When to harvest winter garlic and how to cure it

Harvest winter garlic when the lower leaves begin to dry and test bulbs have filled out while their outer wrappers are still intact. In varieties that do not produce a flower stalk, the false stem may also start to fall over. Lift a few plants from different parts of the bed before digging the whole row. Then move the crop under cover and let it cure in a dry, ventilated place.

Read the leaves and lift a few test bulbs

On winter garlic that produces scapes, look for the lower leaves to dry and the leaves above to change colour gradually. On forms that do not produce scapes, the false stem may lean or fall. Compare plants of the same cultivar. One yellow plant in a wet corner does not tell you the condition of a whole row. If leaves are dying back in isolated patches or the stem bases are wet or soft, inspect those plants separately. Keep suspicious bulbs apart from the sound harvest from the beginning.

There is no need to wait until all the leaves are brown. At that point the outer skins of mature bulbs may split and the cloves may begin to separate. Harvesting too early also has a drawback, because the cloves may not have filled out. Lift plants from the middle and the edges of the bed and brush aside loose soil. Check the wrapper. If in doubt, cut a test bulb across the middle and see whether the cloves have filled it. Keep the cut sample out of the storage batch.

In Ukraine, look for winter garlic to approach harvest in summer, then make the decision in each bed. Different cultivars, a sunny edge and a shaded end can mature at different times. If bulbs from one section have not filled, label that section and recheck it after a few suitable days. Lift another section first if its wrappers are beginning to open. Keep a separate schedule for spring stock and consult the guide to planting spring garlic if you plan to plant a spring crop next year.

Lift the bulbs without damaging the outer skins

Prepare the curing space before you dig. It is easiest to lift garlic from crumbly soil because loose earth comes away without scraping. If mature garlic is caught in a spell of rain, avoid leaving it indefinitely while you wait for perfect weather. Lift the ready section when the ground is workable and take it under cover. Leave stubborn wet soil to dry before brushing it away.

1. Slide a garden fork or spade into the ground to the side of the row. Lift the layer beneath the bulbs instead of pushing the tool between the cloves.
2. Ease each plant out after loosening the soil. If the bulb is still anchored, loosen it again rather than yanking the top.
3. Gently shake off loose clumps. Avoid banging bulbs together or tearing away firm outer wrappers.
4. Put cut, split, soft or suspicious bulbs apart from sound ones. Use a shallow container to carry the rest.
5. Leave storage garlic unwashed. Move it under cover and spread it out so moisture can escape.

If you dig in batches, keep the cultivar and harvest date on each label. Heads lifted from dry earth may finish curing before those dug after a shower. Do not judge every batch by the driest tray. Check the dampest group separately, especially near the base and where the stem meets the bulb. The drying space should be large enough that you can see and reach every head.

Cure the garlic in shade with moving air

Spread the plants in one layer on a rack, mesh shelf or other surface that allows air to reach the bulbs. Choose a dry, sheltered spot. Leaving the tops on during home curing is a practical option if they do not block ventilation. Keep the harvest out of strong direct sun and away from an enclosed greenhouse that becomes hot. During a heat spell, move the crop to a shaded space with better air movement.

Do not heap the fresh garlic in a deep container. If you lifted it after rain, leave more space and check the side of each bulb resting on the shelf. Overnight condensation or rain blowing under a shelter means the crop needs a drier place. Separate any bulbs that soften, smell unusual or show mould. Brush away dried loose soil gently and leave sound wrappers in place.

Judge the end of curing by the bulb, not a timer. The neck should be dry and the outer wrapper papery. The roots should be dry as well. If the neck still bends and feels moist, allow more time. Once curing is complete, trim dry stems and roots without cutting into the basal plate. If you harvested two varieties together, test them separately before moving them into storage.

Sort storage garlic and keep planting stock separate

Keep whole, cured bulbs in mesh, an open basket or a vented box in a dry place out of the sun with a steady temperature. Closed plastic can trap moisture. Look through the middle of the batch as well as the top. Keep mechanically damaged bulbs out of the main long-term store, and remove any that become soft, damp or mouldy.

If saving garlic for planting, label the cultivar and set aside whole, firm bulbs with intact wrappers. Keep them separate and split them into cloves shortly before planting. Do not keep bulbs from a row with unexplained rot or damage for planting. For the next cycle, read the guide to planting garlic for winter and the guide to selecting garlic cloves. When you plan the following bed, record which rows matured evenly and which gave you the most intact bulbs after curing.

Prepare the next vegetable bed separately

Garlic bulbs do not need fertilizer during curing. If you are planning another vegetable row, consider the rotation and soil results for that bed. Take account of the nutrients already added there. Correct only an identified need, and start with the guide to assessing garden soil if you are assessing a different part of the garden.

Granules for a future vegetable bed

Organo-mineral fertilizer for all types of crops granular

If a test shows that the next bed needs the nutrients in this formulation, consider DÜNGER organo-mineral granules. For a new vegetable row, check the vegetable crop group and the instructions for the main soil application while preparing the bed. Do not transfer the transplant-hole instructions to garlic cloves.

Measure the area of the next bed that needs the fertilizer. Compare the calculated amount with the 1 and 5 kg pack sizes, then check the original image and price for your chosen option.

Plan areas in My Garden