How to dry garlic after harvesting from the garden

Garlic is considered one of the most popular nutritional supplements, which has the property of long-term preservation of its medicinal and beneficial properties. There are many ways to properly preserve garlic in its natural form, but before drying garlic, you need to know the rules regarding harvesting and storage of the harvested garlic. If this is not done correctly, then garlic can lose its properties as a result of rotting. For this reason, try to adhere to a certain order of actions. This article explains how to dry your garlic after harvesting.

How to dry garlic after harvesting? First, we remove the bulbs correctly

Digging up the garlic correctly is the key to successful storage over a long period of time. Improper harvesting can compromise the integrity of the heads of garlic, causing the bulbs to deteriorate quickly.

To understand that a culture is already ripe, you need to pay attention to its foliage. The yellowing of most of it indicates that the garlic is ready to be harvested. Also, in order to understand that the bulbs are ripe, many summer residents keep 1 arrow in the garden. When seeds appear on it, this will mean that the garlic is ready.

Those varieties of garlic that are planted for the winter are trying to dig out closer to the onset of August. If the variety belongs to spring, then its ripening can last until mid-autumn.

Dig up the garlic as carefully as possible. First you need to dig up the onion, then pull the garlic out of the ground by the base of the stem. After you collect the garlic, the soil needs digging and planting with siderates. If you do not do this, then the soil can lose a large number of useful elements.

Preparing the harvested crop for drying

Before starting to dry the garlic after harvesting, it is necessary to carry out primary processing. The heads must be manually cleaned from the ground. Then they are sent for drying within 7 days. Then, using a knife and pruning shears, it is necessary to remove the arrows and roots, leave a stem about 2 cm long.

To properly carry out the initial processing, you need to follow several rules. After you dig up the garlic, you need to preserve its foliage. This will help the bulb to collect a large amount of useful elements after the drying procedure. All actions with the harvest must be carried out as carefully as possible. It is not necessary to do, as many summer residents do: knock the heads of garlic together to remove excess land. Any damage can affect the shelf life of the culture.

It is not necessary to rinse the garlic after harvest to avoid decay.

All of these guidelines will help keep your garlic harvest going over a long period of time. When you peel the heads of garlic, it is allowed to remove the top layer of the scales. You can find a large number of methods associated with the garlic drying procedure. They depend on what kind of improvised means you have, as well as on the amount of the harvested crop.

How to dry garlic after harvesting from a garden garden

This heat treatment is considered the most popular because it does not require the use of any additional materials. After you carry out the initial processing, you need to send the garlic to dry outside, of course, if the weather conditions allow it.

Drying is best done during the day, as there is a high probability of some rainfall at night. Therefore, it is better to remove the garlic indoors at night.

You can dry the garlic within 3-5 days. Such drying can improve immunity against various diseases. But be sure to pay attention to the sun's rays to avoid burns from direct ultraviolet rays.

How to properly dry garlic after harvesting indoors

This method is well suited in cases where drying outside is not possible. Choose rooms that have good air circulation. It is desirable if the room is darkened, the air is moderately humid. The use of a balcony and an attic works well.

Dry in the oven

Today there are kitchen helpers with which you can even dry the garlic. An oven is well suited for this purpose. Before drying the garlic, it is necessary to clean it well from the earth and excess foliage, then rinse it thoroughly under water.

The cloves must be cut into thin plates, the thickness of which will be only a few mm. Put the slices on a baking sheet, put parchment or foil on it. Plates need to be stacked in 1 row. But the temperature should be no more than 50 degrees, otherwise the slices may burn and turn brown.

After drying, the garlic can be crushed into powdered form and stored as such. It is good to use this storage method in some kind of production, it is both economical and convenient.

We use an electric dryer

Drying garlic in this way seems to be the easiest, since the risks associated with damage to the crop are reduced. Before you start drying garlic in an electric dryer, it must be thoroughly peeled and rinsed under water. Then each clove needs to be cut into 2-3 pieces and placed in a special electric drying compartment. The slices must be laid out with a cut upward. This will help the bulb dry faster and better.

Using this method, you can dry your crop in about 8-9 hours. This method is not time consuming and is well suited for drying large quantities of crops. Then you can grind the garlic to get a powder.

Where to dry the garlic after harvesting? - Houses

Before you start drying your garlic, it is very important to prepare the place where you will store it later. This will determine how long you can store the harvested garlic. Storing garlic in an apartment is allowed for several months. But in order to improve the storage process, it is allowed to use various means, namely: salt, paraffin and oil solution.

We use salt

Table salt should be put on the bottom of the container, then put the garlic there. Then add another layer of salt and close the neck of the jar with a nylon cloth. This will help preserve the garlic for several months. The addition of a small amount of wheat flour is allowed. This method will help remove excess moisture and avoid the decay process. It will also protect the crop well from various diseases and insects.

We use paraffin

If you use paraffin wax, then each head must be dipped into liquid wax. This type of shell will help preserve the strength and juiciness of the garlic. It will also protect the garlic from excess moisture.

We use an oil solution

To prepare such a solution, add 25 drops of iodine to 1 liter of oil. Dried garlic is subject to this treatment. Then it is put into a box, which must be stored in a cool and dark room.

Also, cloves of garlic can be stored in the refrigerator. To do this, take the garlic, put it in a jar, and pour everything with oil. But you need to be prepared that garlic will change its taste characteristics.

Onion skins will help reduce moisture levels. You need to take cloves of garlic and mix them with the husk and put in a linen bag. This storage method is well suited for those who live in apartments.

You need to store dried granulated garlic in a paper bag. The powder will then not be moisturized and will not lose its characteristic aroma.

Conclusion

In order for the storage of garlic to be possible for a long period of time, it needs good drying. But before that, you need to make a number of preparatory measures, which you also need to know how to carry out correctly. If you do everything right, then the garlic can be stored for several months. Using salt, paraffin, or an oil solution will help keep the garlic strong and juicy, and protect it from many diseases and insects.