Growing garlic

[lbaker]

Looks good Brian!!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Brian, nice harvest. Nice big bulbs.

 

[kmcconaughey]

My garlic is still 2 or 3 weeks away from harvest.

 

[blanasa]

Looks good Kraig!
Lots more than I harvested.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Brian, perhaps, but mine are still in the ground and there are pocket gophers roaming my property! Never count your garlic bulbs until they're cured.

 

[tcbusch]

We will be unable to work in the garden for a couple of weeks so I had to pick the Garlic. Might be a week or so early but the experts say early is better than later.

 

[blanasa]

Bulbs look nice size Terry! Still looks like Kraig has more than you and I put together.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Terry, nice sized bulbs! Is that one in the lower left corner, the second one from the left, a single bulb? If so it looks like a monster! Yes, sooner is better than later, if you wait too long the bulbs start to separate. Mine is getting very close to being ready to dig up. Be sure to place those where they get good airflow so they can cure properly. This hot humid weather we've had the past few days is perfect garlic curing weather. Keep the bulbs out of the sun and protect them from rain. Once I harvest mine I place it on the screen drying racks and set them out under my big maple tree in the shade during the day and I bring them in at night to prevent any dew from settling on them. If rain is forecast I keep them in the shed or garage during that time. After a couple weeks of drying they should be fully cured. I usually trim the roots a couple days after I dig them up. Once they are cured I trim the stalks off and store the bulbs in my basement in strawberry baskets up off of the floor with good air circulation. If cured and stored properly the garlic should keep until the following April or even beyond. I might even have some from last year that is still good in my baskets. If it gets too warm or too moist the cloves will start to sprout. Cheers!

 

[kmcconaughey]

I harvested my garlic on Saturday morning. Not a bad harvest.

Time to turn my attention to the blueberries.

 

[lbaker]

Looks like a good harvest Kraig!! Ours didn't fair to well this year due to the drought. But perhaps next year--

 

[kmcconaughey]

Lyle, as long as I've been growing garlic I've had to deal with dry growing conditions during July. July, in my area anyway, is when the garlic needs plenty of moisture as that's when it is "bulbing up". I water mine regularly during that time. I didn't plant a regular garden this year so while I was watering I didn't weed the garlic like I should have and that didn't help the bulb size.

 

[tcbusch]

Got home from my vacation today and decided to cut the stems and roots. I put a pen and battery in the picture for a size reference.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Terry, looking good! Set aside the biggest for replanting so you don't eat them, the little ones taste just as good anyway.

 

[tcbusch]

Kriag,
Am I suppose to do anything special to replant? My guess would be just to leave them in a dry area until fall. Then peal the outer shell to get to the cloves and plant 1 clove every 4 inches.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Terry, yep, store them in a cool dry place. When it's planting time just peel off the outer layers and break the bulb into the individual cloves. I plant mine on about a 6"x6" grid.

 

[blanasa]

Nice crop Kraig!
Will that last you the whole year?

 

[kmcconaughey]

Brian, it should easily last me the year, even though much of it will be given away to friends and family.

 

[lbaker]

Looking good on the garlic crop guys!! Kraig, I planted 24 various sized bulbs today, after working the ground up and a couple buckets miracle grow, Little lime too. Our winters are not quite as bad you yours, so just goofing around to see what happens. Finished with a good watering and about 6 inches pine needles.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Lyle, did you plant the whole bulbs or did you separate them into individual cloves first? Hopefully you separated them into cloves first.

Under edit:

Terry, yes it is a bit early to plant, I meant to mention that too.

Thanks for reminding me. Up here in Wisconsin late October is when I plant my garlic. Basically plant a bit later then one would plant tulip bulbs.

 

[tcbusch]

Isn't it early to plant garlic? I read that you are suppose to plant six weeks before the ground freezes. You don't want the garlic to sprout until spring.

http://www.ehow.com/how_317_grow-garlic.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic#Cultivation