harvesting garlic

I planted garlic in the autumn on the allotment. The variety planted was thermidrome. Joy Larkcomb says that garlic is best planted 4 inches deep but I planted ours six inches deep by mistake.

Or was it a mistake...?

This has been the driest year on record and by planting the bulbs deeper, they were better able to access water as the soil surface dried.

We made an all-to-infrequent visit to our chaotic and exuberant allotment at the weekend and the garlic stems were yellowing, telling us that they were ready for lifting.

The bulbs were of good size - as good a harvest as we have had.

We brought them home and they filled the car with their strong, warm and sweet aroma and will dry them in the tentlioke greenhouse.