We are in the middle of harvesting garlic scapes in southern Michigan. It won’t be too long before the bulbs are ready. I think this is a tough call for new gardeners, figuring out when to harvest. I think I will aim to be slightly earlier than usual. Even though all of our bulbs remaining from last year are still usable, I don’t want to harvest any bulbs that are splitting apart this year. We usually have a dozen that are slightly too developed and won’t store as well. Here is how our garlic looks right now. Bulbs are not fully developed yet and scapes are starting.
We typically wait for the two bottom sets of leaves to brown. I think I’ll just dig down and check bulbs this year. Let us know your tried and true methods.
I wait to the third leaf is brown. Usually most are ready but sometimes harvest depends on cultivar. I grow both hard and soft. I found some big soft necks and they sure look like hardnecks. Usually I can’t tell till I check for stiffness. My friends have already bugged me about it. I have two sections this year so I’ll have plenty. I’m trying some new hardnecks.
This is my first time doing garlic. We harvested the scapes last week. It’s hardneck, planted at the end of last October. The first leaf is brown (hard to tell, it was seemingly very small?) and the second leaf on most is either fully brown or partway. I planted Susan Delafield and Purple Glazer. An extension video I watched recommended waiting until three leaves were brown, but am open to correction based on what others say.
scapes aren’t started on mine yet. after they appear I start poking around the base- when I find the cloves feel big enough, I’ll pull it then. usually mid July here. it is putting on height but it’s really early to start messing with the base yet.
I replant the bulbils from the scapes for first year garlic, and leave it alone until year 2, when it makes its own scapes. then I replant those, and on and on.
here’s the first-year stuff, it will not scape this year and I’ll leave it be where it sits until next year. it’ll be just one single big clove in the dirt, you could eat that if you’d want but it’s better to wait it out and get cloves, multiple.
I looked at a photo from last year and it looks like we harvested with 3 to 4 brown leafs. It worked out well, but I want to get them out slightly earlier this year.
Sure just try a few see if garlic is acceptable. Better early than late.
Garlic is so easy. Soft neck tends to fall over when ready.
I have two beds this year
I usually plant winter veggies, cauliflower, arugula etc. This year I’m converting to metal beds, so I plan to do that after harvest. I’m only doing a couple this year, a couple more next year.
For softneck Transylvanian is amazing huge artichoke type. Awesome! I also like Nootka Rose and Idaho Silver
I like Rocambole and purple stripe types, any are good. I grow many of these
Chesnok Red, Killarney Red, and Duganski
I also like porcelain types and grow Georgian Fire
I’m trying a few new ones that look impressive growing so far
Pehoski Purple
Russian Red
Red Toch artichoke
Most of the garlics I grow are very winter hardy some also tolerate wet conditions.
You’re about the same latitude as me. After the garlic is harvested, I have successfully planted beets, brassicas, dill, carrots (shin kuroda or Hercules for the heat), cilantro, basil (from transplants), zucchini, and cucumbers. I try to use short season, heat-tolerant varieties.
I’m able to plant in mid-October and grow throughout the winter, usually harvesting from sometime in mid-May to mid-June. This was my first year with Purple Glazer, and found it exceedingly early compared to the others. When I finally dug,- well, you can see what we are eating now. Kettle River Giant has been my mainstay for a decade. The one in front I only know as ‘Ed Barton’ and have now grown it a second year.
Here is what the bed looked like on 20 May. I’m all through harvest now and will remain fallow through the summer. Water is just too expensive here to do much in summer.
I plant my garlic in my strawberry bed. Rationale is that it grows in winter when strawberries are best fertilized. So when I plant my garlic between strawberry plants I add compost to the garlic hole and use 3-10 on the entire bed around late Sep to mid Oct. I use a garden fork to harvest it so it does not disturb the berry plants.
Dennis
Kent, Wa
