What is happening to my garlic?

[April Manier]

I have NEVER made it a year. Really, about now they are done for. But, you can push it with excellent storage and some varieties are better than others for storage. California white lasts a long time.

 

[vfem]

This is what I do....

I save for planting, but I never have enough left long enough until my next harvest. So I peel all the extra I have, and store it in the fridge as convenient ready to go cloves that I have set in jars of olive oil. Then I have the garlic flavored olive oil to cook with to. They last longer what I have left that way.

 

[lesa]

Mary, it looks like I will make it this year. Still have a lot of garlic left and it is still fine. I have a few months to go until harvest- but I should just about make it. I have a cool basement that I store it in. I keep it in a container that is open on the bottom- and it sits on an open shelf. So, circulation is constant...

 

[MuranoFarms]

Lesa, I don't think I made myself clear. If you harvest in late July, do you have fresh garlic to use in cooking till the following July when you harvest again? That's what I meant by it lasting an entire year?

Mary

I still have plenty from last year. I store it in an open topped jar in a cool/dry part of the house.

 

[vfem]

I store mine in a basket in the pantry, which does awesome. However, I harvest way earlier then you guys, so that may be an issue for me. Last year I harvested the first week of June. This year it may be May! Though it does look like its going to be a wet one, and I don't harvest until we've had a good week or 2 of dry whether or storage becomes an issue.

Plus the humidity where I live really works against me for storage of onions and garlic. UGH!

 

[ninnymary]

I could store my garlic in the garage in a wire basket. Although I'm probably worrying for nothing. I only have about 25 plants and I'm sure I'll be giving just a very few away. I'm sure I won't have enough to save for planting.

I also think April is right and the variety may play a key in how well it stores.

As long as I have enough to use most of the year and I buy organic from the store for planting, I'll be very happy. If all goes well, I may add another "tiny" row of it. By tiny I mean 3 ft. long.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Nobody has mentioned the difference between hard neck and soft neck varieties which I kind of grasp...
This is what I think I understand: hard necks are better up north, and always develop scapes; soft necks are better in mild climates, don't develop scapes and store better.

So it does matter which one you plant, at least from a storage standpoint. I think.

Mine didn't survive winter, so I assume they weren't hardy enough for this climate.

 

[ninnymary]

Thistle...you are right. I'm supposed to plant softneck but since I bought it from the grocery store, I don't know what kind it is. But I do notice that sometimes the garlic from the grocery store starts sprouting on me. I keep it in a clay garlic pot with holes in my cabinet. I only buy a few heads at a time to prevent this.

Mary

 

[plainolebill]

Hi, I'm a newcomer to the forum. I've only been growing garlic 3 years but I'm quite sure that you can grow hardneck garlic in the bay area. The main difference is keeping quality and ease of peeling. Hardnecks cloves have a loose wrapper and are much easier to peel than softneck, the tight wrapper on softnecks is also what helps them keep longer. Google Filaree Farm and get them to send one of their free catalogues, they're very informative even if you never order anything from them.

Here in Oregon I plant in October and will harvest ~mid July. I haven't seen any evidence of scapes yet, probably later this month. We cook them up in stir fries.

If you like big, easy to peel cloves with good flavor, rocomboles and porcelains (both hardneck types) are great but don't keep much past March for me. It's easy to tell if a garlic head is hardneck or softneck - if the head has a hard stem through the middle it is a hardneck, if not it's a softneck. Buying garlic from a local farmer's market is a great way to get some seed for the home gardener and much cheaper than ordering it online.

Bill

 

[leolady]

I have been growing garlic for many years, in all the houses I have lived in. I prefer the flavor of wild garlic. It is more "garlicky" than store bought IMHO. I NEVER replant garlic but I always have it available. My garlic beds are permanent and I planted mine in the midst of my rose garden to keep aphids away.

If I am starting a new garden and did not have for foresight to take it with me when I moved, I brake when I see it growing along the side of the road. I dig them up and put them in the car. When I get home I take a beat up old screwdriver and make a hole in the spot I want each plant to grow. I stick the plant in and water them and apply a thick hay or leaf mulch. Most every plant survives this rough treatment.

I have also used store bought garlic and planted them the same way with an old screwdriver and mulch. I planted these in my herb garden

The next year I don't harvest any of the plants. But the succeeding year and afterwards, I harvest 1/2 or every other plant and leave the rest. This keeps me in garlic forever.

When I get the plants inside, I clean them, bag them in ziplock bags, and plop them into the freezer. When I need garlic, I take out what I need from the bag and run a little warm water on them or let them sit for a few minutes.