Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
GARLIC
Allium sativum
Garlic is a rewarding crop that needs a long growing season. Planted in the fall, it will be one of the first
crops to appear in the early spring. Garlic plants grow from garlic cloves, and it is best to plant varieties
suited to your local growing conditions.
Start Midautumn, plant cloves in loose, fertile soil, pointed-end up. Space cloves 6 to 8 inches apart and
push root side down about 3 inches deep. If you are planting intensively, you can plant 4 garlic cloves
per square foot. Green shoots might come up but will die back with a freeze. Cover area with mulch.
Grow New shoots will emerge in the spring. Remove mulch. Some gardeners remove the top of the
plant, called a scape, as it starts to curl, believing the energy will go into producing larger bulbs.
Harvest Depending on the amount of heat, garlic can be harvested midsummer or later, for bulbs that
store well. Harvest when the lower leaves are turning yellow or brown, and the upper ones remain green.
Use a digging fork to loosen soil, then gently lift area around the garlic head.
Store and Serve Set unwashed garlic heads in a row in an unheated pantry and out of the sun. Brush off
the dirt and clip the roots after the outer skin becomes papery. Do not refrigerate. Unpeeled garlic can
be put in a freezer bag and removed from the freezer as needed.
When peeling garlic, cut away any bruised spots and remove the bitter green sprout that sometimes
emerges after garlic has been stored awhile. Chopping or crushing garlic cloves stimulates a process that
brings out its health benefits. Add fresh, chopped garlic to tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, or chickpeas
(when making hummus).
GREEN BEANS
Phaseolus vulgaris
Green beans are available in bush or pole varieties and many other colors. Both thrive even in poor soil
and are ready for harvest in 7 or 8 weeks. Pole beans are good to grow in a small space as a climbing
vine. The healthy bacteria in the roots of beans is a soil booster; it pulls nitrogen into the soil rather than
leaching it out like other crops.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search