The Art and Discipline of the Harvest

A veteran gardener’s guide to embracing the ultimate garden chore.

Harvesting is hard work, requiring physical rigor, trial and error, and vigilance. But it yields plenty of rewards. Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

I grow some of the world’s best garlic—just ask my family, friends, and neighbors. But this year, I almost produced the world’s best moldy garlic. My supposedly cured bulbs were covered in powdery, indigo spots, like toadstools. Shake the box and a light spray of dust (spores?) rose.

Yikes.