What are the methods for preserving garlic bulbs? Practical storage tips to teach you a few tricks

Garlic bulbs do not store well. Even in a dry, ventilated environment, after 100 days of storage they will sprout, shrivel and become moldy, affecting the planting quality for the following year. Therefore, mastering the storage techniques for garlic after harvest is extremely important. Here four garlic bulb storage and preservation techniques are specially introduced:

1. Hanging storage method. After harvest, the fresh garlic bulbs are first sun-dried for 2-3 days; when the leaves become soft, tie the garlic into bunches of 8-10 bulbs each, then hang them neatly under a shade shed or eaves to air-dry naturally. During the hanging storage period, exposure to the sun should be avoided in summer and autumn, and in winter the garlic bulbs should be moved into a ventilated room for storage to avoid moisture and freezing.

2. Burial method. First spread a layer of bran 15-20 mm thick on the bottom of a box, basket or pit, then place a layer of garlic bulbs (2-3 bulbs high), spread another layer of bran, place another layer of garlic bulbs, and pile layer upon layer until 50 mm from the container opening, then cover with bran.

3. Coating method. Soak the garlic briefly in liquid paraffin so that a thin film forms on its surface, then place it in a dry place for storage. Because the paraffin layer can block air and reduce the respiration intensity of the garlic, it thereby inhibits sprouting, water loss and mold. This storage technique is simple, low in cost and effective.