the best decision on harvest time.
The preferred method for determining the garlic harvest date is determinant on the leaves.
Once leaving begin turning in color, changing from green to yellow, or light brown, you will begin harvesting. Keep in mind it is only the bottom leaves turning color not the entire plant.
Each of the leaves on the bottom of plant represent layers of skin on the bulb. When you harvest when most of the skin is still intact, the garlic will have more scent and flavor.
If you wait, and harvest after all of the leaves are brown (late harvest), the cloves will lose some of the protection (skin) and will lose some of their flavor and aroma. The extra skin also protects the bulbs from disease and pests which slows spoiling on the shelf.
When it comes to hardneck garlic, the plant is ready for harvest once half of the leaves are brown, and half are still green.
For Softneck Garlic harvest once the bottom (or more) than half the leaves turn a yellowish color. It is always wise to lift two to three plants first, to check quality before harvesting the rest of the field.
How to Harvest Garlic
There are several tips necessary to prepare your garlic garden for harvest.
They are:
- When planting, be sure to space your garlic so that harvest will be easier. Six inches will stop damage to the next plant when lifted.
- Keep watering the plants, even when the first leaves are starting to yellow and the stalks are limp.
- Once half, or more, of the leaves change color, stop watering about 7 days before you plan to harvest. Excess moisture when the bulb is ready to come out of the soil can rot the bulb. It is also much easier and neater to lift the plants from dry soil.
When you are ready to harvest, collect the tools you will need.
You will need a garden fork, scissors, and a storage sack:
- If both hands are available, leverage the garden fork by pushing the tines directly underneath the bulb area from the base of the root. This should loosen the soil enough to pull the plant out of the ground. Pulling the plant may damage the bulbs if the fork prongs poke them. Blemished cloves may shorten shelf life.
- Fingers can be used to loosen the plant root in order to get it out easier rather than just yanking, if the bulb does not want to detach from the soil. Shake off excess soil (the plant can be held by the stalk).
- Brush off excess dirt from the bulb. Don’t wash the bulb, because that adds additional moisture. Moisture introduces more opportunities for infecting the cloves with rot. It is best to keep the light skin around the bulb in case you process the garlic directly after harvest.
- The roots and top stalks can be cut off in preparation for curing and storage.
- Bulbs can then be sorted by size and the health of the cloves. When garclic is replanted the next season, it is best to use larger healthy cloves to produce a robust crop.
- You can pack what is required for use in a storage sack. You can also create a garlic braid using the soft stems of softneck garlic, to hang up in your kitchen.
Curing and storage of garlic
Is curing garlic necessary before eating it?
Garlic is not required to cure. If you pick garlic you can eat it right away. But what is curing garlic?
Curing garlic is hanging garlic in a cool, dry place to help draw out any extra moisture present in the garlic. It also helps settle the flavors for long-term storage.
Softneck garlic can last over 6 months in dry, open storage. Hardneck garlic will last about 4 months.
If you want your hardneck garlic to last longer, store it almost to freezing. The room you use should be naturally cold not a refrigerator or cold room that will introduce moisture.
Final Thoughts
Garlic is an indispensable item in your home kitchen. The payoff of successfully growing and now harvesting your herbs is something I find incredibly satisfying.
You need to make sure you are harvesting garlic at the right time for every crop you plant.
If your first harvest is not the best it can be, remember to closely follow the advice you have read and practice these garlic growing tips in your own garden next time. Soon, you will be garlic experts!