 Garlic is the common name for Allium sativum, a species in the onion family Alliaceae.
Popular since historical times throughout the world, garlic is easy to
grow and full of nutrients that help keep us healthy. The garlic plant's
bulb is the most commonly used part of the plant.
Varieties:
There is a range of garlic types including ‘wild garlic’, ‘crow garlic’,
and ‘field garlic’. One of the best-known garlic type, the so-called
‘elephant garlic’, is actually a wild leek. All these can come in many
varieties, like fresh, frozen, dried, fermented.
When, where and how to plant:
Garlic is one of the easiest plants to grow.
• Plant the individual cloves within the bulb.
• Plant the largest cloves you have, to get the largest bulbs.
• Plant each garlic clove 5 to 7 cm below the soil surface and about 10 to 15 cm apart.
It’s said "plant your garlic cloves on the shortest day of the year".
Which is fine, but often the ground can be very wet from rains. So to
get around this you can plant your cloves in a pot or container until
the ground have dried out. If you don’t have spare garden space garlic
will happily grow in pots and containers. Your garlic should grow well
if given the following conditions:
• Well-drained fertile soil in full sun.
• Minimal weed competition.
• Plenty of organic matter – compost, manure, straw etc.
• Plenty of water through the warmer months when the bulb is forming.
Growing Guide:
Keep well watered over the summer months. Apply blood and bone as a side dressing.
Harvest / Storage
Harvest your garlic when the tops start to brown off. Carefully dig up a
plant or two to see how the cloves have formed. Don't pull garlic out
of the ground.
Brush off any soil clinging to the bulbs. Allow the bulbs to cure or dry
for three to four weeks in either a well-ventilated room or a dry,
shady spot outside. Once the tops and roots have dried they can be cut
off.
You can also further clean the bulbs by removing the outer skins. Just be careful not to expose any of the cloves.
How to use:
Garlic has hundreds of uses in the kitchen. It is used as a flavouring
in dishes from all over the world. Add it to stir fries, mashed
potatoes, curries, roasts, soups and sauces.
It also may be applied to breads to create a variety of classic dishes such as garlic bread, garlic toast, bruschetta, etc.
Garlic is believed to have antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal
properties, and also considered to regulate blood sugar levels besides a
host of other benefits.
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I went to my local Nursery where they had the garlic bulbs used for planting. Have grown the garlic bulbs past two years and have had no problems.