Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Garlic Lovers Thread - Growing and Eating in the MAF, 1 by coleup

coleup wrote:
Just a couple quick responses. Just remember that I am as new at garlic growing as any of us. I'm basically doing what Garlic Man does and relaying it here.

Trickiest part of garlic growing is knowing when to harvest " the goal being largest bulbs that (like Sally and Nature achieved) will keep the longest.

Most say cutting the scapes (see pic below) where they join the stem before they form the second curl will produce larger bulbs than letting them go to flower. Plus the scapes are edible. Scapes have that little 'bump' somewhere along their length

Once scapes are formed the bulb and individual clove 'wrappers' start to form. If bulbs are harvested before wrappers are fully formed, that bulb won't keep as long. If harvested after wrappers are fully formed but left in ground too long, the bulb will begin to split apart into individual cloves. Again, shortening storage life.

Scapes are like green onion tops but garlicky.

Will see if Garlic Man has anything to add early tomorrow am.

Gita, too late to feed now. Yours still look like good growth.

Pic 1 singke scape first curl Pic 2 two scapes uncut note lighter colored bulge. No curl yet.