5 tips for storing garlic throughout the winter!

To enjoy your garlic harvest for longer, start with healthy bulbs and dry them thoroughly. Storage life depends on the variety, the condition of the bulbs at harvest and how you store them.

How should you store garlic?

1. Choose a suitable variety

Some varieties keep better than others. Check the variety description rather than relying only on skin colour. Use damaged bulbs promptly and do not put bulbs showing signs of rot into storage.

2. Dry the bulbs thoroughly

After harvesting, dry garlic in a dry, airy place protected from rain. Handle the bulbs gently to avoid damage. Wait until the outer skins and stems are thoroughly dry before storing them.

3. Store garlic somewhere dry and airy

Arrange the bulbs in ventilated trays or hang them in bunches. Choose a dry, cool, well-ventilated place away from direct sunlight. Check your supply regularly and remove bulbs that are deteriorating.

4. Keep garlic in oil refrigerated

Homemade garlic in oil carries a botulism risk. Refrigerate it immediately at 4 °C or below and use it within 4 days, or freeze it. Heating it for twenty minutes does not make a jar safe for six months at room temperature.

5. Freeze the cloves

Peel the cloves and freeze them whole or chopped in suitable packaging. Make small portions, label them with the date and take out only what you need. This gives you garlic ready to use in cooking.

Extra: braid your garlic

Varieties with flexible stems are suitable for braiding. Start with three bulbs, cross their stems and gradually add more bulbs, weaving their stems into the braid. Tie the end securely and hang the braid somewhere airy. Keep bulbs intended for storage dry.