Garlic Harvest

IronNoggin

Well-Known Member
Well, the latest heat wave certainly improved the outlook for our wee ones - garlic plants grown from Bulbils:

Q9FZk6c.jpg


Wish I had taken a picture of the main garlic bed when it was at it's height. Made it to around 5 feet this year!
Here is one when they were only about 4 feet:

5HyhOE6.jpg


The recent heat, lack of water (intentional) after removing most of the scapes managed to shrink the plants down by over two feet as they readied for harvest:

IKQoD39.jpg


You can easily see that the lower 2/3 or more of almost every plant had browned up:

rN6HIWR.jpg


So... Harvest Time!!

RVLEbtm.jpg


I was very pleased to learn that my experiment regarding growing full sized garlic from Bulbils was a roaring success!! In fact, there was but little difference in size between most of them, and those grown from original full sized stock! Means that down the road we will be chowing down on pretty much all of the Big Boyz, and utilizing the rotating Bulbil stock as broodstock!

W4bBu4Q.jpg


Cleaned them up, trimmed off the brown while leaving the green to contribute even more goodness to the bulbs as they finish:

8UuUWCc.jpg


Got a Gretzky this year - 99 harvested!
Now they hang for a week or so in a cool, shaded spot with good air circulation.
Simply had to try one. Too early I know, but already very oily and super spicy!
Going to be a great batch this year methinks!!

Gotta admit though, after having the screen of green between our lower sitting area and the yard most of the year, she now looks to be a tad barren...

OGf0yVm.jpg


Time for a second seasonal crop to take it's place until fall. Now debating with The Missuz just what that should be (as I will be away for a few weeks or so after the beginning of next month)...

So, how is your garden shaping up this year??

Wondering...
Nog
 
Well, the latest heat wave certainly improved the outlook for our wee ones - garlic plants grown from Bulbils:

Q9FZk6c.jpg


Wish I had taken a picture of the main garlic bed when it was at it's height. Made it to around 5 feet this year!
Here is one when they were only about 4 feet:

5HyhOE6.jpg


The recent heat, lack of water (intentional) after removing most of the scapes managed to shrink the plants down by over two feet as they readied for harvest:

IKQoD39.jpg


You can easily see that the lower 2/3 or more of almost every plant had browned up:

rN6HIWR.jpg


So... Harvest Time!!

RVLEbtm.jpg


I was very pleased to learn that my experiment regarding growing full sized garlic from Bulbils was a roaring success!! In fact, there was but little difference in size between most of them, and those grown from original full sized stock! Means that down the road we will be chowing down on pretty much all of the Big Boyz, and utilizing the rotating Bulbil stock as broodstock!

W4bBu4Q.jpg


Cleaned them up, trimmed off the brown while leaving the green to contribute even more goodness to the bulbs as they finish:

8UuUWCc.jpg


Got a Gretzky this year - 99 harvested!
Now they hang for a week or so in a cool, shaded spot with good air circulation.
Simply had to try one. Too early I know, but already very oily and super spicy!
Going to be a great batch this year methinks!!

Gotta admit though, after having the screen of green between our lower sitting area and the yard most of the year, she now looks to be a tad barren...

OGf0yVm.jpg


Time for a second seasonal crop to take it's place until fall. Now debating with The Missuz just what that should be (as I will be away for a few weeks or so after the beginning of next month)...

So, how is your garden shaping up this year??

Wondering...
Nog
How many years did you replant the bulbils before they are the size bulb you eat?
 
How many years did you replant the bulbils before they are the size bulb you eat?

As some will know, the Bulbils come form allowing the Scapes to mature:

Tpn7kOT.jpg


We only do this with three or four (four this year).
The Bulbils (seed like mini-garlic) are harvested from the heads when they split open.
Two ways to go, either fall plant them (risky if you get much below zero) or spring plant them.
I have always planted them into smaller garden boxes in the spring:

Yyqva0c.jpg


These are generally harvested much later than the main crop (always in the ground in October).
They will produce either small marble like singles, or have a couple or so cloves (all small).

Most sources suggest they will require another year of growth before employing a brood stock for your main crop.
We have not found that to be the case.
In fact, for two years in a row now, we have simply planted the first year's production of these alongside the split off cloves from the main crop we use as seed.
There has been but little difference between the two, especially this year.

In short: Harvest bulbils.
Plant first year by themselves.
Employ as seed stock their second year.

Works for us...

Cheers,
Nog
 
We high grade biggest cloves for seed stock allowing the cloves to invariably become nice large red Russians. How we do it anyway. Also seems to work
 
As some will know, the Bulbils come form allowing the Scapes to mature:

Tpn7kOT.jpg


We only do this with three or four (four this year).
The Bulbils (seed like mini-garlic) are harvested from the heads when they split open.
Two ways to go, either fall plant them (risky if you get much below zero) or spring plant them.
I have always planted them into smaller garden boxes in the spring:

Yyqva0c.jpg


These are generally harvested much later than the main crop (always in the ground in October).
They will produce either small marble like singles, or have a couple or so cloves (all small).

Most sources suggest they will require another year of growth before employing a brood stock for your main crop.
We have not found that to be the case.
In fact, for two years in a row now, we have simply planted the first year's production of these alongside the split off cloves from the main crop we use as seed.
There has been but little difference between the two, especially this year.

In short: Harvest bulbils.
Plant first year by themselves.
Employ as seed stock their second year.

Works for us...

Cheers,
Nog
So you are having successful harvest from a spring planting of bulbils?
I mean for a head of cloves...

thanks
 
how do you guys store it? I have a wine room kept at 62 degrees F and I put it in there. I tried an Old fridge set at 40 and it sprouted sooner than the 62. Any other ideas I does not last very long.
 
We have a root cellar kind of room under the stairs. It stays a constant cool around 55 - 60 degrees.
We hang it after trimming off the excess leaves and stalk.
It will last 8 - 10 months in there.

Garlic likes a cool spell to kick it into gear for sprouting to occur.
Keeping it in the fridge, or under conditions below 55 degrees will almost certainly guarantee it will sprout on you.

Cheers,
Nog
 
And do you dry the flower before planting? I usually plant my garlic mid october.

I hang the flower upside down for a few days in order for the bulbils (actually small garlic's) to cure. Then separate them from the head, and store until spring. They only produce seed stock the first year, but we have been having excellent success with them growing to full size in their second (must harvest in the summer or fall, store, and re-plant the following year).

Cheers
 
Harvested much of the Bulbil seed stock yesterday. You can see that by far most are single round bulbs. Only a few will be segmented into cloves after their first year.

p2WsKRA.jpg


The growing boxes have a few over-achievers left to finish. These will all be multiple cloved.

YfWmVsI.jpg


All will be replanted in a few weeks to establish next's years eating stock. And yes, the single cloved ones will produce full sized, multiple cloved stock as we harvested a few months back now.

Cheers,
Nog
 
We never have soaked ours. Curious about the bulbits for seed stock , when planted in the spring for seed stock in the fall do you plant them at the same depth as a regular planting in the fall ? ie: one index finger deep to the point or shallower relitive to the size of the bulbit ? Really enjoying the posts on this" whats for dinner tonight, food n prep" thread Best Regards to the posters
 
Curious about the bulbits for seed stock , when planted in the spring for seed stock in the fall do you plant them at the same depth as a regular planting in the fall ? ie: one index finger deep to the point or shallower relitive to the size of the bulbit ?

We plant the Bulbils only around 3/4 of an inch to one inch deep.
One teaspoon of bone meal placed under each, then a layer of soil / compost, then the Bulbil and cover.

Cheers
 
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