curing time for garlic
Alliums
garlicgrower at earthlink.net
Wed Jul 24 12:13:04 EDT 2002
Allan wrote:
>Are the tops a function in the drying process or is it ok to cut the bulbs
>and put them on bread trays for drying?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Don't" do that!
>I'm doing this with some of my garlic (you can get more garlic on a tray
>if you cut the tops),
Oops, you already did. *Yes* the tops are a function in the drying process
-- where do you think the water and the nutrients from the tops go when
everything dries down? Yes, you get more garlic on a tray without the
tops and it is a serious pain in the butt to have to deal with the whole
plants, but it does dry a whole lot better that way (plus you get slightly
larger bulbs)
I hope you didn't cut off the roots, too -- you need to have the roots on
the garlic as it dries down because the roots are where most of the water
exits the plant.
>setting the trays in the sun during the day and under awning cover from
>dew at night.
DON'T LET GARLIC DRY IN THE SUN -- it will get sunburn and won't keep at
all. Garlic may be an alliums, but it's not onions -- keep it out of the
sun while it cures -- you want good air circulation and *no* direct sunlight.
>I have to wonder, however, if the stock acts as a 'wick' and promotes
>better drying.
Yes, it does.
>Anyone with experience in this?
Ten years growing garlic in Southeastern PA and a trial site for
USDA. Gosh, your life might be different, but I'm not so sure it's *that*
different. Good luck and hopefully, next year you'll have a better crop. .
. It's not that hard to make garlic powder and it does sell well in the
market -- just let folks get a whiff so they can tell it's better than the
store-bought stuff.
Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden
A mission of
St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460
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