Learn the ins and outs of growing, harvesting, and preserving garlic from the garden to the table. It is easier than you think!
There is something exciting about growing garlic. Putting just one clove in the ground, watching the green stalk grow for months, and then digging it up to find out it actually worked!
This past fall I began planting my garlic, about 80 cloves were put in the ground (my back can vouch for that). Honestly, garlic is probably one of the easiest plants I have grown. It didn’t much water, but it did require patience.
It is now June. My garlic is showing signs readiness. This is where the excitement begins, digging up each head of garlic to discover there really is something in the ground!
I planted enough garlic to use all year with seed leftover to plant in the fall. I am a huge supporter of saving seeds, it might sound intimidating but it is actually quite simple. In fact, it was God’s design. So, when you plant garlic, plant extra to be used for the next crop.
Here are is a run down for growing and preserving garlic.
How to plant garlic
In order to get this wonderful crop of garlic, we are going to have to put something in the ground. Did you know it only takes one clove of garlic to plant a whole garlic bulb?
When planting each clove, place the clove with pointed side up in the ground. This pointed side is where the leaves will grow out from. Plant each clove around 2″ deep, with at least 6″ of space between each clove. Now, I am not known to be exact in the garden and I don’t carry around a ruler measuring my space. I basically imagine the full size of a garlic bulb and space each clove accordingly (which is at least 6″). These measurements apply to softneck and hardneck garlic.
Wait? There are two different kinds?
Hardneck vs. Softneck garlic
Hardneck garlic has a hard stalk at its center and more closely resembles wild garlic in flavor. As the hardneck garlic matures it sends up a flower stem called a scape. These scapes can be used in cooking. This article from Grow a Good Life is an excellent resource on how to preserve and use garlic scapes in the kitchen.
One of the benefits of hardneck garlic is the peels. They are know to be easier to peel due to their thicker, more brittle skin. Hardneck can be cured and stored, but does not last as long as softneck garlic.
Softneck garlic is what you typically find in the store. It gives a more mild garlic flavor and produces more numerous cloves. This garlic matures faster than hardneck garlic and keeps longer. Softneck is the variety we have chosen to grow due to its ability to store for a longer amount of time. And, because of their softer stems, it can be braided and hung, which is a total winner in my book.
Want to learn more about the different varieties of garlic? Check out Hello Homestead’s article “A Guide to Different Types of Garlic”.
When to harvest garlic
Hardneck garlic can offer some clues as to when it is close to being harvested. I mentioned that this type of garlic sends up a flower stem known as a scape. Within a couple of weeks of the scapes coming out, this garlic will be ready to harvest.
For both varieties of garlic, hardneck and softneck, watch the leaves. When the leaves begin to turn brown, starting at the bottom, harvest times coming. Now, I am not going to give you an exact answer as to how many leaves need to be brown. In my own research I have found varying answers as to how many brown leaves to look for. After researching, I settled on close to half.
We harvested our garlic this year when almost half of the garlic leaves were brown and the garlic looked amazing!
How to cure garlic
Nope, we’re not done with this garlic thing yet. Next up, curing garlic.
Before storing the garlic, it needs to be cured. This means, laying it or hanging it in a place that has air circulation and is out of the elements. We have our garlic curing in the barn on two window screens and a couple of wall hooks. This garlic will cure for a couple of weeks, giving it time to dry, and then it will be ready for storage.
How to store garlic
Okay, we have gone through the hard work of planting, harvesting and curing garlic. The next step is storing our garlic. We want to protect these precious gems and be able to use them until next year’s harvest.
It is recommended that garlic be stored at cooler temperatures of 60-65 degrees, with good air flow. One of the prettiest ways to store softneck garlic is braiding. Other ways could be a wire basket or mesh bag. If you do not have an area of your house that is 65 degrees, don’t fret, store it in the coolest place you have.
Last year I stored some of my garlic in our pantry, which reached temperatures well above 65 degrees and my garlic did just fine.
Want to learn more about preserving food? Click here.
