Cultivating Garlic

Cultivating Garlic
by Laura Blankenship

Your love of garlic has dictated to you that it's time to grow your own and allow yourself the privilege of having an endless supply of fresh garlic at hand. What type of garlic do you intend on growing?

Two most popular varieties are the Softneck and the Hardneck. Softneck is also known as common garlic and probably the most popular for individual use because of the ease of growing it and the less care involved. This includes the artichoke type that you find in the grocery store. Lots of cloves and a parchment type skin covering identify the common garlic. The parchment skin that forms can be pealed back to use in making a garlic braid that is an easy way to store by hanging these braids of bulbs. They are decorative and aromatic along making it perfect for keeping your fresh harvest handy.

The hardneck garlic lacks the thick parchment skin, making it more fragile and harder to store and keep fresh for long periods. There are fewer cloves and it is also more temperamental to weather changes and not typically chosen for the average home use garden. Hardneck has a thick stem and produces a flower that generally is cut off to allow the strength to remain in the root of the crop.

When to plant your garlic. Best time would be in the fall of the year, October is the best time before the ground is too cold after the first fall frosts. You can plant it in early spring, again depending on the variety that you choose to grow, but for a larger producing crop it's best to start in the fall so that by end of July you are ready to start harvesting your delightfully robust bulbs. Fertile well-drained soil is a must. Using compost in your soil prior to planting will also aid in making your crop more productive. Keep well watered during dry periods but do not drown your plants causing the bulbs to mold and rot. Very good drainage is a must along with early care. The healthier the foliage in early stages the better your crop. Keep your plants hoed carefully and weeds back so as not to smother your garlic. Clip blooms to keep the strength in the bulbs and help them mature properly.

Harvesting begins when the foliage has begun to die and brown. If the soil is very wet at the time of harvesting you will need to get it out of the ground to prevent them from rotting. When the tops are down to 3 or 4 sheaths remaining start checking your bulbs and harvesting. Do not sun dry your garlic it will burn the skins and damage the bulbs. Wash the bulbs thoroughly and then dry by hanging. Braiding them into strings with the sheaths is the best way. Store in open space at temps around 50 degrees Fahrenheit for maximum benefits.

And you are now ready to reap the joys of your first garlic harvest. And can season to your hearts content with pride in producing your own home grown morsels.

©2001Laura Blankenship