If you planted garlic from sets back in February/March time you may be wondering when to harvest it. Well, you’ve probably got a few weeks to go, but here are a few top tips for you:
- You can expect to harvest your garlic any time between late June and mid August.
- Once the leaves start to turn yellow, its nearly time to harvest. Check one or two of your garlic bulbs by carefully lifting them with a trowel. If they look the right size and shape, then they are ready for harvesting.
- Watch out for leek rust which can affect any plants in the allium family (leeks, garlic, onions). Small orange-brown dots all over yellow leaves is how to spot it. If you do see it, then it is best to harvest your crop and use it as wet garlic rather than trying to store it.
- Be wary of letting your garlic over mature – the bulb is likely to split (as pictured) and, whilst the taste is still fine, the cloves don’t store as well as the complete bulb.
- Harvest them on a dry day if possible, then lay them out in a warm, dry place (a greenhouse works well) to dry out for a week or two. This is when the skin will form. Don’t take the foliage off until it is dried through. After this you can store them in a cool, dry place for several weeks/months.