two garlic questions:

[Todd]

Hi All,

Exciting. Well Exciting for me!

I dug up my first three garlic bulbs from last year's planting. Got them tied up and hanging in the garage. They have pretty red wrappers too! And they didn't seem too mad at me for planting them up-side-down (didn't know any better at the time).

Questions:

1) how long do I need to leaving them hanging? (I presume I am drying them out.)

2) how would a save a few cloves for planting in the fall? (I am afraid they will rot on me if I leave them out.)

Many thanks,

-T

[Todd]

Not to add too stupid a question, but

3) while they are hanging, can I carefully snap off a clove or two without hurting the hanging process?

[buckwheat]

left my garlic "hanging" for two or three weeks

the cloves should not rot by planting time

[Todd]

Hi Buck Wheat,

Thank you!

How do you store you cloves until then?

Couldn't resist the one with the skins breaking on all the cloves. Most of it wound up in my Sunday cooking.

Couldn't resist: I tried a sliver. Wow! Peppery like a great first press olive oil, buttery, and oh so much garlic flavor. I bet my breath sure does smell pretty!

Hope this doesn't ruin me for store bought garlic in the off months.

I am planning on replanting my garlic after the first freeze kill off my Zuke and tomato plants. Sound right to you?

-T

[Pat Kiewicz]

If the stems are dry and the wrappers dry and paper-like, they are prime for storage.

Keep the whole bulbs in a cool but not damp place with reasonable air circulation and they should last for months. Any that don't have good wrappers (that is, the tops of the cloves are poking out) should be used first as they will dry out or sprout first.

Your garlic should last to fall planting without rotting or sprouting, and months beyonds.

I would suggest you leave the choicest bulbs intact until planting time. (Don't eat your seed stock.)

[buckwheat]

I have only grown garlic two times, so I am no expert so take for what it is worth

My garlic is stored at room temp keeps for several months.

This year I put some in the basement and will see how long it keeps.

Last year I planted on October 20 and here in central michigan it was already getting quite cold. Got real cold real fast soon after planting and the garlic did not sprout so I was worried that I had got it in to late. The garlic came up in spring and I had no problems. I fertilized in spring and again early summer and got beautiful garlic.

Last year I fermented 1 quart and it came out quite good.......This year I am fermenting several quarts and also preserving some in apple cider vinegar

[Todd]

Thank you!

[josephkk]

1. A couple of weeks ought to do it.

1. I have stored them as full bulbs for a couple of years and planted them successfully. Keep them dry in between.

?-)

[Todd]

Do I need to keep them in shadows or in full dark?

[josephkk]

Just don't blast them with full sun. Indoors is just fine.

?-)

[Todd]

Hi Josephkk,

My garage is pretty dark. Thank you!

Man does fresh, organically grown garlic tastes out of this world!

-T

[josephkk]

There is a common red-purple organic dye in some vegetables. It is red in more acid soil conditions and purple in more alkaline soil conditions.

?-)

[Todd]

Hi Josephkk,

Hmmmm. So I have acid soil. I wonder what implications that has. My two eggplant give miniature fruit but my two tomatillo are starting to over run the garden.

The garlic grown in it really tastes great.

-T

[Drew Lawson]

Beware of white rabbits and hookah smoking caterpillars.

[Todd]

This one?

I am pretty sure white rabbits are not real. Are they?

Funny Bunnies are definitely real.