The first crop comes after 6 months of planting. The spikes are ready for harvesting 2-3 months after formation, and are only cut when they are blackish green and pungent. The harvested spikes are dried in the sun for 4-7 days until they become brittle. If the dried spikes are stored in airtight containers, the shelf life of the spikes is more and they can be stored up to a year.