Planting Garlic
Yesterday we learned the health benefits of garlic. Today, we plant garlic.
First a bit more information on garlic…
A member of the Onion Family
There are hundreds of varieties of garlic organized within two types:
- hard neck – sends up a central flower stalk called a scape, usually has fewer but larger easy peel cloves; prefers cooler climates; generally a milder flavor – less spicy; generally keeps 3 to 6 months.
- soft neck – also known as braiding garlic; doesn’t have a central stalk, tolerates a wider variation in climate thus easier to grow, matures faster; a more pungent spicier flavor; some varieties can keep up to a year under ideal conditions.
Ok, technically there is one other type of garlic – Elephant. These have jumbo size cloves with a very mild flavor.
The best time to plant garlic is mid-October for harvest in early or mid summer, depending on the variety.
Garlic does best in pH 6-7, well draining compost rich soil in full sun.
You can grow garlic from bulbils (from the flowering heads of hard neck varieties) or cloves of garlic.
We like the clove method – you can use garlic from the grocer or from your favorite garden supply store where you have the advantage of choosing specific varieties.
Regardless of the source, know that garlic needs to be chilled below 40F for 6 to 8 weeks in order to sprout. Usually the garlic from the garden supply would have gone through this process. If not sure, you can chill in your refrigerator before planting…your garlic that is.
Planting is as simple as breaking up a head of garlic into individual cloves then inserting into the soil, pointed end up 2 inches deep and 4 to 5″ apart.
The cloves will start germinating in about 2 weeks. Last year, I kept finding cloves pulled up and lying on top of the soil. I finally learned the little white sprout resembles a worm that birds will yank up. No matter, I just stuck them back into the ground.
A great companion plant, this year I planted along side patches of carrots and in the cabbage family bed to keep out aphids and werewolves.
For largest heads:
- Choose cloves that are nice and big – I saved the smaller cloves for cooking
- Make sure there is even, constant moisture – don’t dry out the plants
- Break off any flower stalks that form
- Garlic is a heavy feeder – soil or foliar feed with compost tea or fish emulsion every few weeks
To harvest:
– Wait until 1/2 to 2/3 of the plant starts to turn yellow or brown.
– Use a spade fork to dig out the bulbs – rather than pulling them out.
– Dry the bulbs in a shady spot away from the sun with good air circulation for 2 to 4 weeks.
– Use a dry towel to wipe off the dirty outer layer and trim the roots to about 1/4″ with scissors.
– Store in a cool dry place. The soft neck varieties can be braided into clusters or ‘ropes.’
Use your homegrown garlic in everything!
To make homemade garlic powder – peel and dry cloves at a temperature no higher than 115F to preserve the enzymes and then grind in mortar and pestle or a clean coffee grinder.
Garlic…Plant it, grow it, eat it!
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