Harvesting garlic in my garden recently
Some of you may recall a blog I posted last November about planting garlic at my farm. Well, here we are, several months later, and the bountiful garlic has been very successfully harvested. As stated previously, we’re in the habit of saving about ¼ of the entire garlic yield to use as stock for planting next fall. This stock is made up of the largest and most perfect garlic heads. The gardeners hang those particular bundles of garlic in the greenhouse where they have good air circulation for drying. The rest of the crop is enjoyed in many wonderful recipes. 
Here's a bed of Georgian Crystal garlic ready to be harvested. It's
very important to wait until the foliage is good and brown. This
indicates a mature head that will dry and store well.
Here is Erika. Now, instead of planting cloves of garlic, she's
harvesting entire heads! A garden fork works well for this job. Love
those pink Crocs!
She's very happy with what she has unearthed.
Look at these gorgeous heads of hardneck garlic!
Georgian Crystal is a hardneck variety that has a deep and garlicky flavor and aroma. It's great to cook with.
This is the newly harvested garlic nicely hung in the greenhouse. It's
watched carefully as it cures so that it can be separated and
successfully planted next autumn.
This is the rest of the harvest, which is stored on these wire racks in
the flower arranging room and ready for use in the kitchen. I can't
wait!
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The customer relations department behind the scenes!
Behind the scenes in the Everyday Food test kitchen
More photos of Paw Paw's grandsons -- cute!
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Hi Martha, What a difference a few months make! Those beautiful cloves of garlic Erika so carefully planted last fall certainly did produce a fantastic crop of garlic. Way to go girl! You are a super horticulturist! I love those pink crocks, too. After studying your Nov. 2nd blog and reading this one, I think I will try planting garlic this fall. Thanks to both of you for the inspiration. I LOVE THIS BLOG!!!!! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | August 5th, 2008 at 12:47 am
No problem with vampires, then, I'm guessing.
Posted by: Annie Driscoll | August 5th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Can you plant garlic cloves mixed in with flowers or do they start getting brown, dark, & ugly?
Posted by: rosemary | August 5th, 2008 at 12:56 am
Wow. Your vegetable garden looks fabulous. Beautiful garlic..now you just need fresh made italian bread.
Posted by: Candylei | August 5th, 2008 at 1:08 am
I've always wondered what you DO with all the food you harvest from your gardens. I know you entertain a lot but no one could eat that much!
I'd love to know what you do with it all.
Love love love your blog!
Posted by: Jen | August 5th, 2008 at 1:10 am
MMMmmm I'd love to have a garlic tasting with the harvest. See how they differ and figure out which would be best for which cookings.
It would make an interesting activity for a cocktail party. The garlics would be part of the hors d'oeuvres offering, and since every one would have garlic breath, it wouldn't be a problem. Of course there should be lovely drinks to wash any "breathiness" away.
Posted by: maurdel | August 5th, 2008 at 1:21 am
Yummy garlic! What a wonderful harvest!
Mary
Posted by: busymama | August 5th, 2008 at 1:29 am
I love garlic. Only wish I had a dish cooked by you, Martha, so I could eat a delicious dinner! Nan
Posted by: Nan Ashby | August 5th, 2008 at 6:24 am
What other kinds of garlic do you plant? Thanks for doing this blog; I look forward to it everyday and regret that you don't post on the weekends.
Posted by: Gilda | August 5th, 2008 at 7:24 am
I wish I would have found your blog sooner! I planted my garlic totally INCORRECT! I planted entire heads because the directions that came with them said to...AND I planted them in late May...what kind of disaster am I headed for??? I am going to read your post from November so I can know when to plant this Fall. Thank you for your most educational post! I really needed it!
Posted by: A Farmer's Wife | August 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I wish I would have found your blog sooner! I planted my garlic totally INCORRECT! I planted entire heads because the directions that came with them said to...AND I planted them in late May...what kind of disaster am I headed for??? I am going to read your post from November so I can know when to plant this Fall. Thank you for your most educational post! I really needed it!
Posted by: A Farmer's Wife | August 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I wish I would have found your blog sooner! I planted my garlic totally INCORRECT! I planted entire heads because the directions that came with them said to...AND I planted them in late May...what kind of disaster am I headed for??? I am going to read your post from November so I can know when to plant this Fall. Thank you for your most educational post! I really needed it!
Posted by: A Farmer's Wife | August 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I wish I would have found your blog sooner! I planted my garlic totally INCORRECT! I planted entire heads because the directions that came with them said to...AND I planted them in late May...what kind of disaster am I headed for??? I am going to read your post from November so I can know when to plant this Fall. Thank you for your most educational post! I really needed it!
Posted by: A Farmer's Wife | August 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I wish I would have found your blog sooner! I planted my garlic totally INCORRECT! I planted entire heads because the directions that came with them said to...AND I planted them in late May...what kind of disaster am I headed for??? I am going to read your post from November so I can know when to plant this Fall. Thank you for your most educational post! I really needed it!
Posted by: A Farmer's Wife | August 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I wish I would have found your blog sooner! I planted my garlic totally INCORRECT! I planted entire heads because the directions that came with them said to...AND I planted them in late May...what kind of disaster am I headed for??? I am going to read your post from November so I can know when to plant this Fall. Thank you for your most educational post! I really needed it!
Posted by: A Farmer's Wife | August 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am
I wish I would have found your blog sooner! I planted my garlic totally INCORRECT! I planted entire heads because the directions that came with them said to...AND I planted them in late May...what kind of disaster am I headed for??? I am going to read your post from November so I can know when to plant this Fall. Thank you for your most educational post! I really needed it!
Posted by: A Farmer's Wife | August 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Martha, Is there any thing you can't and don't do? Way to go girlfriend.
Posted by: Virginia Hamblin | August 5th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Oh that garlic is so gorgeous. I tried to raise it one time and it was a failure but I think I understand now how to do it so I am going to try again this fall. Thanks Martha for encouraging us gardeners to try new and different things. Do you have any tomatoes yet? Mine here in Indiana are just beginning to ripen.
Posted by: Pam | August 5th, 2008 at 10:33 am
The Garlic looks amazing!
I probably use garlic in a majority of my cooking, therefore I am so jelous! Wish I had the time and patience to harvest my own!
Enjoy!
Posted by: Danielle Chirichello | August 5th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Oh, Martha, your garlic crop looks incredible.
Mine? I had a garlic "flop" this year. (As it turns out, you can't grow garlic in a spot under a tree in the front yard. But then, you already knew that, I bet!)
I enjoy visiting your gardens on your blog. How about sharing some of your favorite garlic recipes!
Posted by: Rebekah, The City Farmgirl | August 5th, 2008 at 11:45 am
After seeing your pictures of the harvested and drying garlic I think I will go out and have spaghetti for lunch and I'll make sure the sauce is loaded with garlic. I cook with garlic everyday.
Posted by: nhnursery | August 5th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Good morning Martha,
I just got out of the water (surfing) and checked your blog when I got home. It's funny you posted about garlic, as I put a little too much in my pasta dish last night 'hehee. I love your posts and read it daily. Keep up the good work!!
~k1 Newport Beach, CA
Posted by: Kaser_1 | August 5th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
We have also harvested our garlic crop...isn't it great to have your own booty of this flavorful garden grown delight. Once you have home grown garlic it is hard to go to store bought. We cut all the scapes but leave just one to use as an indicator of when to harvest. When that scape stands straight as an arrow we dig our garlic...we have found that this works better that using the dried and brown leaves as the sign to dig...used to always guess are the leaves brown enough yet...the straight scape takes out the guess work. Thanks for sharing your harvest...
Posted by: Beth | August 5th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I dug up my garlic last month. last year I waited too long and the cloves began to separate from one another. I believe it was too ripe! Maybe we are just that much ahead of you down here in New Canaan CT!
Posted by: Jayne | August 5th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
MMMMMmmmm. . .garlic. I wanna be Italian!!
Posted by: Amy | August 5th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Being 100% Italian, I know the value of good garlic vs. GREAT garlic!
Oh Martha, if your in the mood for a good chuckle, please go visit my blog and see what I did to myself this morning! 8/5/08...I am still laughing! Ah yes, the blessing of getting older!
Posted by: Tilda | August 5th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Kaser,
I planted some cloves that started to sprout in the hopes that they might become bulbs. I've been cutting the greenery for salads, is this what you mean by scape?
Posted by: Stephanie | August 5th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Martha,
Great blog on garlic! I can't wait to plant mine this fall. (had them from last year and after reading your post about planting, I will wait!)
Great photos. Hope you had fun in Maine!
Happy Belated Birthday Martha!
You look as elegant as always and your ideas continue to inspire. Thanks for all you do.
Paula
Posted by: Paula M. :) | August 5th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I am kicking myself for not planting garlic last fall!! Come heck or high water (which based on this spring in the Midwest is possible), I am going to plant this year!!
Posted by: susieshomemade | August 5th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Dear Martha,
I am Idzan Ismail from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Love, love your blog. Never fail to read it. It really made my day. You are the consummate American icon. I hope to visit you when I see my girl in Chicago. Love to you and Alexis.
Posted by: idzan ismail | August 5th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Hi Martha:
I love garlic and I particularly love garlic that has a potent garlic flavor. I wish they sold the georgian crystal garlic in the supermarket. I am in the city and can not grow anything except on my windowsills. I have geraniums doing beautifull on the sills and a huge spike that's about to take over the kitchen table. Its sitting on the kitchen windowsill. Congratulations on such a wonderful harvest of garlic. It will be fun to cook with it all. Mmmmmm Yummy. I can taste your italian dishes from here.
Linda
Phila., PA
Posted by: Linda | August 6th, 2008 at 5:24 am
Seeing all that home grown garlic is just dreamy! Did you get to eat any of the garlic stems while they were still green?
I love slicing up garlic stems and making a very mild, but still fragrant garlic stem flatbread. Olive oil/garlic stems/goat cheese/lemon juice/zest and some diced tomatoes on top. Yum!
Posted by: White On Rice Couple | August 6th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Hi, Martha,
Your garlic is so prolific. What a bountiful harvest! I like your idea of saving 1/4 of the crop to plant again. I can just about taste that garlic in your photographs. I'd like to try the Georgian Crystal variety.
Kathy
Posted by: Kathy | August 7th, 2008 at 6:14 am
thank you
Posted by: sohbet | August 15th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Martha, I have never before raised garlic. Would like to. Thanks for the tips.
Linda
Posted by: linda | September 9th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Hi Martha i have just started reading your blogs and am enjoying them very much, i love your farms and record your shows each day. We have been planting a garden for over 20 yrs. My husband started planting garlic about 5 years ago, but it doesn't grow very big, the cloves are flavorful but small, can you advise what you do that is so successful with yours. We have used what we buy from the stores, and maybe they are treated with something. Do you order yours from a nursery intially? Any help you can give is greatly appreciated. Thank you Denise
Posted by: Denise Dawydko | September 19th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Hi Martha,
My family is "Just sick about it". My brother Larry is our "family supplier" of the best hardneck garlic ever, for the past several years. This year something is happening to his crop. He only plants about 200 and has had to harvest about 50 already. He lives around Scranton, PA. Most of the stalks are bent over and are turning yellow. The few he pulled (just to see what may be happening), have a white mold or fungus on the bulb, which is not yet fully formed. In doing some internet research, looks like it might be "white rot". Is there anything he can put in the soil that might save this crop? Any of your thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated. We don't know where to turn and are not ready to suck it up yet!
Posted by: Mary Lou Melchiorre | June 8th, 2010 at 4:48 pm