For the Love of Garlic

In the beginning years of my life as a gardener, I loved the planning, planting, watering, and beginnings of the growing garden. I found that once summer was in full swing, I wasn’t great at consistently harvesting the veggies or eating what I planted. After years of this occurring, I decided something needed to change. I made a list of the vegetables we frequently ate to narrow my range of plants and be able to focus on a few. Two that stood out were garlic and onions because I use a lot of them, you plant them in the fall, and you harvest them all at one time in the spring – problem solved! My goal became to grow enough garlic and onions to last my family the year, and we eat a lot of garlic and onions. I especially love to plant and harvest the garlic with my kids. It is a proud moment when we have harvested all the garlic and laid it out like treasure.

Buying Garlic Cloves

Now is a perfect time to plant garlic. Although, you can buy garlic from the store and plant it, store bought garlic tends to produce less consistent globes. If you order seed garlic or buy it at a local farmers market, your harvest will be larger. There are two types of garlic: soft neck and hard neck. Soft neck garlic tends to produce large globes that are harvested earlier, have more cloves, and store longer. Hard necks produce scapes, larger yet fewer cloves, and can have a stronger flavor. I like to plant a combination. There is also elephant garlic, but it tastes milder, more like a leek than a strong garlic

Preparation

Garlic grows best in a sunny and richly composted soil. For planning where and how to plant garlic, know that the best crop probably comes from a uniform bed, it can do well planted in clumps through many spaces. To prepare the soil, loosen it (or just the planting space) with a digging fork and break up large clumps of soil. Then either lay down a new layer of compost over the entire bed, dig it into the whole bed, or just add to your garlic trench. Afterwards, you should be able to effortlessly reach your hand into the loose soil down 6 inches. If you have added a thick layer of compost (more than 3 inches) you should pat down the compost to compact for healthy root support and growth. Lay out your planting rows by digging 3 to 4-inch deep trenches 8 inches apart. Add compost if needed and then plant the garlic cloves. Dig the next trench 8 inches away from the first row, plant, and so on until you run out of space. A few days before planting, separate the globes and choose the largest cloves. I learned from a garlic farmer this year, that it doesn’t matter if some of the skin is missing from the cloves! Choose the largest and healthiest cloves to plant. Once you have garlic growing, you can save the largest cloves for future plantings.

Planting

Plant the cloves 4 inches apart, pointed side up, 2 inches deep from the surface. Cover with 1 inch of compost and then cover with soil. Pat down soil over trench. Dig the next trench deeper and continue planting. Water in your garlic as you would any other plant and keep it watered. Not soaking, but consistently watered until the rain begins.

You plant garlic in the fall or winter (Sept – Dec). It pops up quickly and then it goes to sleep during the winter. Adding a blanket of straw or weeds can protect the garlic. I love when the little green leaves poke out again in the early spring. Spring also brings garlic flower stalks or “scapes” from the hard neck varieties, which I love in scrambled eggs, soups, stir fries, and pesto.

In the spring, add compost or a fertilizer once a month until mid-June. Keep watered consistently, deeply but not soaking. Spring garlic is also exciting because it is delicious and there are big green stalks while the rest of the garden is still pushing out its second leaves. If you plant hard neck garlic, you will need to pluck off the curly flower stalks or scapes in the May/June. Doing this will encourage the plant to focus energy on the globe versus on making seeds.

Harvesting

Harvest comes in late June or the beginning of July when about half the leaves are dead and you can feel round protrusions of the cloves if you reach into the soil. The base of the stem will be getting floppy too. When you see these characteristics, dig a few globes and confirm they are ready. Take some time and harvest your garlic. Don’t wait too long to harvest, the papery skin on the globes can begin to decay. Dig deeply with a pitch fork or shovel to push up the garlic bulb from below. Careful not to get too close and pierce the precious cloves. Brush off the dirty and cut off the roots with pruners or scissors. Leave the stalk on the garlic until it is completely dried.

Lay the garlic out on a dry surface for 2-3 days in the sun and then move to a covered area. Spread the plants out to dry/cure for a few weeks until totally dry. If you have soft neck garlic, you can braid the stems when they are supple. When cured, the stems should be paper dry and the skin will be tight on the globes. After drying/curing, trim the stems to 1-2 inches above the globe and remove the loose paper on the cloves.

Storing

Once cleaned up, store your garlic in a breathable bag in a cool dark place. Eat the smallest globes first and save the largest to plant next year. I hope you’ll think about planting garlic this fall.

*If you don’t have compost, a space to dedicate to garlic, or don’t have a lot of time, you can still plant garlic. Garlic is a natural pest and fungus deterrent for your garden, so plug it in anywhere. Make a small hole at least 3 inches from any other plant and loosen the soil. Plug in the garlic clove, and cover with soil. You can still get a pretty good crop!

Written by Kelly Marquis

Gardening is a vital part of Waldorf pedagogy because it connects the head, heart, and hands of the individual. Students use their head to plan the planting and determine different parts of the plant’s life cycle. They use their hands to dig up the earth, plant the seeds, and to harvest the fruits of their labor. They use their heart, as they devote their energy, time, and commitment to their garden. At Cedarwood Waldorf School as early as Kindergarten children begin going to farms and tending our community garden. Not only does gardening support the whole child, but studies show that gardening can improve academic achievement. Students learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process, and gardening is a way to connect math and science in an experiential way, creating an organic real world application that utilizes academic and practical skills. To learn more, visit: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/educational_benefits_of_school_gardening_for_students

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