Harvesting Garlic

Shannon Pacilli

As summer wanes, the time comes to pay some attention to those garlic cloves we planted last fall.  The garlic shown in this video was planted November 15, 2017 and harvested on August 6, 2018.

Harvesting Garlic

Since garlic is a cool weather crop, growth halts when the soil temperature reaches 80-90 degrees.  The tops of your garlic will begin to turn brown and die back, indicating it’s time for harvest. If you’re growing a scape producing variety, this will happen approximately 3 weeks after you see the scape.  If you’re not sure that your garlic is ready, test one bulb by digging it up and looking for the differentiation of individual cloves. To get a good wrapper layer, it’s best to harvest the garlic when 3-4 leaves are still partially green.

If harvested early when individual cloves have not yet differentiated, or if left in the ground too long so that cloves have burst out of their wrapper (likely not storable), not to worry.  Bulbs harvested a bit early can be eaten as “Spring garlic.” These have a delectably fresh and delicate garlic flavor. Those harvested a little late are still delicious but must be used quickly, as they will not store long.  

It is important to avoid damage to the garlic bulb when harvesting.  Use a garden fork or shovel to dig straight down a few inches away from the bulb and lift.  If growing a hardneck variety, you can gently pull the stem after loosening up surrounding soil.  Do not pull the stem of softneck varieties. This may cause breaks or tears in the neck, making them more vulnerable to spoilage organisms.  After cloves have been lifted from the ground, remove the excess soil but do not wash them.

Cure garlic for at least 4 weeks in a warm, dark, well-ventilated place.  Bulbs can be hung to dry or laid out on a screen. Test dryness by rolling the neck between your fingers.  If the neck goes flat and does not roll, bulbs are dry enough. To store, trim roots closely and clip stems, leaving ¼ to ½ inch intact.  

Ideally, garlic will keep for up to 6-8 months.  It stores best below 40 degrees and above 60 degrees.  Storing garlic at temperatures between 40 degrees and 56 degrees encourages premature sprouting.  Make sure to check on stored garlic from time to time. Anything going soft or beginning to sprout should be used as soon as possible.    

The time for sowing seed garlic is fast approaching, so don’t forget to save your biggest and best cloves for next year’s crop.  If you need a refresher, check out 4 Easy Steps for Homegrown Garlic.