Growing Your Own Garlic

Garlic is the member of the onion family that also include shallots and leeks. It has been throughout history been know to be used both in culinary and medicinal purposes. The flavor of garlic is a pungent spicy flavor that when cooked sweetens. There is nothing more rewarding than the fresh flavor of home grown garlic. The main part that is used from garlic is the bulb. It is easily broken apart into cloves. The cloves can be used as seed to replant or for consumption. The stems and flowers are also edible and are best when young and tender.

Garlic is easily grown in the home garden. It likes well drained soil with a lot of organics. It is classified under two categories, soft neck and hard neck.

Soft neck garlic is the most common type and is what is most common in supermarkets. It can be mechanically planted without much damage and stores longer after harvesting. Hard neck garlic takes a little more care. When planting the clove has to be set with the crown end up. It doesn't store as well after harvesting. There are many varieties of garlic. Check and make sure the variety you choose is suited for your area. If possible buy from local sources.

Soil conditions for garlic is a loamy well drained soil with organic matter and with a ph level of 6.0 - 7.5. A soil that can retain a steady moisture content is very important in the growth of garlic throughout the growing season to produce a large healthy productive crop. Stay away from soils that dry out easily or add soil amendments to the soil to improve the soil structure to retain moisture. Organic matter in the soil is a key to having a good healthy soil structure. Well rotted compost or manure as a soil amendment can be added before planting. The compost or manure should be well rotted to a dark, rich, fluffy humus.; This type of soil will fulfill the appetite for the rich soil and supply the drainage the soil needs to make garlic thrive and produce a large healthy crop.

Garlic is very easy to plant and is planted from the individual cloves of a garlic bulb. The cloves are separated by breaking the bulb apart with your hands, this process is also know as cracking. You can buy garlic bulbs at some garden centers or you can use the same garlic bulbs that you would purchase at a supermarket. You will get anywhere from six to twelve usable cloves for planting from one bulb depending on the size. Only plant the larger cloves , small clove usually don't produce very large bulbs.

Pick a location to plant that gets plenty of sunlight for most of the day. Stay away from areas that trees or even other taller garden plants will shade them. Garlic likes full sunlight.
Garlic can be planted in individual or double rows. Plant the cloves with the pointed tip upward. The cloves should be space apart from six two eight inches in all directions.. Once the cloves have been planted place a two inch covering of soil over the top of them. Then water with a generous amount of water.

Garlic likes a good steady amount of moisture during it's early stages of growth. Having a good soil structure with organic matter that drains well and retains moisture along with a four inch loose layer of mulch applied after planting garlic will benefit it's growth.
Watering garlic at it's early stages of it's growth is very important in the development of larger healthy bulbs. It isn't as important in the last couple of months before harvesting. Mulching will help to retain the moisture content in the soil that is needed.

When garlic doesn't receive enough water it will not develop a full size bulb and when it is over watered the garlic will be of poor quality, the outer skin or wrapping will be pour, there could be bursting of the outer skin and mold can be a problem. Poor quality garlic will not store well after harvesting.

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http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com A healthy and environment friendly way to grow vegetables. Sent in by John Yazo