Methods for storing garlic at home in winter

With the harvest season behind us, those with their own gardens are wondering how to preserve produce so it doesn't spoil over the winter. For example, storing garlic at home over the winter is a pressing issue. After all, it's both a good medicine and a delicious spice, essential to most dishes.

Bookmarking the heads

Garlic holds the record for longest shelf life. If certain conditions are met, it will keep perfectly and retain its quality until the next harvest. Gardeners can extend the vegetable's shelf life.

Proper preparation

Preparation is a very important stage that should not be neglected. When harvesting, there are some things to consider:

• The right time to harvest. Heads harvested at the right time do not fall apart, making them suitable for storage. Typically, spring or winter garlic is grown. The former is harvested when its leaves turn yellow and fall to the ground, which is in late August. Winter garlic is ready to harvest when its leaves turn yellow and the skin of its inflorescences splits. This occurs in late July.
• Garlic must be harvested carefully, without damaging the bulbs. The plant should not be pulled out of the ground. It should be carefully dug up. Remove the soil from the bulbs by hand. Shaking or banging garlic against objects is unacceptable. Damaged garlic will not store well.
• The dug-up harvest must be thoroughly dried. To do this, the heads are hung with their leaves in a dry room. The heads should be facing downwards. This will allow the nutrients from the leaves and stems to be absorbed into the head, improving the vegetable's flavor. Drying takes 3-5 days under favorable conditions.
• When sorting the vegetable, discard damaged and empty specimens. The heads are then grouped by size. Larger heads, which keep better, are selected for long-term storage. Garlic that is unsuitable for storage should be dried, salted, or pickled. It can also be frozen.

The best variety

Summer varieties have a much longer shelf life than winter varieties. This is due to the scales, which are much fewer in winter vegetables. They dry out and lose moisture quite quickly, and can rot and mold.

Necessary conditions

There are several factors that can significantly affect the shelf life of a vegetable. The main ones are:

• Air temperature. It is recommended to store winter varieties at temperatures between -2 and +2 degrees Celsius. In a warm room, the fruits will simply sprout; in a cold room, they will freeze. Constant temperature fluctuations can cause the vegetable to lose its properties. Spring varieties can be stored at higher temperatures, but the room temperature should not exceed 20 degrees Celsius.
• Humidity in the room. Ideally, it should be no higher than 80%. Too much humidity will cause the heads to rot, and in a dry room with humidity below 50%, the cloves will dry out.
• Lighting. Garlic harvests are best stored in a dark room. Direct sunlight is detrimental to the vegetable.
• Good ventilation. Garlic is best stored in bags, boxes, or open crates.

Storage location

Garlic is easy to store, so it can be successfully stored in an apartment, a storage room, on a balcony, or even in the refrigerator. While storage location has little effect on its quality, there are some requirements.

Basement or cellar

This is the best place to store vegetables. The room should be prepared for the season: it should be cleaned, the ventilation checked, and pests and bacteria eliminated. Store garlic heads in the basement. There are several ways to do this:

• In braids. This is how our ancestors stored vegetables, and the method is still popular today. This way, the heads get the necessary air and take up little space.
• In nylon tights. This method may be primitive, but it's great for garlic. The small openings allow the heads to breathe, and they don't take up much space.
• In boxes or crates. Garlic should be stored in layers no thicker than 20 cm. Be sure to provide ventilation holes.

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Methods for an apartment

In a city apartment, spring varieties are preferable. The methods for storing garlic for the winter in an apartment are similar to those for storing it in a basement: the heads can be braided or stored in boxes.

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You can also preserve garlic for the winter in glass jars. This method is performed step by step as follows:

1. The container is washed and dried.
2. The dried and sorted vegetables are placed in jars as whole heads or individual cloves.
3. Opened jars are placed in a dark, dry place.

Salt can be sprinkled over the garlic in a container. This will absorb moisture and disinfect the bulbs. To do this, first apply a thick layer of salt, then add a layer of garlic, and repeat the process to the top of the container. This method will preserve the harvest until spring.

You can also properly preserve garlic for the winter in the refrigerator, although this method can pose a major problem: high humidity. The maximum shelf life in these conditions is 3 months.

Freezing is one storage option. You can freeze garlic whole cloves, wrapped in cling film or foil. You can also freeze the vegetable in individual portions. Peel the cloves, chop them with a knife, and place them in an ice cube tray. Place the frozen cubes in a bag and place them in the freezer. Once defrosted, you can use the garlic as usual. You can also add a frozen garlic cube to hot dishes.

Possible problems

Some problems may arise when storing vegetables. They can be prevented by following the rules and choosing the optimal storage method. This table will help you assess potential issues and consolidate the information.

Table: Garlic Storage Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Methods storing garlic at home There's a lot of winter storage, so every homemaker chooses the best option for her needs. If you preserve a large harvest in several ways, you'll have vegetables on the table year-round.