[Elcie]

Hi everyone,
looks like my garlic is just about ready to harvest and would like some advice on how to do this please.  Do I lift it and dry it on the soil or on a rack?  Also, in case it makes a difference, it has quite bad rust on the leaves, although I read on here that this shouldn't affect the bulbs.  I was hoping to plait the garlic but I'm guessing this wouldn't work with the rust?  Or would it?  If it wouldn't work would I have to cut the leaves off?
Any help gratefully received for this first time garlic grower.

[Trillium]

Garlic is best dried with good air circulation, so a rack is better. The bulb may be fine to eat but you just dont' know how far the rust has penetrated if you wish to use your own for seed, so I'd recommend you buy fresh seed garlic and find a new place to plant, nowhere where this batch grew. Personally, I'd cut off the affected leaves and burn them, being careful how you handle the rest of the bulbs so you don't spread it and multiply your problem.

[Gwiz]

We get rust on our garlic every year. some years are worse than others.
We move it around so it's never grown in the same place, but the rust comes back.
The garlic, however is very good, and stores well, if kept cool.

[mumofstig]

We get rust on our garlic every year. some years are worse than others.
We move it around so it's never grown in the same place, but the rust comes back.
The garlic, however is very good, and stores well, if kept cool.

Nice to know i'm not alone with the rust i've just seen on the garlic, and that it will still store ok
Thanks for that

[Gwiz]

I've spoken to the boss, and she says that she crushes/chops up garlic cloves and places one crushed clove into each compartment of an ice cube maker, fills it with water and then freezes it. when frozen, she then places them into a resealable bag, and back into the freezer it go's

She does suggest keeping an ice cube tray just for this prpose though, as you will never get the smell out again.......

[Trillium]

But have you used your own rusty garlic for seed, Gwiz? I shouldn't think so.

[mumofstig]

She does suggest keeping an ice cube tray just for this prpose though, as you will never get the smell out again.......

 

[Gwiz]

But have you used your own rusty garlic for seed, Gwiz? I shouldn't think so.

Good point, We get new garlic every year from the garden centre.
Still rusty though.....

[Ropster]

I used last years rusty garlick for seed this year and it is ok so far