Diseases and insects to watch for include Fusarium basal rot, purple blotch, white rot, stem and bulb nematode, mites, and cutworms. Thus, compromise decisions must be made. Dry the bulbs on top of the ground for several days, shading them with leaves from other plants, if possible. If braiding, do so while the tops still have moisture and are flexible, or least not so dry that the tops cannot be re-wet before braiding. The longer the tops stay on, the longer the storage life will be.
Air movement is essential to cure the bulbs and carry away moisture.
Store garlic in as cool and drya place as possible. Relative humidity must be below 70 percent to prevent mold. The lower the temperature, the longer the storage life. Small cloves, dense plant population, and thinning can be sources of green garlic harvests. Value added products, in addition to braids, include peeled cloves in water, and a myriad of pureed garlic products.