Organic ‘Chesnok Red’ hardneck garlic (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon)

In spring, verify that meltwater never remains beneath mulch. Open compacted areas around shoots and keep only a light straw layer. Weed early and shallowly to avoid cutting surface roots. Apply moderate nitrogen as growth resumes, followed by one light dose if vigour warrants it. Water deeply whenever soil begins drying. In early summer, harvest garlic scapes at their first curl and use them promptly. Stop feeding as heads begin swelling. Reduce irrigation when lower leaves yellow, then stop approximately two weeks before harvest. At midsummer, lift bulbs when three or four lower leaves are brown while five or six upper leaves remain green. Cure whole plants for two to four weeks in shade, dryness, and strong airflow; do not wash them. After curing, trim roots and stalks, brush away soil, and sort the crop. In fall, replant the finest heads in another bed. During winter, keep the remainder cool, dry, dark, and ventilated. Inspect monthly, use any softening bulb promptly, and record which heads retain firmness best into spring so future planting stock can be selected accurately. Keep every batch labelled throughout curing and storage so Chesnok Red is never confused with another cultivar. Record the harvest date, average head size, wrapper condition, and storage performance. Before fall planting, review these notes, retain only fully firm heads, and discard stock showing basal damage. This simple record connects soil preparation, irrigation, harvest timing, final size, and keeping quality from one season to the next.