The best demo I have found. Even an old bald guy with no hair to braid can follow this. I've loved the Gardenerd Itunes podcast for years. great to find Gardenerd on TH-cam.
Try planting in fall if you live in a warm-winter climate. If not, plant in early spring and you'll have better luck. We plant in October here in Los Angeles and pick it in May/June. Timing is everything.
That's a very good question sbandfield. It is common to cure your harvested garlic for 4 to 6 weeks before braiding or storing it. Drying it out of direct sunlight on screens is ideal. I've never tried braiding it before curing. My concern would be that it might not have enough air flow and could rot. The other reason to wait is that your fresh garlic will shrink slightly as it dries out. If you braid it with green stems it will seem very loose in a couple of weeks as it dries.
Thank you so much for this great instructional video! I have been growing garlic for about 12 years and I tried downloading instructions, braiding it on my own, and finally gave up a couple of years ago. I found this video and just got done making three amazing braids of garlic. Hooray!
Not a silly question. Pick your garlic from the top (the part where you tied off the stems to finish the braid). The braid will hold together as you use up the bulbs. I clean off a few papery layers to reveal a clean white surface and cut off the roots before braiding. Good luck!
I just finished my first braid of the season, they should be ready for the farmers market to start in August, can't wait! I'm thinking we might not be charging enough for ours, we have been selling them for $15 for a braid of about 20 bulbs. I love your technique and have been using it for the past 3 years, the only thing we do different is after we tie off the braid with baling twine we cover it with a raffia bow. Thanks for the video!
I have seen braids at the farmer's market here in Lexington with sweet embellishments of lavender and other herbs at the top of the braid. They are gorgeous but shorter braids. I think I have seen around a foot long selling at $45. The sprays of herbs are a lovely decorative touch that makes people want it even more.
I was passing through looking for videos that talks about garlics. I just planted 4 heads and looking how to take care of it. I haven't had luck with them but I keep trying. Great video. Thanks.
Keeping your garlic in a dark pantry will help prolong its life. Some people keep it in the fridge, but I've never tried it. My first thought, though, is that different garlic varieties keep different lengths of time. Softneck varieties have longer storing power than hardneck varieties. I like Kettle River Giant (shown in the video), because it stores for 9 months or so.
@spraggerdog Great question! You use the garlic from the end that you tied off, which ends up being the top of the braid. In other words, the first bulb of garlic you place at the beginning of the braid is the last one you'll remove.
The garlic featured is Kettle River Giant. It lives up to its name. I've never had much luck with Inchelium Red in Southern Calfornia, but elsewhere it may grow well. It must, since it's so popular.
We start by growing Kettle River Giant garlic here in L.A. It grows well in our sandy soil. We give it plenty of compost and water and a little organic vegetable fertilizer mid-season.
Gardenerd, thanks for doing this video, I have a beautiful harvest this yr. and wanted to try braiding it again. I attempted this last yr, it looked pretty bad. I am hoping for better results, now that I have your wonderful directions, much appreciated. Looks like the hardest part is starting it. Christi, if it turns out Ill try to send you a picture.
got it! You're directions were awesome! I used twine to start and finish, the twist ties weren't gettin it for me. Okay, How do I send on here? is there an email I can send the picture to? I'm not a computer nerd, but I'm learning. tell me how to send the pic to you and I will.
Do you have a Twitter or Instagram account? You can tag us at gardenerd1 on twitter or instagram. We can share it from there. Or you can post to our Gardenerd dot com Facebook page.
No, sorry I don't do social media except Y.T.. I tried to send pic to gardenerd.com and no go, so I guess I'm not very computer saavy. I do know how to send a photo by email, but I understand not wanting to put it on here. I think they turned out great.! Well thanks for the video anyway.
This is my second year to grow garlic and my first attempt at braiding! Great instructions, I was hoping for beginners luck. Mine doesn't look as great as yours but I'm pleased!
I just discovered your videos! Thanks for the great info. Our garlic is almost ready and now we can confidently forge ahead with braiding.... and watch your video another time or two.... thanks!
Tomorrow is National Garlic Day! Will you be cooking up a special recipe? Is garlic growing in your garden? Here is my video on Garlic Braiding. Enjoy!
This is awesome...thanks for the nice, instructional video! I planted my first ever batch of garlic last fall and am hoping to harvest in the next month or so (although only a couple of leaves have begun to brown, so far, most of them are starting to lean over), and this looks like a great way to store them. Thanks again!
Well I live in the tropics. it summer all year around. They are starting to grow and so far so good I don't know if they like dry areas or wet. I hope at least some will grow. Thanks for the info.
Ladybluluv, to each her own. I have a friend who is violently allergic to garlic, but she still likes the garlic braiding idea. Perhaps you could do this with peppers instead. They hang them all over the place in South America and Hungary.
This is beautiful. My question is, do you have any tips on storing garlic to prevent it from going bad. I live in FL and my counter kept garlic starts turning brown and mushy after only 6-8 weeks. i would use that much garlic in a year, but how would I keep it fresh?
I've seen some people braid garlic with fresh bulbs, but I've always waited until they were cured to braid. Just to make sure there's no moisture left that could cause decay.
You did a great job on this video and your braid came out exceptionally nice. How perfect would it look with a cute country-style ribbon wrapped around the top? SOO cute... I think.
+Janice B That's a great idea Janice. We use twine, but we're no-frills around here. I can imagine it would look nice with ribbon or raffia or some kind of rustic mesh netting as well.
@Caviar100 Garlic purchased from grocery stores has most likely been sprayed to prevent sprouting. The roots have nothing to do with whether or not the garlic will grow. Spraying does, however. The bulb is dormant until planted, and then it sends up a sprout, then roots. Buy seed garlic from an organic seed company online to ensure that it will grow.
This is softneck garlic that we're braiding in the video - Kettle River Giant, to be specific. it's my favorite variety because it stores well (9 months) and is huge!
We usually braid our garlic and hang it in the kitchen, but we're only braiding about 30 bulbs. You could use those mesh onion bags and store in a dark, dry place. That seems to be what many farmers do. We cure our garlic before braiding on newspaper in the garage, but screens are a better choice if you have them. Just be sure to cure out of direct sunlight to prolong the bulb's life.
Annie's Heirloom Seeds has Kettle River Giant, as does this place Organic Garlic Seed Farm. You'll see that everywhere is sold out for now, but come fall, they will all be restocked. That's the best time to get garlic for planting. Seeds of Change, Seed Savers Exchange and Territorial Seed company are all good places to get garlic for growing.
Thank you so much for this! I used it last year to make my first garlic braid, and I got lots of compliments on it. I'm back again this year, because I completely forgot how to do it! lol
Great question! To use garlic in a braid, you start using bulbs from the end that is tied off to finish, which means the top. How long it lasts depends upon the variety you grow. Kettle River Giant lasts about 9 months, others only 4-6.
I dont mean to be offtopic but does anyone know a tool to get back into an Instagram account?? I somehow forgot my password. I love any help you can offer me.
@Greyson Ira i really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im trying it out now. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
It all depends on what garlic variety you grow. Some are suited for longer storage, others not as much. I store my garlic as above, braided on the wall, so I don't have experience with storing another way. Kettle River Giant stores a long time, so that's what I grow. I'd say keep it away from heat and light and that will help.
What variety of softneck garlic are you growing? Those bulbs are huge! I have numerous hardneck varieties growing, but only one softneck; Inchelium Red. Nice looking braid! Thanks.
@Caviar100 You can buy garlic from the store it is fine i have done it and so has many others just male your you plant seat garlic pod pointy side up..if you have any questions pm me
Nice, you make it look so easy. Once braided how do you use a bulb without destroying the rest of the braid? Can you cut it off the top or do you have to Un-braid it? Thank you for the video.
Thank you for this video. I will be braiding my first garlic today! Silly question: When you go to use the garlic do you pick it from the bottom or top of the braid, or doesn't it matter? I'm thinking there's a method for picking off the garlic so the braid stays intact. Also, do you clean off the garlic first (i.e. take off a few layers of dirt/skin)? Does that make the garlic rot sooner? Thanks.
I guess it all depends on where you live. You could get away with charging a lot more for a home made organic garlic braid in Los Angeles! I love the idea of tying it off with raffia, and I'm glad the video has been useful.
Hey there, Algeria! Thanks for watching. We actually live in the city, smack in the heart of Los Angeles with traffic and airports and all the wildlife that comes with it. But we try to create an oasis that feels like the countryside every day. Garden on!
Nice. Where do you cure and store your garlic? I have a hundred heads or so this yr and it is so warm even in Washington that I'm afraid it isn't going to store long
@misschris618 usually garlic needs to cure for 4 to 6 weeks in a well ventilated place out of direct sunlight. Some people dry their garlic on screens, and I just lay it out on the counter. Fair warning - the room you cure it in will smell like an Italian restaurant for a good long time. But that's not so bad, is it?
lol i really should of researched how long to let it cure before i braided mine 5 min ago haha.. It has only been pulled about 4 days ago and was still green and awkward to braid. Sadly, i live in Australia in the state of Victoria and about %80 of my garlic rotted out and about %15 didn't grow. So i have about 15 measly garlics from over 120 planted. So disappointing! At least i tried. I pulled a little early as black aphids are also a mega problem this season. They killed my garlic chives, then garlic and now are at my spring onion and leek. I don't know why it's just the onion types of foods. Anyway hope you all reading this had better luck than me. Let me know if you can... Cheers and God bless ... Gardenerd, i am so jealous of your garlic size, plus the awesome braid you did. Thanks for sharing! That's the dream i had of envisioning in my kitchen lol .. God bless
If you dampen the stems with a damp cloth wrapped around the stems for a few hours keeping the heads dry you can then use a rolling pin on the stems that have the dried scape inside it and it will make the stems much more pliable. I think the twist ties can rust and damage the garlic. I prefer to use a zip tie that is plastic and can be pulled very tight without coming lose. You can use them every few garlic to give your hands a break. You can cut the zip ties very short so they are not visible. You can also use the zip ties to create the loop to hang the garlic at the end. Just a few suggestions. Thanks for the video.
This is a great video! Thank you. How do you get your garlic so white? Do you just brush off the dirt or do you have another trick? I have about 150 heads of garlic this summer :) :) :) :) :) yeah garlic!
I'm sorry the video isn't clear for you. The new bulb, no matter where it gets placed in the arrangement, always has the stem portion placed down the middle. So whether you put a bulb to the right or left of center, the stem of that bulb always goes straight down in the middle. It sounds like your version was a success anyway. I hope this helps to clarify.
Is this already dried? Or this part of the curing process? How long do you leave it before you can use it? Do you cut them off on at a time? Also is this mainly decorative? I usually store my garlic in the dark, does this degrade the flavor?
You braid garlic foliage once the stems are dried for about 4 -6 weeks. Once you braid them you can start using them right away. Keep in mind that the longer the bulbs cure, the easier they are to peel. Fresh garlic is a pain to peel. It is fine to store garlic in the dark. They are quite happy in that setting. We use our garlic from the top down through the year and then compost the stems when the whole thing is used up. So it's decorative and functional at the same time.
Glad you like the garlic video. We use the garlic braid from the top, which is the end that you tie off all the stems. You'll be using the smallest bulbs first, working your way down to the largest bulbs.
I consider the top to be the part where the stems are tied off and trimmed. Start harvesting the bulbs from that end and work your way down to the first bulb that started the braid at the bottom.
Hannah WC It depends on the variety you're growing. Some garlics store for 4 months, other store for 9 months. The variety I grow, Kettle River Giant, stores for 9 months. Look for long storage varieties when planning your garden and you'll have better luck.
Nerd!! :P Great video, thanks! I'm currently growing a big crop of garlic and can't wait to do this after harvest in the spring. Do you know, how long will a braid like this last? Do I need to worry about mold or flies? Should I hang it outdoors, to dry in the sun, or keep it inside to protect from the rain? Thanks :)
+Andrew Gibson How long garlic lasts depends a lot on the variety. Certain varieties store better than others, some 4 months, some 9. You're supposed to cure garlic out of direct sunlight and then braid it. Hanging a cured braid indoors is best, in a dry place. We keep ours in the kitchen. Definitely protect from rain during the curing process and for storage. Good luck!
What a great name. Gardenerd. That demonstration on braiding garlic was great. Can garlic be stored in an outdoor shed or the garage? How cold can it get before the garlic is damaged in winter? Thanks.
Yes, you can store garlic indoors in a shed or garage. If temperatures are high you may experience degradation of your crop though. Also, if your garage or shed has a lot of insects (spiders like to make a home in garlic braids) that could be something to consider as well. As far as freezing temperatures, I honestly don't have any experience with that. We hang our garlic braid in the kitchen for the year, so I don't know how it fares outside over cold winters. Perhaps some fellow gardenerds can weigh in here.
I overwintered my gatlic braids in our outbuilding with open front - we live in the French Alps. A few of the outer clives on the outmost bulbs in the braids did freeze - they go kind of opaque - but the majority were absolutely fine. They were sheltered but esposed to low temps - though not as cold this winter as it can get here. I'll probably cover them in a bit of fleece as well next winter, if it's a really cold one.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, a few vampires and a few not liking the music. We created this video some time back but it's a well watched. Thank you for tuning in!
The best demo I have found. Even an old bald guy with no hair to braid can follow this. I've loved the Gardenerd Itunes podcast for years. great to find Gardenerd on TH-cam.
This is the best garlic braiding video on TH-cam. Thanks for explaining the way you did!
Thanks for saying so. We're happy to help!
Try planting in fall if you live in a warm-winter climate. If not, plant in early spring and you'll have better luck. We plant in October here in Los Angeles and pick it in May/June. Timing is everything.
Thank you! Clear, simple, instructions. First ever garlic crop, first garlic braid hanging in the kitchen!
Go John! Enjoy your garlic braid.
John Clayton just got 0
I'm so glad the garlic braiding video continues to be helpful. Enjoy your harvest!
Excellent. Good luck with your garlic harvest. We've already harvested, but haven't braided yet. Still curing. Yay for garlic braids!
Beautiful
I'm not going to lie. I thought garlic came out on a vine braided. So glad I watched this
That's a very good question sbandfield. It is common to cure your harvested garlic for 4 to 6 weeks before braiding or storing it. Drying it out of direct sunlight on screens is ideal. I've never tried braiding it before curing. My concern would be that it might not have enough air flow and could rot. The other reason to wait is that your fresh garlic will shrink slightly as it dries out. If you braid it with green stems it will seem very loose in a couple of weeks as it dries.
Thank you so much for this great instructional video! I have been growing garlic for about 12 years and I tried downloading instructions, braiding it on my own, and finally gave up a couple of years ago. I found this video and just got done making three amazing braids of garlic. Hooray!
So glad it helped, Mickey! Enjoy your new garlic braids.
Really good tutorial - I have just braided all my garlic into 3 lovely plaits. Very satisfying ! Thanks so much !
Yay! It's so much fun. I'm glad this video helped Sarah!
Not a silly question. Pick your garlic from the top (the part where you tied off the stems to finish the braid). The braid will hold together as you use up the bulbs. I clean off a few papery layers to reveal a clean white surface and cut off the roots before braiding. Good luck!
I just finished my first braid of the season, they should be ready for the farmers market to start in August, can't wait! I'm thinking we might not be charging enough for ours, we have been selling them for $15 for a braid of about 20 bulbs. I love your technique and have been using it for the past 3 years, the only thing we do different is after we tie off the braid with baling twine we cover it with a raffia bow. Thanks for the video!
I have seen braids at the farmer's market here in Lexington with sweet embellishments of lavender and other herbs at the top of the braid. They are gorgeous but shorter braids. I think I have seen around a foot long selling at $45. The sprays of herbs are a lovely decorative touch that makes people want it even more.
Cool! I just harvested a lot of garlic and am going to try this tonight! Seeing it done has been really helpful!
I was passing through looking for videos that talks about garlics. I just planted 4 heads and looking how to take care of it. I haven't had luck with them but I keep trying. Great video. Thanks.
Keeping your garlic in a dark pantry will help prolong its life. Some people keep it in the fridge, but I've never tried it. My first thought, though, is that different garlic varieties keep different lengths of time. Softneck varieties have longer storing power than hardneck varieties. I like Kettle River Giant (shown in the video), because it stores for 9 months or so.
@spraggerdog Great question! You use the garlic from the end that you tied off, which ends up being the top of the braid. In other words, the first bulb of garlic you place at the beginning of the braid is the last one you'll remove.
The garlic featured is Kettle River Giant. It lives up to its name. I've never had much luck with Inchelium Red in Southern Calfornia, but elsewhere it may grow well. It must, since it's so popular.
We start by growing Kettle River Giant garlic here in L.A. It grows well in our sandy soil. We give it plenty of compost and water and a little organic vegetable fertilizer mid-season.
Gardenerd, thanks for doing this video, I have a beautiful harvest this yr. and wanted to try braiding it again. I attempted this last yr, it looked pretty bad. I am hoping for better results, now that I have your wonderful directions, much appreciated. Looks like the hardest part is starting it. Christi, if it turns out Ill try to send you a picture.
Just remember to keep adding new garlic with the stems down the center. Good luck, and please do send us a photo when you're done.
got it! You're directions were awesome! I used twine to start and finish, the twist ties weren't gettin it for me. Okay, How do I send on here? is there an email I can send the picture to? I'm not a computer nerd, but I'm learning. tell me how to send the pic to you and I will.
Do you have a Twitter or Instagram account? You can tag us at gardenerd1 on twitter or instagram. We can share it from there. Or you can post to our Gardenerd dot com Facebook page.
No, sorry I don't do social media except Y.T.. I tried to send pic to gardenerd.com and no go, so I guess I'm not very computer saavy. I do know how to send a photo by email, but I understand not wanting to put it on here. I think they turned out great.! Well thanks for the video anyway.
E.L., You can send to askgardenerd at gardenerd dot com.
thank you, this was very helpful. my dad just harvested a bunch of garlic and asked me to braid it :)
Glad we could help!
That's some awesome looking garlic you have there! Thanks for the how-to.
This is my second year to grow garlic and my first attempt at braiding! Great instructions, I was hoping for beginners luck. Mine doesn't look as great as yours but I'm pleased!
That's wonderful - keep doing it!
@dwhoppy - glad you liked the garlic braiding video, and our podcasts! Thanks for listening - we'll keep them coming.
I just discovered your videos! Thanks for the great info. Our garlic is almost ready and now we can confidently forge ahead with braiding.... and watch your video another time or two.... thanks!
Thanks very much for this...my crop of winter garlic needs to be put up like how you have demonstrated....
Tomorrow is National Garlic Day! Will you be cooking up a special recipe? Is garlic growing in your garden? Here is my video on Garlic Braiding. Enjoy!
That is some BEAUTIFUL garlic! :) Here’s hoping mine are just as pretty :) Thanks for the video!
It was a fun video to make after a garlic festival. Glad you enjoyed and keep me posted on how it goes with your garlic!
@Caviar100 The garlic you see is Kettle River Giant. Trimming the roots won't change its ability to grow next season.
Chaizee7, your plan is perfect. Good luck braiding, and enjoy the process.
This is awesome...thanks for the nice, instructional video! I planted my first ever batch of garlic last fall and am hoping to harvest in the next month or so (although only a couple of leaves have begun to brown, so far, most of them are starting to lean over), and this looks like a great way to store them. Thanks again!
very good how to, nice clear instructions
I'm about to braid my first garlic. This is very helpful! Thanks so much!
That is fantastic Stephanie! Please keep me updated on it goes!
Well I live in the tropics. it summer all year around. They are starting to grow and so far so good I don't know if they like dry areas or wet. I hope at least some will grow. Thanks for the info.
Ladybluluv, to each her own. I have a friend who is violently allergic to garlic, but she still likes the garlic braiding idea. Perhaps you could do this with peppers instead. They hang them all over the place in South America and Hungary.
This is beautiful. My question is, do you have any tips on storing garlic to prevent it from going bad. I live in FL and my counter kept garlic starts turning brown and mushy after only 6-8 weeks. i would use that much garlic in a year, but how would I keep it fresh?
I've seen some people braid garlic with fresh bulbs, but I've always waited until they were cured to braid. Just to make sure there's no moisture left that could cause decay.
You did a great job on this video and your braid came out exceptionally nice. How perfect would it look with a cute country-style ribbon wrapped around the top? SOO cute... I think.
+Janice B That's a great idea Janice. We use twine, but we're no-frills around here. I can imagine it would look nice with ribbon or raffia or some kind of rustic mesh netting as well.
I love this video , hope someone gives you a big hug for it !!
@Caviar100 Garlic purchased from grocery stores has most likely been sprayed to prevent sprouting. The roots have nothing to do with whether or not the garlic will grow. Spraying does, however. The bulb is dormant until planted, and then it sends up a sprout, then roots. Buy seed garlic from an organic seed company online to ensure that it will grow.
This is softneck garlic that we're braiding in the video - Kettle River Giant, to be specific. it's my favorite variety because it stores well (9 months) and is huge!
We usually braid our garlic and hang it in the kitchen, but we're only braiding about 30 bulbs. You could use those mesh onion bags and store in a dark, dry place. That seems to be what many farmers do. We cure our garlic before braiding on newspaper in the garage, but screens are a better choice if you have them. Just be sure to cure out of direct sunlight to prolong the bulb's life.
Annie's Heirloom Seeds has Kettle River Giant, as does this place Organic Garlic Seed Farm. You'll see that everywhere is sold out for now, but come fall, they will all be restocked. That's the best time to get garlic for planting.
Seeds of Change, Seed Savers Exchange and Territorial Seed company are all good places to get garlic for growing.
Thank you so much for this! I used it last year to make my first garlic braid, and I got lots of compliments on it. I'm back again this year, because I completely forgot how to do it! lol
Great question! To use garlic in a braid, you start using bulbs from the end that is tied off to finish, which means the top. How long it lasts depends upon the variety you grow. Kettle River Giant lasts about 9 months, others only 4-6.
I dont mean to be offtopic but does anyone know a tool to get back into an Instagram account??
I somehow forgot my password. I love any help you can offer me.
@Kenneth Daniel instablaster =)
@Greyson Ira i really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im trying it out now.
Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Greyson Ira it worked and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy!
Thank you so much you really help me out :D
@Kenneth Daniel Happy to help xD
It all depends on what garlic variety you grow. Some are suited for longer storage, others not as much. I store my garlic as above, braided on the wall, so I don't have experience with storing another way. Kettle River Giant stores a long time, so that's what I grow. I'd say keep it away from heat and light and that will help.
You're very welcome! Enjoy your garlic braid this year.
What variety of softneck garlic are you growing? Those bulbs are huge! I have numerous hardneck varieties growing, but only one softneck; Inchelium Red. Nice looking braid! Thanks.
If you plant those little balls in top of the garlic they get like garlic balls much larger and I pickle them. Wow.
Glad you like the garlic braiding video. It's that time of year to braid the harvest. Thanks for watching.
@strider3700 you can braid onions (and dry corn with husks still on, BTW) the same way as garlic. Have fun with that!
You are good! Love your video🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️❤️❤️❤️ learn from you a lot
Is there any issue with doing onions the same way or is their a different technique to braiding onions?
Bravo! 👏 Nice guiding me through video! Big Garlic Fan & small time grower.
We brush off dirt when we harvest our garlic, but we wait until it's dry and remove some of the outer layers to reveal clean layers beneath.
That's why mine dirty lol ...hahaha ... are you beginning to see how much of an amateur i am lol.. It was my first attempt at garlic.
@Caviar100 You can buy garlic from the store it is fine i have done it and so has many others just male your you plant seat garlic pod pointy side up..if you have any questions pm me
Nice, you make it look so easy. Once braided how do you use a bulb without destroying the rest of the braid? Can you cut it off the top or do you have to Un-braid it?
Thank you for the video.
how long does it take to cure.....how do you store it so it cures the right way....please don't stop....i love garlic lol
Thank you for this video. I will be braiding my first garlic today! Silly question: When you go to use the garlic do you pick it from the bottom or top of the braid, or doesn't it matter? I'm thinking there's a method for picking off the garlic so the braid stays intact. Also, do you clean off the garlic first (i.e. take off a few layers of dirt/skin)? Does that make the garlic rot sooner? Thanks.
Thank you very much for the video. I beleive it's much easy with green leavs
Hi
Are these that you are braiding soft or hard neck?? Thank you and I'll wait your reply
Any idea what folks might pay for a braid like this at a farmers market?
Your presentation is delightful. Just found you via pinterest 5 step guide... thank you! ~ We grow ours year around with our roses : )
I guess it all depends on where you live. You could get away with charging a lot more for a home made organic garlic braid in Los Angeles! I love the idea of tying it off with raffia, and I'm glad the video has been useful.
skyesong777 - exactly! Once that part is figured out, garlic braiding is really easy.
thank you so much i love the way you r living its the country side.i wich to live like that.from algeria.rym.
Hey there, Algeria! Thanks for watching. We actually live in the city, smack in the heart of Los Angeles with traffic and airports and all the wildlife that comes with it. But we try to create an oasis that feels like the countryside every day. Garden on!
I like very much, where did you learn in Italy.
Nice. Where do you cure and store your garlic? I have a hundred heads or so this yr and it is so warm even in Washington that I'm afraid it isn't going to store long
@misschris618 usually garlic needs to cure for 4 to 6 weeks in a well ventilated place out of direct sunlight. Some people dry their garlic on screens, and I just lay it out on the counter. Fair warning - the room you cure it in will smell like an Italian restaurant for a good long time. But that's not so bad, is it?
I usually leave garlic out on newspaper for at least 3 weeks to cure before braiding it. Good luck!
lol i really should of researched how long to let it cure before i braided mine 5 min ago haha.. It has only been pulled about 4 days ago and was still green and awkward to braid. Sadly, i live in Australia in the state of Victoria and about %80 of my garlic rotted out and about %15 didn't grow. So i have about 15 measly garlics from over 120 planted. So disappointing! At least i tried. I pulled a little early as black aphids are also a mega problem this season. They killed my garlic chives, then garlic and now are at my spring onion and leek. I don't know why it's just the onion types of foods. Anyway hope you all reading this had better luck than me. Let me know if you can... Cheers and God bless ... Gardenerd, i am so jealous of your garlic size, plus the awesome braid you did. Thanks for sharing! That's the dream i had of envisioning in my kitchen lol .. God bless
Can this be done for curing or should I wait till after it cures to braid it
If you dampen the stems with a damp cloth wrapped around the stems for a few hours keeping the heads dry you can then use a rolling pin on the stems that have the dried scape inside it and it will make the stems much more pliable. I think the twist ties can rust and damage the garlic. I prefer to use a zip tie that is plastic and can be pulled very tight without coming lose. You can use them every few garlic to give your hands a break. You can cut the zip ties very short so they are not visible. You can also use the zip ties to create the loop to hang the garlic at the end. Just a few suggestions. Thanks for the video.
Great suggestions, Anthony. Zip ties are like duct tape, aren't they? They solve so many problems and can be used for just about anything.
This is a great video! Thank you. How do you get your garlic so white? Do you just brush off the dirt or do you have another trick? I have about 150 heads of garlic this summer :) :) :) :) :) yeah garlic!
I'm sorry the video isn't clear for you. The new bulb, no matter where it gets placed in the arrangement, always has the stem portion placed down the middle. So whether you put a bulb to the right or left of center, the stem of that bulb always goes straight down in the middle. It sounds like your version was a success anyway. I hope this helps to clarify.
Lovely work! I was wondering how long does it take for garlic to expire?
It depends on the variety. Some store 9 months (softnecks tend to store longer), others have a shorter storage period, like 4 months.
Use the garlic all year? I get garlic bulbs from the store and they start going bad in a few weeks :(
Is this already dried? Or this part of the curing process? How long do you leave it before you can use it? Do you cut them off on at a time? Also is this mainly decorative? I usually store my garlic in the dark, does this degrade the flavor?
You braid garlic foliage once the stems are dried for about 4 -6 weeks. Once you braid them you can start using them right away. Keep in mind that the longer the bulbs cure, the easier they are to peel. Fresh garlic is a pain to peel. It is fine to store garlic in the dark. They are quite happy in that setting. We use our garlic from the top down through the year and then compost the stems when the whole thing is used up. So it's decorative and functional at the same time.
That is a very well done video!
Do you start using the garlic from the top or bottom of the braid?
Thank you for such clear instructions!
Glad you like the garlic video. We use the garlic braid from the top, which is the end that you tie off all the stems. You'll be using the smallest bulbs first, working your way down to the largest bulbs.
Which end do you start removing heads from the top or the bottom?
I consider the top to be the part where the stems are tied off and trimmed. Start harvesting the bulbs from that end and work your way down to the first bulb that started the braid at the bottom.
Well done! Thanks for this video piece.
It's true, organic garlic is much more pricey than conventional. I personally thing home grown garlic (and subsequent braids) are priceless!
How do you keep them all from sprouting???
Hannah WC It depends on the variety you're growing. Some garlics store for 4 months, other store for 9 months. The variety I grow, Kettle River Giant, stores for 9 months. Look for long storage varieties when planning your garden and you'll have better luck.
Great instructional video!
So is it best to braid it when they are dried? Or fresh from the garden?
Braid once the stems have dried down. This prevents possible rotting during storage. I dry my garlic for about a month before it's ready to braid.
Do you pull off the garlic from the top or bottom? Or does it not matter?
That depends on how you hang it. Assuming you hang the braid by its foliage, it's best to remove the garlic heads from the foliage end first.
awesome video... many thanks!
Nerd!! :P
Great video, thanks! I'm currently growing a big crop of garlic and can't wait to do this after harvest in the spring.
Do you know, how long will a braid like this last? Do I need to worry about mold or flies? Should I hang it outdoors, to dry in the sun, or keep it inside to protect from the rain? Thanks :)
+Andrew Gibson How long garlic lasts depends a lot on the variety. Certain varieties store better than others, some 4 months, some 9. You're supposed to cure garlic out of direct sunlight and then braid it. Hanging a cured braid indoors is best, in a dry place. We keep ours in the kitchen. Definitely protect from rain during the curing process and for storage. Good luck!
What a great name. Gardenerd.
That demonstration on braiding garlic was great. Can garlic be stored in an outdoor shed or the garage? How cold can it get before the garlic is damaged in winter?
Thanks.
Yes, you can store garlic indoors in a shed or garage. If temperatures are high you may experience degradation of your crop though. Also, if your garage or shed has a lot of insects (spiders like to make a home in garlic braids) that could be something to consider as well. As far as freezing temperatures, I honestly don't have any experience with that. We hang our garlic braid in the kitchen for the year, so I don't know how it fares outside over cold winters. Perhaps some fellow gardenerds can weigh in here.
I overwintered my gatlic braids in our outbuilding with open front - we live in the French Alps. A few of the outer clives on the outmost bulbs in the braids did freeze - they go kind of opaque - but the majority were absolutely fine. They were sheltered but esposed to low temps - though not as cold this winter as it can get here. I'll probably cover them in a bit of fleece as well next winter, if it's a really cold one.
Sorry about typos ! - *garlic, *cloves and *I meant !
and *exposed, I meant
Thanks for your input, Sarah. It's helpful for those with freezing temperatures.
I actually learned how to braid garlic in Gilroy, the garlic capital of the world (or so they say) in Northern California.
That was a really well done video, thanks!
Very useful, thank you. Subbed!
Great video.
That looks cool
great job
Loved it, thank you!!
Glad you had fun with the video! It is still one of my favorites!
Great stuff, now i can braid my garlic thank you for the video, 145 thumbs down ?? must be from vampires
Glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, a few vampires and a few not liking the music. We created this video some time back but it's a well watched. Thank you for tuning in!
great stuff
WOW! What a great job you did. Will be working on my NEXT garlic harvest to see if I can match your fantastically HUGE garlic! :>)
How the heck do you get such HUGE bulbs of garlic??
whoa, that's a mega-braid!