Garlic rewards patience. Knowing exactly when and how to harvest and cure the bulbs is the difference between a crop that lasts six weeks and one that lasts six months.
When to harvest
Watch the lower leaves: when about half have browned but the top is still green, it is time. Dig, do not pull, to avoid bruising the bulbs.
Curing for storage
Cure in a shady, airy spot for 2–3 weeks until the necks are papery and the skins rustle. Trim the tops and roots, then store.
Storage conditions
Cool, dark, and dry is the rule. Braid softnecks or store hardskins in mesh bags. Avoid the fridge, which makes them sprout.
- Stop watering 2 weeks before harvest to toughen skins.
- Cure in bundles of 6–10 hung from a rafter.
- Save the biggest, healthiest bulbs for seed.
- Hardneck garlic stores shorter — eat it first.
Garlic is the one crop that tastes better the longer you wait to use it.