When can you harvest garlic? When to Harvest Winter Garlic

Garlic is an indispensable product for cooking various dishes and homemade seamings, as well as for the treatment and prevention of viral diseases. Garlic stimulates appetite, normalizes blood pressure and is useful for flu and colds. Therefore, each summer resident seeks to independently grow it on his site. In this article, we will look at when to dig up garlic planted before winter in various regions of the country.

Harvest time for winter garlic

There is no exact date when to dig up winter garlic. It all depends on the region, the average air temperature during its active growth and the amount of moisture. Therefore, the degree of its maturity must be determined by the state of the heads.

The main advantage of winter garlic is larger heads. This allows not only to get a good harvest, but also to simplify the process of its preparation. Indeed, for a certain dish, fewer cloves will be required, so the time for cleaning and grinding it will be reduced.

Early varieties of winter garlic ripen already three months after the appearance of the first shoots. Late varieties may require up to 110 days. In the Krasnodar Territory, the Rostov Region and other warm regions, maturation is faster. In Siberia, it is recommended to use only early varieties in order to have time to harvest before the onset of cold weather.

If the cultivar is unknown, harvest time should be determined by the condition of the garlic. The main symptom is the appearance of yellowness of the leaves, as well as cracking of the film of inflorescences. After the appearance of these signs, you should have time to harvest within a week.

Experienced gardeners prefer to plant garlic of various sizes in different beds. This will facilitate the process of calculating the optimal time for its cleaning. For example, garlic from small cloves ripens 5-10 days earlier than from large heads.

If you remove the green heads, then over time they will ripen. However, its yield may decrease slightly. Overripe heads can also cause trouble. First of all, the heads can break and the teeth crumble. Cleaning is best done in the morning or evening so that the heads do not wither under the scorching sun.

The main signs of ripening garlic

The most effective way to determine that the garlic is ripe and it's time to dig it out is to observe the condition of the heads and leaves. The main features include:

Stop growing new leaves.
The leaves are starting to turn yellow. Don't wait until they turn completely yellow. At this stage, the shirt of garlic will begin to rot. Therefore, it is recommended to dig out the heads when the leaves are still partially green.
In garlic with arrows, the covers with bulbs begin to crack. And garlic without them, lodging of leaves occurs. In garlic with arrows, lodging of leaves is not worth waiting for. They can stand in this form until the onset of cold weather.
One of the characteristic features for almost any variety is a change in the color of the shirt. Garlic should be removed at the moment when purple stripes appear. With white garlic, this method is problematic to use.

In the Moscow region, garlic harvesting should be carried out in mid-July. However, one should be guided by the main signs of its maturation and variety.

Rules for harvesting winter garlic

Dig up winter garlic immediately after the appearance of characteristic signs of ripening. It is impossible to delay in this matter, because in a short time the heads will be divided into cloves. And this will lead not only to problems with digging, but also affect its presentation and shelf life.

However, it is necessary to observe not only the timing of the harvest, but also the technology of this process. This will save the heads until the next harvest. Basic rules for collecting winter garlic:

Storage of garlic

After harvesting, it is extremely important to create optimal conditions so that the fruits are stored until spring without losing taste and appearance. Basic rules for storing winter garlic:

Garlic must be stored at a positive temperature. It can be stored in the refrigerator at 2-3 degrees or at room temperature. The main thing is that the temperature should not be below zero.
For long-term storage, it is essential that the bulbs are well ventilated. This is especially important if the garlic is stored in the cellar.
It is also important to take care of the humidity in the room where the garlic will be stored. The room must be dry. Otherwise, the likelihood of rotten bulbs and fungus is high. With high humidity, the heads lose their juiciness and aroma. The optimum room humidity should not exceed 80%.

There are several basic ways to store winter garlic. It applies to them.

Growing garlic is not difficult, but it has its own characteristics. They should be known and taken into account so that your garlic grows and tastes good. Today we will talk about when garlic is harvested for storage.

First of all, you need to distinguish garlic by planting time. It is planted both in spring and autumn. Moreover, in the spring you can only plant, and in the fall - both spring and winter (shooting). So let's find out how to know when to harvest garlic.

When to harvest winter (winter) garlic?

Shooting garlic is harvested approximately 100-110 days after the appearance of the first shoots. Depending on the climatic conditions in the region, this happens at the beginning or at the end of July. For example, in Ukraine and in central Russia, there is an unspoken rule among the people: winter garlic is harvested on July 12, on the Orthodox feast of the apostles Peter and Paul. By this time, it will be completely formed and will be ready for storage. You should not delay harvesting garlic, otherwise it will “sit out” in the ground and will not be stored well. However, it should not be removed before the deadline. Any garlic must be harvested in dry weather. Otherwise, heads of garlic dug out of damp soil will rot, and the entire crop will quickly deteriorate.

Remove garlic from the soil carefully, trying not to damage its roots. It is advisable to use a small garden shovel or fork for this. Shake off the earth from the roots, and then spread the garlic on the bed to dry. If your nights are damp or cool, then at night it is better to transfer the garlic to the room. It takes 2-3 days. Or you can bring the harvested crop under a canopy and hang it there.

Wait until the garlic is completely dry before cutting off the roots and stems. The fact is that the beneficial substances from them continue to “flow” into the bulb until the plant dries. The roots are cut off almost completely, and a cutting 10-15 cm long is left from the stem. However, this measure is not necessary: if you store the garlic tied in pigtails, the stems can not be shortened.

Store winter garlic in a cool, dark and dry place. You can hang it or put it in a box. Watch the temperature in the room: it should not be allowed to be too high. Then the garlic bulbs will begin to sprout, and such a plant will no longer be suitable for food. However, keep in mind: garlic will not lie for a long time. Winter garlic harvest is recommended to be eaten or used for preservation until the beginning of autumn, when it begins to deteriorate. Then spring garlic is used for food, which will be stored all winter.

When to harvest spring garlic planted in autumn?

The rules for collecting such garlic are similar to those listed in the previous section. But the timing will be different. Spring garlic is harvested when winter garlic is already harvested, 3-4 weeks later. This usually happens in August.

However, the weather is changeable, and sometimes the plant itself signals that it is time to dig it up. If its leaves turn yellow or completely die, and the arrow (inflorescence with small cloves) is cracked, then the garlic is ready for harvesting. A strong dry scale will also be a signal of its maturation - you will see it if you carefully dig one of the bulbs to check.

If this year's harvest is stored for a long time and does not deteriorate, and its taste remains at its best, then you have harvested garlic on time and store it correctly. Remember under what conditions it was done, and next year you will not have problems with it.

As you can see, growing and harvesting garlic is not difficult at all. If you have a summer cottage, be sure to plant garlic on it. It will make your meals tastier and healthier.

Garlic is an important ingredient in most culinary dishes. There is spring and winter garlic. The first is planted for the summer, so it is also called summer, the second is planted for the winter (winter). Both species are in demand in certain areas, but it is important to be able not only to grow a good crop, but also to harvest it in time and be able to keep it longer. When to dig up garlic planted before winter, depending on the type and region of planting, you can find out from this article.

Why do you need to harvest garlic on time?

Not all gardeners pay much attention to the timing of harvesting, and in vain! If cooked garlic is left in the ground for a long time, this can have negative consequences.

Overripe garlic may begin to re-grow in the ground, after picking or already during storage. Young shoots will begin to appear on it, this will lead to the destruction of scales and a decrease in shelf life.

Interesting!

If you rake the upper soil from the heads 2-3 weeks before harvesting the garlic, they will ripen faster. However, this method is effective only in dry weather, when there is no rain.

If tightened with cleaning, the scales will begin to crack, the teeth will become exposed. After harvesting, such garlic is poorly stored, and the teeth that have lost their scales can dry out by January.
Early picking of garlic is also not very correct - the teeth are not yet hard, so they can start to rot if they are not dried properly. Professional farmers are familiar with this science and practice it successfully, but for a young farmer, early harvesting can mean a loss of harvest.

Harvesting garlic planted before winter

How to determine that winter garlic is ripe?

Check also these articles

It is always difficult for a young gardener to determine whether the winter garlic is ripe or not - whether it can be harvested or if you still need to wait a little, just in case. As a result, garlic is often harvested underripe or overripe, which negatively affects its taste and keeping quality. The following are symptoms of winter garlic ripening that you can navigate to be sure when you need to dig garlic.

The upper leaves turn yellow, and the lower ones quickly dry out. Although if the arrow is not cut off, then this sign may be weakly expressed.
If there is an arrow, by the time the head ripens, the shell of the air bulb bursts on it and bulbs become noticeable on the surface.

To get larger heads of garlic, it is recommended to remove all arrows except for 2-3 pieces to obtain seed or orientation at the time of digging up the crop.

If you still have doubts, you can dig up the earth from a couple of heads. If the scales are strong, dry, of a normal color, then you can dig. If not, the garlic should ripen, and if it is clear that the head has already begun to disintegrate into individual cloves, then the garlic is overripe and you need to dig it urgently!

When harvesting, it is necessary to dig garlic

When to dig winter garlic?

Depending on the variety, garlic planted before winter may ripen at different times. However, on average, the period of full ripening is about 100 days from the date of appearance of the first shoots. Usually this period falls on the second decade of July or the first days of August - the climatic zone plays a big role here.

Interesting!

There is a popular belief about when to dig up garlic. According to this belief, winter garlic should be dug before the feast of Peter and Paul, which falls on July 12, or immediately after it.

When harvesting winter garlic, you can also focus on the lunar calendar. If landing was carried out along it, then cleaning can be done along it. Many gardeners claim that the lunar calendar does not fail in this regard and allows, without loading the head with unnecessary information, to collect a good, ripe crop that will be well stored.

When to dig spring garlic?

If we talk about spring garlic, then there are also certain signs of ripening and recommendations about when to dig up garlic. Spring garlic ripens from about mid-August to September, but the timing of different varieties can vary significantly, so it is important to focus not only on the time, but also on the state of the crop.

Interesting!

Spring garlic, like winter garlic, can be harvested based on the lunar calendar.

The first sure sign when to dig up garlic is yellow tops, which lie down more and more every day. The lower leaves may dry out completely.
The second sign is a dry root collar.
The third, easiest method of checking the head for readiness is to dig one of them and take a good look at it. The head should be formed with clearly distinguishable teeth, and the scales should be dry, dense.

Drying garlic on a vertical grid under a canopy

When can you dig up garlic in the Moscow region and Siberia?

Siberia, the Urals are regions with a cool climate. Therefore, all crops here usually ripen a few weeks later than in the middle and southern regions. This also applies to garlic. But when to dig winter and spring garlic in this case?

Dig it up in cold regions about 1-2 weeks later than in warm ones. That is, from the beginning or middle of August, winter garlic is harvested, and spring - from the beginning of September. It is important to always look for all signs - yellowing of the tops, drying of the neck and husks on the head.

As for the Moscow region, this zone is characterized by fairly frequent rains. Due to high humidity and rare sunny days, garlic can also ripen for a long time. Therefore, its collection in the Moscow region, as well as in Siberia and the Urals, is carried out 1-2 weeks later than in the middle and southern regions - focusing on the signs of maturation of the heads, and not on the dates.

How to harvest?

They dig spring garlic and planted before winter, only in dry weather. The arrows are cut off (if the garlic is winter), the heads are dug up and carefully removed from the ground. From the remnants of the soil, they need to be well shaken off, but without zeal, so as not to damage the head itself. The crop is laid out on film, newspapers to dry out for several days. If the weather allows, you can leave it right under the open sky, if it's going to rain outside, then dry it in the house or under a canopy.

It is best to hide the garlic laid out to dry overnight, because a sudden rain can ruin it.

Storing garlic with stalks

After drying the garlic in the open air, it can be laid out in boxes in a well-ventilated place and dried for another 2-3 weeks. This final drying will allow the scales to dry completely. Then the root, tops are cut off, although if the garlic is stored in braids, then you can simply cut the roots and leave the tops. Then the garlic is laid out for storage in a dry basement, cellar, attic, or simply hung above the ceiling.

The storage room should be well ventilated, with humidity up to 80%. Deeper it is recommended to put boxes with large heads, they are stored the longest. But it is better to identify small ones closer to the exit - they need to be used first.

Garlic is a popular vegetable crop among the peoples of many countries of the world. This is due to its composition. The plant has many useful and healing properties. When growing a crop, it is very important to determine the signs of ripening winter garlic and remove it in time. This will be discussed in this article.

Historical information

Even in ancient times, the Aryans brought garlic to India, where it began to be grown en masse. The Indians used the plant only for healing, but did not use it for food. Obviously, they did not like the harsh, unpleasant smell. Garlic began to be cultivated 50 centuries ago. In the ancient period, it was very popular, grown by the Romans and Greeks, Assyrians and Arabs, Egyptians and Jews.

According to the earliest sources known to scientists, garlic was part of the daily diet of the Egyptians. Medicinal preparations (800 items) were included in the manuscripts of this people, garlic was used for the manufacture of 22 of them. It was also an integral part of the diet of workers who did very hard work, such as building the pyramids.

Origin

Garlic comes from Central Asia. Its cultivation took place in such countries as Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan. there was a long-pointed onion, the place of growth of which is the gorges of the mountains of Turkmenistan, the Pamir-Alay, the Tien Shan, and not their slopes, but the very bottom. According to scientists, the two plants are genetically indistinguishable.

When to harvest garlic?

Timely harvesting is the most important agrotechnical measure. When growing garlic, it should be borne in mind that this crop is spring (it does not arrow), and winter (it is planted in the fall), some varieties of which form arrows, while others do not.

When to pull out winter garlic depends on a number of factors. For example, crop variety or growing conditions can affect harvesting time. The term for harvesting winter garlic with the exact date in regions with different climates is different. But, following general recommendations, winter garlic should be harvested 100-110 days after the first shoots appear.

The period when it is necessary to pull out winter garlic is determined, regardless of the conditions associated with the territorial division. This is the end of July or the beginning of August. The exception is the northern regions. Here they spend two or three weeks later. When digging garlic in the middle lane, for example, the day of Peter and Paul, which falls on the 12th, can serve as a guide.

The time when to pull out winter garlic also depends on the period of its ripening. In order for the harvest to be of high quality, one should not rush, otherwise you can dig up an unripe vegetable or overexposed in the soil.

Signs of overripe

When to pull out winter garlic? It is important not to delay the collection deadlines. Otherwise, the quality of the crop will decrease, and its storage will cause a lot of trouble. In order not to make a mistake when it is necessary to pull out winter garlic, it is important to know the signs of its overripeness:

If the scales covering the bulb burst. In this case, the teeth are exposed, which leads to their rapid drying or decay. Such garlic does not even live until January.
When the heads break up into individual cloves, which negatively affects the shelf life.
New roots appear at the very bottom of the head, which is why the garlic will begin to grow again.

If the question arises, when to remove the garlic, the secrets of summer residents will not be superfluous. They recommend being more careful and not allowing the bulbs to overripe, as the germination of planted cloves will decrease by 30-50%.

signs of maturation

When to harvest winter garlic? It is important to know that winter varieties throw arrows with seed boxes at the ends, which contain many small bulbs. If the purpose of growing the crop is not to produce seeds, the arrows are clipped. So the heads will be better formed.

The ripening of garlic can be determined by the following signs:

If the lower leaves turn yellow or dry. When to remove winter garlic in this case? It should be remembered that the stems of winter varieties do not lodge, therefore, in this case, one should not be guided by this sign.
If arrows topped with bulbs were left on individual plants, it will be noticeable that the shell on them cracked. Under it, small onions are clearly visible.
The scales should be firm and dry with purple streaks. This is easy to check if you break off a piece of the head.
If the teeth are separated, and the scales are removed easily. This can be checked periodically by digging one head at a time.

cleaning technology

In order for vegetables to have a pleasant taste and large size, they are watered all summer. It's different with garlic. When about three weeks remain before harvesting, watering stops completely. This is necessary in order to prepare the vegetable for storage.

The day for harvesting garlic should be dry and sunny. It is better to do this early in the morning, before the sun has risen, or late in the evening, when it has already set. Garlic has a developed root system, thanks to which the plant is firmly fixed in the ground, so it is strictly forbidden to pull it out of the ground, otherwise the roots will be damaged or part of the bulb will break off.

When you need to pull out winter garlic, experienced summer residents recommend using a shovel, and preferably a pitchfork. With a garden tool, you need to carefully dig up the plant and pull it out of the soil. After digging, the garlic must be dried. Excess earth is shaken off the roots and heads, but the roots and leaves are left so that the vegetable does not lose its beneficial properties.

To dry, the garlic is laid out in the garden for a period of five days. Important: this should be done on clear days. If the weather does not allow - under a canopy with good ventilation. It happens that suddenly it starts to rain and wet the garlic. In this case, you need to tie it in sheaves and hang it upside down to dry. When it dries, the roots should be cut 3mm from the base of the head and the stems 10cm.

There are biological rhythms of nature. By adhering to them, you can get a bountiful harvest with a high quality of the cultivated crop. Science has proven that the celestial body (Moon) affects the growth of plants. The lunar calendar exists for various works related to plants. It was also compiled for harvesting garlic, determining the timing of its ripening. It indicates favorable days on which it is recommended to carry out certain agricultural work.

Some gardeners refer to the lunar calendar to determine harvesting dates. Those who trust the lunar phases should not forget to monitor the maturation of the bulbs, focusing on the external signs of plants.

Growing garlic, you should stock up on certain knowledge in this area. Recommendations from experienced gardeners are very useful.

Premature harvesting of garlic is undesirable, as this will affect the condition of the cloves: they will become soft. If the heads are properly dried, they will ripen. But you should not count on getting smooth slices, they will be wrinkled.

Experienced gardeners recommend leaving a few arrows in order to determine from them whether the garlic is ripe or not.
The best time to harvest garlic is in the morning. This is especially important for regions with an unstable climate. In case it rains in the evening, the garlic will have time to dry out in a day.
Heads are stored better, which are covered with films in three layers.
If the drought continues for a long time, the soil must be moistened before harvesting. Shaking off dry lumps of soil, you can pull out the bottom along with the roots.
When the garlic is ripe, do not store it in the garden. A vegetable overexposed in the ground quickly deteriorates during storage.
After digging up the garlic, the heads can be washed, but they should be dried very well before storage.

Harvesting is the most important and most enjoyable moment of growing any vegetable and fruit crop. The second half of summer and the beginning of autumn are crucial stages for summer residents and gardeners who grow garlic, because it is at this time that the culture ripens. Next, we will talk about how and when to remove winter garlic (planted before winter) and spring garlic (planted in spring) from the garden.

So, when is it better to harvest winter garlic, in what month? On average, the procedure is performed in the second half of July and early August. However, it is difficult to name the exact time of the procedure, because there are different varieties of crops (early-ripening, late-ripening), different growing conditions and weather conditions.

Early-ripening varieties can be dug up after 85-95 days, late-ripening - after 100-110 days.

The rate of ripening of the crop also depends on the planting material. During the autumn planting of single-toothed young heads, they ripen 20-25 days earlier, after which small cloves ripen, and garlic, which was planted with medium and large cloves, ripens last.

The optimal harvesting time for winter garlic planted before winter is determined by the plants themselves:

The first sign of ripening - the tips of the leaves turn yellow, the lower leaves dry up. More intense leaf yellowing indicates the early readiness of the crop for harvest.
Yellowing and death of half or more leaves indicates that the plant is ready.
Arrow with seeds straightened, inflorescence shell in which the bulbs are located, started to burst. However, it is recommended to collect before cracking, but the arrow should not be bent.

By the color of the scales can determine the ripeness of varieties that do not shoot. Garlic is ready if the upper scales are slightly damaged, rot, and the upper one has acquired a shade that is characteristic of its variety.

By the way! When growing a particular variety of winter garlic, one head can be dug up and tasted to gauge ripeness. And if this specimen is ripe, then it means that others need to be dug up.

It is important to observe the optimal and correct terms for harvesting the garlic crop from the garden, otherwise the garlic bulbs will overripe, begin to crack and fall apart into cloves. Because of this, the storage period is significantly reduced.

As soon as you notice the signs described above on the plants, you need to dig up the crop within five to seven days. Not later!

When to harvest spring garlic(planted in spring)

Spring garlic is planted in spring, and winter garlic is planted before winter, therefore, in the first case, harvesting is carried out later than in the second.

When is the best time to harvest? As a rule, gardeners do this mid-August to mid-September. Again, the variety, planting dates, and growing conditions affect the readiness time.

You can determine the most accurate harvesting time for spring garlic planted in spring by the appearance of the plants:

New leaves do not appear and do not grow.
The leaves turn yellow.
The neck of the plant becomes soft, because of this the stem lies down.

It is very important not to miss the moment and harvest at the right time, otherwise the growth of the root system will continue, and because of this, the keeping quality of the crop will decrease, the shelf life will decrease, and useful properties will deteriorate.

Collection dates according to the lunar calendar 2019

Many summer residents are guided by the cycles of the moon when performing any summer procedures (for example, planting in open ground, sowing seedlings, pruning, watering, and many other activities). Harvesting is no exception: experienced gardeners have noticed that if you perform the procedure at the most suitable time, then the crop is stored longer.

Auspicious days for harvesting winter and spring garlic according to the Lunar calendar 2019:

July: 5th, 6th, 7th, 15th, 16th, 19th, 20th, 23rd, 24th;
August: 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 15, 16, 29, 30;
September: 15, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24.

How to prepare a garlic crop for harvest

A month before harvesting, watering should be reduced, and 10-14 days before digging, moisture should be completely stopped to prevent rotting of the heads.
In about a week, you should cut off the leaves, which begin to turn yellow.
2-3 days before harvesting, it is recommended to weed the weeds and loosen the soil in the garden with plants.
It is necessary to tie an arrow, and then break off. Manipulation is necessary so that the culture does not waste energy and nutrients on the maturation of seeds, but directs them in the right direction, that is, on the maturation of the head.

How to properly harvest winter and spring garlic

There are no differences between the collection of spring garlic planted in spring and winter garlic planted before winter in autumn, so we will consider the basic rules and schemes of the procedure.

It is best to harvest in the garden in the morning or evening when the sun is not very active. At the same time, there should be dry, warm weather. In rainy and humid weather, it is not recommended to collect.

To properly and quickly dig garlic heads out of the ground, you need to take a shovel or pitchfork and carefully dig under the plant. In this case, the tool must be stuck into the ground at a right angle(90 degrees), because if you do it at an angle, you can damage the bulb. And then Carefully pull the plant out with your hands.

Important! It is highly discouraged to simply pull the bulbs out of the ground without digging. The fact is that with dry land, most likely, the stem will simply come off, and the head will remain in the soil. The best option is to carefully dig.

Preparing the garlic harvest for storage

Obviously, the keeping quality of the crop depends on the storage conditions: the more suitable and optimal conditions, the longer the heads are stored. But no less important is the preparation of the crop for storage!

The following tips will help you properly prepare spring and winter garlic heads for storage in autumn and winter:

You need to handle the head carefully, you can’t damage it, the roots and the bottom, the slightest damage will become a gateway for infections, and you won’t be able to save the infected copy.
To eliminate excess soil on the head, carefully remove the soil with your hands. If the dirt does not lag behind, then you can very delicately tap on the palm of your hand and try to remove it again.
Immediately after digging, the roots and stem (tops) must be left, they do not need to be cut immediately.
When the entire crop is dug up, it must be dried until the stem and root system are completely dry. To do this, take the crop to a warm, dry and well-ventilated area. On average, drying takes 2-3 weeks. By the way, properly dried heads rustle when they are poured.

After the roots and stem have completely dried, you need to cut off the stem (leaving a stump of about 5-7 centimeters) and the roots (leaving about one or two centimeters).
You need to carefully examine the harvest. Damaged specimens cannot be sent for storage, they are still likely to undergo infections and will not be able to lie for a long time.

Note! If you want to store the garlic in the form of a scythe, then you do not need to trim the tops!