When To Harvest Garlic ?
Garlic is typically planted in winter and harvested in summer, in the months of July and August. To find out exactly when to harvest your crop of garlic, look at the leaves. The leaves should be one-third dry. When the growth of the plant stops, and it begins to dry. This is the time to harvest garlic. This is when the garlic will be just right for harvesting. |
If you harvest too early, you will get immature and small pods. If you leave it too late, the pods will start to fall apart and the garlic will not keep. Do not harvest all the garlic in one go. First examine one bunch and see if it has grown to the desired size. Dig gently around the garlic and check it without removing it from the soil. If it is still not ready for harvesting, leave it in the ground for some more time, for around another week or so.
In warmer climates, you can expect to harvest the garlic earlier than July. When harvesting garlic, dig the clumps out. Do not pull. Use a flat and narrow-bladed shovel to dig the soil around the garlic. You will injure or bruise fewer bulbs this way. You have to be careful while harvesting garlic as it can bruise easily.
Wrap the leaves around the garlic after dusting off the soil. Do not wash the bulbs as it will affect the storage of the garlic. Do not dry the garlic in direct sunlight. Instead hang it out to air in a shaded and cool spot.
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