skip to main content

Fresh bulb soft and mushy inside

computergardener

18 years ago

I planted about forty bulbs last year and pulled them out of the ground 4 weeks ago and they have been curing in my garage, hanging down.

I have open one last week and it was great. Today I opened another one and the inside of the bulb was all mushy and I only got 1-2 cloves the others were all mush.

I am in zone 7 and it has been hot 85-90 for a few days...

Do you think the other garlic is bad? The bulb was rock hard on the outside.

Is the garage a good place to store garlic or should I store it in my crawl space. My pantry is not that big and the smell of garlic would fill the kitchen.

Thanks

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

applecider
18 years ago
I hope it's not, but it sounds like my onions when they get bacterial soft rot. I believe some garlic can get it, too.

Hopefully it's something simple and not as bad, like inadequit storage.

-Nick
paquebot
18 years ago
CG, if it's not a disease, it sounds like you may have cooked your garlic! In my garage, 85-90F degrees outside temps used to mean almost smokehouse temps until I installed a roof vent. Of your available options, the best bet would be that crawl space.

Martin
Related Discussions
Yellow and 'mushy' leaves
Q
Comments (7)
Insufficient light will cause the leaves to wilt. That is normal. Cut the leaves away, because they respire the valuable storage products when they do not get enough light. It is a general misundrstanding that "the power of the leaves" will retire into the bulb. The collected power is, in fact, the sum of storage products of more than 2.000 h of unimpeded assimilation during the vegetation period.
...See More
Amaryllis bulb is soft
Q
Comments (8)
I had some really questionable bulbs from a VERY reputable source last week, they instructed me to remove all the rot and let it dry, they told me the bulb would "survive", I had to peel half of the bulb away due to rot and cut part of the basal plate off, on top of that a scape on another bulb was completely tore from the bulb and they informed me that they were "convinced" it had another scape, luckily the second scape has just started to poke through yesterday... I didn't want to spend over a hundred dollars on bulbs to have to perform surgery in HOPES that the bulbs will "survive".... Luckily out of the 60 Hippeastrum bulbs I've bought this season I've only had 6 with some kind of rot! Here is a picture of the rotting bulb I sent them, this is AFTER I peeled away maybe 5 layers, you can see there are a few spots that went quite a bit deeper.. Here is a picture of the broken scape Another bulb I received from them literally was cut through the side, there were at least 5 or so layers exposed... LUCKILY they gave me wonderful advice....
...See More
Making Garlic Powder from fresh Garlic bulbs
Q
Comments (20)
Don't grind until completely crisp or you will end up with a complete mess(Big ball of garlic)- I know from experience! We make lots of garlic powder and it is worth the trouble I won't buy the comercially bottled stuff any more. We dry ours at 140 degrees and slice it in a food processor (slice attachment) or use a garlic slicer -it is a small Mandoline. Having them all about the same thickness helps the garlic dry evenly. Because we dehydrate and powder most of ours to sell we found elephant garilc makes excellent garlic powder. It grindes up finer / whiter and is much stronger than the fresh elephant. It it so easy to peel and so large and easy to slice in a food processor. We grind ours in a blender. We usually sift it 2-3 times. We tell our customers to keep it in the refrigerator- it keeps it fresh and keeps it from sticking together. If you made more than you think you can use mix some of your powder with freshly dried herbs. There are lots of recipes out there for making your own seasonings. enjoy you garlic powder- you will never want store bought again.
...See More
How do I prepare seeds inside berries for storage/trading?
Q
Comments (0)
You have two options: clean the berries, or let the berries dry intact with pulp. As many berries contain chemicals that inhibit germination, their seeds will germinate more readily if the flesh is cleaned away. This is especially true for berries with hard-shelled seeds. Some berries contain soft-shelled seeds which store longer if they are not cleaned. They lose viability quickly and need to be planted soon after harvesting and cleaning. Again, you can post questions to the Growing From Seed forum for plant-specific information. All berries, even those that have been dried with pulp for storage, are generally best cleaned before planting. If the berries are already dried, soak them overnight to soften the pulp. Before cleaning *fresh* berries, allow them to over ripen. Once the skin begins to wrinkle and the berry becomes mushy, it is ready to clean. Some berries are poisonous or contain chemicals that can irritate the skin, so it is a wise precaution to wear rubber gloves when cleaning them. Put the berries in a mesh strainer and mash them gently against the mesh while holding under running water. As the seeds are separated from the pulp, pick them out and put them on a paper towel to dry thoroughly before packaging and storing.
...See More
garliclady
18 years ago
Why not braid it and bring it in the house? Garlic likes our air condition much better than our Carolina heat and humidity. If briaded you could hang it in the kitchen or the pantry.
The Garlic Lady
colleen_mi
18 years ago
My pantry is not that big and the smell of garlic would fill the kitchen.

You say that like it's a bad thing. ;-)
mindsmile
18 years ago
I would freeze half of those bulbs or do something with half of them to insure I had good cloves for planting come fall.That way it would almost insure 20 bulbs that I could plant 2-3 large cloves from and still have the balance for the kitchen overwinter.

**You do say cloves so they have to be garlic.You don't tell us what variety they are and I think it would make a big difference if they were softnecks which do I understand only store for 3-4 months or less than half the storage time of hardnecks.
Bill
garliclady
18 years ago
Mindsmile said " softnecks which do I understand only store for 3-4 months or less than half the storage time of hardnecks." I think you are misinformed.
The storage of softnecks is LONGER than Hardnecks. Most softnecks store 9-12 months which is longer than hardnecks. We grow both. We usually don't even sell our softnecks until we have sold out of our hardnecks first.
Many of our cutomers say that they are still using their softneck braids when we are selling our scapes the NEXT spring.
Computer gardener have you check any of your other bulbs? are they soft? you said the whole head wasn't mushy maybe you brusied some of the cloves while harvesting.
We used to cure our bulbs in an old tobacco barn here in NC and didn't have a problem with the heat.
The garlic lady
mindsmile
18 years ago
LOL Thanks garliclady,I have had it backwards for awhile somehow.To think here I only have 2 that seem to be softnecks and 38-40 hardnecks.I do know the hardnecks will last me through the winter and next spring,great to know I can put the softnecks aside and not worry about them going soft,molding or sprouting before the hardnecks.From what I understand Martins Old heirloom lasts almost as long as the long lasting kind.
I must have been thinking due to the softnecks being ready before the hardnecks that they also needed to be used first.
Thanks again
Bill

Related Stories

HOUSEPLANTS How to Force Amaryllis Bulbs Indoors

By creative jewish mom.com

Enjoy vibrant red blossoms even as gardens turn snowy white, by teaching this hardy repeat performer to ignore the calendar

FEEL-GOOD HOME Simple Pleasures: The Joy of Fresh Sheets

By Laura Gaskill

Make your bed a place of comfort and relaxation with good-quality linens, ample pillows and other pleasing accoutrements

SPRING GARDENING Top 10 Scented Plants for Your Garden

By Carol Bucknell Garden Design

A palette of perfumed plants can transform even the smallest of gardens into a sensory delight

GARDENING GUIDES Simple Pleasures: Savor the First Spring Day in the Garden

By Laura Gaskill

How will you answer the call of the garden once the birds are chirping, the bulbs are blooming and the air is inviting?

LIFE 7 Things to Do Before You Move Into a New House

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Get life in a new house off to a great start with fresh paint and switch plates, new locks, a deep cleaning — and something on those windows

HOUSEKEEPING 20 Things You Might Be Forgetting to Spring-Clean

By Laura Gaskill

Clean these often-neglected areas and your house will look and feel better

DECORATING GUIDES Twinkle Lights Keep the Holiday Spirit Year-Round

By Jess McBride

Hate to take down your outdoor lights after the holidays? Here are 12 great ways to use these festive sparklers inside your home

EDIBLE GARDENS How to Grow 10 Favorite Fruit Trees at Home

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant a mini orchard in fall, winter or early spring to enjoy fresh-off-the-tree fruit the following year

LAUNDRY ROOMS 7-Day Plan: Get a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Laundry Room

By Laura Gaskill

Get your laundry area in shape to make washday more pleasant and convenient

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Get a Built-In Outdoor Grill

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Put fresh-air grilling on the menu with a built-in setup that suits your patio or yard

Sponsored

NME Builders LLC

2 Reviews

Industry Leading General Contractors in Franklin County, OH

More Discussions

Walking Onions Pollination

0

comfrey tea overwintered

1