Garlic planted in spring has advantages over autumn planting in that it does not dry out and has a longer shelf life. But in order for it to finally ripen and have nutrients, it is necessary to observe the timing of its cultivation and, most importantly, to know when to harvest spring garlic.
Signs that cleaning is ready
Harvesting crops planted in autumn differs from spring crops. Winter crops form roots after planting in the fall, and as soon as the soil warms up in the spring, they immediately begin to grow. Spring garlic takes time to take root, so spring garlic is harvested much later.Typically, the time to harvest summer garlic is mid-August or early September.
Much depends on the weather in summer; experienced gardeners also pay attention to precipitation. Favorable conditions for accelerating growth spring garlic Frequent rains are considered. When the summer is dry, the crop head develops more slowly.
If you dig up summer garlic from the garden before the scheduled harvest time, it will be impossible to store it for a long time. True, many gardeners dig it up a little earlier so that it matures during drying. It is believed that it is better not to ripen than for its cloves to begin to crumble on their own and begin to grow again. It will be impossible to save such a harvest. Opened on its own, without the presence of scales, it dries very quickly.
How do you know about ripening?
Before digging or pulling a crop out of the ground, you will need to constantly monitor it.
There are several signs by which we know when to dig up spring garlic:
- The tops of the ripening spice should turn almost completely yellow and lie slightly on the ground.
- Before digging, you need to examine the root collar: it usually dries out.
- The dug up bulbs should be fully formed, and the cloves should stand out clearly through the scales and fit tightly to each other. They are very easy to separate using your hands, without any tools.
- The bulb is covered with a thick skin of about 3 layers. It is easy to remove by hand.
- The spice has a characteristic color for the variety: purple, white.
Unfortunately, the spices in the beds do not ripen at the same time. The time changes every year, so you need to be observant, try to determine by the signs that it is ripe, and the time has come when to harvest the garlic.
We must not forget that in August, long rains begin, which affect the quality of the product, so harvesting spring garlic must occur quickly and in a timely manner.
Harvesting rules
Choose a dry, sunny day for digging. It is advisable that the soil is not wet.
And in order to harvest the spice for good yield, you should know how and when to dig spring garlic:
- If during harvesting, when examining the tops, it was noticed that most of them had turned yellow, it is recommended to partially remove the soil from the bulbs to make them easier to remove later.
- About a week before harvesting, you need to stop watering. The soil should dry out well.
- It is advisable to carry out cleaning in the morning or evening hours of the day, choosing a dry day.
- You can use a pitchfork or shovel to harvest spring garlic. It is dug up a few centimeters from the head so as not to damage it.
- If I plant garlic close to the surface of the soil and it is loose, then you can dig up the soil a little, and then pull the heads, grabbing the tops. If it accidentally comes off, which is undesirable, carefully pull the head out of the soil with your hands so as not to accidentally damage it.
The collected garlic should not be hit against each other, much less thrown. It is carefully placed on dry ground or in baskets. For quick drying, it is recommended to spread thick paper or burlap on the bed.
After drying a little, it is advisable to immediately clean the bulbs from soil and upper scales. In this case, the crop should be inspected and sorted. It is recommended to place damaged bulbs separately as they cannot be stored. Having collected the largest specimens, they are set aside for sowing next year.
It is advisable not to separate the tops immediately so that the garlic ripens. It should be stored this way for about a week. In sunny, dry weather, take it outside, laying it out in rows on burlap. But to avoid burns, the garlic is lightly covered with dry leaves or hay. If the weather changes, it is better to put the garlic under a canopy so that it is well ventilated. After ripening, the stem and leaves are cut off, leaving a tail of about 3–4 cm. The root is partially shortened with scissors or a knife, leaving about 4 mm; it is not completely removed.
Preparation for storage
Well-dried garlic is ready for storage. For these purposes, you need to choose a cool place, the humidity of which should not exceed 80%. If it is too dry, then the garlic will begin to wrinkle and wither, and if the humidity is high, it will sprout or, in the worst case, rot.
Cleaning and storage are simple: it can be put in a box with a thin layer, stored at room temperature, just away from heating radiators.
If it was not possible to dry the bulbs well before collecting them and storing them, it is recommended to carry out processing to increase their shelf life. To do this, you will first need to scorch the roots over a fire. Then prepare a special composition, which will require sunflower oil, iodine and water.
It is recommended to boil the oil in a water bath for about 10 minutes, then cool. Take 0.5 liters of boiled water. Pour the prepared oil into it, add about 10 drops of iodine, mix everything thoroughly. It is recommended to dip each onion in turn in this composition, then lay them out on thick paper, dry them and store them.
Storage methods
In order to extend the storage time of spring planting, there are many ways.
How was it stored in the old days?
Let's take a closer look at how to store garlic, based on the experience of our ancestors:
- Boiled vegetable oil was used for storage. The cloves were carefully torn off or the heads were placed entirely in some container. They put it in a dark place. The oil acquired a pleasant spicy taste and garlic aroma; it was used to season salads.
- The well-dried heads were sprinkled with flour. To do this, they took a box, laid out the heads of garlic in rows, sprinkled each with flour, and covered the top with a lid. The flour absorbed excess moisture well, and the garlic did not spoil until spring.
- Sprinkling with ash preserved the garlic bulbs even longer. It could be at room temperature.
- Table salt is also considered an excellent remedy: it perfectly disinfects and absorbs excess moisture.
- Our grandmothers used canvas bags for storage. First, a concentrated solution of table salt was diluted, the bags were dipped into it, then they were dried, and the garlic was placed in them. It was well protected from excess moisture and did not rot.
Some people liked to decorate the kitchen with garlic braids. To do this, its dried leaves were woven into twine, or if there was no time for weaving, the garlic was placed in nylon stockings and hung. But such a crop had to be sorted often, since there was high humidity in the kitchen. You can put the spice in boxes or baskets, then there will be free access to air. You can use onion peels for storage, sprinkle them on the bulbs, but it is recommended to protect the garlic by lifting it higher.
Well preserved in dry sawdust. It is placed in a box or box, each layer is sprinkled with sawdust.
Modern storage methods
Over the years, new materials and technologies have appeared on how to store spring garlic:
- Bulbs wrapped in cling film are perfectly preserved. Its freshness is preserved and it does not dry out.
- Many people like the use of paraffin. If it is not available, you can buy candles and melt them. Dip the onion in it, it will be covered with a protective paraffin film. This garlic stores well.
Garlic is the most popular spice, the cultivation of which is relevant almost everywhere. Many housewives use it in preparing delicious savory dishes and for canning. Every gardener in 2018 is interested in long-term storage, but for this it is not enough just to create optimal conditions; the main thing is to choose the right time when to harvest summer garlic.
