Terms of harvesting garlic in the middle lane 

Garlic is present in almost every cuisine in the world. In the middle lane, as a rule, winter varieties of this crop are grown. So, you can grow large garlic heads with evenly spaced large cloves. However, summer or spring varieties are better stored, so many gardeners plant them on their plots. Spring garlic is planted in early spring, and harvesting occurs in mid-August.

For good preservation of the heads, it is not enough just to plant the crop and take care of it in time, but also to dig the garlic heads out of the ground in a timely manner. And for this, in turn, it is important to know the signs and timing of plant ripening. This article will focus on when garlic is harvested in the middle lane.

Why is it important to harvest properly and on time?

There are several reasons why it is important to harvest on time and correctly:

• If the culture is overripe, then it will re-grow, begin to sprout, as a result of which the scales will collapse, which will adversely affect the keeping quality of the product.
• If you dig up the garlic heads ahead of time, their cloves will be too soft. Although with proper drying, such a crop can be saved. Some gardeners prefer to harvest the garlic earlier to avoid the possibility of overripe garlic.
• If the crop is allowed to overripe, then the integumentary flake will crack and the teeth will be without husks. Such garlic bulbs become unusable by January.

Signs of ripe garlic

In order not to harvest the culture before or after the due time, it is important to know how to recognize the moment of culture maturation. There are a number of factors to consider:

1. In the middle lane, garlic harvesting occurs in mid-July. Often, gardeners are guided by the religious holiday of Peter and Paul, which is celebrated on the 12th.
2. The weather can also affect the timing of the ripening of garlic bulbs. For example, in a hot summer they are dug up in early August, and in a rainy summer – in early July.
3. You should not rely solely on mathematical calculations based on the length of the growing season for a particular variety. It is also important to take into account the external signs of maturation, evident in the aerial part of the culture.
4. Of course, the bulk of the arrows must be removed, but you can leave 1 control copy. The fact is that when the heads ripen, the wrappers on the inflorescences of the arrows crack, and the arrows themselves straighten.
5. If the lower leaves of the culture turn yellow and dry, then this is a sure sign of the maturation of the heads.
6. The skin of garlic bulbs that are fully ripe is drier and thinner. It is easy to separate from the teeth.
7. Ripe garlic cloves are easy to separate from each other.

Tips for accelerating the ripening period of garlic

In a series of seasonal work, it is important not to forget to take care of the garlic. If the green mass began to fade, then tie it into a knot. In this case, the tops will stop growing and all the nutrients will be stored in the garlic heads.

In the first days of July, you should rake the soil from the heads of garlic so that they are bare by about a third. This approach will allow you to warm the garlic in the sun. As a result, the teeth will increase in size, and their keeping quality will also increase.

If you have planted a non-shooting variety of garlic, then yellowed tops and a softened neck of the stem will help determine the readiness of the crop for harvest. You can also visually monitor the condition of the heads of garlic. So, from mid-July, dig 1-1 heads once a week. The dug out cloves can be used for cooking.

There are also gardeners who determine the harvest period according to the lunar calendar. So, the date of removal of garlic from the beds is chosen, which is considered the most favorable for storing heads.

In order not to damage the roots, before removing from the soil, the garlic must be dug. After drying, garlic can be woven into bundles, with which many decorate their homes. Large heads of garlic last longer, which means they are best left for later. Small heads should be used for cooking first, as they don’t keep well.

cleaning technology

If you have determined that the crop is ripe, you should start digging it up. However, it is important to follow some rules:

• To clean the heads, you need to use a garden tool. A pitchfork will help minimize damage to the garlic. This is important, since damaged heads will quickly rot due to the development of pathogenic viruses and microorganisms on cuts and scratches.
• The first moisture from the garlic can be removed by drying the heads in the beds under the sun. So, they can lie in the garden for no more than two days. So that the crop does not get wet from night dew, it can be covered with plastic wrap or removed for the night in a barn.
• A well-dried crop has dry leaves. With their help, you can weave a garlic wreath or braid. But, if you do not plan to do this, then remove the stems, leaving a small tail equal to 3–4 cm.
• Perform head sorting. Remove the sick, separate the planting material and the heads that you will use for cooking. Damaged garlic will not last until the next harvest, however, it can be refrigerated and used for cooking.

So, if you want to grow a bountiful harvest of garlic, then follow the rules outlined in this article. It is important to plant crops on time and harvest. It is also necessary to correctly determine the ripening period of the heads and dry them qualitatively. These recommendations will help you master the gardening business in the shortest possible time, so listen to them. We suggest you also watch a video on when and how to harvest garlic: