When to Harvest Garlic in Zone 6?

Thunder Chicken

On a lark I grabbed about 12 cloves of supermarket garlic and planted them in my raised bed garden last October. We had a warm fall and many of them sprouted during the winter and then died, so come this spring only 3 sprouts came up.

These plants have been doing well, and they are now starting to exhibit some dry leaves and each has a lump or nodule in the stem (one near the soil surface, the other two a few inches above the soil).

I know harvest time for garlic is coming soon, but when exactly do I harvest? I've heard July is typical for this area, but we have had a very warm spring and we've had nearly 100F heat over the last two days, so I am wondering if it is early.

No big deal, it's only 3 heads of garlic if I am lucky, but I'd like to maximize their potential and learn how to do it right in the future.

Thanks!

creeper

I'm not very experienced with garlic. I've tried to grow it in the past, next to the roses as a deterrent for pests, but I don't think it was too successfu as far as keeping them awayl.
I know you are supposed to harvest it after the bulb forms on top and when the stems turn totally brown. Then hang it for a few weeks to properly cure.

Thunder Chicken

Well, one of stems was knocked over, and though it wasn't completely brown all of the leaves had dry edges, so I decided to dig it up and see what I had. Still a bit small, but well formed and still closed up. The cloves are a nice size. It's hanging in the corner of my kitchen now.

I think I'll wait another week or two for the others.

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creeper

Very good! Too bad your spuds aren't ready you could chop up the green stalk and use it like a chive. There is always pasta salad or leafy one. It will be a lot milder then normal.

Have you ever roasted an entire head of garlic drizzled in olive oil. Eat as is, or use as a spread. Probably awesome with hummus