Improving The Way Food Is Grown In America
How To Grow Garlic
The fall season has arrived. And for those of us with green fingers, that means there’s only one thing on our minds. Fall planting. It’s time to start donning your garden boots and trowel and start planting all of your fall favorites. Garlic is a firm favorite in for this time of year. Fall is the optimum time of year to start growing a bountiful garlic crop that will spice up all of your dishes as we move firmly towards the holiday season. Planting your garlic in fall will allow it to take root quickly before the really cold weather arrives. So, let’s get planting!
If you’re still in the process of debating which fall crops to plant in your yard then make sure garlic is top of the list. Garlic is every vegetable gardener’s staple and always useful to have in the kitchen. What could be better than the smell of frying garlic and butter of an evening…well… the smell of your own, home grown, garlic in butter!
In our opinion no home should be without this marvelous crop. Not only is garlic super healthy, it’s also pretty easy to plant, grow, and care for. Plus, for every clove you plant you’ll get an entire bulb of garlic to devour at the dinner table. Now that’s a great return on investment if I ever heard one.
Types of garlic you can grow at home
There are a few different garlic varieties that can be grown in your yard. Autumn through winter is the ideal time to tend to your garlic crop (although some varieties also thrive in the spring time). Most varieties of garlic take up very little space so, it’s really a matter of personal preference.
Softneck varieties of garlic are the most common type (a.k.a the one you’ve probably been picking up at the supermarket forever). Softneck garlic has a very high clove-to-bulb yield. Each bulb of Softneck garlic usually contains anywhere up to 18 individual cloves. The thing to be wary of when planting Softneck varieties is that they do not tolerate long periods under very cold temperatures. As such, Softneck garlic is usually planted in milder climates or in climate-controlled environments.
Hardneck varieties of garlic have a lower clove-to-bulb ratio. A hardneck bulb will typically contain up to 10 individual cloves. However what hardneck garlic lacks in abundance it certainly makes up for in hardiness. If you’re planning on planting in colder climates then this is the variety to go for.
How to plant garlic
Ready to plant some garlic of your own? That’s great.
Most varieties of garlic need to be planted in late fall. This is because garlic plants need a period of cold (but not freezing) weather for proper bulb development. Here’s how to plant your garlic crop:
1. Clear some soil
To plant your crop, you will need to first clear a patch of soil. Make sure to remove any weeds or residual crops from the previous season.
2. Add compost and EM-Bokashi
Before planting your crop, enrich your soil EM-Bokashi and compost. Dig this into the soil then rake over the entire area.
3. Plant your cloves
It’s time to plant those cloves. Lay out a few rows about 30 centimeters apart and add holes about 15 centimeters apart (use a dibber if you have one). Once you’ve done this, push an individual clove of garlic into each hole.
4. Protect your crop
Lay some netting or protective fleecing over your newly planted cloves until they have grown to approximately 5 centimeters in height to protect your crop from those pesky birds and other wildlife. If you live in a particularly cold climate, you may also need to cover your crop for the winter.
Short of space? Plant your garlic in a container
If you’re short of space, then don’t think you can’t grow garlic. You can grow garlic in individual containers. All you need is a pot of 15 centimeters diameter or more. Fill the pot with nutrient rich soil and sow a few cloves (around three) making sure to leave plenty of space around each one. Fill the container with high quality soil, sprinkle some EM® Bokashi and make sure to water your plant weekly with EM-1 Microbial Inoculant
How to help your garlic grow
Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garlic grow?
Once you’ve planted your cloves, you’ll need to keep helping your crop to grow and remain healthy. The ideal conditions for garlic growth are warm, sunny conditions in well-drained, fertile soil. Ensure that your crop site will not get too wet during the winter months. For best growth success rates, we recommend getting your seed from a specialist seed supplier.
Using supermarket bulbs can work but you are unlikely to generate the best yield this way. To support growth year-on-year, try to harvest your crop from July onwards. By this time, the top growth should have started to die away. At this point its safe to dry out your bulbs and store them away for next year.
How to care for your garlic crop
Ready to start harvesting garlic? Great choice!
This kitchen staple will always be a winner.
Garlic is relatively simple to grow and take care of. But there are a few top tips that will help you get the best results from your plant.
Tip # 1: Water regularly with EM-1
– water your crop plentifully in early spring and summer, then reduce the amount of watering as bulbs start to mature and foliage starts to turn yellow in color.
Tip # 2: Protect from pests
– garlic is a firm favorite of garden birds. Pigeons in particular go nuts for garlic, much to the dismay of every avid garlic grower. Covering your young crops with netting and/or horticultural fleece will stop those pesky birds from gobbling up your newly germinated crop.
Tip # 3: Protect from disease with EM-1
– garlic plants can be vulnerable to soil-borne diseases like onion white rot and leek rust. As soon as any neighboring plants become affected it's important to stop the spread of these diseases by uprooting and burning all affected plants.
Harvest Time
Once you’ve planted and tended to your home-grown garlic, you’ll no doubt be eagerly anticipating your first harvest. It’s best to harvest garlic in summer once leaves have turned yellowish in color. Lift your bulbs carefully and allow them to dry out in the sun for a few days.
An voila, that’s how to grow, plant, and care for garlic. Neat right? Soon you’ll have your very own, delicious, home-grown garlic ready to cook up some delicious meals with!
Odor-Free Kitchen Compost Bin
Cream White, 2.5 gal
Dynamic Garden Duo
(32oz EM-1 & 2 lb bag of EM Bokashi)
EM-1 Microbial
Inoculant Gardening
