A Fan
YOPPER

Just finished a month of drying and curing onions, shallots and garlic. This has had to have been one of the most humid drying periods that I have experienced, but only a few rotters, which I consider normal. It has been humid with numerous intermittent rains through much of the period. The onions and shallots were drying in my outdoor compost screen which had been placed in the shade, covered with plastic above and open to the air (hail screen) below. It is my belief (correct me allium gurus) that as long as your drying stock receives no direct moisture it will be OK if given enough time. Didn't cut the spent tops off until quite recently after two or three days of really dry weather, then stored them cool and dry in the dark in the basement.
hortster

i put my onions garlic shallots in 8 by 8 building, on drying racks, have box fan blowing on low speed. seems to be working fine, about 200 garlic,potato onions, red and yellow shallots, sure smells good in there

fred

I start mine out under my carport in the shade and as long as good weather holds I leave them there. The usual July weather in the coastal region far Northern California is foggy to drizzle. This year we got a break (wtf, it rained until well past the middle of June) and the fog only started recently.

I move my garlic inside where it is drier when they are nearly done and keep a small fan on them until the foliage is dry enough to crumble. Braid those that have softer necks (Early Italian Purple and Late Italian) and wait until the true hardnecks are completely dry to sever their tops.

Have seen them for sale at the farmers' market with tops still attached and can't understand why someone would do that--so messy and there is no use for them except as compost and I have plenty of my own compost fodder.

Braided garlic is hanging in my sewing room closet, ones who have lost their heads are stored in mesh bags (recycled satsuma bags) and are on the table in front of the fan currently.

Thanks for the info. I have been worried about my garlic curing in an unfinished garage. It has been so humid and rainy. They just dont seem to be drying fast enough. They have been hanging for almost a month now. I am going to figure out how to hang them down in my basement this week to finish up. they are racambole. it's about sixty degrees down there and not sure about the humidity. But i'm glad to know they should still be okay. Thanks again