Post by SPLASH on Sept 16, 2012 8:41:33 GMT -5
Just a heads up- if you would like to grow garlic for harvest next summer, now is the time to plant.
You can plant garlic you buy at the grocery store, but if you want to know what variety you are growing, you need to buy it at the nursery or hardware store. I will be growing Elephant Garlic this time. I read a lot about this variety on the garden forums, it grows large bulbs with good flavor.
Garlic is easy to grow, start now by tilling in peat moss and composted manure. The peat moss is key, I believe. The softer the soil, the larger the bulbs. Plant now and you will notice some greens grow above the soil before the ground freezes. Once spring comes, you just cut off the greens a couple inches above the soil and allow the new green growth to grow all summer (you can trim off greens to use to cook with). When the bulb is done growing, the greens will turn brown and fall over. When you pull up or dig out your bulbs, allow the to dry for a week in a well ventilated area out of the sun. After a week or so, cut the green tops off and wash the bulb. You can start using the garlic then or store for months in a cool place with no sun.
The only reason I have not planted mine yet is because the garden I'm going to grow it in still has those large heirloom tomatoes producing fruit and beans. I think next weekend I will get it all out of the garden, till and plant.
One more helpful tip I have read is to plant your garlic on the outer edges of your garden. It will deter some pests from entering your garden next summer.
You can plant garlic you buy at the grocery store, but if you want to know what variety you are growing, you need to buy it at the nursery or hardware store. I will be growing Elephant Garlic this time. I read a lot about this variety on the garden forums, it grows large bulbs with good flavor.
Garlic is easy to grow, start now by tilling in peat moss and composted manure. The peat moss is key, I believe. The softer the soil, the larger the bulbs. Plant now and you will notice some greens grow above the soil before the ground freezes. Once spring comes, you just cut off the greens a couple inches above the soil and allow the new green growth to grow all summer (you can trim off greens to use to cook with). When the bulb is done growing, the greens will turn brown and fall over. When you pull up or dig out your bulbs, allow the to dry for a week in a well ventilated area out of the sun. After a week or so, cut the green tops off and wash the bulb. You can start using the garlic then or store for months in a cool place with no sun.
The only reason I have not planted mine yet is because the garden I'm going to grow it in still has those large heirloom tomatoes producing fruit and beans. I think next weekend I will get it all out of the garden, till and plant.
One more helpful tip I have read is to plant your garlic on the outer edges of your garden. It will deter some pests from entering your garden next summer.