How to Tie Off Garlic Still in the Ground

Tying off garlic involves braiding garlic stems together to prolong the life of a picked garlic plant. Traditionally, whole garlic plants are removed from the soil, left to dry and braided together. Tying the garlic plants together while they are still in the ground is not possible, as it would damage the plants, so instead just the leaves of a single garlic plant are braided. Tying off garlic while it is still in the ground has no additional benefits for the garlic plant, but it does create a pretty patterned design and helps to neaten up an overgrown garlic patch.

Rubber bands

Instructions

- 1
  
  A traditional braid requires a minimum of 3 strands.
  
  Locate a garlic plant you wish to tie off. It should have a green stem that is a minimum of 10 inches in length and at least 3 leaves coming off of the stem.
- 2
  
  Pull the braid gently to prevent damaging the garlic plant.
  
  Divide the stem leaves into 3 sections. Gently arrange the leaves so that 1 sits on the left-hand side, 1 on the right and 1 in the middle. Take the left-hand stem and place it around the middle stem so that it now sits between the 2 stems. Gently move the stem on the right-hand side around the middle stem so that it now sits between the 2 stems. Repeat this technique until the entire length of the garlic leaves is braided.
- 3
  
  A piece of ribbon can be used to tie the top of the braided garlic.
  
  Tie the rubber band around the top of the plant to prevent the braid from unraveling.

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