Music garlic ready?

General Gardening
#22

I plant mine around labor day each year and its not ready to dig until about the 4th week in july most years, sometimes sooner if it is a wet year.

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#23

I pick mine when there are only 4 or 5 green leaves. Looks about the same as yours or maybe a little less green. Picked mine July 3. I still have one bulb 12 months old from last year. Maybe itā€™s too dry to sprout. Iā€™ll keep it longer out of curiosity.

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#24

I always plant October 15th.

I picked my softnecks July 1st, then looking closer, the hardnecks were ready too, So picked them July 4thā€¦ I have some small bulbs left from ;last year, using them for garlic.
And yes a year old too.

Iā€™m letting them dry outside no direct light. I still need to pull out seed for October, then clean the rest up for use, and as presents. It kinda sucks as my biggest and best are saved for seed. Nobody sees them! A decent year for me, not many super giants, but also not many smaller bulbs. A nice haul, Iā€™m, happy with this yearā€™s crop! Looking forward to braiding the softs.

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#25

Planted mine Oct 26. I also picked my softneck first about 5 days before the hardneck. Mine are also mostly decent size. I planted some smaller cloves so those bulbs were smaller. Sounds like our growing conditions were similar.

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#26

How so clean? Are those washed?

#27

iā€™ve never grown garlic before, but really want to try this year. Anyone have a quick and dirty guide for growing garlic? (zone 9a/8b).

#28

Garlic is super easy, you can wing it. I planted Music early spring for green garlic and just pulled the heads I didnā€™t harvest for garlic scallions last week. They donā€™t divide when you plant them in early spring but that is fine, less peeling and if you want to use them for seed in the fall they will make a huge head next year.

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#29

Here is mine, just pull them out couple days ago. I planted mine in February, this was my first time planting garlic and do not know what kind are this but would like to try again with a good variety. What do you all suggest?

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#30

I would love to size up 25%, but I also deal with moist soil. Iā€™ve left them longer and they didnā€™t store well, they got some pink mold on the wrappers. Last year I harvested July 4th in Central MT; this year maybe Iā€™m a little early at the 8th.

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#31

I harvested garlic today with about 50 heads of 3 different types. It is in a bag to be spread out and dried tomorrow. One of the varieties is elephant garlic which my mother has grown for about 60 years. It reliably reproduces and thrives here in the deep south. I also have Ivans J16 which does surprisingly well for a hard neck variety. The last is a soft neck garlic but I donā€™t know the variety name.

#32

Iā€™ve had a little mold on some of the wrappers too. Maybe not curing them right?

#33

For those that donā€™t know, elephant garlic is related to leeks and not a true garlic.

#34

They are starting to color up some now that they have hung for a few days. May be a sign that they were pulled a little early?

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Yes, I softly sprayed them with the garden hose before hanging. I know they donā€™t recommend doing so, but it help keeps the mess down when the dried soil falls off during the curing.

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#35

come to think of it, they did darken as they cured. mine all looked like that big dark one on the right.

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#36

Once dug, tie them in bundles and allow to air dry for a couple weeks. Leave the tops on and donā€™t wash the heads. Hang them in an area that is out of direct sunlight and gets a light breeze if possible. Mold on the heads sounds like the environment that you are curing them in is too moist.

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#37

Is a garage ok?

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#38

thats where i cure mine. i even put a small fan on them on low.

#39

I used to dry mine in an old shed that had screened windows and a screen door. It got up to about 100*F during the day, and the ventilation helped remove moisture from the building and allowed a slight breeze. I think the garage should be fine, depending on if you can keep them from drying out to quickly. Iā€™ve seen people that try to rush the drying process and havenā€™t liked the results theyā€™ve gotten.

#40

i use a fan on mine because my garage has moisture issues. so much so if i donā€™t keep the doors open in the spring the concrete is wet all the time. if drying anywhere else i wouldnā€™t think you would need a fan.

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#41

Iā€™m also seeing the purpling after a few days of drying.

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