I just harvested my garlic and they look normal in every way except they have little to no skin. Why would that be?
This problem crops up when garlic is left in the ground for too long after it's reached maturity.
Garlic should be harvested as soon as the majority of the leaves have turned yellow. If you leave your bulbs in the ground until all of the leaves have yellowed - or worse - until the leaves have started turning brown then you run the risk that the cloves will have swollen to the point where the skin starts to burst. Once that happens, the skin deteriorates rapidly leaving you with little or nothing to show for it.
Since the lack of skin may cause you problems during storage, you'll ideally want to harvest your garlic earlier next year.
If you have any questions or comments, please send them to me at vanessa@gardenmuse.ca.
Originally posted on August 3, 2011.
