The Let’s start this with the most trending question asked by people. “When do you harvest garlic”, “How do you know when garlic is ready to pick?” “When to harvest garlic?” “When is garlic ready to harvest?”
Waiting may be worse but believe me it’s worth it in garlic harvesting. The process may feel lengthy, but it feels great to see your own harvested garlic. In this comprehensive guide we will explore the various indicators that show the optimal time for garlic harvesting. Our end GOAL is to equip you will essential knowledge of when is garlic ready to harvest.
What You Need to Understand First?
Garlic harvesting is not everones cup of tea that anyone can do it. It take some prior experience in harvesting. Like mainly there are two type of garlic which people easily segregate first one is Hardneck garlic and other one is Softneck garlic. There is very slight difference in both the garlic which we will explain you in article.
Indicators When to Harvest Garlic:
Process of Leave Yellowing:
Expert’s advice follows that you should start when leave goes to brown but ensure there is a balance between mature bulb and preserve bulb. Start harvesting when many leaves go brown, but some upper leaves should be green.
Understand the Weather Condition:
High heat can accelerate the maturity of garlic. It will decrease the garlic harvest time. Timing is the key. Garlic is mostly ready to harvest in early summers. Harvesting early can cause the underdeveloped bulb while doing it lately can cause the bulb to rot.
Avoid the Damage during the Harvesting:
To answer this “when to pick garlic?”. You should harvest the garlic with gentle technique. You should avoid pulling the garlic bulb during the harvesting, instead of it use fork to avoid damaging the bulb or breaking of the stem. Through this you will not compromise on quality and stability.
Types of Garlic Planted:
Before going through the harvesting process, you should understand the types of garlic. As I mentioned earlier about handneck and softneck varieties.
What is Softneck Garlic?
Softneck garlic (Allium Sativum) is usually the hard central resulting in flexible. This garlic contains more cloves than hardneck. This garlic have the milder flavor compared to the hardneck. You can store this garlic to little longer than hardneck garlic. Under proper conditions you can it lasts over 8 to 12 months.
What is Hardneck Garlic?
Hardneck garlic (Allium Sativum vs ophioscordon) have hard and central neck. It has typically some cloves and have large size cloves with robust flavor. Last in fewer time than softneck, almost within 4 to 6 months. More demanded in northern areas because of it’s hard clove and it mostly harvest during winders.
Test the Excavate:
If you are unsure about the garlic, then do the test dig by carefully uprooting one plant to inspect the bulb condition. This will help you to understand whether the crop is ready to harvest.
Essential Tips to Remember:
Underastnd the Soil Condition:
You do ask the question “When to harvest garlic” but before this you must understand the soil conditions. That which soil will be the best such as sandy, loamy or claivy soil. The sandy soil will not help you garlic to grow. So the best one is loamy soil which make the best garlic cultivation by balancing moisture and drainage.
Management of Pest and Diseases:
Harvesting is the last step but what if you side get surrounded by pests or any disease. It will cost loss of time and energy plus your money. Such as onion thrips, garlic nematodes and some other can damage the bulb by reducing the size and bulb quality. Proper air circulation and spacing with timely watering habits can prevent them from such things.
Understand the Concept of Companion Planting:
Understand the concept of companion planting, this means that with garlic you should plant vegetables like tomatoas, chamomites alongside. This can increase the soil fertility and maximize the space rotation.
Wrap Up:
This expanded guide will help you to harvest your favourite garlic without any damage. Through this optimal guide you will understand the indicators of garlic maturity.
