Sally's GF3 thread

[Sally PB]

What is your guess on partial rot??

I think it was a lot of things, all at once.

The stems were thicker than usual, as the plants were bigger and heartier. So there was more moisture. The outer leaves dried, but I think that helped to seal in the moisture, and the humidity surely didn't help.

I think I have some insect pest as well. They eat their way in, and the mush they leave starts to rot too. The bugs I've seen are tiny little wormy things, pale reddish brown, about a 1/32" in diameter, and about 1/8" long.

I wish I'd checked them a week ago. I trimmed all but about 4" of the stem, and peeled the wrapping leaves off. I have them hanging between the bars of a shelving unit.

Some of the stems seemed ... ickier ... and those I broke the cloves off to check them more closely. A few I will peel and use asap. The clove is good, but the wrapper leaves show signs of going bad soon.

 

[aart]

The stems were thicker than usual, as the plants were bigger and heartier.

Did you trim the stalks before setting to 'dry'?
I used to pull mine and let the entire plant sit for a day or two,
then trim the stalk to a few inches above the head before setting in a covered dry place for a few weeks before storing.

 

[Sally PB]

Did you trim the stalks before setting to 'dry'?
I used to pull mine and let the entire plant sit for a day or two,
then trim the stalk to a few inches above the head before setting in a covered dry place for a few weeks before storing.

I haven't in years past, but I think I will from now on.

This is my drying rack (picture from last year)

This year, they're more spread out than that. We had plenty of breeze; this is our front porch, so it's covered and protected from the rain.

 

[aart]

This is my drying rack

That's kinda what I used for a couple days after digging.
Then I would brush off dried dirt, trim the roots, and cut the stem a few inches from head.

 

[Sally PB]

The "tops" of those tables are the wire divider pieces that come with large dog crates. Air circulation above and below. The wire shelving unit I have has similar spacing on the wire, and I have the bulbs sitting on the shelves with the stem sticking down through. I wish I'd brought out the shelving unit before; it's a handy, space efficient way to have stuff spaced out and have the breeze blow through.

Next up is drying the multiplier onions. After that, potatoes. The potato plants are dying back already! I usually dig them in August/September; anytime before frost. At least I can leave the taters in the ground. I just have to mark where the plants are so I know where to dig.

Everything is early this year, and the timing seems way off. I hope this doesn't mean the first frost will be way early too...

 

[aart]

The wire shelving unit I have has similar spacing on the wire, and I have the bulbs sitting on the shelves with the stem sticking down through.

Yeppers!
Have used several iterations of that concept.

 

[Sally PB]

@aart, what variety of garlic is that?

 

[aart]

@aart, what variety of garlic is that?

German White...only kind I've ever grown.
My brother grows it, hundreds of plants.

 

[Sally PB]

I ordered and planted a pound (20ish cloves) of German White, and 60 of my own Music.

They all look the same! They have rosy/purplish wrappers. I did not find a difference in taste, either.

Did I get more Music by mistake do you think?

 

[Sally PB]

I'm thinking of ordering another type of garlic to plant this fall, along with my Music.

I ordered German White last fall, and after digging, drying, and cleaning, the cloves look the same as Music. I couldn't tell any difference in the taste, either.

So I looked around for more information on what garlic tastes best and will probably order some when they have it back in stock at the end of August.

But what variety...