Garlic has a lot going for it

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• a pungently delightful taste

• an unmistakable fragrance 

• ​antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic, and anti-viral properties in the raw state

• a positive contribution to a healthy immune system

• an ability to help decrease levels of bad cholesterol

• a contribution to heart health

• a powerful influence on cuisine all over the world

 

What a vegetable! You get close to ecstasy harvesting your own; and even closer while eating it.

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Check out the a scientific take on garlic's benefits at:​

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/garlic/ataglance.htm

 

​More detailed info on garlic cultivars by garlic experts: http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com

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Varieties We Grow

​We grow Hard-Neck Garlic (Allium sativum). We got our original bulbs from our Italian neighbour; and from the double loop its stems (scapes) curl into in spring, we know it's a Rocambole. We just don't know the specific name of the cultivar. But considering the source, it has to be Italian.  Well, whatever it is, it has a rich, flavourful taste. And it's pleasantly hot in the raw state. ​

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If you're going to grow your own garlic, we suggest you go to your local Farmers' Market, find an organic grower and check out their garlic. Ask the farmer what he likes about the garlic he/she is selling. Buy a few different kinds if you want & try them out. Come back to the market and buy a few bulbs of the kind you really like & plant the cloves. The farmer's happy; but you'll be be even happier when you harvest and cook with garlic you've grown yourself.​

 

Getting Started

Garlic thrives in deep, compost-rich, fine-textured soil in full sun. We plant our cloves in the 3rd to 4th week of October. Plant the largest, healthiest cloves from the organic bulbs you bought at your local Farmers' Market. Plant them pointy end (stem end) up, about 5 cm (2 inches) deep and about 15 cm (6 inches) apart. If you're planting more than one row (and we suggest you do), the rows should be at least 30 cm (1 foot) apart. ​The bulbs need space to reach their maximum size.​

 

Caring for Your Garlic

Garlic needs consistent watering, but don't overdo it. Garlic doesn't like standing pools of water. But if your soil has been well-prepared and it has a loamy texture with a good amount of humus, you shouldn't have drainage problems anyway. Garlic must be weeded carefully & regularly. It does not do well when forced to compete with weeds.​

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Harvesting Your Garlic

When the Rocambole garlic's stem has formed a double loop and the leaves are starting to turn brown, stop watering it. When the soil at the surface is nice and dry scrape a little of it away from the top of each bulb with your fingers. Wait a few days and pull up your plants. Don't wash them off. Cure them for a few days, stems and all, in a hot, dry place with good air circulation— like your covered balcony, patio or greenhouse​.

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Storing Your Garlic

Cut off the stem, leaving about an 8 cm stub above the bulb. Sore in a cool, dark place.

 

Companion Plants for Garlic

Garlic does very well by itself, as long as it has full sun and well-drained, humus-rich soil. But you don't have to plant it in rows: plant some among your cabbage plants to deter insect pests and help stave off disease.