Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
to 8 inches apart.) If you're not planning to mulch and your winters are cold, plant 2
inches deep. Incorporate a balanced fertilizer before planting.
Growing needs. Garlic likes a sunny location and a fertile, sandy loam. Plants grow
most briskly when the temperature is over 65°F and the days are long. It's very un-
demanding and can mostly be left to itself. Fertilize once a month and be careful not to
overwater. If flower stems (known as scapes ) form at the top of your plants, snip these
off to allow the plant to put all its energy into bulb formation. These flower scapes make
good eating.
DID YOU KNOW?
Among the treasures found in King Tut's tomb is one that's never exhibited or mentioned: garlic. During
Caesar's time, the Roman army ate garlic in large quantities because they believed it gave strength and
courage in battle, and they planted it in every country they conquered. Like so many excellent Roman
innovations, garlic was not too favorably received in England, but the rest of Europe took to it. Now it's
grown and eaten throughout the world.
How to Harvest
Cloves mature in six to eight months. You don't have to guess when the bulb is ready
to harvest; the tops will turn brown and dry. If they turn brown but not dry, bend them
down and they'll dry quickly. Sometimes, when you dig up a clump, the bulb is imma-
ture because of vagaries in the weather, soil conditions, and so forth. Replant it; it will
give you a mature bulb next season.
Leave bulbs in the sun for a day or two to dry (take in at night if you don't have a
sunny porch). Shorten the tops and cut roots off close to the base of the bulb. Leave the
bulb whole; don't divide it into cloves until you need one.
Store in open baskets or other containers as you do onions; air circulation is import-
ant. Once in a while, turn bulbs and check to see if any have molded; sometimes only
part of a bulb is spoiled and the rest can be set aside to use in the near future.
Varieties
A related species, known as elephant garlic (da tou suan, dai suen tou, Allium ampelo-
prasum ), is of particular interest. Though more closely related to leeks, it looks like a
bigger version of ordinary garlic. Under ideal conditions a single bulb can weigh over
a pound (usually more like a half pound), and a clump can grow as wide as a dinner
plate. If this sounds unwieldy for the small garden, it isn't really. This kind of garlic is
much more prolific than common garlic, so you need fewer plants. This species is hardy
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search