Snip off the stalk about an inch above the bulb, snip the roots off, then wipe off the dirt with your fingers or a soft brush, being careful not to remove too many layers of skin. When the whole stalk is brown and the bulb has formed several layers of papery skin, they are ready to clean up and store. You can hang bundles from a sapling as shown in the pictures! Alternatively, lay them on a screen or an aerated shelf. Tie the top of the stalks with string in bundles of five to ten and hang them bulb down in a dark, dry and well-ventilated place for about three weeks.
I gently knock most of the dirt off but I do not clean the bulbs until they have cured. Carefully loosen the soil and pull out the bulbs with the stalk attached. Here are some tips for working with your own garlic. Are the bottom three to five leaves on your garlic brown, with a few green leaves toward the top? It’s time to harvest!
