Garlic lesson learned

Tue Jun 05, 2012 8:58 pm

My garlic scapes are ready, which seems awful early especially since I didn't get them in the ground until December. Anyways, that reminded me of the lesson I learned last year. Why you are not supposed to wash garlic after digging it.

I hosed off most of my garlic last year, one bulb at a time the day it came out of the dirt and then it was dried on the lawn in a few hours without touching any other plants befor I bunched them and hung them it up to cure.

The garlic I didn't wash and set aside for planting was fine six months later when I went to plant, but the rest that had been washed had at least half of the cloves in any bulb go bad with dry discoloration.

I wasn't too upset because I found out something. I'm not satisfied when someone tells me not to do something but doesn't tell me exactly why.

Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:48 pm

Ah. That reminds me that I need to dig them out when the soil is fairly dry so the mud doesn't stick to them. I always just assumed I shouldn't wash them because it would slow the dry-out time, but you just confirmed that it's a "no-no".

Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:22 am

I knew not to do it, but never knew why. Thanks! I always retain the info better when I know why I am doing something.

Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:27 am

I pulled one of my garlic plants yesterday and did not wash. I had read that you should wash it until it is cured then you can remove dirt and cut the roots.

Wed Jun 06, 2012 2:06 am

I'm scaping too, it a weird season. I know of people already harvesting their garlic. Mine seem like their day's are numbered but it's too early for that.

Good luck and enjoy thoe scapes. I know I will.

Wed Jun 06, 2012 2:55 am

No scapes here, no sunshine either. Last year I harvested my scapes third week of June.

Nope. Never wash. I dry, brush off and or remove a layer of paper.

Eric

Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:34 pm

Thanks for the lesson learned, TZ. This is my first year growing garlic - with mixed results - so it's good to hear not only *that* I shouldn't wash my garlic, but also *why* I shouldn't do it.

As for scapes, I don't have any on any of my three varieties. Again, my results are fairly mixed, with about half of my plants really ending up doing well (I think), so that may have something to do with it...or it could be that my varieties just don't like to form scapes.

Based on how things have turned out with this season's garlic crop, I'm really anxious to see if I can do a little better next season!

Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:56 pm

I noticed scapes coming on my garlic over the weekend. some are small and some are getting long enough to think about making that curl. This is my first time growing garlic so it is a bit exciting.

So how long after the scapes are harvested is the garlic ready to harvest?

Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:44 pm

I pulled 200 early Thai garlics yesterday, they never get washed. Ever. After harvest they immediately go into the shadehouse on benches with ventelation. They are left until fully cured, if done right they should last 12-18 months.

Still a good 1500+ to go in a few weeks.

Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:39 am

gardenvt wrote:I noticed scapes coming on my garlic over the weekend. some are small and some are getting long enough to think about making that curl. This is my first time growing garlic so it is a bit exciting.

So how long after the scapes are harvested is the garlic ready to harvest?

Here on the island, usually about a month after the scapes are harvested. The end of July, first of August.

Eric

Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:15 am

Mattie, if your garlic bulbs had a stick in the middle (hard necks) when you broke the cloves apart to plant they will put up scapes.

Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:41 pm

TZ -OH6 wrote:Mattie, if your garlic bulbs had a stick in the middle (hard necks) when you broke the cloves apart to plant they will put up scapes.

TZ...funny you should respond, as I checked again when I got home from work yesterday and noticed scapes on four of my plants. Of the three varieties I planted, I think these are Chesnok Red (I didn't label them), which would make sense.

The scapes are really long - not quite having made the full loop yet. They just aren't obvious to the eye if you're not looking for them, so they slipped by me.

Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:13 pm

So scapes are the flower stalks?

Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:43 pm

PunkRotten wrote:So scapes are the flower stalks?

Yes, Only on hard neck varieties.

Eric

Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:54 pm

Yeah I was looking at some pics of scapes. I got an elephant garlic that has a flower stalk. It looked like your pic but never curled and the bud opened at the end. Has nice tiny purple flowers.