Today's harvest

[blissful]

The debate about removing the scapes to encourage larger bulbs.
Some research says it matters more in poor soil than in good soil. Some say it absolutely matters, cut them right when they form. Some say it doesn't matter if you leave the scape.
My opinion is It probably helps to cut the scapes. If you have an acre of garlic and need to manually cut each and every scape, that would be daunting work.
I cut mine and they are in the dehydrator right now to process into a garlic scape powder for winter.

 

[dragnlaw]

Was pretty sure that would be the answer. To me it makes sense. If the flower is forming then energy is being diverted from the bulbs.

I will cut them. Thanks bliss!

 

[blissful]

Was pretty sure that would be the answer. To me it makes sense. If the flower is forming then energy is being diverted from the bulbs.

I will cut them. Thanks bliss!

I read something interesting in the studies. They said to leave one garlic with a scape. It grows with the flower part, swirling around getting longer. Let it grow and when it goes from a swirl into standing straight up, the garlic are ready to harvest. I've never read that before. We've harvested about 200 out of 300 scapes. I'll be sure to share this idea with mr bliss and we'll see if that is true. Either way, we usually harvest about the middle of July, only 2 weeks from now.

 

[dragnlaw]

Fascinating! Although we certainly don't have that many plants (maybe 30?) I will try it with one of them and see what happens.

Again bliss, thank you for your knowledge and sharing!

 

[larry_stewart]

I cut mine and they are in the dehydrator right now to process into a garlic scape powder for winter.

What do you use the scape powder for?
I cut them up and stir fry
Ive made scape pesto
Ive also pickled them, but wasn't thrilled
Always looking for something. else to do with them. ( have about 120)

 

[taxlady]

I assume that letting the scapes on garlic grow probably makes the garlic a bit less flavourful. It certainly works that way with chives. I have never actually noticed the scapes on my chives until the flower buds form or they blossom.

 

[blissful]

What do you use the scape powder for?
I cut them up and stir fry
Ive made scape pesto
Ive also pickled them, but wasn't thrilled
Always looking for something. else to do with them. ( have about 120)

I use it like parsley, it's green, tastes a little green and a little mild garlicy. I don't think I have any pictures but will take some when I finish drying it and processing it.

 

[larry_stewart]

Today was garlic harvesting day. In past years it was July 4th, almost like a tradition, but the past few years, my garlic started to get water logged in the last week or two. This year I picked a test-garlic every few days for the past 2 weeks. One bed showed signs of water log, so I picked them a week or two ago. The other bed (literally 2 feet north of the other bed) lasted until today. The rest of the week I'll be working and unable to harvest, and we're going away or a few days, so figured today was the best day to pick. Overall a pretty good harvest. Over 120 heads. Most a decent size, a bunch are on the small side ( I usually use those for when I make pickles ) and then there were a few stinkers. In one of the pics Im holding a good one next to a water logged one. You can see the healthy one is a nice white color, the other one almost and orange/ brownish color. The inner cloves are still good but wont dry or store as well , so Ill use those guys ( gals) first.

 

[dragnlaw]

Larry, love your drying rack!
Excellent picture showing the colour difference.

 

[larry_stewart]

Larry, love your drying rack!
Excellent picture showing the colour difference.

Thanks. I saw something similar on the internet and felt creative one day. The whole thing cost me about $10. Most of the wood was just scrap wood I had laying around. The wood slats on the top I bought at Home Depot for about $10 Definitely more organized than the way I used to do it in the past.

Lucky I caught the waterlogged issue early this year. Out of about 130 garlic, maybe 5 or 6 had to be tossed. A few years back it was closer to %30. I was devastated , cause up until that year, I always considered garlic one of my ' slam - dunk', dont have to worry about them crops. Just plant them and let them do their thing. I think I may be over-mulching, which may allowing the soil to retain too much moisture. Next year Ill cut back a bit and see how it goes.

 

[larry_stewart]

Quart of Blueberries and quart of Currants. The birds figured out where the blueberries are kinda early this year, so we have to stay on top of it so we get some. I dont mind sharing, but they take a bite out of one, then a bite out of another .... Netting would be impractical so we just deal with it. They either haven't found the currants yer or they just don't like them. Those currant plants produce so many berries, it's remarkable. Good thing is they freeze well ( I still have 2 quarts from last year).

 

[dragnlaw]

Late in 2020 I planted 2 blueberry bushes. One an early berry, the other supposedly supplied continuously. Then I moved in 2021.

 

[larry_stewart]

Late in 2020 I planted 2 blueberry bushes. One an early berry, the other supposedly supplied continuously. Then I moved in 2021.

I guess the new residents are enjoying them ( or the birds)

 

[dragnlaw]

Actually going back there next week. They've started heavy renovations, don't know if they are far enough along for me to see anything worth while but it will be interesting.
They promised to save and re-use the 200 yr old original logs of the house. (Mainly cause I threatened them with horrid nightmares for the rest of their lives if they didn't).

yeah, anxious about the gardens. I planted a willow tree a while back that I really want to see how it's doing. There there were also two grape vines I planted at the same time as the blueberries.
I was looking for some current bushes but it was too late in the season, they were all gone.

 

[larry_stewart]

Another 2 quarts of currants, and about 3 quarts of mixed green and yellow beans.
Tomorrow, weather permitting , Ill harvest the rest of the cabbages, some carrots, kirbies , a few buckets of potatoes and a bunch of shishito peppers.

 

[blissful]

26 raspberries! lol

We're breathlessly waiting in anticipation for the one garlic scape we left growing in the patch to get completely erect so we know to harvest them.

 

[larry_stewart]

26 raspberries! lol

Thats better than 25

 

[Marlingardener]

We harvested the last cucumber--the vines don't like the heat and lack of rain, although we watered faithfully.
Another lovely picking of Roma tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, which have also been watered faithfully.
Gardening in Texas is certainly interesting!

 

[larry_stewart]

Pick the last of the cabbages, Decided to pick the leeks as most were bolting, and my Kirby's finally kicked in. I'll pick a bunch tomorrow and probably start pickling.

 

[pepperhead212]

I didn't harvest much today, as every time I would go out, the plants would be wet again, even though it had rained very little in this area. I cut some chives, for that gazpacho, but that was it. The other things I had harvested before.