Emma Miller
In July, farmers and gardeners harvest winter garlic. It is important to choose the right time to harvest the crop. If you do it too early, the cloves will be very soft, and if you delay harvesting, such a vegetable will be stored for a very short time.
When to harvest winter garlic
Winter garlic is harvested about 100 days after the appearance of the first sprouts. Depending on weather conditions, a good time is in July or early August. It is best to dig up the garlic in the early morning or on a cool day since harvesting during the heat can dry out the cloves.
Identify a good time to harvest garlic by the following signs:
- The lower leaves of the garlic are drying and the upper leaves are yellowing;
- the garlic skin is slightly dried out and firm, with a purple hue;
- the garlic arrows are straightened;
- if the garlic separates easily into cloves, it is already overripe and must be dug up immediately;
- if the garlic has not had its arrows removed, you can tell it’s ripe by the bursting flower at the end, from which the seeds are peeking out.
When to harvest garlic according to the lunar calendar
Some gardeners are guided by the lunar calendar when harvesting garlic. The following dates are suggested on the lunar calendar for harvesting garlic:
- July: 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25 July.
- August: August 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 14, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26.
When to harvest summer garlic
Spring garlic (that is, planted in the spring) is harvested from mid-August through September. Signs of ripe summer garlic are as follows:
- The stems and leaves turn yellow and lie on the ground;
- the neck of the garlic above the root dries out and flakes off;
- the garlic head is fully formed and slightly dried out.
