When to harvest potatoes and how to cure garlic
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I’ve received dozens of emails from readers unsure of when to harvest their potatoes, and who could blame them? It’s impossible to see, feel or otherwise gauge the readiness of underground tubers, so knowing when to harvest isn’t the same as evaluating a tomato’s maturity.
In my AP gardening column this week, I wrote about simple ways to check potatoes for readiness before digging them up. You can read more here.
📬 Ask Jessica
DEAR JESSICA: I picked my first garlic today but am unsure how to dry the bulbs. Can you share tips? —Adrienne Wilber, Holtsville, NY
DEAR ADRIENNE: Congrats on a big, beautiful head of garlic!
Lots of folks seem mystified about drying garlic, but it’s really quite simple: When at least 50% of the plant has turned yellow, dig up the bulbs, brush off the soil, and set them on a drying rack (or hang them up) in a well-ventilated, cool, dry spot for about two weeks.
During that time, their skins will become dry and papery, which extends shelf life.
It looks like you grew hardneck garlic, which sends up tall, leafless stems called scapes, usually in late spring. The scapes should be removed to aid underground bulb formation and can be added to salads, cooked in soups or sautéed.
Softneck garlic varieties do not produce scapes.
Some other differences: Hardneck varieties are better suited for colder climates and more flavorful than softnecks, but they don’t keep as long. That’s why softneck types are typically sold in supermarkets.
Hardnecks form a single row of large cloves around an underground stem; softnecks form several stacked rows of smaller cloves. Because their stalks are softer, softnecks are often braided and hung to dry.
💚 This Week’s Good Find
I grew three types of potatoes in four fabric grow bags this year. My plants thrived, reached full size and remained healthy without the excess supplemental irrigation I had anticipated. Hilling — mounding soil up as plants grew — simply meant adding more soil to the bags. So it was super easy and successful.
I periodically checked their maturity by rolling back the Velcro-affixed potato-viewing “window” in each bag to see how large they were getting without disturbing them. So far, I harvested the spuds in one bag by simply dumping out its contents, no digging required, and no good potato left behind.
Pick some up for next year and read about more of my favorite things here.
💡 If you do one thing this week…
When the plants flop over, harvest onions, then cure (as you would garlic, above) for 10 days. Afterward, store in a cool, dark spot.
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👏 Your favorite things
Reader Lorna Paschke writes: “You asked us to let you know what our favorite garden gadget is. Here’s mine, and its a lifesaver:
I hate venturing out in my yard only to find I need something I forgot to bring along, which means I’d have to trek back to the garage to get it. Problem solved with my Garden Caddy. It holds long handle tools, short tools, gloves, pruners, cellphone, everything—even a snack. The easily removable rectangular bin is perfect for harvested veggies or weeds I’ve pulled. I just grab the handle, and out I go.
It’s well built and fairly easy to assemble. Just be careful of cheap knockoffs. I hope you like it as much as I do.
I’ve got one, too, Lorna — it’s on my list of favorite things!
📰This week in my Associated Press gardening column
I write a weekly gardening column for the AP, so you might have seen my byline in your local paper (or news website) — wherever in the world you happen to be. In case you miss it, though, I’ll post the most recent here every week.
Harvesting potatoes: Knowing when to dig up potatoes can be tricky! Some tips.
Attracting birds to your garden: Follow my tips for creating a bird-friendly habitat.at.
Monarch butterflies are in trouble: Newly categorized as “endangered,” the beloved monarch needs our help. The good news: It doesn’t take much.
Gardening in drought? Get my tips for keeping your plants alive and thriving — and some surprising water sources to use whether or not you’re under restrictions.
Want more? You can read all my AP gardening columns here.
Let’s be friends! Follow me @JesDamiano on Instagram
📧 How’m I doing?
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