When To Pick Garlic In Colorado

The best time to pick garlic in Colorado is typically in mid-to-late July, depending on your elevation and the weather that season.
 
When to pick garlic in Colorado isn’t a fixed calendar date, but rather a window you can pinpoint by watching the plant’s leaves and bulbs closely.
 
If you’ve been wondering when to pick garlic in Colorado, the short answer is that you’ll usually harvest about three weeks after the lower leaves start to brown.
 
Getting the timing right matters because pulling garlic too early gives you small, underdeveloped bulbs, while waiting too long can cause the cloves to separate and lose their storage life.
 
In this post, we’ll dig into when to pick garlic in Colorado based on regional clues, how to test for readiness, and what to do after you pull those bulbs up.
 
Let’s get growing.
 

When to Pick Garlic in Colorado: The Key Signs

Knowing when to pick garlic in Colorado starts with understanding that your garlic tells you when it’s ready.
 
You don’t need a fancy tool, just your eyes and a little patience.
 

1. Watch the Lower Leaves for Brown Tips

The most reliable clue for when to pick garlic in Colorado is the condition of the leaves.
 
When about 50 to 60 percent of the lower leaves have turned brown and dried out, while the top four to five leaves are still green, your garlic is in that sweet spot.
 
Those brown lower leaves indicate the bulb has stopped growing and is now curing naturally in the ground.
 
If you wait until all the leaves are brown, you’ve probably waited too long, and the bulb’s protective wrappers will have begun to break down.
 

2. Feel the Bulb Firmness Underground

Another way to nail down when to pick garlic in Colorado is to gently dig around one bulb with your fingers.
 
Carefully brush away the top inch of soil to check the bulb’s size and firmness without pulling it up.
 
If the bulb feels plump, has full cloves, and the skin is tight and papery, it’s time.
 
If the bulb feels soft or mushy, it’s too late, and if it feels tiny and the cloves haven’t formed yet, give it another week.
 

3. Count the Days After Scapes Appear

For hardneck garlic varieties, scapes (those curly flower stalks) show up in late spring.
 
Once you snap or cut those scapes off, you can mark your calendar.
 
Most Colorado growers find that when to pick garlic in Colorado arrives about three to four weeks after scape removal.
 
This works because cutting the scape redirects the plant’s energy into swelling the bulb, kicking off a predictable ripening schedule.
 

4. Track Your Elevation and Microclimate

Colorado’s elevation dramatically shifts when to pick garlic in Colorado.
 
At lower elevations like Fort Collins or Denver (around 5,000 feet), garlic often matures in early to mid-July.
 
At mountain towns like Leadville or Crested Butte (above 9,000 feet), you might not pick until mid-August.
 
Your local microclimate, including how much sun your garden bed gets and whether you mulched heavily, can nudge that window by a week or two.
 
When in doubt, always rely on the leaf and bulb checks rather than a calendar alone.
 

What Happens if You Harvest Garlic Too Early or Too Late?

Understanding when to pick garlic in Colorado also means understanding the consequences of missing that window.
 
Let’s look at both ends of the spectrum.
 

1. Harvesting Too Early Results in Small Bulbs

If you pick garlic too early, the cloves haven’t fully developed their papery wrappers.
 
You’ll pull up bulbs that look more like round onions than segmented garlic heads.
 
These immature bulbs won’t store well, and they won’t have that robust, pungent garlic flavor you’re after.
 

2. Harvesting Too Late Leads to Splitting

If you wait too long, the outer wrappers begin to rot or split, exposing the individual cloves.
 
Once that happens, the bulb is essentially starting to sprout again, which drains flavor and ruins long-term storage.
 
Overdue garlic also becomes more susceptible to soil-borne diseases and pests as the protective layers break down.
 
So when to pick garlic in Colorado is truly a balance between those two extremes.
 

How to Properly Harvest and Cure Garlic in Colorado

Once you’ve decided when to pick garlic in Colorado, your work isn’t done.
 
How you lift the bulbs and dry them affects how long they’ll last in your pantry.
 

1. Loosen the Soil Before Pulling

Never yank garlic straight out of the ground by the stalk.
 
Instead, use a garden fork to gently loosen the soil about six inches away from the plant.
 
Slide the fork underneath and lift the bulb free, then shake off excess dirt but don’t wash it.
 
Washing introduces moisture that invites mold during curing.
 

2. Cure in a Dry, Shaded Spot

After harvesting, lay the garlic bulbs out in a single layer on a wire rack or hang them in small bunches.
 
Choose a location with good airflow, low humidity, and no direct sunlight, like a garage or covered porch.
 
Curing takes about two to three weeks, and you’ll know it’s done when the neck is completely dry and the roots feel like paper.
 

3. Trim and Store for the Long Haul

Once cured, cut the stalks down to about an inch above the bulb and trim the roots close.
 
Store your garlic in a cool, dark, dry place with temperatures around 55 to 60°F.
 
Don’t put it in the fridge, as the moisture will make it sprout.
 
With proper curing and storage, your Colorado-grown garlic can last for six to eight months.
 

So, When to Pick Garlic in Colorado?

When to pick garlic in Colorado comes down to watching for those browned lower leaves, firm bulbs, and counting weeks after scape removal.
 
For most Front Range gardeners, that lands you squarely in mid-July, while mountain growers can expect late July or early August.
 
Here’s the bottom line: you pick garlic in Colorado when about half the leaves have died back, the bulb feels full, and the wrappers are still intact.
 
Trust your garden’s signals over the calendar, and you’ll be rewarded with fat, flavorful bulbs that store beautifully through winter.
 
Happy harvesting.