Garlic not storing very well

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by silu, Jan 10, 2017.

  1. silu

    silu gardening easy...hmmm

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    I grew both hard and soft neck Garlic last season and was very proud of the results.That old saying of "pride comes before a fall" is ringing in my ears:yikes: as while the hard neck is storing fine the soft neck is not. I think I read that hard neck doesn't store usually as well as soft? so we had been eating the hard neck first and all the bulbs have been fine so far. I checked some of the soft neck today and about 10% are soft and have gone all mushy and horrid.
    Any ideas why? all the bulbs looked fine when I lifted them and all the bulbs are being stored in the same place so don't understand why some are fine and others not.
     
  2. Scrungee

    Scrungee Well known for it

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    That's what I've read, but in my experience it's always been the other way round, same again with last year's crop, and it's also what I found with the 70% off reduced autumn planting garlic a few weeks ago - the softneck was passed it, but the hardneck was fine.

    I regularly check mine and any sign of it going soft either/or quickly get it in the ground (or pots if ground frozen)/freeze peeled/chopped cloves and also freeze chopped garlic in vegetable oil spread for making garlic bread.

    Late last year I discovered some mislaid Elephant Garlic bulbs lifted in autumn 2015 and intended for spring 2016 planting. As they still looked OK I quickly planted them and they've all sprouted, in fact they sprouted much quicker than the EG lifted in 2016.
     
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      Last edited: Jan 12, 2017
    • silu

      silu gardening easy...hmmm

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      Many thanks @Scrungee. I hadn't thought of freezing the cloves I've managed to save from the bulbs which were going soft. Instead of blowing the heads off my family using up the cloves that are still viable in a oner I'll peel and freeze them/chop up and put into some oil to use in vinaigrette.
       
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      • "M"

        "M" Total Gardener

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        I had no idea it was ok to freeze peeled cloves of garlic :doh: Once again, you have saved me a bob or two. :ThankYou:
         
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        • Jack McHammocklashing

          Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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          Can you eat Wild Garlic, we have a road here with about 200 yards of Wild Garlic?
           
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          • "M"

            "M" Total Gardener

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            You can! :thumbsup:


            Well, you can eat the leaves: gently fried in a teeny bit of butter with oil (or Frylight "butter flavour"). :delish: They can be steamed (briefly) too! Fab in stir fries as well. I've also used them as an "addition" to other steamed veg and it really gives a strong, yet delicate, fresh flavour comes Spring.

            Still a bit early for wild garlic around here though :scratch: (and I need to harvest yet more seed this year to fulfil a promise to one of our fellow GC'ers. Sorry @Zigs .. the seeds I harvested last year ended up still in my coat pocket in a 40 degree wash :oops: )
             
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            • "M"

              "M" Total Gardener

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              Here are some recipes to inspire you :thumbsup:
               
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              • Jack McHammocklashing

                Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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                So it is the leaves and not the bulbs ?
                 
              • Scrungee

                Scrungee Well known for it

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                • noisette47

                  noisette47 Total Gardener

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                  or..Garlic Jam :)

                  1kg garlic cloves, peeled
                  250g jam sugar
                  250g??? (not sure how that works in ml or cl) water
                  sprigs of rosemary to taste

                  Cook the garlic cloves in the water with the rosemary for 30 minutes or until very soft, then remove rosemary. Blend/mix garlic and liquid and add sugar, following instructions for use. (Usually boil for 5-7 minutes). When thickened, spoon into hot, clean jars and seal.
                  Use as a substitute for mint sauce with lamb, or on anything that needs livening up!
                   
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                  • Scrungee

                    Scrungee Well known for it

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                    • silu

                      silu gardening easy...hmmm

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                      I have been reading about freezing Garlic, many thanks @Scrungee . Wow you can just pop the whole bulb unpeeled in the freezer. I am going to check the rest of my soft necks to see if any more have rotted and if they have I think I might freeze what's left before they also go west. I have read that the Garlic looses it's flavour a bit when frozen. Does it affect it just a bit or quite a lot? I need to decide if it's worth risking just leaving those which haven't rotted or best to freeze and loose some flavour. Maybe I might freeze half and leave half, hedging my bets!
                       
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                        Last edited: Jan 12, 2017
                      • "M"

                        "M" Total Gardener

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                        Wild garlic ... that will be the leaves :dbgrtmb:
                         
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                        • Tracy_x

                          Tracy_x Gardener

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                          Wild garlic is very tasty,can't find any near me.Wild garlic leaves with mince, make delicious meatballs
                           
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                          • silu

                            silu gardening easy...hmmm

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                            Now discovered my hard neck Garlic are sprouting. I have already planted what I really need for next season so while I could just plant these I was wondering if it's ok to peel and put them in a airtight jar of oil to use to make french dressing come summer despite having sprouted a bit? I did as directed and have frozen quite a lot of my soft necks and they have been fine to use from the freezer but sort of have enough frozen too. If it's a bad idea I'll just freeze these ones as well. Wish my flaming seed potatoes would get going as much as the Garlic has. The Garlic is in a very cold outhouse and the seed spuds are in the room with the seriously cosy wood burner:dunno:
                             
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