Garlic cloves going damp

Michael-14

Need some advice, please. Harvested 2 varieties of garlic (Marco & Germidor), laid out to dry and then brought into polytunnel for final drying. This has taken a period of 3 weeks. Today, picked up the bulb and it is starting to feel soft. Picking out the individual cloves, they feel damp, soft and discoloured. Have grown garlic for a number of years and not experienced this problem. Any assistance will well received!

Michael-14

Thanks! Growing tomatoes, cucumbers and gherkins in polytunnel. Hadn't thought of retained humidity. Might have to move my onions to!

Michael-14

Philippa - just an afterthought. The cloves we have salvaged have a slight brown tint but still smell of garlic. Are they still likely to be edible???

Italophile

Michael-14 said:

Thanks! Growing tomatoes, cucumbers and gherkins in polytunnel. Hadn't thought of retained humidity. Might have to move my onions to!

Definitely move your onions! They need dry air at a mild temperature. I used to spread mine out on the terrace under a covered pergola.

Skandi

I only left my garlic out in the sun for 3 days or so to kick start the drying, it's now in the barn drying out slowly. I suspect the heat in there has dried them too much (rather than too high humidity) You could try to totally dry some of them and then grind to make your own garlic powder.

I plant mine beginning of October as I do NOT want tops up over winter (constant freeze thaw and down to -15 will not do them any good) which means I harvest First week in July normally.