Not a Keeper?

 I really enjoy growing garlic. I plant softneck garlic in the fall, in late September or early October and it overwinters with little sprouts, starting to grow again in the spring.  Typically, I harvest it in June when the leaves turn yellow and a "test head" looks ready (not round, but forming distinct cloves). But, this June I was on vacation when my garlic was ready.  I missed optimum harvest by over 2 weeks. What happens then? See the head of garlic pictured above? The cloves have started to separate from the head. If I waited longer, the cloves would have fallen free of the head.  Why is this a problem?  Garlic that reaches this stage has poor keeping qualities, it will spoil in my usual storage in a dark, dry cabinet layered in newspaper. 

So what to do?  Thank goodness there are alternative ways to preserve garlic. The University of California, Davis, produced this helpful document:

http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/files/251548.pdf

Following their advice, I am separating the cloves, peeling and preserving them in the fridge in dry red wine, dry white wine, and white wine vinegar.  A bonus is that you can cook with this garlic-infused wine and vinegar!  I am also peeling and freezing them, roasting and freezing them (and smearing them on crusty bread, yum!), dehydrating them and making some of my own garlic powder and garlic salt.  (One thing I am not doing is preserving garlic in oil, due to the danger of botulism). As a consequence, my kitchen smells like a garlic factory!  I will still hold some of the better-looking heads in the cupboard, but will check on and rotate them often.

Hardneck vs. Softneck, That is the Question.

I have been growing garlic for 10 years and, until this year, grew hardneck garlic, German White or another variety.  This is a good, solid garlic and is really two crops in one. In late May or early June in our area (zone 7a) hardneck garlic produces flower stalks called scapes, that should be removed to direct energy to the bulb... and  are delicious.  Ooh, simple saute in olive oil over pasta, yum!
The only problem is that softneck garlics (the kind you can braid) are better keepers. Spoiled garlic is not only sad, but stinky. So I switched (mostly) to the softnecks Inchelium Red and Lorz Italian softneck garlic..and save and grow a little German White hardneck for a few scapes.
Once the leaves begin to yellow in late May, or early June, dig one up to check (and eat the young garlic!). After harvest, lay the bulbs in the sun to cure for two weeks, rotating once. When the paper has completely dried, they are ready to store, I keep them in darkened pantry, in layers of newspaper.  Enjoy!
Garlic planting season is approaching. It is planted in Sept/Oct and harvested in June.  It may sprout early, but needs cool, winter temps to form bulbs.

Gaaaarlic!

Oh boy!  I purchased hardback garlic from the Hudson Valley Seed Library http://www.seedlibrary.org after visiting there last September.  Garlic needs to be fall planted, to establish itself before it gets cold.  This garlic was fantastic, it grew well, produced beautiful, tasty cloves.  I harvested it in June.  Garlic is ready to harvest about three weeks after the edible scapes (blooms) appear (and the scapes are edible too!).  The scapes themselves are beautiful!  See my arrangement that I drew?