Harvesting garlic

[Dorothy rouse]

Garlic is looking a bit 'rusty' and developing flower heads, which I have pulled off, is it time it came up? Do most of you dry garlic in the same way as you dry onions? Or do you chop it up and freeze it?

[chilli_grower]

I have just pulled a load of flower stalks off mine, and they will stay in the ground now, until the foliage turns brown.

Then I harvest and just throw the garlic in the freezer...

[Dorothy rouse]

So what would you think another few weeks? Mine sound like yours. They just seem to have been in the ground for soooo long.

[Alison]

I mince loads if mine and make it into lazy garlic by putting it in jars and covering in white wine vinegar so it's ready to use whenever I want it. Used to dry it all out (there's no way it's ever going to find any space in my freezer) but find this much more convenient.


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[Martin H]

Mine have got so much rust it's going to be hard to tell when they turn brown

I'm still planning to give them till the longest day though, another 3 weeks.

Once I do lift them I'm planning to dry them off and store them.

[Richard Eldritch]

Mine are looking a little ragged as well. Still some green on the leaves so I'll wait for while yet. I've tried a epsom salt spray as a folia feed.

[Shadylane]

Mine always get a bit rusty. It's a bit early yet to harvest though. I wouldn't dream of putting them in the freezer - no way I'd have room and they store really well if you dry them off then string them up. I made lazy garlic last year with the ones that had split as they don't store.

[Seagull]

Mine have got so much rust it's going to be hard to tell when they turn brown

I'm still planning to give them till the longest day though, another 3 weeks.

Once I do lift them I'm planning to dry them off and store them.

Mine too. I sprayed them with gin yesterday, so at least if they die, they'll be happy...

[horticultural_hobbit]

When garlic bolts, i tend to snap of the flower head. Occasionally, Ma might cook with it. As for harvesting, I wait til it goes all raffia like and then use a fork to lift. Try to dry it for a few weeks and then use it.

[Dorothy rouse]

Mine too. I sprayed them with gin yesterday, so at least if they die, they'll be happy...

Gin! Never heard of treating garlic to a gin, as you say they'll be happy.

[Richard Eldritch]

Sprayed with epsom salts two days ago, have to say they look greener already.

[jacob]

Many garlics are supposed to put up those flower heads. Chop them off and eat them!

Bit early to harvest (I'd usually go for July sometime), although everything is ahead this year round my way. And I store a bit like onions; they'll be fine until well into the new year.

[chilli_grower]

Now mine have rust!

[Scarlet]

Mine usually come out end of June early July. I plait them up and hang them in my workshop to dry. They usually last until the following spring. If it starts sprouting I make a few jars of lazy garlic to keep me going. I haven't bought garlic for years.
Pic of my harvest last year hanging up.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Yep! Same as Scarlet! End of June, early July, dry n plait em, well the "Soft necks" use the "Hard necked" in cooking first!