Check out different Garlic Growing Stages and find out how to identify when your vegetable is ready for harvest!
If you’re a gardener and love the taste of garlic, growing it at home can be a rewarding experience. In this article, we’ll guide you through the different Garlic Growing Stages in detail.
Find Is Garlic a Vegetable Herb or Spice
Garlic Growing Stages
1. Germination
Garlic typically takes around two weeks to germinate. The seed/clove will first germinate in the form of a small shoot which will then grow into a larger root.
Once the root reaches a certain size, several small leaves will begin to emerge from the top of the root. This is the beginning of the garlic plant’s life cycle.
2. Green Or Spring Garlic
The green or spring stage of garlic is the early vegetative stage of the garlic plant’s life cycle. At this stage, the garlic plant is just emerging from the soil and is in the process of forming bulbs.
The leaves are still relatively short and are a bright, light green color. Garlic plants at this stage are just beginning to form cloves, which will mature and form bulbs during the summer months.
3. Scapes
The Scapes stage of the garlic growing cycle takes place in late spring and early summer when the garlic plant begins to form scapes or flower stalks.
These flower stalks can grow up to 1-2 feet in length and contain small bulbils or miniature bulbs. Harvesting the scapes encourages additional bulb growth, as the energy that would have gone into flowering and seed production is instead diverted back into the bulb.
Scapes are generally harvested before the flowers open when they are still tightly curled. They can be used in a variety of ways, such as sautéing in butter, adding stir-fries, or blending into a flavorful garlic scape pesto.
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4. Young Bulb Stage
The young bulb stage of garlic is the period of growth that occurs after the garlic plant has emerged from the soil and the first leaves have begun to appear.
During this stage, the garlic bulb begins to form, and the leaves and stems of the plant begin to elongate. The young bulb stage typically lasts 4-6 weeks.
5. Mature Bulb Stage
The mature bulb stage of the garlic growing cycle is when the garlic has reached its full size and the cloves are fully formed.
At this stage, the cloves will be firm, and the outer layers of the bulb will be dry and papery. The cloves can be peeled off easily, and the garlic can be used for cooking.
6. Flowering Stage
The flowering stage of the garlic growing cycle occurs in late summer or early fall, usually during the month of August. During this time, the garlic plants will produce small, white flowers that eventually form garlic seed heads.
Once the flowers have died off, the garlic heads can be harvested and used for culinary purposes.
7. Harvesting Stage
The Harvesting Stage is the final stage of the garlic growing cycle. It typically occurs between late July and early October, depending on the particular variety of garlic.
The garlic bulbs should be harvested when the bottom leaves have begun to dry and turn brown in color. Once harvested, the garlic should be dried and cured for storage.
