Harvesting garlic how do you do it?

[gixxerific]

I have looked around and find there are many ideas on the right way. Which is normal.

Who do you do it? Do you leave the tops and roots on for first few day's like you would an onion. Do you leave them outside in the shade or the sun for a few day's. Do they need to hung, or can they just be cured on a table inside. Would a garage be a better place to cure or the cool basement. So many questions I know.

A small how to would help myself and many others here o this board doing garlic for the first time.

Thanks

Dono

[applestar]

Here's one NOT to do:

Don't wash the garlic. I have "mucky" soil from all the lovely earthworms doing their thing, and the stuff just CLINGS. So last year, I carefully washed off about 1/2 dozen garlic that I harvested, then hung them on the garden fence to dry off in the sun.

I really thought I got them completely dried before bringing inside, but it turned out that some water had been trapped inside between the cloves and they started to mold/rot from the middle after about a week or two. I had to completely separate the cloves, which of course, meant they didn't last as long in storage as well.

[gixxerific]

Sorry to hear. Yes I know not to wash anything that is an underground fruit. At least not until they have been cured fully, even than not till eating time. Normally the drying period makes the dirt just fall off. Well in a perfect world.

Did you let the ground dry up a few weeks before harvest? It is easier to remove in drier soil and cleaner as well.

Now back to the harvest.

[gumbo2176]

Not sure if this is the proper method of gathering and curing garlic, but this is what I did this year.

I waited till the ground was dry and that was not hard since we've had little rain. I pulled all the garlic plants and laid them out of boards set up between 2 saw horses. I gave them enough room as to not crowd them and let them dry under my 2nd story back porch in a warm, but shaded area. Once the tops dry out, I cut them and the roots off and removed the first layer or two of "paper" along with the dirt. I now have about 80 heads of nice, clean garlic in my storage drawer in my kitchen.

[DoubleDogFarm]

I lift the garlic from the garden with a garden fork and shake off most of the soil. Then I lay them out on a table to dry.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20produce/DSC02409.jpg[/img]

Then, I also remove a single layer of wrapping, tops and roots.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20produce/DSC02356.jpg[/img]

Eric

[applestar]

Taking careful notes.
But actually those 6 were a fraction of the harvest. Just figured I'd mention it as being a no, no.

[gixxerific]

DDF sorry but I'm anal and need clarification, yes I even triple, quadruple check myself a lot.

You lay them out on a table, how long 2-3 day's? Than you say you cut off the tops and such, now I'm thinking this is after the table drying, right?
Than I suppose they need a few weeks to fully cure inside in a cool dry place (NOT a fridge right?).

[DoubleDogFarm]

Not like Apple, I'm lousy at note taking.

Depends on the weather, but 2-3 days sounds about right. Any chance of rain inside they go. Then I usually cut the tops, leaving maybe 4". Next remove a layer of paper and all the roots. A week or two later I remove the rest of the top. This is what they look like ready for sale or storage.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Double%20Dog%20Farm%20produce/DSC02610.jpg[/img]

Cutting the tops twice may sound wrong, but it works for me.
Eric

[gixxerific]

Oh I take notes but than I loose said notes and go back to square one.

Thanks for the info everyone.

I am down with the garden fork (except I broke mine yesterday ) I have also seen a lot of people who leave several inches on the stem, I suppose after they are cured removing that wouldn't matter too much. I was pretty much going with your way DDF, by the way nice looking garlic. I did peek at one today and it was a big'un.

DDF's method is what I saw the most of in smaller plots. But Marlingardener's method is more of a large scale method, I mean hundreds of acres method. I'm sure this works well too, it must, that is what the real farmers do. The ones we buy our bulbs from. The ones with thousands of bulbs hanging from rafters. I guess it does take a little longer without the outside initial drying but in the end we arrive at the same conclusion.

I even though about putting a fan on mine after they go inside, just in case, this is my first year with them I sure don't want any major malfunctions.

Again thanks all, and any more experience on this will be great for me and the rest of the garlic crew.

Dono