So I'm growing garlic for the first time (planted back in October).

I'm curious to know when other garlic growers start harvesting their garlic, whether it's hardneck or softneck and which zone are you in?

And can anyone confirm that bulbs are formed one at a time? At least, that's my theory.

Thanks!

Harvesting garlic is a challenge because you can't see what you are getting.

As a general guideline, May is the time of year where you start to cut back on the watering. Forcing garlic to go deep to get moisture is good and you want to keep the bulb dry. As the bulb develops the bottom leaves die as a nature process if you think they are dying from lack of water, then you drowned the garlic and possibly allow mold in to rot them.

When you start to see the bottom leaves turn yellow, that is when the bulb is forming. As the bulb expand the leaves start going yellow from bottom to top. You want to harvest the garlic when there are 4-6 green leaves still left. The reason for this is these are connected to the outer layers of the garlic and become the final wrapper that protects the garlic in storage. If you let all the leaves die, then when you dry and store it, you will be left with a naked unprotected garlic which won't store long. 4-6 green leaves seems to be the best way to do it. Some say when 2/3 of the leaves turn yellow is the right time, and normally works out to 4-6 green leaves.

When you pick garlic, protect it from the sun as soon as you can. Leaving garlic in the sun can start to cook the garlic, so get it into shade right after picking. Clean dirt off with you thumb. Leave the roots and stem on. Bundle with 6-10 garlic in a bundle and hang to dry in a place that gets some air circulation and is not too hot. 2-3 weeks normally does the trick. Don't clean garlic by washing with water.

Don't think that garlic has to by dried to be ready to eat. I love using "green" garlic. It is funny to use since there is no dry wrapper around each clove. I remove the yet to be dried skin and just use the clove inside. Personal choice, but the skin around the clove has a different consistency.

Once dried trim the roots to a 1/4 inch and the top to have a nice handle (looks only) and enjoy while they last. Softnecks store longer than hardnecks, so I normally save more softnecks back for the long storage.

I am starting to harvest garlic now, and different garlic are ready at different times in different regions. But the leaves never lie. Use them as your guide and you won't go wrong. In your region, it will probably be June or July before they are finally ready.

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Description:	Small hardneck garlic ready for final cleaning.
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Description:	Knocking the dirt from the roots. Don't cut the roots, let it dry with the roots and stem in place.
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Description:	I like to grab the garlic. If it can be pulled out easily, I do that.
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GarlicHarvest1.jpg
Description:	If the garlic is stubborn, then I cut the roots. For larger harvests you can use a pitchfork to loosen the soil to pull them out
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If you have a hardneck variety, don't forget to trim the scape (flower stalk) when it begins to curl, usually in June for me (zone 4). They are very delicious and the bulbs will get larger. Also, you can enjoy your garlic a month early as I usual start to harvest in July, depending on the variety. Fresh garlic is good, but let it dry for 2-4 weeks for the best flavor.

"Growing Great Garlic" by Ron England (not sure if I spelled the last name right) will tell you anything, and everything you need to know about choosing, growing, harvesting, and curing garlic. I knew nothing when I started and I have never needed to consult another source.

I looked all over the postings but did not find a solid date for planting . Anyone think it can grow in florida <Zone 9> during summer?

I found a University of Florida extension publication on garlic. Here is the link

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_garlic

Hope this help.


_________________
Alex Linde
www.vegenag.com

So I was assessing the situation in my garden this morning and trying to decide how much preparation work I am going to need to do and while there found some green stems coming up where my garlic patch was 2 years ago. I dug it up with a spade and I'll be darned that the garlic cloves were huge! I don't want garlic in that location this year so I pulled them all up, but wondered if these are considered something like onion sets? I don't remember what variety they are but each clove is about twice the size of a supermarket variety. Does anyone think that I could replant these someowhere else in the garden later or would you just dry them and eat them up?
Thanks!

You can always try.
I don't know if I would use prime gardening space for them.
2 years in the soil is a long resting period.
The cloves are swollen as they are starting the under ground grouth phase.
If it is still a single clove, then they haven't started the division process.

While most garlic are not transplanted, and that is what you are doing, there is no rule that says it won't work.