Garlic

Allium sativum

History: 

One of the oldest cultivated crops, Garlic was cultivated as far back as 5,000 years ago. Multiple ancient civilizations grew garlic including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Indian, and Chinese. Easy to grow, easy to store – this vegetable is a staple in the modern kitchen .

Seeding: 

Plant your garlic in mid to late October. Break apart bulbs and plant individual cloves 6 inches apart. Plant the blunt end down, with the tips at soil level. Avoid planting garlic in an area where any plant from the cabbage family grew the season prior.

Spacing: 

6”

Cultivation: 

In late fall, use a light mulch (leaves or straw) to cover and protect the garlic during winter. Remove most of the mulch in early spring and keep the garlic bed well weeded. 

Harvest: 

Harvest your garlic after the bulbs are well formed and the necks have turned brown. Loosen the soil with a garden fork and pull the stalks straight up. Cure the bulbs in an area with good air circulation and out of direct sunlight. After a week or so you can store without their dry tops or braid the tops and hang for use throughout the year.

*Garlic Scapes are the green shoots that will arrive in spring before the bulbs are ready for harvest. They have a great flavor that is more mild than the cloves. Add the garlic scapes to vegetable stir fries, stews, sauces, or eaten raw for a quick burst of garlic flavor. Cut with a sharp knife before the scapes open up.