How to properly store garlic for the winter, in a cellar, apartment, for a long time

Almost all amateur gardeners grow garlic on their property. Only sometimes problems arise with storing it.

It would seem that the vegetable, rich in phytoncides and acting as an antimicrobial agent, is itself susceptible to the influence of pathogens. Therefore, the question of how to properly store garlic for the winter does not arise so rarely.

Correct preparation of the product and rational organization of its storage will help you cope with the task.

Content:

• How to properly store garlic for the winter
• How to store garlic in the cellar in winter
• How to store garlic in a city apartment
• How to store garlic so it doesn't dry out for a long time
• Storing garlic in salt
• How to store peeled garlic until summer

How to properly store garlic for the winter

One of the main nuances that is important to consider is proper preparation of the heads for wintering.

For this it is recommended:

• Dig up the harvest on time. For summer varieties, digging is considered optimal after the foliage has completely dried (at the beginning of August), for winter varieties - after the leaves have yellowed and the inflorescences have cracked (at the end of July);
• Do not pull out, but rather dig up the garlic, removing excess clods of earth with your hands. Under no circumstances should you knock the heads, knocking down the ground. Bruised heads will begin to rot;
• It is recommended to dry the collected heads by hanging them by the stems in a ventilated area for a week;
• After the garlic has dried, sort out the damaged heads and separate them into groups by size. Large ones are best for long-term storage.
• Damaged or too small heads should not be thrown away. They are not suitable for long-term storage without additional preparation, but they can be dried, salted or placed in the freezer.

How to store garlic in the cellar in winter

The best option for storing garlic is a cellar.

However, it is important to consider that in order for the crop to be stored as long as possible, the room must meet certain requirements:

• The temperature should not fall below 0 C, but also not exceed +5 C;
• Humidity at 50-80%;
• There must be good ventilation.

When placing garlic, it is recommended to take into account that it should not be placed next to other vegetables, with the exception of onions.

It is optimal to hang the onion from the ceiling, for this you need:

• Do not cut the stems, but weave them into braids, hanging them from the ceiling;
• In nylon stockings or vegetable nets. In this case, the stems will need to be cut off.
• Under appropriate storage conditions and the absence of pests, you don’t have to worry about the safety of the crop until next year.

How to store garlic in a city apartment

For keeping crops in an apartment, the option of hanging them from the ceiling is not always suitable; it is recommended to select containers. Regular nets, jars, and boxes will do.

To preserve the vegetable, you can freeze it, pickle it, or put it in jars. The last method is widespread.

To store heads in jars you will need:

• Sterilize the container;
• Without chopping, put garlic in it and seal with a plastic lid;
• To keep the heads longer, it is recommended to sprinkle them with flour.

You can store vegetables in your apartment in jars, but if you have a balcony or pantry, you can use the same methods as for basements. If the braids under the ceiling don’t bother you, keeping it on the balcony is one of the best options for an apartment.

How to store garlic so it doesn't dry out for a long time

There are a lot crop storage methods at home.

However, to prevent it from drying out before time, it is recommended to adhere to a number of rules, which include:

• Summer species are more suitable for long-term storage;
• If a winter variety has been chosen for storage, it is important to avoid temperature fluctuations and increased humidity, which lead to rotting;
• It is important to consider that drying out is caused by increased temperature and dry air. If you take these two indicators into account, the problem of drying will fade into the background.

Long-term storage without drying out is not a myth, but a completely accessible reality that does not require much effort. It is enough to follow a few basic rules.

Useful tips for storing garlic for the winter, watch the video:

Storing garlic in salt

Another method of storing crops in apartment conditions is sprinkling with salt.

To do this you need:

• Choose dried and undamaged vegetables;
• Scatter finely ground salt at the bottom of a pre-prepared plywood box and place the heads on it. It is important that the heads do not touch one another;
• Sprinkle with salt again and place the heads again. This way you can make several more layers;
• Place the box in a dry place.

So, with the help of salt, a supply of garlic for the winter is guaranteed to the inhabitants of the apartment, and without much expense or effort.

How to store peeled garlic until summer

And if storing whole heads is extremely easy, what to do with damaged ones, especially if there are quite a lot of them? Throwing it away is a pity, eating it is not an option, unless of course you are an ardent fan of garlic dishes.

In this case, it is recommended to first disassemble the heads into slices, separating the dry and rotten ones.

Normal slices can be sent for storage in several ways:

• Sprinkle the slices with flour. To do this, you will need glass jars with lids, which are recommended to be sterilized and cooled. After this, place the slices on the bottom of the container and sprinkle flour on top. On top there is another layer of slices and again a layer of flour. Cover and store in a dry place at room temperature;
• Garlic in oil - suitable for gourmets and those who are not afraid of difficulties. To prepare, you need to peel the slices and pour them into a pre-sterilized jar. If desired, you can add pepper, bay leaf and other spices. Pour the resulting mixture with sunflower or olive oil so that it completely covers the workpiece. You can take out the slices as needed, and use the infused oil as a salad dressing;
• Freezing - suitable for both whole slices and finely chopped ones. For freezing, it is recommended to take a bag or foil on which the slices are laid out directly. Place the resulting bundle in the freezer at the lowest temperature and break off pieces as needed.

It is not necessary to store the heads whole; under certain conditions, slices can also survive until the next harvest. In addition, if prepared correctly, they will not lose even an ounce of taste.

Storing garlic in winter does not require special skill; it is enough to remember a number of simple rules.

Thus, selecting whole heads and maintaining appropriate levels of humidity and temperature will ensure long-term storage of the crop.

Let's watch another video about harvesting and storing garlic:

[video:https://youtu.be/ke_KDZSvOEU[