Q. I recently harvested my garlic crop, wrapped it in
burlap, and hung it up to dry. How long
should I let it dry in the Vegas heat? Last year I let it go for over a month and
the bulbs got mushy.
 |
| Freshly harvested garlic. |
A. If the bulbs got mushy then it was harvested too early
or the bulbs stayed too wet. In our climate, don’t wrap garlic in burlap but dry
it in the shade instead. I never had problems drying garlic. I leave the tops
attached, bunch them together and hang them in the shade.
or the bulbs stayed too wet. In our climate, don’t wrap garlic in burlap but dry
it in the shade instead. I never had problems drying garlic. I leave the tops
attached, bunch them together and hang them in the shade.
 |
| Chesnok Red garlic hanging in the shade to finish drying. |
To me, this
seems a bit early to harvest garlic. My garlic was harvested in late May or
June when the tops had dried back about 1/3 in the field. It is hard to tell
without seeing them, but the bulbs should be fully developed when harvesting.
Browning of the tops is a way to know if they are starting to mature or not. If
you let the tops all turn brown then the “paper” wrapping around the bulbs will
get damaged.
seems a bit early to harvest garlic. My garlic was harvested in late May or
June when the tops had dried back about 1/3 in the field. It is hard to tell
without seeing them, but the bulbs should be fully developed when harvesting.
Browning of the tops is a way to know if they are starting to mature or not. If
you let the tops all turn brown then the “paper” wrapping around the bulbs will
get damaged.
 |
| Polish White garlic growing in North Las Vegas. |
Garlic
is planted in the Fall and harvested in early to mid-summer after the bulbs
have formed. Shake the soil from the plants when you harvest, don’t wash them. I
grew about 25 varieties of garlic and they all did well here. This is a good
climate for garlic. So, keep an eye on the plants and harvest them when they
are fully formed on their own and dry them in the shade.
is planted in the Fall and harvested in early to mid-summer after the bulbs
have formed. Shake the soil from the plants when you harvest, don’t wash them. I
grew about 25 varieties of garlic and they all did well here. This is a good
climate for garlic. So, keep an eye on the plants and harvest them when they
are fully formed on their own and dry them in the shade.