I haven't been this excited in a long time. On Tuesday, I finally mustered enough courage to dig up all of my hardneck garlic. I am so unbelievably happy with the results. Most of the bulbs are as big as the ones I planted back in October. It's turning out to be a great year for garlic. I'm sure the warm spring had something to do with it. I grew two varieties this year:
Pskem River - I planted two bulbs of this garlic last fall. Each had only 4 cloves. Two didn't survive the winter and another 2 didn't develop properly. However, the 4 that did look beautiful. I will save the largest one to replant this fall.
German Extra Hardy - I planted 6 bulbs. Out of 36 or so cloves, all but 1 went on to develop nice sized bulbs. Hopefully, this variety will grow reliably each year.
All of my hardnecks were left to dry on our covered patio. I feel a sense of accomplishment every time I walk out of the kitchen door and get hit with the almost overpowering scent of garlic. (How can you not when you have to wait 9 months for something to mature.) Hopefully they will all cure well. I wonder how long their shelf-life will be...yet another thing to research.
For those of you who might be wondering, I purchased my hardnecks from Seed Savers Exchange. The bulbs were flawless. I think I will get two more varieties to plant this fall. Hurry though, they always seem to sell out quickly.
The garlic is beautiful! That's one of my favorite things, walking out onto the back patio surrounded by hanging curing garlic, shallots & onions! That garlic will be scrumptious on your pizza!
ReplyDeleteYour garlic looks great! I just love the smell of the garlic curing on the porch.
ReplyDeleteAfter my garlic is cured. I hang it in the basement and cover it loosely with brown paper bags. My garlic lasts an entire year like that.
My garlic doesn't smell any more which is too bad, we were enjoying the aroma in the house. I am so happy you had such nice sizing up in your garlic patch, and the softneck looks so pretty the way you have it hanging. I need to try my hand at braiding.
ReplyDeleteThose are some real beauties! I'm very envious.
ReplyDeleteWow...Beautiful garlic : )
ReplyDeleteThose cloves are just huge. I hope mine are just as big. I might go and dig them up on Friday if I can. Otherwise they will get dug on Sunday. I grew German Extra Hardy too and still have a couple left from last year. Amazingly they are still good. I've only had to throw one head away. I'm shocked they lasted a year.
ReplyDeleteIf we're ever invaded by vampires, I know who I'm going to see. Leave the light on.
ReplyDeleteAll very, very nice.
Oh Thomas! They are just beautiful! I was wondering when I should harvest mine and was going to dig down to check a bulb this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThey are very impressive in size. I don’t think that the bulbs that I planted were that big. Maybe I should look deeper into those garlic varieties. So far, garlic was always just garlic to me.
ReplyDeleteYour garlic is beautiful. I can't believe how pristine they look. Mine always gets infected with rust and the greens end up nasty looking but the heads are fine if the rust doesn't take over too early in the growing season.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about ordering garlic early to get the best selection. I learned to order when I dig up my crop.
You will be stocked up for a while now. I should pull mine, it will free up some space.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Isn't growing your own garlic so much fun? You're going to love eating it as much as you enjoyed harvesting it.
ReplyDeleteLooks really good. Congratulations! :)
ReplyDeleteNo wonder you're pleased, they look very good.
ReplyDeleteYou have some nice looking garlic there.
ReplyDeleteGarlic is the most use herb in my kitchen, I use garlic in just about everything I cook, more than ginger.
Wow, what a garlic harvest! Do you have a particular eating preference between hardneck and softneck garlic? Is one easier to grow than the other? Or is it just a matter of having a variety, like any other vegetables one might grow?
ReplyDeleteAfter they dried a bit did you wash off the dirt to make them so pretty?
ReplyDeletethyme2garden - This is my first time growing garlic. I chose to grow mostly heirloom hardnecks because they are not as commercially available as softnecks (probably because they have a shorter shelf life). As far as eating preference gos, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough!
ReplyDeleteYart - After they dry you just peel of the out layer that dirty. Best not to wash as it could facilitate mold.