Garlic is ready to harvest when the lower leaves start to change color from green to yellow or brown. Specifically:
- For hardneck garlic varieties, harvest timing is usually from the end of May to the end of July, depending on the variety.
- For softneck varieties, harvest when the lower leaves start to yellow and fold, and the garlic begins to lie on the ground, typically from mid-May to mid-August.
- A good sign to pull garlic from the ground is when about two of the bottom leaves have died and a third is starting to die.
- Avoid waiting until all the leaves are brown and the stalks have fallen over, as this can indicate the bulb is over-mature and may have a shorter storage life.
It is also important to harvest during dry conditions and to cure garlic properly by drying it slowly for 2-4 weeks after harvesting to enhance storage life.
