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Garlic should not be harvested until all the tops have fallen over and become fairly dry. Lift the bulbs carefully with a trowel or spade and place the entire plant in the shade to dry for a week or so. After this process, clip off the tops and roots, or if you wish, you can leave the tops on. Brush the soil away form the roots gently; garlic tends to deteriorate rapidly if bruised. Store in a cool, well ventilated place, protected from freezing.
If the elephant garlic you planted this spring does not divide into cloves by the end of this season, but remains as one solid bulb, it can be saved and replanted this fall. By the end of its second season it will have produced a bunch of very large cloves. (This occurrence is not uncommon.)
Curling of Tomato Leaves and occasionally of other vegetables' leaves are symptoms of a physiological problem, not one caused by disease. Usually it starts out with the lower or older leaves rolling upward; they may even become stiff and leathery. Often the symptoms will progress up the plant.
Since no pathogen is involved, there are no sprays which will control this problem. The best thing is to maintain soil moisture as uniformly as possible and avoid damaging the root systems by too vigorous cultivating. Even with leaves curling, the fruit usually develops normally, and other than the peculiar rolled leaves, nothing further occurs.
Squashes often fail to develop, turn yellow, and finally rot if unpollinated. Both male and female flowers and bees or other pollinators need to be present to effect pollination. Plants which already bear large fruits or which have nutrient deficiencies often abort fruit and eventually cease producing flowers. Botrytis frequently infects aborted fruits, spent flowers, and occasionally even healthy fruit. It can be partially controlled by practicing good sanitation (i.e. removing infected plant parts and spent flowers), providing good air circulation, and avoiding overhead watering (especially in late evening or night).
Potato plants sometimes produce small green fruits resembling tomato fruits. These contain true seeds and look similar to small tomato seeds, as both are closely related. They are poisonous, especially green and uncooked, and should not be eaten. Some varieties such as nooksack are more prone to developing fruits than others. Warm temperatures also seem to encourage their formation.
For further information contact your local WSU Extension office.
