When to Harvest Elephant Garlic

When to Harvest

• Elephant garlic is ready to harvest when the cloves are fully formed and separated, and the skin is papery and dry. Depending on location, elephant garlic matures from mid-May to June or early to midsummer. When about a third of the tops are beginning to turn yellow and wither, pull up a bulb and cut it open to check for maturity. Waiting until all the tops die down is too late, and the bulbs may have split open underground, making it difficult to harvest and store. Reduce watering as harvest time approaches.

How to Harvest

• Use a garden fork to loosen the soil around the bulbs and pull them up by hand. For larger crops, run a cutter bar under the rows freeing and lifting the bulbs. Handle the harvested bulbs gently to avoid bruising them. Immediately remove them from direct sun.

Storage

• Keep the elephant garlic bulbs in a dry, warm and airy place to cure for a few days or a week. Keep them out of the sun. Curing ensures that the bulbs store well. Once cured, brush off the dirt, remove the tops and roots, and store the bulbs somewhere cool and dry, away from light and humidity. Do not let them freeze.

Cooking

• Elephant garlic's mild taste makes it ideal for roasting whole. Cut off the bulb's top, exposing the cloves, and drizzle it with olive oil. Wrap the entire bulb in foil and bake it in the oven at 400 degrees until soft, about 40 minutes. Remove the roasted cloves with a fork or knife when slightly cooled and spread it on bread. Use elephant garlic in place of regular garlic in any recipe for a milder flavor.