Thai Fire: Louisville and Monticello, KY harvest 2024--#5 and #11 are available.

When I arrived in Monticello, KY, the Thai Fire plants were ready to be harvested—half green and half yellow central leaves and some plants falling toward the ground. The next day I lifted them from the ground with a garden spade and transported them to the upper deck to layout on screens to cure. While these 24 plants cured, I began to clean and braid the 50 Thai Fire plants I’d brought with me from the Louisville harvest (having left the 6 largest bulbs for the Lou SEED braid).

These are the Music Monticello harvest curing on the screen racks.

The Louisville plants were strong, and the cleaning and braiding progressed smoothly—1-2 braids completed each day until I had created 11 nice four bulb Thai Fire braids.

2024 #1 Thai Fire (Lou grown) $20 SOLD

Thai Fire bulbs at their largest are only medium sized compared to Broadleaf Czech, Inchellium Red and Music bulbs. Each Thai Fire braid with medium to small-sized bulbs is a bit different. “Thai Fire adds a rich garlic flavor to chili, sauces, and egg dishes. Or, when added RAW to your favorite recipes, from the first bite, the heat rises.” WN

Text 502-494-4052 with your name, number, address and your order request. Thai Fire (4 bulb) $20. (Plus Postage) Thai Fire is a short keeper and should hang in room temperature and be usable for 2-4 months before it will want to begin growing. Enjoy its richness in your favorite recipes, cooked and RAW in salsas.

Once I’d finished braiding the Louisville grown Thai Fire (11 braids), the Monticello crop had cured for more than a week, so I braided them. I always braid the largest bulbs equal to 10% of the harvest as the seed braid to plant in the fall for next year’s crop. The remaining Monticello plants yielded another 5 braids plus one braid with an odd mix of 5 bulbs.

If you want to try your hand at growing this delectable variety, separate the cloves and plant only the largest cloves (large cloves grow large bulbs), each one with its paper intact, about 4” apart in good soil mid September through October. Thai Fire has a short growing season and should be ready to harvest by early June in Kentucky (in Monticello, 31 weeks in the ground was a bit too long).

When harvested at just the right moment, Thai Fire bulbs have lovely purple stripes on the outer skins. After curing completely, the inner paper protecting the clove is a deep brown. But when the outer skins split because of too much water near harvest, and/or too long in the ground, the outer paper wipes away during digging or cleaning and the purple stripes don’t emerge. Also when the skins are wet in the soil during harvest, the brown nut color does not develop on the inner papers. I want to harvest before the outer skins split so that the plant can develop that beautiful outer paper with purple stripes. For next year’s harvest, I plan to have a 30 week growing season and, during the last 3 weeks before the harvest date, I will be sure to cover the bed with a plastic high tower to prevent any water on the plants . It’s during this time that the cloves develop. When they get too much water, they split their skins and lose the beauty they’d have if managed and harvested at just the right moment.

The purple stripes are developing on the bulbs on the right side of these Thai Fire braids. The Monticello and Louisville plantings yielded 16 Thai Fire braids.

The empty curing screen after I braided all the Thai Fire. When all types of garlic were harvested in Monticello, there were 3 screens full of curing garlic—about 300 plants. To cure well, plants must have good air circulation—for that I keep an oscillating fan blowing on them 24:7. They must also be kept from direct sunlight. If they were in hot sun, the cloves could cook inside the bulbs. This upper deck is shaded all day. In these pictures the after 6 pm setting sun is hitting the floor of the deck but not the bulbs.

Each day I select 10 or more bulbs that I will clean the next morning while the dew is still in the air and the leaves are more supple and, thus, don’t break as easily. Pictured are Music garlic, a hard neck, porcelain because all the Thai Fire are already braided.

When I returned to Louisville, I braided the 6 very Large Thai Fire bulbs I’d left there for the SEED braid to plant in the fall for next year’s harvest.

Here it is. I’m delighted!

**Thai Fire SEED braid (Louisville harvest 2024) NOT FOR SALE**

To buy SEED garlic is very expensive. I try to be very careful to pick the largest, soundest bulbs to save for the next crop. This SEED braid is NOT FOR SALE. It is my Hope for 2025 Thai Fire.

If you’d like any of the pictured braids, message (502) 494-4052. If your choice is no longer available, I will send a comparable one. If you are in Louisville, KY, delivery at Shelby Park Community Garden is free. Pick up in Monticello, KY, is free. Postage will be added for mailed products.