Garlic

 

Autumn is the season of bulb planting, be it Crocus, tulips, daffodils, or edibles such as garlic. 

The rule for planting bulbs is simple and the same whatever the bulb might be: plant twice the depth of the bulb size. 

This week we have been planting garlic and sowing overwintering onion sets. Garlic can be sown in both the autumn and spring. We tend to make an autumn sowing; firstly, because it's a time when we have more space to spare, and secondly, the results are usually better. 

In order for garlic to form decent size bulbs it needs a period of sustained cold, so planting in early autumn allows the bulbs to put on some vegetative growth before the onset of winter. 

Of course, there is no guarantee we will get a period of sustained cold, if recent winters are anything too go by. But that is a chance we always take. 

Planting is easy enough; dig over the ground removing any weeds. We add a little organic matter, then we 'dib' a hole and drop the clove, basal plate down into the hole and cover over with soil. 

When you buy your garlic it comes in a bulb, just like the ones you buy from the greengrocers. It's just a matter of separating the cloves and planting them individually. It's pointless planting really small cloves as they will never form into anything substantial. 

The general rule of thumb is, the bigger the clove, the better the chance of it forming a decent size garlic bulb. 

Harvesting occurs around midsummer. Once the vegetative growth starts to yellow and die down, the bulbs are ready to harvest. Simple dig down and lift your harvest. 

Your crop can be used straight away, or properly stored can last for months. Once the bulbs are lifted, any that you wish to store need to be allowed to properly dry, any soil removed, and stored in a light, airy space. 

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