Garlic

Easy grow your own

Garlic is a member of the Onion family and is one of the easiest vegetables to grow.  Traditionally planted on the shortest day of the year and harvested on the longest day, garlic is used in all types of cooking, and is an indispensable vegetable, found in almost every home.

At a Glance:

• Plant in a warm, sunny position around mid-July
• Need a  well cultivated, free-draining soil
• Easy to grow

Description

Garlic, a member of the onion family with the botanical name "Allium sativum", is one of the easiest vegetable crops to grow, requiring very little space and attention.
It is traditionally planted on the shortest day of the year (21st June) and harvested on the longest day (21st December) although in some areas it may not be ready until January.

Garlic is planted by cloves, and there are several types are available.

Garlic is often used as a companion plant for deterring aphids around roses.

Requirements

In the ground:

• Needs to be planted in well cultivated, well-drained soil.
• Mix compost into the soil prior to planting.
• Add in some Tui General Garden Fertiliser.

In pots:

• Garlic can be grown in pots.
• Use a good quality potting mix and add in some slow release fertiliser, or Tui Bulb Food.
• Be careful not to let the pot dry out over warmer months.

Popular Varieties

White - Common garlic, most popular
Elephant  - Larger cloves, more mild than white garlic

Uses

• Plant in vegetable plots.
• Can also be grown in planters or pots.
• Used mainly as a culinary vegetable but is reputed to have some medicinal qualities.
• Plant as companion planting amongst rose and flower beds to deter aphids.

Planting

• Buy only certified garlic from the garden centre—do not use garlic bought for culinary use from the supermarket.
• Break the garlic bulb into individual cloves.
• Plant cloves 5-6cm deep, 10cm apart, in square blocks.
• Plant in a sunny position around the shortest day of the year - mid June.

Harvesting

• Harvest when the lower leaves at the stem base turn  brown/yellow and the stems start to buckle/fall over.
• Using a garden fork, loosen the soil around each bulb then gently lift the whole plant - do not pull out by the stems.  
• Brush off the outer soil (do not wash them) and wipe thoroughly in a well ventilated area.
• Strap together leaving the stems on and hang in bundles of 6-8 in a dark, dry place to cure.
• Curing will take around 3-4 weeks.
• Garlic will keep for up to 1 year.

Cooking Hints

Raw garlic is the strongest in flavour.
The smaller you cut garlic, the stronger the flavour.  Chopping finely and/or pressing a clove exposes more surfaces to the air, thereby producing a stronger aroma and more potent flavour.

For a sweet, mellow flavour, roast or bake garlic cloves whole.
Cooked whole, uncrushed or uncut cloves barely have any aroma at all.