Topic: Garlic Harvest!!

[tim]

"Keep all year2 Lift now??

All depends on the variety. I'm not impatient & only grow the keeping type.

Yes - we have enough all year.

See the Garlicfarm.

"Garlic Harvest takes place from May to July.

Early Wight, a purple hardneck garlic produces the first fresh garlic bulbs in the country, well received in all the Farmers Markets we attend. Customers can't wait to use fresh garlic again after using up the last of the previous year's stock.

Purple Wight, another hardneck with bigger bulbs of about 8 large fat cloves follows in June. This is a strong, hearty garlic that will keep until December and very popular with all cooks and chefs.

Solent Wight follows, a white softneck, long-keeping garlic with wonderful bouquet, length and breadth of flavour that will keep till February. Many customers tell us they are still using it in June".

[shirlton]

Thanks for the info Tim I shall keep it for future orders

[cambourne7]

wow looking good i am still using the garlic from last year which variety have you grown? I cant wait till i can plant some fresh for next year and defiantly going to sow more solo garlic :)

[tim]

Me? Always Solent Wight.

But some Albigensian & Chesnok thrown in for fun!

[Susiebelle]

Thanks from me too Tim  :-*  :-* Always enjoy your posts (a fan) and like Shirlton have saved for future reference.

[1066]

Yes I'd recommend the Early and the Purple Wights. Did great last year - and hoping more of the same for this year. Also growing the Albigensian as that was also succesful. Didn't have any luck with the Solent or the Chesnok. It seems for me that the autumn planted work out best
Just need to try and get a bit better at platting - miserable attempt last year  ::)

[grawrc]

I'm still eating last year's so haven't thought of harvesting yet. I had rustSt year and lifted in early July but they have stored well although they're a bit past their best now.
This year's crop is looming great. About an inch of yellowing at the top but 3 days of rain will have restored them I'm sure.
I grew supermarket stuff one year but wasn't impressed by the yield. Luck of the draw I suppose. Anyway I doove the ones with scales and exotic names!!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I lift as the first of a particular variety start to keel over. That's normally in July here. If they're left longer the cloves start parting and the skins rot.

[Trevor_D]

I pulled my first Early Wight at the weekend - basically frustrated because I hadn't got any new potatoes for my birthday meal! - and it was lovely.

Pulled another this afternoon when the kids from the local school came round. (They passed it round for a smell and not one turned up their nose!!)

But normally I leave it until late June.

And always plant in autumn. Spring-planted ones don't always clove. (Is that the correct technical term?)

[Glen]

Thanks for the advice Tim.  ;)

I think I may leave them for a while longer.

[Deb P]

  I remember last year when we went to Saddads open day.Deb p had got hers up and drying and they looked really good.

I put mine in in October as usual, but like most other folk this year I'm nowhere near ready to harvest mine yet. I wait until about 10% of the crop are yellowing before doing a trial lift of one or two bulbs from different areas to see if they are big enough. We have had a very dry but cool spell in Spring this year which has  put my crop back about a month I reckon, so I think mine will be in for another three or four weeks. As you say, last year I had lifted the lot and had already replanted other crops in the space left by the first Open Day in June!

[manicscousers]

took up 6 huge bulbs of garlic, planted last autumn, planted a squash in their place, the tops of the garlic are all turning yellow and we needed some garlic for tea..didin't fancy buying any  ;D

[plot51A]

Can you firkle garlic or is that only spuds? Anyway had a look at a couple of mine after following this thread and they are looking good but will leave them longer - think I have always been too impatient in the past. Mine is all shop bought this year, I was very careful where it was from originally - no Chinese! Ended up with some Italian, Spanish and some Scottish (the Garlic Company, as sold in Waitrose.) I'm intending to keep some for planting this Autumn.