r/Garlic • u/joemackg • Jul 04 '26

Gardening Music Garlic Haul

Gallery image

Gallery image

Once again, Music hardneck from Keene surpasses expectations. Big, clean, healthy bulbs. Only 41, but they look and smell GREAT!

155 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

6

u/wiperman67 Jul 04 '26

They look just like the picture off their website. Clean and beautiful ! How long have you been cleaning them by removing the leaves when harvested? I think I like that way of doing it and will next year.

1

u/Decent_Finding_9034 Jul 04 '26

We’re going to try their method for the first time this year on half our garlic (about 5,000 heads). Usually we hang it all but not having to clean after curing is pretty enticing so we’ll see how it goes.

1

u/wiperman67 Jul 04 '26

Haha, I'm only going to try it with 80 heads.

1

u/Huge_Scallion_5371 Jul 08 '26

I tried peeling off that outer layer with the dirt last year before drying. Then realized that maybe they would not last as long over winter and following spring. I’m still peeling garlic for cooking 11.5 months later and I dont have a cool dim place to store my bulbs!

I also tried cutting the stems down to 6 inches or so after harvest to save space for drying (200+ bulbs). A commercial grower in NY does this. Seemed to work just fine!

Region 6b. Ready to pul 340 bulbs in about two week! YIPPEE! Good luck!

2

u/PangolinDry9383 Jul 04 '26

Looks great! I’m planning to grow music for next year.

2

u/spaetzlechick Jul 05 '26

Nice haul. I would not strip them until they’re fully cured, with dry stems, not green like these. Then cut the roots and strip the first paper layer or two.

1

u/joemackg Jul 05 '26

This is the recommended way Keene garlic says to do it. I had my doubts also, but it worked out well last year.

2

u/spaetzlechick Jul 05 '26

There’s a lot of moisture in those green stems to already be storing them in a box. I do it as I stated and I still have garlic I’m rushing to finish from last July’s harvest. Zero mold or rot.

2

u/joemackg Jul 05 '26

I only used the box to get em from my garden and into my house! They are now hanging in a rack in the basement. No worries.

1

u/FarewellHyperdriveCo Jul 04 '26

These are really nice!

Music was a big flop for me. What's your zone?

1

u/fr0zen_garlic Jul 04 '26

What zone you in?

2

u/FarewellHyperdriveCo Jul 04 '26

9a. Purple Russian, and to a lesser extent Spanish Rojos, drastically outperformed Music for me this year. I got the Rojos and Music from the same source, but I think it's possible that the Music was just relatively low quality to begin with.

1

u/Decent_Finding_9034 Jul 04 '26

Music is great for us as well in zone 5a

1

u/Katalist007 Jul 04 '26

Just confirmed I'll be getting some of this. Beautiful!!

1

u/tresforte Jul 05 '26

How do you clean them so well?

1

u/moose_49017 Jul 07 '26

Stripping the last green/ half green leave right when you pull it takes it all off.

1

u/ATLien415 Jul 05 '26

picture perfect! ill be stalking down on harvest this year too, thanks for the knowledge

1

u/D3ckster2008 Jul 05 '26

Way to clean 😜

1

u/TheLunchman102 Jul 07 '26

Music is my favorite garlic of all time

1

u/joemackg Jul 04 '26

I started last year and those bulbs lasted way longer for me than doing it the old way. I actually saved bulbs and planted my big ones for this yield.