Garlic Harvest and Composting

Can you believe it, summer officially begins this week - just in time to focus on your fall planted garlic, harvest is any day or minute. Plus, get your compost pile started or stoked. Here's the first few bullets from my most recent Denver Post Punch List column, click on the link to continue reading.

Just like growing garlic, harvest is easy.  These few tips will guarantee a tasty pesto.

Cut garlic scapes (flowers) two weeks prior to harvest

• Garlic is putting on lots of bulb growth in the weeks before harvest, so regular watering is important.
• Hardneck garlic produces scapes (flower stalks) that should be cut off two weeks prior to harvest so bulbs grow bigger. Use scapes in stir fries or pesto, grill them like asparagus.
• Refrain from watering garlic plants a few days before harvesting to transition the bulbs to their final maturation and to prevent staining of the papery cover that wraps the bulbs.
• Continue reading....