Harvesting and Preserving Garlic from the Garden

As an avid home cook, garlic is an essential part of my kitchen and therefore, my garden. Growing your own garlic is an extremely easy process and it was one of the first crops we tried growing enough of to sustain our household for a year. Garlic is grown by putting a garlic clove into soil, usually in the fall, and allowing it to grow several months before harvesting the full garlic bulbs. Growing your own garlic will give you the ability to add depth to your cooking, restock your spice jar from your own garden, and provide great gifts to friends and family. This article outlines how to harvest, cure, and store your home grown garlic, with some extra tips on improving future harvests. 

Hardneck vs. Softneck Garlic

There are two main types of garlic you can grow: hardneck and softneck. Hardneck garlic produces bulbs with larger, but fewer, cloves. They also produce a flower (also known as a garlic scape), which can be harvested and used before you get to harvesting the garlic bulbs. Hardneck garlic is very cold hardy, so it’s a great choice for gardeners in colder climates. It is often planted in the fall and takes 8-10 months before harvest. Hardneck garlic will store for around 4-5 months if cured properly. Softneck garlic forms more cloves, but they are smaller than hardneck garlic cloves. They do not produce any scapes and they are best suited to warmer climates. Softneck garlic only takes 4-5 months before harvest, unless it is planted in the fall, where it will take 8-9 months. Softneck garlic is better for long term storage, where it can last around 9 months when properly cured. 

In our zone 7b garden, we opt for hardneck varieties because we like having the larger cloves to use when canning our other garden veggies. We also enjoy having garlic scapes, which are great in home cooked meals and also store really well as garlic scape powder. Our garlic bulb harvest usually lasts us about 3 months using it fresh, but you can also dehydrate them and turn them into garlic powder. 

When to Harvest Garlic

Regardless of the type of garlic, it is usually ready to harvest between late June and late July, depending on your zone. For softneck garlic, the neck will become soft and fall over once the bulb is ready to harvest. For hardneck garlic, the bulbs are usually ready for harvest when the bottom few leaves on the stalk begin to dry out and turn yellow/brown. You can also dig around one of the stalks to see how well the bulbs have developed. Harvest your garlic on a dry day and shake the stalk a little bit as you pull the bulbs out. 

When to Harvest Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes will typically come up between May and June if you are growing hardneck garlic. You should snap off the scapes to give your garlic a better chance of developing large bulbs. If you leave the scape, the plant will continue to grow until it flowers, taking energy away from the garlic bulb production. Garlic scapes taste like garlic, but do not have as strong of a flavor.

How to Cure and Store Garlic

After harvesting your garlic, it will need to dry out for 2-4 weeks in a cool, dry location. This process is known as curing. Leave the stalks intact and do not clean the dirt off the bulbs before you cure them. For our harvests, we tie 4-5 bulbs together with twine and hang them up in a closet in our basement with a fan blowing on them. This helps dry them out quickly without needing a ton of space to store them. Once the bulbs have completely dried out, trim the roots and stalks before storing them. If there is a lot of dirt left on the bulbs, you can peel off a later or two of the papery outer shell. Store the trimmed bulbs in a cool, dry place, like your pantry. Hardneck garlic will last 4-5 months, while softneck garlic will last longer, closer to 8-9 months. Some choose to store their softneck garlic in braids and hang them for storage. Either storage method will work so pick whichever will work better in your space. 

What to Do with Small or Damaged Garlic Heads

If you’re growing garlic, the odds are that you’ll get some bulbs that are not very large or some that have damage. We like to store some of the largest cloves to replant in the fall since those are more likely to create larger bulbs in the next harvest. For the smaller garlic bulbs, you can cure and store the garlic or you preserve it for later use. We like to take the smallest and damaged bulbs and chop them in a food processor. We then freeze all of the minced garlic in a bag so we can break off pieces to use in our cooking. You can also dehydrate the garlic bulbs and grind them in a spice grinder to create homegrown garlic powder. 

Prepare for Your Next Garlic Garden

Garlic is a fantastic addition to any type of garden. It’s easy to grow, tastes delicious, and can be used and preserved in a variety of ways. Regardless of how you plan to use your garlic, make sure you save a few bulbs to replant for your next harvest. Planting your garlic in the fall typically leads to larger, more flavorful garlic, since it has time to develop roots before the first frost. We like to plant our garlic around October each year. The garlic cloves should be planted 2-3 inches deep, 6 inches apart 4 weeks before your average first frost. Water thoroughly at first to help the cloves sprout. Remember to mulch your garlic to retain moisture, reduce access to garden pests, and help preserve the garlic throughout the cold winter.