Growing Garlic

Garlic is probably one of the easiest bulbous vegetables to grow. I have experimented with two way's this season to grow garlic. In November I placed some elephant bulbs into my troth these are not doing really well they are alive but puney. 

The garlic you see on the plate are the cloves I started in Fall. The instruction's read as follows:

FALL PLANTING: Plant cloves in mid Autumn in a sunny location with rich well drained soil. Set cloves root side down 4-6" apart. **Note the root side is the flat end*** Set the cloves 1-2" apart and cover them with 1-2" of soil. 

SPRING PLANTING: Plant cloves as early in Spring as soil can be worked, the same time you set your onions. Spring planted garlic should be put in the ground the same way as your Fall planting.

In Autumn/Fall I planted some of my Elephant Garlic in my troft on the hill. It is now Spring and I am not at all impressed with my job. They grew very puney and well at least not dead but they are doing horrible. I am the first to admit when something has gone a-rye. I think it is the drainage but we are going to do a different post on the problem and solution. 

I also started garlic in my canvas bag, and some in small containers for next season.

Let me tell you about garlic in general. Garlic is from the allium genus that also includes onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, chives and regular Alliums. Here in this post we are growing garlic from cloves. This is easier than from seed/bulbils.

There is a great deal to planting garlic and I will not go into at this time. Buying a bulb of garlic at the store to plant at home is not good. It either comes from China or California and has been sprayed with who knows what. Also, it may not produce the flavor you want from a garlic clove.

I did start some garlic this season in a garden bag. These are great for so any vegetable's when you do not have the room or want to keep your stuff close to check regularly.

These were a Spring planting so we will keep you updated on these.

I also put a few into small containers to get them started and the roots
going. 

To plant your garlic break apart the clove do this a least one week prior to planting. Do not remove the paper husk around it. This protects the bulb. Plant them with the wide root area down. The tip is top. 2 inches deep and 10 inches apart.

Please be patient it takes your garlic at least 9 months to mature and elephant garlic when left just gets bigger and bigger but can loose it taste it to long in the ground.

Enjoy and try planting twice a year in Spring and Fall and have fresh garlic to share year around. It is early fall and I promise to post a picture on our FB page in the late Fall.