garlic

As the heat subsides it will soon be time to plant garlic again.  Last year, influenced by several fall articles, I bought four varieties of garlic and planted them in October.  They were: 1) organic California Early White – softneck ($4.99 lb); 2) Elephant garlic – very mild like a leek ($4.99 lb);  3) organic Music Garlic – hardneck  ($12,99 lb.) – the only reason I bought this more expensive variety is because my family is into music; 4) organic Dujansky  – hardneck ($9.99 lb).

I know that my raised beds drain well (because they are raised) and I had read it is important to have good drainage,  I did most of my plantings in two 8x4ft raised beds and the balance in a long bed alongside the fruit trees.  The bed is an excavated trench filled to surface level with compost.  The raised beds are in the main growing area encircled by a fence, the trench bed is accessible to footed wildlife.  The instructions from Peaceful Valley, the supplier, referenced gophers and, although we do not have these, I was concerned about subterranean attacks and enclosed some of the plantings in hardware cloth.  I watered the raised beds regularly but only occasionally watered the trench bed.  All the cloves grew, those in the raised beds grew better.  There was no evidence of pest damage to any of the garlic.

When the scapes appeared I removed them and in mid-June I harvested all the garlic.  Initially I left them to dry in the greenhouse but it was too hot so I stored them in the open carport until they had dried.  I then placed them in mesh bags which I have suspended in the basement.  The garlic tastes great and we especially like the elephant garlic.  This garlic was for personal consumption and friends and we have a lot left over.  The elephant garlic is our favorite and I will plant out all the elephant garlic cloves and just some of the other garlic.  Next year I shall add garlic to my list of produce to sell at the local market.

The Peaceful Valley planting guide says to avoid planting garlic in the same place where I previously grew garlic, onions or other alliums, so I will have to prepare new beds, perhaps at the top of the hill where there is good sun exposure and drainage.