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What did I do wrong with my garlic?

Matt McSpadden

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Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

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posted 2 years ago

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Hi All,
Question:
What part of the process of growing garlic is most likely to cause moldy garlic?

Details:
A large portion of my garlic is moldy/rotten. I would say upwards of 50% with another 25% being suspect. Was it more likely the soil and when I harvested it? Or was it the drying process? I'm not a complete newbie to gardening, but I don't have decades of experience either. I have been quite successful growing garlic for the past 3 years. Maybe 4 or 5 rotten out of hundreds of heads. However, this year was not so successful. I harvested a little late, and they sat in a cardboard box for a day and a half while I had time to hang them to dry. I have two varieties that I grow. One was smaller and I have already taken it down from hanging. I cut off the leaves and the roots, and then it sat outside, but under cover, in a metal bowl for a week or so until I had a chance to peel off the dirty outer layers. While doing this, I found so many that were rotting and/or moldy. The other variety was larger and is still hanging, so I have not had a chance to check it yet. In past years I went straight from the harvest to drying racks or hanging. Also, when I took them from drying, it was usually within a few days that I had them peeled.

What did I do wrong this year? Soil too moist? Peeled too late? Not dried enough? Any ideas would be appreciated.

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John F Dean

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posted 2 years ago

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If it helps you to feel better, my garlic did nothing.

….give me coffee to do the things I can and bourbon to accept the things I can’t.

Vaios Eleftheriou

Posts: 28

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

posted 2 years ago

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Step 1: Harvest garlic
Step 2: hang it in bounces of 10 to dry for a few weeks in a shady covered and airy area (if not airy use a fan).
Step 3: when dry enough cut it 2” above the head and store it open - garlic needs to “breath” like me and you, NO plastic!

I do an extra step, harvest, wash it, soak it in 0.5% H2O2 food grade) for 15 seconds, hang it to dry, …

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Kim Goodwin

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posted 2 years ago

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Did you have more summer rains than the last few years? Maybe they didn't get a good curing time in the ground first, had too much moisture before harvest?

Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts. ~Wendell Berry

Matt McSpadden

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Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

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@John - Only a little :)

@Vaios - I will have to look into the quick soak. I hung it on an open sided leanto style shed. It doesn't get much for breeze, but I have dried it in my garage before, and that didn't get any air. It was never stored in plastic, but it was in the metal bowl for a while. No cover or anything, just packed in.

@Kim - I think it was wetter than it had been before. And I had not grown in this particular spot before either. Maybe they did just get too wet.

Nick Kitchener

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posted 2 years ago

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Were they moldy when you pulled them out of the ground? If so then it is a growing problem. If not, then it is how you cured them.
They need airflow around the bulbs and stems so a draughty place out of direct sun is ideal. I hang mine in bunches of 12 and check them every week or so to make sure they aren't developing mold.

You may need to turn the bunches too, especially if they are hanging from a nail and are sitting against a wall because the ones against the wall might not get enough air flow.

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Nick Kitchener

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posted 2 years ago

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I found a bit of mold growing on the garlic I have hanging in the garage because it's more humid in there and the airflow is lower that the ones hanging under the deck which is a much better location for curing.

Matt McSpadden

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Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

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@Nick - I don't recall seeing mold when I was harvesting, but I wasn't looking for it either, and they were of course covered in dirt. Most of them show up as a soft spot on the bottom, or as a white squishy stuff between the roots and the rest of the bulb. I'll try to get some pictures of the mold itself as well as where I have them hanging.

John Weiland

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posted 2 years ago

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We've had mold and possibly nematodes/root maggots that put us out of garlic growing in the Red River Valley of northern Minnesota, but my sister still grows a good crop in Wisconsin....don't know her secret at this point. My guess is that some agent is increasing in the soil and the conditions were right to clobber your plantings this year. Please see the following information....local for your growing region....and some of the authors who may be of help turning the corner for you. Good luck!

https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2063e/

https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/home/pests-and-plant-diseases/plant-diseases/

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Nick Kitchener

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Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

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posted 2 years ago

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If the bulbs are otherwise well formed then I would go for a curing mistake. If it's the first year growing garlic, you'd have to be extremely unlucky to have picked up a fungal disease (like basal rot) that effects onions and garlic.

Vaios Eleftheriou

Posts: 28

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

posted 2 years ago

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Matt you say: “…but it was in the metal bowl for a while” This is a no-no.
Harvest the garlic (I am in Minnesota and had 3” of rain the day before I harvested mine, no problem), immediately after harvesting, hung it in a place with air flow (use a fan!!! Your garage is NOT a good place without a fan)), if you cannot hang it right-away, leave it in the garden on straw for few days, is okay to rain. Prepare the drying area, please, this is critical.
Make sure when you plant garlic, the seeds are disease free and preferably organic. Before planting, soak the seeds in 1% H2O2 food grade for 10 seconds and plant them.
By the way, I do have garlic from last year and is fine. I am organic/biodynamic gardener.
Ozone is another way to treat garlic for storage.

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Vaios Eleftheriou

Posts: 28

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

posted 2 years ago

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Matt, check this please: Bloat Nematode in Maine Garlic
https://www.mofga.org/resources/garlic/garlic-bloat-nematode/
If your garlic has it, scrap it and buy new for next year.

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Matt McSpadden

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Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

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After looking into these links. I think the most likely (though it is rare in Maine) is white rot. I forgot to take pictures last night, but will try to do so. If I can post some pictures, perhaps someone else who has seen white rot can tell me if that is what it is.

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