Tag: garlic tips

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Growing Garlic

There are few smells as well-known as garlic!  The aroma itself brings happiness and growing garlic is so much better as the flavor of fresh garlic cannot be beat!

 

Categories of Garlic

Although there are many different kinds of garlic most can be classified in two distinct categories known as Soft Neck and Hard Neck.

Soft neck garlic:

Soft neck garlic has stronger white outer layers of skin that makes them best for long periods of storage.  These are often found in grocery stores or markets. Soft neck garlic does not have the long flowering stems found on hard neck garlic.  This feature makes them better for braiding and they actually grow best in milder winter areas.

Hard neck garlic:  

True to its name, hard neck garlic sends out a long woody flowering stem that generates edible scapes.  Hard neck is also cold weather hardy so it’s best for areas that have stronger winters. In contrast to soft neck, it has a thinner more papery skin that is easier to peel.  However, this thinner skin means that it will not store as long as your soft neck varieties.

Elephant garlic is often listed as its own category; however, it is not. It does fit within either the soft neck or the hard neck varieties yet it is worth a call out as it produces the largest of the bulbs with only 4 to 6 bulbs per garlic head and has the mildest of the flavors.    

Growing Garlic

Garlic is one of the easiest plants to grow with very few enemies.  In addition it offers some of the best natural protection making it a great companion plant for a large range of plants.  One can have the best crops by following these simple tips

  • Plan to plant your garlic in the fall.  Allow for approximately 4 to 6 weeks before your first cold spell hits your area.  Garlic be grown in early January; however its best in fall for two reasons: 1: garlic really needs a cold spell to set well and planting in the winter ensures this process.  2:  they need to have strong established roots by spring so that the plant can then focus on a large healthy garlic head.
  • Garlic takes approximately 6 months to fully form. This means once planted in fall they will be in your beds throughout your spring growing period.  As such, choose your location wisely.  Think about the plants you plan to grow in spring knowing you will be planting around them during this time.  
  • Grow garlic in full sun locations.  For heavy heat areas plan for some spots with some shade in the hottest parts of the day.

 

 

  • Separate your bulbs from the head, leave the paper skin on them and plant them within 2 days of separation.  Make sure you select the largest and healthiest bulbs from each garlic head.

 

  • Plant in well-drained soil with good organic matter making sure you have worked the soil so that its soft and pliable for your garlic to grow in. Place a bit of Epsom and bone mill or fish fertilizer in the soil prior to dropping them in!  
  • Dig the holes approximately 2-4 inches deep.  Sites will state to list them 6 inches apart. I have pushed this at times and planted them 3 inches apart.  I would not recommend any closer as you want the bulbs to have plenty of room to grow.
  • If you planted last year, practice rotating your garlic annually this will deter returning pests to your area!

One may be tempted to grow garlic from the stores;  however, I don’t recommend this. You will not know for sure what type you have or how they were grown. Yes,  garlic can seem expensive at first; however, keep in mind you will get a full head of garlic from each bulb planted.  In addition if dried and stored properly one will be able to use their own garlic for continued growth season after season going forward.

Companion Planting

On a personal note I love to scatter garlic throughout my beds. Growing them where I have open spaces or boarders. It offers a natural repellent for  plants and can deter deer and rabbit making it an exceptional companion plant.  Here I have placed it all along the back in the my lettuce and cabbage beds to help detour pests. 

 

 

 

 

Pests deterred by garlic

  • Gnats
  • Spider Mites
  • Aphids
  • Snails
  • Ants

Plants that benefit from garlic

  • Fruit trees
  • Corn
  • Dill
  • Beets
  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Eggplants
  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli Kohlrabi
  • Roses
  • Geraniums

Do not grow garlic around

  • asparagus
  • peas
  • beans
  • sage
  • parsley or
  • onions (onions and garlic attract the same enemies so it’s best not to plant them together)

Quick Video On Planting Garlic

 

 

 

Accompanying Articles

Knowing When to Harvest Your Garlic

Growing and Caring for Garlic Chives

 

 

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Amazingly Edible Sunflower

 

It's no secret I love Sunflowers.  They’re on my fence, in my yard and make up about 60% of my tepees and arbors!  However, let's talk about the amazingly edible sunflower plant!  And not just seeds, all of the plant from the roots to the stalks to the leaves, petals and the seeds are edible.  The majority of the entire sunflower can be eaten.  It's quite amazing actually that most only know of the seeds; and, is the exact reason for this quick series starting with the leaves of the sunflower plants.    

Let's Talk Sunflower Leaves!

Sunflower leaves are simply a joy to me.  Why?  They are so large, so strong and thick they are like pieces of leather on larger sunflower plants. They are beautiful to look at in a garden adding depth and color, texture and even height.   The giant leaves add shade to plants on hot afternoons, helping to extend the lives of cold crops if grown above them. All of this is enough for one to love them.   Imagine the excitement when discovering they’re also edible!  I won't lie, sunflowers have a bite that's hard to explain; it's an extremely unique bitter flavor. Nutty in a way almost peppery as well.  Lets look at ways to eat them!

Young Shoots

Young sunflower shoots are edible microgreens!  Unlike their older siblings that get bitter with age, the microgreens are super soft, have a thick feel and at this point are actually sweet.  Shoots are often grown in window gardens and used on salads and on sandwiches. Let some of the seeds fall each season and the yard will be so full there will be no issues sacrificing many of the babies to the microgreen category!  

Tender Leaves

Tender leaves, those that are still young on soft stalks can be eaten raw in salads. The entire leaf can be eaten at this stage without removing the veins.  Although, they actually taste slightly more bitter to me at this stage believe it or not, I prefer the mid adult leaves.   One can soften the flavor some by removing the center vein of the leaf. 

Large Adult Leaves

Large adult leaves can be cooked like greens, boiled, sauteed or steamed with salt, garlic and butter.  The older they get the tougher they get and the longer they take to cook. When using the super large leaves, boiling first is best with a water refresh.   I like to harvest the leaves in the mid range size prior to blooming.  Once flowers bloom the leaves naturally start to die down.   

I did say they are like the bitter lettuces, with a bite that leaves you wondering how to describe them. Serving with savory dishes compliments the bite of this beautiful green!  They are also wonderful with mushrooms.  The earthy flavor of mushrooms  complements the greens well and they do great with fatty meats.

Here is a recipe for eating with fatty meats

    • 5 to 6 midsize Sunflower leaves
    • 1 quarter purple onion
    • 3 to 4 (or more if your like me 5) garlic cloves 
    • Balsamic vinegar
    • Olive oil
    • Salt
    • Crushed pepper 
    • Butter
    1. Wash, remove the center and main side veins from the leaves. Add olive oil to pan and heat while dicing garlic and red onion. Add Onion and garlic to oil and saute until slightly brown on a low simmer
    2. While cooking garlic and onion boil water and blanch the greens until slightly soft and the water is a soft green.  Drain greens and add to butter, garlic and online mix.
    3. Stir fry  the greens for a moment coating them with the oil. Add a few tablespoons of water.  Add pepper flakes and stir fry in.
    4. Steam well for a moment and then add a generous amount of balsamic vinegar. Lower heat and let simmer for another 10 minutes or so.  If liquid evaporates add more vinegar!
    5. Once the leaves are stir fried and the liquid has evaporated some add butter to the pan and allow it to sizzle

Add salt and pepper and serve hot!

 

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Growing Rudbeckia

Did you know the name Rudbeckia means encouragement and motivation?  And if there is anything people may be needing right now it’s encouragement and motivation.  Growing Rudbeckia is a joy; and, I always felt their name fits perfectly.  The meaning of course just explains why one tends to feel so happy when they see them in a yard.  With all of their brilliant yellow they are almost like mini suns, shining in corners and filling up sunny spots. 

About Rudbeckia

There are around  25 different varieties of Rudbeckia; however, their most common name is black-eyed Susan or Becky’s.  Black eyed Susan’s also come in different categories with  petals that range from solid yellow, to slightly burnt orange, to extremely black or dark brown centers that spread out towards bright yellow tips.  I love having all of them all around my yard.

Rudbeckia is similar to Echinacea  in that their roots can be used in some home medicinal remedies.  I hope to look further into this as spring comes closer! If there are plans to use ones Becky’s in medicinal remedies then consider growing several spots around the garden space.  As well as planting them at different intervals.  This ensures as the roots of one plant is being harvested several others are growing in their stead.

Growing Rudbeckia

Rudbeckia can be grown by seed or by division of established plants. Division is simpler as Rudbeckia seeds again, similar to Echinacea, need winters cold to germinate.  If planting by seed sow in the fall when winter is just coming on. Doing this will ensure  enough of a cold spell to germinate well when spring arrives.

Give Becky’s plenty of sun, and well drained soil. Deadhead them to promote more flowers or to stop them from spreading. Otherwise allow the seeds to fall and they will return each season naturally.

image provided by Pinterest

Companion Planting with Rudbeckia

There are so many plants that will grow well with Rudbeckia.  Their flowers for sure bring the bees.  Therefore, just having them in the garden supports any vegetables one grows.  Some of my favorite plants to grow with Rudbeckia are:

  • Zinnias
  • Globe thistle
  • Sedum
  • Perennial hibiscus
  • Echinacea
  • Ornamental grasses
  • Dill
  • Basil
  • Oregano
  • Sunflowers
  • Strawberries
  • Squash

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Knowing When to Harvest Your Garlic

Knowing  when to harvest your garlic can sometimes be a confusing process. After all, garlic sits below the ground.  One may feel the only clues they really have are the leaves. This is true to a point, in reality however, everything from the leaves, the stems, the soil and the bulbs themselves can all offer clues that help determine when to harvest ones garlic.

The Leaves Of the Garlic Plant

A garlic plants leaves really are the first clue to recognizing garlic has matured. Not all of the leaves mind you, the lower leaves!

Look closely at the leaves lowest to the ground. The very bottom set of leaves will often start to yellow and turn brown around the time your garlic is ready. This could also mean that your garlic needs a little water or is simply shedding; as such it’s not the only sign you should look for, it’s a clue!  

Width of the Stalks

The size of the garlic stalk is a direct correlation to the size of the garlic below the ground. Simply stated as ones garlic matures the stalk also grows in thickness and width.

While looking at the lower leaves consider the size of the stalks. Are the stalks thin or have they started to widen up? As the stalks start to reach 1/2 inch to an inch around the bulbs below the ground should have expanded at least two to three times that size.  Small thin stalks indicate the bulbs may not be ready.

The Soil Around the Garlic

Depending on how deeply the garlic was buried one can often see the dirt start to mound up around the base of the garlic stalk. This naturally  occurs as the bulbs starts to expand below the ground. While looking at your leaves and the size of your stalks look at the soil! Is there mounding or cracking around the stalk? If the other two steps are present, and there is no dirt movement, continue with the next step anyway.

The Actual Garlic Bulbs

One may wonder how the actual garlic cloves can help you determine if they’re ready as they sit below the dirt.  However, if one is seeing all three of the above clues, or at least two of the three clues above the ground they should check below ground and look at a sample of the garlic itself. The trick is to do this in a way that will enable the garlic to continue to grow if it is not yet ready.

Gently remove the dirt from around the stalk being careful not to injure the garlic or harm any of the roots.  It’s important to leave the roots whole. Remove enough soil to enable the bulbs and the formation of the individual garlic cloves to show.

    • Garlic that still has a small head and very little cloves is not ready; recover the bulbs and they will continue to grow! Check back in another week or so!
    • Garlic that is large and well formed is ready!
    • Gently remove the garlic roots and all from the soil.  Remove any large soil clumps however, do not wash them! It’s time to cure your prize.

How to Video

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