Garlic Harvest

   There is a chance of thundershowers tomorrow, so I decided to harvest the garlic today. 

   Overall, the garlic was a decent batch this year.  I should have put much more mulch on the garlic patch throughout the summer, especially considering how clay-heavy it is and how quickly it dries out.  Some sections were like cement to dig up.  Yikes.  The wrappers were already very dry and pulling the bulbs out of this clay made some of the outer layers tear.  Hopefully, they will cure and store well despite that.  I bundled the garlic in twine and will leave it outside in a shady spot this weekend to let the mud caked on the bottoms crumble off.  I'll hang it indoors to cure next week.

Red Russian – I plant more of this variety than any other.  It is reliable in our climate and in a good year, the bulbs can get huge. 

 

Northern Quebec – This is another reliable variety for our region.  At first glance, I think these were this year’s winners in terms of size and condition when harvested.

Central Siberian – You'd think this variety would be perfect for our region, but for whatever reason, I have found it hit-or-miss.  It did fairly well this year.

 

Baba Franchuk’s – A cool, wet summer followed by a summer of heat waves, and I almost lost this variety after starting it from bulbils in 2016.  Last Fall, I planted the few small cloves I had left, and was happy to harvest 13 medium-sized bulbs this year.

 

Kiev –  Another variety I thought I'd lost after starting it from bulbils in 2016.  Happily harvested 11 medium-sized bulbs this year.

 

 

Brown Tempest –  I started this variety from bulbils in 2016.  The bulbs are still so small!  They have lovely light-brown outer wrappings.  13 bulbs and 4 rounds.

   The kitties enjoy snoozing in between the rows of garlic and often supervise us from their spots in the garlic patch while we work in the garden.  They always seem a little lost and disappointed when the garlic patch disappears in mid-August.  I think they'll like next year's patch.  It will be right in front of the house, and the soil will be much softer!