Early Garlic Harvest

Garlic picked June 6th,  2013

      Last years garlic harvest was somewhat disappointing because it did not store well.  The wrappers were very thin, and some were torn as I dug the bulbs.  Early indications this year were positive, with a big crop growing quickly.  But a few weeks ago, some of the leaves were starting to turn brown, and now many of the plants have fallen over.  The bulbs above will be okay, but they are on the small side.  Harvest date around here should be around June 22nd or later, so I am concerned that the garlic doesn't know that.

Many stems fallen over

Garlic from bulbils

      The garlic shown above from bulbils planted in the fall of 2012 are even further along.  If I don't dig them all now, the stems will soon disappear and leave me no way to find the bulbs.  I knew that I would have to replant the first year bulbils this fall for another season next year, but I expected a longer season for them this year.  Anybody else experiencing a forced early harvest of the garlic crop?

      This bed of garlic was started from some of my larger cloves in 2012, and seems to be doing a little better with continuing growth.  My garlic over at the park looks better, that is the plants are more robust and not falling over.  Yet when I dig down in the soil to take a peek at the bulb size, I am disappointed that they are not larger.  I guess it makes sense that this often cool and damp spring has kept down bulb size, but why should they be stopping their growth?

      Update June 11th, 2013:

Part of forced early harvest, drying on a screen