i brush off the soil clumps as in the video and then hang it from the rafters of the deck roof. after it dries i use a toothbrush to clean it.

I spread mine out on the picnic table like this, in a single layer, as long as the weather is good. You can see that it's mostly shaded and I don't clean it up at this point. I don't bother to cover it at night, but I do move it inside if it's going to be rainy. I leave it out for a couple of days, then it gets cleaned up with a soft brush, the roots are trimmed and bulbs are hung in bunches from the garage rafters for a couple of weeks. I keep the nicest bulbs for replanting and a couple dozen for cooking. The rest I slice in the food processor and dry in the dehydrator for long term storage or for grinding into garlic powder.

My grandson helps me grow it, and he won a blue ribbon at the County Fair for garlic again this year, the 3rd year in a row!

Yours looks a lot cleaner than mine, I don't clean it up as much until I'm ready to use it. I also do not clean vegetables or eggs until I'm ready to use them, Grandma told me they would store better that way and I'm not going to argue with Grandma...

Annie

I clean the garlic, strip down the outer layers, tie them in sized bunches and hang them in the barn. In a few weeks I always have to take the bunches down and retie them or they slip out and fall on the barn floor. In late summer I take them down, cut off the stems and bring them in the kitchen.

Hi everyone,

Thank you for sharing your methods!

Dave, good tip on the pickling. Do you have a favorite recipe?

Annie, wow that a harvest! Good suggestion on the cleaning. Also I'm going to have to keep in mind dehydrating them - great idea!

Thanks,

Tim

Pickled Garlic - makes 4 pints

• 1/4 cup canning salt (can be reduced by half if preferred)
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups 5% vinegar (cider, white, red wine, etc.)
• 2 pounds fresh garlic, peeled (cut large cloves in half)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 heads fresh dill

Combine salt, water, and vinegar in a large saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Pack garlic in to 4 pint jars. Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1 head of dill to each jar. Divide hot pickling liquid between the 4 jars leaving 1/2" head space, cap and seal. Process jars in BWB for 10 minutes. (Note: you can sub 1/4 tsp. of any dried herbs or spices you prefer for the dill.)

Dave

Tim, the dehydrated stuff is really convenient, plus it's easy to store and always ready, right at my fingertips. I just peel the cloves, slice them in the food processor and then spread them out on the dehydrator trays. They dry nice and crunchy, and then I grind them in an old coffee grinder for garlic powder or just give them a quick whirl for minced garlic. It's very convenient just to toss into soup or whatever.

Mine keeps pretty well but after 4 or 5 months develops that green sprouting center, so I dry them for use year round until my next harvest!

Dave, do you eat that garlic just like other pickles, or use it in/on something?

Annie

Annie, thanks for the tips. I'm going to definitely try that!

Dave thanks for the pickling recipe! Same as Annie, how are these typically served.

You can eat them plain as is - often see it on a tray with olives, pickles and similar items, use it in any cooking recipe that calls for garlic (it has a minimal vinegar taste), dice it and add to deviled eggs, potato salad, macaroni salad, toss some in marinara or spaghetti sauce, roast the bigger cloves and serve with crackers and cheeses (just like you would bake whole cloves and serve with crackers), and we like to spear the bigger cloves on between the other meat and vegetables in shish kababs and grill.

Dave