Garlic is a bulb crop where the edible portion develops underground over many months, making the timing of the harvest particularly sensitive. The ultimate quality and size of the harvested bulb are dependent on precise timing because the plant’s energy is channeled into forming the bulb late in its life cycle. Pulling the garlic too early means the cloves will be underdeveloped and small, lacking the pungent flavor and size growers seek. Conversely, waiting too long causes the protective outer wrappers to disintegrate, exposing the bulb to soil pathogens and significantly reducing its storage life.
Understanding the Garlic Scape
The question of harvesting before or after “flowering” specifically refers to the garlic scape, which is the stiff flowering stalk produced exclusively by hardneck garlic varieties. The scape is a reproductive structure that curls as it grows, eventually straightening out to form a seed head called a bulbille. This reproductive effort uses a large amount of the plant’s energy that would otherwise be directed downward to enlarge the underground bulb.
To maximize the size of the underground bulb, the scape must be removed as soon as it forms, typically when it has completed one or two full curls. Removing the scape redirects the plant’s stored resources back into bulb formation, which results in a significantly larger harvestable bulb. Growers typically snap or cut the scape off near the top leaf node, usually four to six weeks before the actual bulb is ready for harvest.
The common confusion is that the straightening of the scape indicates harvest time, but this is actually the final sign of energy diversion. Allowing the scape to fully straighten means the plant has already spent substantial energy on reproduction instead of bulb development. Therefore, the scape is removed well before the main bulb is harvested.
Primary Indicators for Harvest Timing
Once the scape is removed, the gardener must monitor the foliage for the definitive sign that the bulb is mature and ready to be pulled. The most reliable indicator is the natural process of leaf senescence, where the lower leaves begin to yellow and brown as the plant channels its remaining energy into the final stages of bulb maturation. This visual cue is important because the number of green leaves remaining directly correlates to the number of protective wrapper layers around the mature bulb.
A widely accepted guideline for determining the ideal harvest window is the “rule of thirds,” which relates to the total number of leaves. When the bottom one-third of the leaves have turned brown and dried up, and the top two-thirds remain green, the bulb has achieved its maximum size while retaining sufficient protective outer layers. Harvesting at this specific stage ensures the bulb has developed fully and possesses the necessary papery wrappers for optimal long-term storage.
Hardneck varieties rely entirely on this leaf die-back signal after the scape has been removed. Softneck varieties, which rarely produce a scape, also rely on this same leaf senescence process. For softnecks, the entire stalk may begin to soften and lean over, providing an additional physical indicator alongside the yellowing of the lower foliage.
Waiting too long past this ideal window is detrimental to the quality and storage life of the harvest. If the gardener waits until all or most of the leaves have died back, the outer wrapper layers begin to break down and disintegrate in the soil. This exposes the individual cloves, making the bulb highly vulnerable to soil-borne fungi and moisture.
Growers should gently loosen the soil around a test bulb to confirm the size and integrity of the wrappers before harvesting the entire patch. If the wrappers are already separating and the cloves are exposed, the entire crop should be harvested immediately to prevent further degradation and minimize exposure to pathogens.
Post-Harvest Handling and Storage
Once the mature bulbs are lifted from the soil, the next step is curing, which is necessary for long-term preservation. Curing involves drying the bulbs and their protective wrappers to remove excess moisture, which prevents mold and concentrates the flavor. The entire plant, including the roots and stalk, should be kept intact and not washed, as the remaining foliage continues to draw moisture out of the bulb.
The harvested garlic must be cured in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated location, such as an open-air shed or barn, for a period of two to four weeks. Proper air circulation is paramount during this phase to ensure the outer paper wrappers dry completely and harden into a protective shell. After the curing process is complete, the roots and the dried stalk can be trimmed, and the garlic is ready for storage.
Hardneck varieties are stored as individual bulbs, while softneck varieties can be braided into chains for efficient, long-term storage. Both types should be kept in a dry environment at moderate room temperature, typically around 60–70 degrees Fahrenheit, to maximize their shelf life.