As soon as I got up this morning I decided it was time for the garlic to come out at the old house. The closing for the house has been moved up to July 13th (Tuesday!) so I needed to get it out if I wanted to keep it. I was going to do this on Sunday, but the forecast right now says heavy downpours on Sunday morning. That is not a good forecast for garlic harvesting. I want the garlic heads to stay dry.
So at 6:30am I was in the car and ready to work. After pulling out the garlic I started on other chores that needed doing. I pulled out all the peas and took the trellis down. I so wish I could keep my bean trellis, but the only way to take it would be to take down my beans and the new owners want the garden. So it stays. The trellis is made of 7' bamboo. I bought the bamboo from Mahonies, but now they don't have any that tall. I loved the height. After sinking a foot in the ground it is still 6' tall. All the other poles seem so short in comparison.
I also removed the row cover from the brassicas. I'll pull most of them out before the new owners take over. It will be all ready for fall crops to be put in. I tied up the tomatoes again and harvested some beans. I also harvested a cucumber and lots of dill and some onion to make pickles. I have quite a few cukes from my new garden. Right now they are brining for quick pack pickles which I'll make this afternoon.
When I got home I put the garlic right outside the front door to dry. I'll have to get it tied up and hanging in the bike shed for the weekend. This little area will be wet when it starts to rain. Maybe I can get it done before the pickles are started.
I grew three types of garlic. On the very far left in the above photo is Bogatyr. It was put on warning this year. If it didn't size up, I was going to drop it. The cloves this year were even tinier than last year. So it is out. I do love my other two types. In the middle is German Extra Hardy. To the right is an unknown soft neck garlic bought from the supermarket a couple of years ago. I bought it originally and it was a soft neck. Last year it sent up scapes so was a hard neck. I think it was probably stressed out about something. This year it is again a soft neck, but two of them sent up internal scapes that never got high enough to break out of the leaf area and the bulbils swelled up inside the stem. The bulbs from those two didn't get very large. But that type did make the biggest of all the bulbs.
Unknown soft neck
I think they are bigger than last year. But I won't know for sure until they are all dried and trimmed up. I may not know what it is but it is a keeper for me. Someday I'll have to name it. And don't expect to see this garlic on Harvest Monday. I won't put it in the tally until it is dry, cleaned up, and trimmed.
Your garlic looks GREAT!! I'm so jealous!! Your basil is beautiful too!
ReplyDeleteWonderful garlic harvest! Stinks you can't take the trellis with you, but I'm glad to hear the new owners want to keep the garden--better than them wanting to put grass there!
ReplyDeleteI can never get enough pictures of garlic. They're just so beautiful and so unassuming. You'd never believe they hold so much promise.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the new owners aren't attached to the trellis and will let you take it once the beans are harvested?
ReplyDeleteA Kitchen Garden in Kihei Maui, thanks
ReplyDeleteMomma_S, I agree.
Ribbit, Garlic is such a joy. I just wish I had a better place to dry it. Right now it is in the bike shed and it got to 109 in there today. I hope it doesn't cook.
Karen Anne, I'm actually hoping they continue to use it. But who knows. They are newbie gardeners. They may or may not continue the garden in the future. I just wish my garden weren't so big (well now, before I wanted it bigger). My first advice to new gardeners is always "Start small".
Good looking garlic harvest. Even though the Bogatyr is smaller than the others, it could have been worse! But, I agree, unless they have an outstanding flavor that you don't want to give up, you get more bang for the same space requirement if you grow a variety that sizes up better for you.
ReplyDelete7' bamboo would be nice, I've only ever found 6'. A few I have extended by lashing two together and some I bolted together. I should send you some photos. Sounds like your move has worked out well, must have been the perfect timing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful garlic harvest! After reading this post I went out and dug up a bulb to see how my garlic is doing. I think I will wait one more week, then harvest it.
ReplyDeleteI hope the buyers appreciate the garden that they are getting with the house. I know I did when I purchased mine.
I know the realtors try to prevent both parties from speaking, but maybe you can leave the new owners a note to let them know that you would like your trellis back when the season is over?
Nice garlic harvest! This is turning out to be a great year for everyone. I would hate to experience a less than stellar year after this one.
ReplyDeleteYou are the second blogger who has commented positively this week about the German extra hardy. I'm going to have to get some for this fall and give it a try.
ReplyDelete