My Garlic Garden is a Bed of Health and Nutrition for LifeHealth Benefits of the Fragrant Garlic Clove Garlic cloves continue to be used by aficionados as a remedy for infections, chest problems, digestive disorders. . . . . Garlic - The Facts From Wikipedia These are the facts about garlic as gathered and edited by the online Wikipedia site. How to Grow Garlic How to Plant Garlic How to Harvest Garlic How to Store Garlic
How to Grow GarlicThe best month to plant garlic is October. Garlic requires a chilling period of around a month in the ground to grow well.How to Plant GarlicHow to choose and the type of garlic you wish to growBe guided by local varieties that are known to do well in your area. A good source of information about the local varieties is your local farmers market, or visit a knowledgeable local home gardener. There are two different types of garlic. The first is softneck garlic, which is typically what you will find in your local grocery store. It is white or silver skinned generally used for braiding. There are two main types of softneck garlic: silverskin and artchoke. Silverskin garlic is most common simply because it is easier to grow and keeps longer. Artichoke garlic bulb wrappers are coarser than those of silverskins and sometimes have purple blotches. Hardneck garlic has a stalk which coils from the top. On the top of this stalk grow a number of bubils which look like garlic flowers. The bubils are great in stir fries. Hardneck garlics have fewer, larger cloves then the softnecks. They also have less of an outer bulb wrapper, sometimes none at all. This makes them more sensitive and reduces their self life. The second type of garlic is hard neck garlic which is less common. The third type is elephant garlic. Elephant garlic has large cloves and is used roasted and in spreads. How to Plant Garlic Garlic prefers a rich sandy loam with humus. If to rich (too high in nitrogen) the tops of the garlic plant will grow like crazy to the detriment of the bulb. A good garden soil with plenty of drainage and sunlight is best. As garlic spends the winter in the garden, it does not like to be waterlogged, so raised beds are nice. Garlic can be planted in rows, but I like to plant in beds 4 to 8 inches apart. Break the cloves apart, but leave the skins on them. Plant cloves point side up around 2 inches deep. In very cold climates you should plant up to 5 inches deep. I mulch with straw, or leaves. Whatever you use, make sure it doesn’t contain seeds for weeds. Garlic has shallow roots and doesn’t like competition. Mulch helps maintain weeds and preserves moisture. Fertilize in the spring with fish fertilizer. If the garlic sends up a flower stalk, cut it off and use the stalk in a stir fry. Garlic flower stalks are delicious. Towards the end of July, decrease the watering as the bulbs need to be dry before harvesting. How to Harvest GarlicWhen the plants are about half dead, pull or dig them out of the ground and hang them in the shade to cure for a couple weeks. When dry, the outer skin along with the dirt can be rubbed off. Try to leave on as much skin as possible. Note which of your varieties keep longer and eat those last. Save your nicest bulbs to plant.How to Store GarlicI like to store my garlic in the kitchen in a dry, ventilated place. Every so often check your garlic bulbs for soft bulbs that are rotting from the inside out, and signs of insect damage.
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