The first garlic Matt and I ever planted came from Granny’s Aunt Susie. I still have some of it growing out in the yard in a couple of places. I think of it as my emergency garlic. I haven’t harvested any of it in many years. It grows all summer, dies back over the winter, and reemerges to go through the process again.
We enjoyed growing garlic and started buying bulbs to plant every fall for a larger harvest.
We pull up the garlic and allow it to dry on the front porch out of the sun. The drying bulbs need adequate airflow around them to keep them from molding or rotting. Some folks have racks they hang their garlic on others who grow soft neck garlic braid them into long strips for hanging.
I love the look of the braids but we grow hard neck garlic that doesn’t work well for braiding. We lay our’s out in garden plant trays and have had great success with just allowing the summer heat to dry them sufficiently for storing.
Once the garlic is dried and cold winter is upon us I move the heads to a basket in a more sheltered area of the porch and cover lightly with a board, towel, or another basket—just whatever is handy. The garlic stays good until it’s all used up.
Last year for the first time I tried a different method of preserving some of our garlic.
I peeled the cloves and minced them in my food processor. Then using a cookie scoop I put out little dollops on a cookie sheet. I placed them in the freezer until they were frozen through and then put them in a ziplock bag.
We use a lot of garlic in our cooking. It was so handy to have the garlic already chopped. We add frozen dollops of garlic directly to whatever we are cooking.
Some folks add a bit of oil to the minced garlic before freezing.
We’ve already harvested most of our garlic and I’ve made dollops for the freezer, but need to make a few more.
Last night’s video: Trying to Push Back the Jungle.
Tipper
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To both families suffering losses, I pray God would give them His peace, comfort them, hold them in His loving arms to let them all know He is there for them at this time of grieving for their loved ones that are now in His care. Please Lord, also give them Your guidance as to how they can survive without those who have gone to heaven. Thank you Lord, in Your name, Jesus Christ I pray this. Amen and Amen.
Hi Tipper and Acorns. We love garlic. I’ve tried planting it here, but something digs up every bulb of any kind I plant. It is a great idea to grind it and freeze it. I like how y’all dry it as well. I’m going to make Italian bread garlic toast pizza with Spinach and artichoke dip topping later today. Just cut 1″ thick slices of Italian bread loaf (I buy mine at Food Lion because it doesn’t have barley in it), butter one side and sprinkle the butter with garlic powder (you could mix the butter with the minced/ground garlic from the freezer). Toast it butter side up on a sheet pan in the over, toaster oven or in the air fryer (400F. Remove it from the oven, flip the toast over and smash the bread flat with a spoon (I use a tablespoon) in the center. I leave a small edge at the crust all around to form a “bowl.” Then I fill the bowl with a tbsp or two of the Spinach and artichoke dip (I buy the Taste of Inspirations brand at Food Lion Deli case), then I top it with Parmesan cheese and toast them as I did the garlic toast side. It is fantastic. You can add mushrooms, black olives, leftover chicken, pepperoni, ham, onions. We love it. I keep everyone here and up Wilson Holler in my prayers. Please keep Ed and me in your prayers. TY so much. Ed has been in the ER again last night. He is in “full fight or flight” mode and had to be sedated. His Dysautonomia triggers the Vasovagal nerve and causes it. I love y’all
I’m praying for both of you!
I will try growing garlic here once I get more established. The idea of storing it protected outside is a new one on me as well as freezing it in chopped dollops. You certainly are knowledgeable and thank you for sharing.
This is such a wonderful way to preserve garlic! I always try to have garlic in the freezer as I use it a lot in cooking too. It’s so healthy for you and also medicinal. Thanks for the informative and educational post, Tipper!
I’ve never grown garlic, but would like to try. Our soil won’t even grow onions; they end up rotting so, the garlic may do the same thing.
Tipper, when you freeze it, does your freezer smell like garlic? I used to freeze bell peppers in freezer bags and the taste and odor remained in the freezer. Our other foods started tasting like peppers. Now if I freeze them I put them directly into freezer bags and then stuff the bags into glass jars. That seems to help.
Thank you, Tipper – for sharing on your tip on freezing garlic. I use a lot of garlic in my cooking as well and have wished I could find a to ‘preserve it ‘ for longer periods that would also be easy and quick for use as needed. This sounds like the perfect way so I will be giving it a go! I enjoyed last evenings video of ‘pushing back the jungle’ and always love when you & Matt have a popsicle chat time.
Garlic is the one plant that deer do not bother. We have grown garlic for many years. Our first garlic bulbs were given to us by an older Italian gentleman who grew it all his life. He said the garlic was brought here from Italy by his family. He just recently passed away at age 97. He had grown his garlic and a huge garden all his life, until the last couple years. Last year, we gave him a braid of garlic and he was so happy that we had still kept it going. Now his daughter has asked us for some so she can continue her dad’s tradition of growing his Italian heirloom garlic. It is soft-neck, so we always lay it out on tables under our porch. It needs to be out of the weather but have plenty of air to dry. When it’s dry, I braid it and use bailing twine to tie a loop on top for hanging. I make large braids for our use and many smaller braids to give as gifts. We hang it on rafters in our basement and it keeps all year and much longer. We save some of the largest bulbs to plant again in the late fall. We are planning to harvest all of our garlic this week. I still have a lot from last year. I was thinking maybe it would be a good idea to mince and freeze it as you have so it will keep longer. Another idea for last years garlic is make garlic powder from it. Either way, we never let it go to waste. Have a great day everyone.
I noticed one day that Homestead Heart grows elephant garlic–she explained why she now grows it instead of the smaller garlic but for the life of me I can only remember it was several positive things from the flavor to the growing and harvesting. If you so desire to hear her comments jump on over to their channel–no trying to sell you on raising a different type of garlic, I thought garlic was garlic, did not know there are noticeable differences. You probably already know those things though since you are so knowledgeable on just about everything that grows. (it still astounds me that even the tiniest sprout or little tree just beginning to grow you can name them all–and in last night’s or the one before of Katie’s video she was telling the names of several trees-you and Matt yet again have passed down useful information to the girls (I can name lots of trees but not near as many as all of you can)
Hoping Matt’s dad is being comforted, healed, and relieved of pain and suffering during this season of his life—I know you will likely give an update tonight. Enjoy your day.
Good to grow and to know. I have something I have been calling leeks that was here when we came 34 years ago. Maybe it is for-real garlic. Whichever it is, the bulbs are large and mild flavored. We have never tried to keep it through the winter though. It makes little hard brown “bulblets” around the big bulbs. They are had to see and no matter how much digging I do they are still there and will show up again each year.
Great tip! Praying for Papaw Tony.
My son planted about 250 cloves of garlic last fall. It’s doing really well this year. I’ve never frozen it but I do pickle it. It remains crunchy when pickled. Ours ere in Ontario isn’t quite ready to be picked yet. We also use the scapes. They are good fried up with potatoes.
Oh Tipper, I got great pleasure watching your video today. Listening to you and Matt talk about feeding the cats that have come to be a part of your family. I am sitting here writing my husband’s obituary. He passed unexpectedly on the 4th of July from Parkinson’s complications after being in the hospital for the last 2 weeks. He fed every cat that walked across our yard. In the cold Indiana winters he would make them shelters from Styrofoam containers buying heat pads to provide warmth for them. He would go through a 20 lb sack of cat food each week even though we only owned 1 cat of our own. He would jokingly say when he goes to Heaven he hopes he can take care of all the cats. Him and I were like you and Matt and always together doing things and helping each other. I already miss him so much and I am struggling missing him.
Cathy, I am so sorry you lost your dear husband! I will pray for you! God bless you!!
So sorry for your tremendous loss, Cathy. I am praying for you.
Cathy, I am so sorry. Please accept my sincere sympathy and prayers.
God comfort you Kathy, I’m sorry about the passing of your husband, God bless you and Jesus name
We have been growing garlic for several years. I also freeze some and also dehydrate and grind the bulbs into powder. I minced my garlic and put it in ice tray to freeze in cubes…..but I like your method a lot better.
I grow a few herbs and these I dry as well and dehydrate. I have been mixing my own herb seasonings for many years, and I am blessed that except for basil, most of my herbs continue to be available through the winter in the yard. Once you get started, most herbs grow easily for years. They are so easy to care for and harvest. I have started a green stalk tower of herbs and am so pleased with it. They don’t get out of control and easy for seniors to get to….not as much bending over.
Hey Tipper, How do I know if I have hard or soft neck garlic? I didn’t know there was a difference. We grew some elephant garlic this year and the bulbs are as big as onions! I love garlic and use it alot. I have even eaten it raw before just to see if I liked it. I did. This years garlic hasn’t dried all the way yet and I wound up having to use some in my pickles because I ran out of the store bought garlic. I hope they will still be good. I will pray for Rob and his family. So very sad. I do believe God knows best even when we don’t understand His plan. He promises to work all things for good for those who love the Lord. God bless.
I do believe this is the year I’m going to try my hand at growing garlic! This is my first year of growing taters and what’s up top looks great. Fingers crossed for what’s under the dirt lol The processing and freezing small dollops of garlic for ease in use all winter greatly appeals to me. Blessed be all who come to this community today♡ The heat that has held us hostage is finally letting up and the green wildness of summer is upon us!
I’ve used a little garlic along the way, but not fresh garlic, not from the garden, God bless you all and have a great day, praying for Matt’s father, God bless him in Jesus name
That is a great idea for preserving the garlic. I like to freeze most anything for keeping but I had never thought to do like this for garlic. We have never tried to plant any garlic yet, but, it is on my list to try sometime whenever we can figure out how to make room for it.
I enjoyed your chit-chat with Matt last night. One phrase that Matt said during your conversation propmts me to make a prayer request. He mentioned, “the natural order of things”. Of course, he was speaking of the garden and plants at the time, but it applies to us as well. On Easter Sunday of this year, a young girl who attends our church school, Cornerstone Christian Academy, was injured and passed away while riding her horse at a large family gathering with nearly 70 in attendance. Her name was Julia Forman. Julia, who was 12, and an only child is survived by her devastated parents, Rob & Cory. Please pray for her parents and, particularly her father Rob as he blames himself for having bought the horse. We don’t think that “the natural order of things” that Matt spoke of should include parents burying their children. But God is in control.
God’s plan.
God’s timing.
Both are perfect.
Okay to question.
Never doubt.
I will pray for them. So very sad.
God comfort the family in Jesus name
Tom, that has to be the greatest burden a parent could ever have to bear. The Book of Job comes to mind. I know of several similar cases. One involved a horse, one a family dog, another a four-wheeler, and one in which the child was backed over by a grandparent. We can’t possibly know what was at work in these and similar tragedies. Likely God’s permissive will, not His intentional will. Yes, we may question, but still “trust and never doubt,” as the hymn says.
As the mother of an 11 year old daughter, my heart is broken for this family. Thank you for sharing with us so we can join in lifting them up in prayer.
Tom, I will try to remember his. No family member at fault but I struggle at times with the death of my 32 year old daughter dying from an ATV accident and leaving her 6 and 12 year old sons behind. I also struggle to understand “why” with the death of my wife. She died from a blood cot forming during heart surgery. She was as healthy as she good be except for this blockage, while others with many health problems survive this surgery without any problems. My aunt lived with the guilt of knowing she signed the papers for her 15 year old old son to buy a motorcycle he and his best friend friend were killed on when someone pulled out in front of them, this happen in August of 1965, she died about about 4 years ago.
When I grew garlic I use to freeze mine too. I haven’t grown garlic in over two years now. My garden keeps getting smaller each year.
I have never raised garlic but I should because my family and I love it. Mom never used it in her cooking but I have used it for years. I recently watched Mrs. Lori on Whippoorwill Holler prepare her garlic. She mixed olive oil in her minced garlic before freezing. I think if I make it I will use your technique Tipper. If I plant garlic maybe the deer won’t eat it, they eat everything else we plant.
We grow garlic and it’s close to harvesting time here. I grow the soft neck variety and I got my bulbs from a fellow Master Gardener about 6 years ago. I think she said it was the same variety as what is sold in the grocery stores. I want to try the hard neck, so maybe this will be the year for it. I like to braid mine and hang them on our back porch to dry. I also braid up my onions and let them dry in the same area. We use a lot of garlic in our cooking too. I still have some from last year that I’m using up. This year I’ll have plenty to share with our kids at Christmas. I’ve been giving the cooks on our family a spice/herb gift from the herbs that I grow and they seem to enjoy them.