Brushing Up On Storm Prep

 Many of us have unpleasant memories of last year’s Hurricane Dorian and its effects on the many crops that were still waiting to be harvested when it hit Nova Scotia on September 7^th, 2019. As we stare down the barrel of Teddy, which is currently predicted to make landfall in Nova Scotia as a post-tropical storm on Tuesday, September 22^nd, those unpleasant memories may come rushing back. Thinking about another approaching system might bring up some anxiety, but there was also a lot to be learned from last year’s hurricane.

Environment Canada hurricane track map issued 12:00pm September 18th, 2020.

Get Your Storm Chips (and Produce)

It isn’t practical to think that everything can or should be harvested prior to a storm system, however, crops that are most vulnerable to weather extremes can be prioritized in order to save as much of the crop as possible. Things like cucurbits and field tomatoes are prone to splitting after heavy rain, so would fall high on the list of things to harvest first. Consider postponing seeding new plantings or cover crops in the days leading up to a significant storm. Wind and pounding rain can cause erosion and flooding, which could easily dislodge tender seedlings or wash away the seed altogether.

Batten Down the Hatches

Greenhouse or high tunnel structures can be dealt with in a couple of different ways in the face of an impending storm, both with their advantages and disadvantages. If there is an option to remove the plastic from a structure, the chance of being caught by the wind and potentially ripping or acting as a sail and damaging the frame of the structure can be significantly reduced. The downside to this option is that the crops beneath are exposed to the elements which may result in crop damage and loss.

If removing the plastic isn’t an option, make sure everything is sealed up as much as possible to prevent the wind from tearing things loose and wreaking havoc. Latch and brace doors and tie the sides of tunnels down tight. Most structures will have a rating for maximum wind speeds they can withstand. Take into consideration any shelter/exposure provided by the topography of your farm as well as the up to date weather forecast to help make an informed decision.

If you have a generator, make sure you have plenty of fuel and that it’s in an accessible place. If you don’t have a generator and require power for your watering system, make sure you have some water set aside in barrels in case of emergency.

The Aftermath

Besides damage by wind and heavy rains, disease issues can be a big consideration after a storm event. Heavy rain can splash fungal spore or bacteria-containing soils around, facilitating the spread of infection. Crop protectant products may be washed away, leaving the plants vulnerable until they can be sprayed again, if at all. Wind and rain may cause physical damage to the plants themselves, causing them stress and areas of damage where infection can move in. High winds sweeping up the coast may even carry insects from elsewhere, resulting in a flush of insect pressure that would otherwise be unexpected. It is important to scout your remaining crops as soon as possible after a storm has passed so that there is opportunity to mitigate any pest pressure brought on by or worsened by the weather.

I hope that this post will be like remembering your umbrella when it’s forecast to rain: you won’t end up needing it. In the meantime, keep track of the forecast and plan ahead as much as possible while we wait to see what else 2020 might have up its sleeve.

Garlic Harvest

As we move toward garlic harvest season, there are some important factors to keep in mind that will help determine the best time to harvest. 

Harvest timing is very important in preventing post-harvest diseases. Garlic should be harvested with five to six green leaves and before the cloves start to pull away from the stem. Green leaves correspond to the wrapper leaves around the cloves which protect them from light, moisture, and heat during storage. As the wrapper leaves start to deteriorate, the cloves will continue to grow and pull away from the stem causing the bulb to split open. Besides being unmarketable in this condition, exposed cloves make for poor storability. 

Check out Perennia’s new “Garlic Storage, Post-Harvest Diseases, and Planting Stock Considerations” factsheet for more information.

Time to Harvest Garlic

It is time to harvest garlic now.  It is important that garlic be properly dried and cured. A good post was written on this topic last year.  If you click on postharvest under categories on the lower right side of the blog page you will see last years post.

Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are the immature flower stems of garlic (Allium sativum).  They begin to develop in midsummer.  If your main crop is garlic bulbs, remove the scapes when they begin to curl so that the plant focuses most of its energy into bulb production.  If the scapes are not removed total yield may be reduced by 5-25 percent depending on several factors such as soil fertility.

To harvest garlic scapes, carefully pinch or cut them off just above the top leaf.  Instead of discarding the scapes, market them for use in a wide variety of foods.  Garlic scapes have a mild, gentle garlic flavor and can be added to many dishes or used as a side dish. 

 

Garlic harvest and postharvest

Garlic growers are harvesting their crop these days.  In general garlic may be harvested when the leaf tops begin to discolor and dry.  If the bulbs are immature when harvested they will tend to shrivel when cured.  If harvested too late, the bulbs may be discolored and the outer papery covering will break down exposing the individual cloves.  Garlic is ready for harvest when the cloves are fully segmented but the bulb is still tightly encased by an intact outer skin.

Given wet weather and increased humidity, curing and postharvest storage are critical in the production of quality garlic.  Garlic must be cured for several weeks prior to storage.  Under very humid conditions, the bulbs can also be cured on racks in forced air dryers at low temperature and low humidity.  The bulbs must be thoroughly dried before placing in long term storage.  Mold growth can be a problem if garlic is not cured properly before storage.
 

 

When properly cured, garlic keeps well under a wide range of temperatures.  Store cured garlic in open-mesh sacks in a dry, well-ventilated storage room.