Tips for Successful Garlic Harvests

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This story is about an ending, the harvest of garlic.  I’ve waited nine months to extract bulbs from the soil. It’s the middle of August and my garlic is ready to be moved out of the garden to be dried.  The garlic leaves are half green and half brown.  The ground has dried out from the moisture received a few days ago making digging easier.  I’ve received advice from a commercial garlic grower. I am ready to dig. 

Garlic bulbs are sensitive and easily bruised.  They require a light hand.  I use a fork and dig as far from the bulb as possible while still giving it a nudge to lift it out of the ground.  Once out, I give the bulbs a gentle brush with my hand to remove excess soil that might still cling.  The advice from the grower included avoiding sunlight and retaining the stalks and roots during the drying process.  The taste and quality of the bulbs can deteriorate within three hours if left in the sunlight.  While lifting be sure to sort by variety.  I’ve lost any hope of knowing the varieties I grow because I skipped this step a few years ago. 

I dry my bulbs on an old mesh patio table.  A more common practice is to hang the bulbs from the stems.  In zone 3 we grow hard-necked garlic so braiding is not recommended as it interferes with good air circulation and the drying process.  The pretty braided garlic is best left to the soft-necked type grown in southern states.  The garlic should be dry in 2-6 weeks depending on humidity and temperature.  Once the bulbs are dry, cut the stalks two inches above the bulb, the roots stay intact to retain flavor.  I give them another light brush to remove any remaining soil. 

Once cleaned up, but not washed, I move my bulbs to mesh bags like the ones used for onions or potatoes.  They go to the pantry that is dry and dark with temperatures ranging from 60-70⁰ which is about perfect.  Again, if you want to retain variety names it’s best to label and separate the garlic into separate bags.  Not all bulbs go to the pantry as they are ready to use right out of the garden.  Drying is essential though if storing for any length of time to avoid mold.  I also dry those that will be used for next year’s crop by separating out the best bulbs to plant in October. 
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A successful harvest means (1) not damaging the bulbs, (2) the right timing in digging them from the garden, (3) drying thoroughly so the bulbs will store well, (4) keeping them out of the sunlight to keep as much flavor as possible, and (5) most importantly use them.   The links below are for a few favorite recipes.  

Roasted Garlic Spread
​Garlic Cream Cheese, Garlic Fudge & Refrigerated Pickled Garlic