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GARLIC (Allium sativum)
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Full Sun
Requires six hours or more
of strong, direct sun per day. |
 Garlic
Garlic is a hardy perennial member of the onion family. Garlic is probably native to Central Asia but has long been naturalized in Southern Europe. Garlic differs from the onion, producing a number of small bulbs called cloves rather than one large bulb. Each bulb contains a dozen or more cloves, and is covered with a thin white skin. The larger outer cloves produce the best garlic.Indispensable in the kitchenGarlic has flat leaves rather than the round hollow leaves of the onion. Garlic is used largely as a condiment and as flavoring in gravies, tomato sauces, soups, stews, pickles, salads, salad dressing and breads. Many cooks find it indispensable in the kitchen.
Beneficial companion plantsPlants that are benificial to garlic for both growth and insect control are roses and raspberries (deters Japanese beetle); with herbs to enhance their production of essential oils; plant liberally throughout garden to deter pests.. For information on other vegetable companion plants see the companion planting chart.Soil requirements of GarlicGarlic grows best on friable (crumbly) loamy soils that are fertile and high in organic matter. Gardeners who can grow onions can grow garlic since the culture is similar. Garlic does well with high amounts of fertilizer. As a general recommendation, apply three pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet. Follow soil test recommendations for your particular garden soil.MoistureThe soil must be kept evenly moist as dry soil will cause irregularly shaped bulbs. Heavy clay soils will also create misshaped bulbs and make harvesting difficult. Providing the proper water requirements and adding organic matter, such as well-rotted manure or compost to the soil on a yearly basis keeps it friable.Planting Garlic
Plant earlyGarlic must be planted very early to permit full leaf development. Late spring planting is not successful. It has been found that long days and warm temperatures favor bulb development in the garlic plant. As soon as bulbing starts, leaf initiation ceases. For highest yields, therefore, the cloves must be planted early enough to permit the development of large vegetative plants during the short cool days of early spring.YieldThe yield potential of the plants depends on the amount of vegetative growth before bulbing commences. Select only larger outer cloves for the best garlic. Garlic seed is not available and is rarely produced by plants. Be sure that the cloves are free of disease and are smooth and fresh.Planting garlic clovesPlant garlic cloves three to five inches apart in an upright position in the row and set them at a depth of one-half to one inch deep. Setting the bulbs in an upright position ensures a straight neck. Be sure to allow 18 to 30 inches between the rows. Do not divide the bulbs into cloves until you are ready to plant since early separation results in decreased yields.Moon Phase Planting of GarlicIf you are gardening by moon phases garlic should be planted when the moon is in the 3rd Quarter (i.e. waning) and in one of the following Zodiac Signs: Scorpio, Sagittarius
Harvest and storage of Garlic
Harvesting and Preservation: The bulbs may be harvested when the tops start to dry. This is usually in late summer. Bulbs should be dug up rather than pulled to avoid stem injury. Allow the tops to dry. After the bulbs have dried, the tops and roots can be removed with shears to within an inch of the bulbs. It is essential that the garlic be well cured before going into storage.The mature bulbs are best stored at 32 degrees F. Garlic stores well under a wide range of temperatures, but sprouts are produced most quickly at temperatures at or above 40 degrees F. The humidity in storage should be near 65 to 70 percent at all times to discourage mold development and root formation. Cloves should keep for six to seven months.
PestsOccasionally, the onion maggot larva can be seen in the garlic cloves upon harvesting. The typical symptom is premature dying of the leaf tips. Organic insect control and proper sanitation will overcome this and many other problems in the garden.Possible use problemWhen garlic is used in canning pickles, a blue-purple pigment often develops under acidic conditions. This situation is often seen in canned products when the garlic is immature or overdried. This does not affect the taste or edibility of the product. |
Garlic as an effective pest controlGarlic is a valuable tool of the gardener, providing a safe but effective means of dealing with pests and some plant diseases.Garlic is a great choice for companion planting and can be interplanted with susceptible crops to repel a number of important pests. A spray made by mincing garlic with water in a blender will discourage most pests from taking a bite out of treated crops.
It has been found that a garlic spray has antibiotic powers, controlling downy mildew, cucumber and bean rust, bean anthracnose, early blight of tomato, brown rot of stone fruit, angular leaf spot of cucumber, and bacterial blight of beans.
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