Garlic
Garlic is a member of the onion family, has been
cultivated for thousands of years and is widely used for both its culinary
and medicinal attributes
Garlic grows best on crumbly loamy soils that are
fertile and high in organic matter. Gardeners who can grow onions can grow
garlic since the ground requirements are the same. Garlic does well
with high amounts of fertilizer. As a general recommendation, apply three
pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet. Follow soil test
recommendations for your particular garden soil. The soil must be kept
evenly moist as dry soil will cause irregularly shaped bulbs. Heavy clay
soils will also create misshaped bulbs and make harvesting difficult. Add
organic matter, such as well-rotted manure or compost to the soil on a
yearly basis to keep it friable.
Culinary uses: gravies, tomato sauces, soups,
stews, pickles, salads, salad dressing and breads
Growing Garlic
Garlic will grow (barely) in almost any dirt with
whatever water is available to it but will thrive in healthy soil with
proper watering. Garlic must be planted very early in the growing season,
around March or April to permit full leaf development. Plant garlic cloves
three to five inches apart in an upright position in the row and set them
at a depth of one-half to one inch deep. Setting the bulbs in an upright
position ensures a straight neck. Be sure to allow 18 to 30 inches between
the rows. Do not divide the bulbs into cloves until you are ready to plant
since early separation results in decreased yields.
The bulbs may be harvested when the tops start to
dry. This is usually in August. Bulbs should be dug up rather than pulled
to avoid stem injury. Allow the tops to dry. After the bulbs have dried,
the tops and roots can be removed with shears to within an inch of the
bulbs. Garlic must be well cured before going into storage. The
mature bulbs are best stored at 32 degrees F. Garlic stores well under a
wide range of temperatures, but sprouts are produced most quickly at
temperatures at or above 40 degrees F. The humidity in storage should be
near 65 to 70 percent at all times to discourage mold development and root
formation. Cloves should keep for six to seven months.
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