When Garlic Is Ready to Harvest

There’s something so satisfying about pulling fresh garlic from the garden. After months of waiting, watering, and watching those green tops grow taller, harvest time finally arrives! But knowing exactly when garlic is ready to harvest can feel a little confusing for beginners.

And here at the end of May, garlic harvest season is getting very close in many gardens! Ours is starting to show those early signs that harvest time is right around the corner.

Harvest too early and the bulbs may stay small. Wait too long and the wrappers can split, making the garlic harder to store. Here’s how I tell when our garlic is ready to come out of the ground.

Watch the Leaves

The biggest clue is the leaves.

Garlic is usually ready to harvest when:

The bottom 3–5 leaves have turned brown

The upper leaves are still partly green

Each green leaf underground becomes one layer of wrapper around the bulb. If all the leaves die back completely before harvesting, the bulb wrappers may start breaking down.

In our garden, garlic is often ready sometime around late May through June depending on weather and variety. Around this time of year I start checking the patch almost daily for signs that harvest season is beginning.

Don’t Wait Too Long

It can be tempting to leave garlic in the ground “just a little longer,” but overripe garlic can split open underground.

When bulbs split:

storage life decreases

dirt gets between cloves

bulbs can rot more easily

If you notice the stems falling over completely and most leaves are brown, check a bulb right away.

How to Check a Bulb

If you’re unsure, gently dig up one garlic plant and inspect it.

A ready bulb should:

feel firm and solid

have visible individual cloves

have papery outer wrappers intact

If the cloves still look tiny and undeveloped, give the patch another week or so.

Don’t Pull Garlic by the Stems

Garlic stems can snap surprisingly easily.

Instead:

loosen soil with a garden fork or shovel

lift bulbs gently from underneath

brush off excess dirt

Avoid washing garlic right after harvest if you plan to store it long term.

Cure Garlic Before Storing

Freshly harvested garlic needs time to cure.

We usually:

bundle a few plants together

hang them in a shaded, dry, well-ventilated area

let them cure for 2–3 weeks

A porch, garage, barn, or basement with airflow works well.

Once cured:

trim roots

cut stalks

store in a cool dry place

Properly cured garlic can last for months.

Our Garlic Harvest This Year

This year the garlic in our garden has been looking fantastic. One thing I’ve learned with gardening is that timing matters, but perfection doesn’t. Even smaller bulbs or imperfect garlic still taste wonderful in homemade meals.

Growing garlic has become one of my favorite low-maintenance garden crops because once planted in the fall, it mostly does its thing until harvest season arrives.

And honestly, there are few things more rewarding than cooking with garlic you grew yourself.

Quick Garlic Harvest Checklist

• Bottom leaves turning brown

• Top leaves still partly green

• Bulbs feel firm

• Cloves are well formed

  
  

• Harvest before wrappers split

Happy harvesting!