Cultivation of garlic - a simple matter, but here there are special features. They should be known and accounted for so that your garlic grows large and tasty. Today, we'll talk about when they collect garlic for storage.
First of all, you need to distinguish between garlic and planting time. He is put in both spring and autumn. And in spring you can plant only spring garlic , and in autumn - spring, and winter (arrow). So, let's find out how to find out when to pick garlic.
When to collect winter (winter) garlic?
Harvested garlic is removed approximately 100-110 days after the appearance of the first shoots. Depending on the climatic conditions in the region, this occurs at the beginning or end of July. For example, in Ukraine and in the middle band of Russia there is an unspoken rule among the people: winter garlic is collected on July 12, on the Orthodox holiday of the apostles Peter and Paul. By this time, it is fully formed and will be ready for storage. Do not delay with cleaning garlic, otherwise it will "sit" in the ground and will be poorly stored. However, it is not worth removing it before the deadline. Gather any garlic in dry weather. Otherwise, the garlic heads, dug from the wet earth, will rot, and the entire crop will quickly deteriorate.
Take garlic out of the ground carefully, trying not to damage its roots. It is advisable to use a small garden shovel or fork for this. The earth from the roots must be shaken off, and then put the garlic on the bed to dry. If the nights are raw or cool, then it is best to transfer garlic to the room for the night. This takes 2-3 days. Or you can bring the harvested crop under a canopy and hang it there.
Wait until the garlic completely dries, and only then cut the roots and stems. The fact is that useful substances from them continue to "flow" into the bulb until the plant dries. The roots are cut almost completely, and a stem 10-15 cm long is left from the stem. However, this measure is not necessary: if you store 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. Keep track of the temperature in the room: do not let it be too high. Then the bulbs of garlic will sprout, and such a plant will no longer be suitable for food. However, keep in mind: long time to lie garlic will not. Harvest of winter garlic is recommended to eat or use for conservation until the beginning of autumn, when it begins to deteriorate. Then in the food use spring garlic, which will be stored throughout the winter.
When to collect 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. Remove spring garlic when the winter crop is already harvested, 3-4 weeks later. Usually this happens in August.
However, the weather is changeable, and sometimes the plant itself signals that it is time to dig it. If its leaves have turned yellow or completely fallen, and the arrow (inflorescence with small denticles) has cracked, then garlic is already ready for harvesting. Signal of its maturation will be a strong dry scales - you will see it if you carefully dig out one of the bulbs for testing.
If the harvest of this year is stored for a long time and does not deteriorate, and its palatability remains at an altitude, then you picked garlic in time and store it correctly. Remember, under what conditions it was done, and next year you will not have any problems with it.
As you can see, growing and harvesting garlic is not difficult. If you have a summer residence, be sure to plant garlic on it. It will make your dishes tastier and more useful.