Garlic has been found in Egyptian tombs and evidence found of its use in most major empires over the last 5000 years. It is one of the most commonly used flavorings in the world. Many of our dishes would taste very differently if we didn't have garlic.
It is an easy vegetable to grow that packs a powerful punch. Garlic comes in two subspecies - softneck and hardneck. Within these are 10 types and over 100 varieties. This year I'm growing several varieties of each. Elephant garlic is actually not a garlic, but a type of leek.
Garlic may be one of the easiest things to grow. As long as it has loose soil and enough sun, it will pretty much do its thing. Getting the best bulbs, takes a bit more work, but not much. The key is to plant it at the right time, which can be tricky. For instance, I planted mine really late this year, only a week before our first freeze, yet we've been in the 50's for several days since, and now, at the end of November, I've got scapes showing through my straw. Not really what we want.
The goal is to plant garlic about a month before the first freeze, as soon as soil temperature gets below 60 degrees. This allows the roots to grow enough to lock in and keep the bulb from heaving with freeze. However, it should keep the bulb from producing scapes [leaves] as that takes usually 6-8 weeks of warm weather. With the scapes already up, I may not get as large of bulbs to harvest next summer, especially on the softneck varieties. I'll be adding mulch as necessary to keep the leaves covered until spring.
Mine are planted in compost, so they are well fertilized. A top dressing of compost is recommended in the spring and a good dose of nitrogen fertilizer given when the leaves show in the spring, or in my case, when mulch is removed.
Garlic has few pests or diseases and those are rarely a problem.
For the biggest bulbs, scapes need to be removed before getting woody. These can be eaten, and are sold at a premium as they only occur once a year and are delicious and highly sought after. Softneck varieties usually don't create scapes, but may in stressful growing conditions.
A standard inch of water a week is fine for them. It is important that watering be stopped the last 3 weeks before harvest so that the bulbs don't rot when harvested. Once dug up, they require a curing period of 3-4 weeks in a shady spot or inside in a low moisture and well ventilated area before storing. Garlic, especially hardneck, store best and longest at as close to freezing temperature as possible.
If replanting the bulbs in late fall after early summer harvest, they need to be stored at room temperature in the dark.
USES
As a companion plant, garlic has disease preventative properties with some plants and insect and pest repellant properties due to its high sulphur compounds. However, these same compounds can be harmful to other plants.
It is also used as a non-toxic insecticide for issues such as red mites on chickens and as a decoction spray on plants.
Garlic can also be fermented into black garlic, which has a very distinct flavor of its own.
Critter Resistant: Rabbits, moles, mice, deer, most animals
