How do I know when my garlic is ready?

[eskymo]

Hi all

I've never been able to figure out when to pull up my garlic. I planted it out in October/November last year inside a cold frame along with my broad beans and some over wintering lettuces and it's been happily growing away. I took the lid off the cold frame today and moved it onto another base to protect other veg I'm just starting off as I needed to put up supports for my broad beans.

Do you think the garlic is ready to pull up now?

How do you know?

[bramble]

Hi Eskymo, no the garlic wont be ready until June. When the foliage dies down its then time to dig it up. Leave it in the sun to dry out for a few days.
Theres no need to grow garlic in a cold frame as its completely hardy and its a common belief that a bit of cold improves the flavor.
Hope this helps.
Gabrielle.

[rauni]

I tried planting garlic in the autumn for the first time last year, and its massive now! I'm so impressed. Obviously totally hardy as its been a cold winter. I think standing wet is a problem, so you can put it in ridges for autumn plantings (tho I didn't bother). It's as big now as my previous (spring planted) efforts have been when they were lifted, so I'm looking forward to a bumper crop. Yum.

[eskymo]

have you harvested some now?

[GardenFan]

I planted mine around september time and it put on a growing spell, stopped over winter then started again in spring. It really now needs spring and early summer temps to complete its growing cycle. As recommended before you need to treat it like potatoes and lift when the leaves die back around June\July time. I would wait really

[rauni]

Oh yes, I won't lift it til it's ready. It's just dead exciting when things get better every year.... might actually be learning a thing or two