Your garlic cloves were planted last September (or maybe October or November?), grew steadily through winter and spring, and now that it’s nearly summer, they’re ready to be picked from the garden, right?
Unlike many vegetables that are planted in spring and harvested in fall, garlic is usually planted in fall and harvested from late spring to mid summer. It’s a long-maturing crop, taking eight to nine months from seed garlic (plantable cloves) to final harvest.
Garlic is also one of those things where timing is everything, and the harvest period can span from May to August, depending on the date of planting, the weather conditions, and the type of garlic grown.
It can’t be picked too early or too late, but since the bulbs are all underground, how can you really tell when your garlic is ripe and ready?
For any gardener knowing when to harvest garlic can be tricky. If picked too early the bulbs will be undersized and won’t store well. But leaving them in the ground too long causes the cloves to burst out of their skins, making them prone to disease and shorter shelf life. After months of careful tending, being able to capture pictures of garlic at its peak ripeness is one of the most rewarding parts of growing this flavorful crop. But how do you know for sure when your garlic is fully mature and ready for its closeup? In this article, we’ll explore the visual signs to look for and provide tips on getting the perfect garlic harvest photos.
Evaluating the Garlic Leaves
The first indicator to check is the condition of the leaves. As energy gets redirected to swelling the underground bulbs, the lower leaves will start to yellow, brown and wither from the bottom up. Keep an eye on the lowest third of foliage. When over 50% of the leaves are brown or shriveled, harvest time is probably within 2-3 weeks. The upper leaves may still appear quite green and healthy at this point. But lower leaf decline means mature bulbs are nearing.
Examining Bulb Size
While leaf patterns provide a clue, confirming bulb growth underground is the real test for garlic ripeness Carefully dig up a sample bulb or two to check current size and development. Mature garlic bulbs should feel nicely filled out and firm when grasped in your hand The papery outer skins surrounding each clove segment will look fully rounded and plump.
Use your thumb or finger to gauge diameter. For many hardneck varieties, bulbs around 1.5-2 inches across are good minimum size at harvest. Larger softneck types may achieve 2-3 inches when fully grown. If bulbs seem small or cloves feel underdeveloped, rebury them for 1-2 more weeks of growth. Test bulbs allow the rest to keep maturing undisturbed.
Inspecting the Garlic Skins
The dry, layered papery sheaths enveloping each bulb offer more visual harvest clues. As energy moves to the underground cloves, the skins take on a drier, more layered texture and lighten from green-tinged to creamy white or light brown.
At peak harvest time, skins will appear quite crackly and dry, with 5-8 layers of papery covering around the cloves. Peeled back, the cloves inside should look plump and solid. Skins that still seem moist, flexible or undeveloped need a little longer to finish maturing.
Capturing Images of Ready Garlic
Once garlic plants show signs of mature bulbs and drying leaves, it’s time to get out your camera or phone and capture some harvest-ready pics! Here are a few tips for eye-catching photos:
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Focus in on detailed textures of leaves, stalks and skins to highlight ripeness. Use macro settings or get very close.
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Arrange a few whole bulbs in a basket or on weathered boards. Leave some skins peeled back to showcase the cloves.
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Photograph against natural backdrops like wood, burlap, metal or the garden itself to complement the organic vibe.
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Shoot in soft morning or evening light for a glowing effect around bulbs and foliage. Avoid harsh midday shadows.
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Get creative with unique perspectives – overhead, ground level, stacked crates. This adds visual interest.
Handling the Harvest
Once your garlic photo shoot is complete, it’s time to actually start harvesting! Here are some tips for a smooth garlic harvest:
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Loosen soil with a digging fork and gently lift bulbs from the stem base. Brush off loose dirt but don’t wash yet.
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Leave stalks and roots intact for now to dry further. Trim stalks to about 2 inches above the bulbs a few days later.
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Gather stems together and secure with a rubber band to create hanging bundles. Hang in a warm, dry, well-ventilated space out of direct sun.
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Allow to cure for 2-4 weeks until skins are crackly dry and outer leaves rustle. Then they’re ready for storage!
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Clean off remaining dirt and roots. Store in mesh bags or sacks in a cool, dark spot. Properly cured bulbs keep for up to 8 months.
Harvesting and photographing plump, picture-perfect garlic bulbs after months of care is an extremely fulfilling experience for any gardener. Now that you know what to look for, you’ll be ready to capture the essence of garlic at its flavorful best!
When to stop watering
Continue to water your garlic as usual in spring, even as the leaves start to die off.
When at least 50 to 75 percent of your crop has reached the telltale stage of maturity—half the leaves are brown and half are green—stop watering your garlic for one week.
This allows the soil to dry out a bit to prevent rot, and makes harvesting easier if the soil is loose and crumbly instead of wet and compressed.
What happens if you harvest too early
Timing is important when it comes to harvesting and shelf life.
If you harvest garlic too soon, the bulb will be smaller and may not have fully divided into individual cloves. The bulb wrappers will be thin and will disintegrate more easily, leaving your garlic susceptible to rot or other damage.
If you have no choice but to harvest garlic early (for example, if you know you’ll be out of town), you can still eat the immature plants.
Very young garlic (called green garlic) can be stored in the refrigerator, and both the white bulb and green leaves can be used like green onions.
Garlic that’s almost ready (but probably picked a couple weeks too early) should be cured, with the understanding that it might not store as long as it typically does.
When Is Garlic Ready To Harvest? – Garden Quickie Episode 202
FAQ
How do I know if my garlic is ready to harvest?
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Leaf color:Look for the lower leaves to turn brown, indicating the plant is drying down. You want to see about half to two-thirds of the lower leaves brown.
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Bulb development:Dig gently around a bulb to see if it’s plump and round.
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Scape (hardneck varieties):If you have hardneck garlic, the scape (flower stalk) will straighten up when it’s time to harvest.
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Test harvest:Pull a bulb and check if the cloves are developing well and are pulling away from the hardneck.
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Stop watering:In the weeks leading up to harvest, stop watering the garlic to help it dry down.
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Timing:Garlic is typically harvested in late spring or early summer, often in June or July.
What month is garlic usually ready?
Here are tips on how to know when to harvest garlic: When the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry, usually in June or July, harvest time is near. In general, garlic is ready for harvesting when the lower two leaves start to brown. The only way to be sure about this is to dig up a few bulbs to check their progress.
When to harvest garlic?
Here are tips on how to know when to harvest garlic: When the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry, usually in June or July, harvest time is near. In general, garlic is ready for harvesting when the lower two leaves start to brown. The only way to be sure about this is to dig up a few bulbs to check their progress.
How do I know when my garlic is ripe and ready?
Garlic is ready to harvest when the bulbs are all underground and the leaves turn brown and start to fall over. The harvest period can span from May to August, depending on the date of planting, the weather conditions, and the type of garlic grown.
How long does garlic take to grow?
Garlic is a slow-growing vegetable that takes time to mature before it is ready to be harvested. That said, you can expect this period to be longer. The garlic harvest period usually lasts a few months and timing is actually crucial. Harvest them too early and they will not grow to maturity.
What should a garlic bulb look like before harvesting?
A garlic bulb ready for harvest must be moderate to large in size and should have firm and tight papery wrapping. The individual cloves should be well-visible. If this is not the case, use soil to cover the bulb again, evidently, it requires more time to mature.
When do garlic bulbs mature?
Garlic bulbs mature when its leaves are still partially green. Unlike its allium cousin, the onion, garlic matures below ground during development, so it’s hard to know when they’re ready to harvest.
When does garlic ripen?
With most root vegetables, including garlic, it is difficult to know when harvest time has arrived because you don’t see their ripeness. Most gardeners plant garlic in the fall and wait for the plants to sprout the following spring. But if you planted garlic in the early spring, the harvest will come in late summer.