How to Harvest and Cure Your Garlic: A Complete Guide for Optimal Storage

After watching your garlic plants carefully all season long.  harvest time has finally arrived! 

But be careful! Harvesting your garlic is just the first step. You need to make sure your garlic cures well if it is going to store all winter long. 

To make sure your hard work doesn't go to waste, here are the key steps for a successful harvest and curing process.

When to Harvest?

To know if your garlic is ready for harvest, start by looking at your plants and counting the leaves that are still green. When there are only 5 or 6 green leaves left, it is time to harvest your garlic.

Why this number? Each green leaf is attached to a wrapper on your bulb. You want to have enough wrappers that you can remove a couple during cleaning and still have a well protected bulb..

Be Gentle with your Garlic

Here is the most crucial rule for harvest day: never yank hard on the main stem to pull up your garlic. Stems break easily, and snap one right at the neck and you leave a wide-open doorway for rot and bacteria, ruining your storage potential.

Instead, use a garden fork or spade to gently loosen the soil:

• Slide your tool into the ground a few inches away from the base of the plant.

• Gently lever the soil to lift the bulb, then ease the plant out by hand.

• Gently shake off any excess dirt.

Resist the urge to tap your bulbs against the ground or your garden tools. That outer skin needs to stay intact to shield your garlic all winter. Harvesting is also a great time to trim long roots and shorten the stem slightly, while setting aside your largest, healthiest bulbs to replant in the fall.

Curing: Don't Skip This Step

Curing (or drying) is a vital process where the juices inside the stem and leaves draw down into the bulb, effectively sealing it for the months ahead.

Here is how to get it right:

• Bundle them up: Tie your plants together in bunches of 10 to 20.

• Pick the right spot: Hang or lay your garlic in a dry, shaded, and well-ventilated area (a garage, shed, or covered porch works great). Good airflow is essential to prevent mold.

• Be patient: Full curing takes anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks. Avoid trimming stems during the first week while the necks are still sealing up.

• Check for moisture: To test if your garlic is done curing, snip a stem. The inside should be clean, paper-dry, and completely free of moisture.

Cleaning and Sorting: The Finishing Touches

Once your garlic is completely dry, it is time to tidy things up. Trim the roots and cut back the stems (unless you plan to braid them, which looks fantastic and saves counter space).

Now is also the time for your final sort: set aside the bulbs you plan to eat first, and save your absolute best bulbs for planting next season. To clean off remaining dirt, your thumbs or a soft, dry toothbrush will do the trick. Don't worry about making them look spotless or shiny. Leave as many paper layers intact as possible, since those skins are your garlic's natural defense.

Wrapping Up

In short, a successful harvest relies on three main pillars: be gentle when you harvest, be patient while your garlic cures, and be intentional when you select next year’s garlic to plant.

That’s how you guarantee high-quality garlic all the way until spring!

Keep this reference handy so you don't miss any key steps along the way:

If you have questions about garlic production or are looking for the best varieties for your zone, don't hesitate todownload our free garlic production guide ordiscover our best varieties in our online store.

Ev every August, we take orders for garlic seed that you can plant in October.

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How did your harvest go this year? Add a comment or send us an email to share your experience!

Happy harvesting!

Frédéric 🪏