Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - curing time for garlic

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Alliums <garlicgrower AT earthlink.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: curing time for garlic
  • Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2002 12:13:04 -0400


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






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page