Garlic, which is famous not only for its curative properties, but also for piquant taste, is grown in our latitudes everywhere. Many dishes without it, even difficult to imagine, so it is not surprising that in each suburban area there are several beds for planting. In addition, growing garlic is not a difficult task.
In total there are two kinds of garlic: winter and spring. Winter varieties of garlic, mostly rifle forms, are planted usually five to seven weeks before stable colds come. Spring garlic (non-stalking) is ready for planting with the onset of the first warm spring days. Despite the fact that the denticles and, accordingly, the bulb in summer garlic is less than that of winter wheat, it is kept better, and the taste is more gentle.
Harvesting winter garlic
The time for cleaning winter garlic came when the lower leaves of the plant turned yellow and began to fade actively. At the ends of the stems, air bulbs are formed, the shells of which burst, revealing the seeds that the villagers call bulbs. At this stage of the vegetation, the bulb is tightly wrapped with external scales that have not yet dried up, but are already quite dense, and the denticles under them are pronounced brightly. Usually winter garlic ripens on the hundredth day after the appearance of the first shoots. Approximate time is the end of July. Harvest winter garlic is better at a time when the street is dry weather. It is preferable to do it in the early morning or in the afternoon and in a short time (not more than a week).
The bulb of garlic should be digested, and then carefully pulled out. Immediately lay them in rows, so that the leaves of the next row cover the bulbs of the previous one. This is necessary to ensure that the moisture from the flakes evaporates gradually, since the sun's rays can break the bulbs. If the weather permits, store the harvest in this form on the street for three to five days, and then transfer it to a dry room to dry out. When stored in a well-ventilated attic, after a month the garlic will dry, and it will be possible to cut off roots and false stems. For this purpose use the pruner, leaving on the head of garlic a stump two to three centimeters long. This cleaning of winter garlic is completed. It remains only to lay it in a wooden box with a thin layer or hang it in the nets.
Harvesting spring garlic
Terms of harvesting summer (spring) garlic fall in the middle of August - mid-September. Signs of its maturation are softening of the bulb neck, cessation of leaf growth, lodging of the stem and mass drying of the lower leaves with yellowing of their tips. The root system also dries up, dies. The garlic heads are already formed, and the scales are dry. But wait until the garlic fully ripens, it is not necessary, because during this period often rains. This can provoke a secondary rapid growth of new roots. In addition, cleaning is much more difficult.
The cleaning technology remains unchanged: manually digging, pulling out, leaving to dry. If the humidity in the street is high, then we dry it under a canopy. The root and roots are not cut, so that the bulb has time to absorb the beneficial organic compounds. Make sure that the bulbs are not damaged during harvesting. Spring garlic is more tender in comparison with winter, so any dent can cause disease of the bulb.
When the garlic is completely dry, separate the tops of the tops and roots with the pruner. Store garlic in a well-ventilated dry room (loft, cellar, cellar).
Proper and timely cleaning will provide you with garlic for the whole year.