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How To Grow Garlic Question
- Thread starter jglass
- Start date
K
KYHeirloomer
Guest
The answer is: Yes you can.
The new question is: Why would you want to?
90% of the garlic sold in markets is California White (either California Early or California Late), marketed by the great garlic coop at Gilroy, California. It is, arguably, the worst of the 559 named garlic varieties.
The exception is the artichoke-type you sometimes find, which is imported from Peru. That's a better tasting garlic that the California White. But there are others much better.
Either way, however, garlic is so cheap in the markets there is no reason to grow those types on your own.
If you order so-called "gourmet" garlic, from places like Garlic Smith, Bluemoon Farm (right here in Kentucky, btw), and Fileree Farms it initially seems expensive. Up to $15/lb. But garlic's return on investment is so high that the initial purchase price seems irrelevent.
I once analyzed the return for somebody. If you assume 100% growth (not unusual with garlic) and replanting 100% of the bulbs you produce, then by the third year the cost per bulb runs something like .009 cents.
Anyway, the down side is that most people place their orders in the spring, for fall delivery. If you first order now it's possible that the varieties you want may not be available.
FWIW, I'm giving a presentation on garlic growing at the Laurel Cty. Library next week. If you can make it, it will start at 5:30 on the 11th.
The new question is: Why would you want to?
90% of the garlic sold in markets is California White (either California Early or California Late), marketed by the great garlic coop at Gilroy, California. It is, arguably, the worst of the 559 named garlic varieties.
The exception is the artichoke-type you sometimes find, which is imported from Peru. That's a better tasting garlic that the California White. But there are others much better.
Either way, however, garlic is so cheap in the markets there is no reason to grow those types on your own.
If you order so-called "gourmet" garlic, from places like Garlic Smith, Bluemoon Farm (right here in Kentucky, btw), and Fileree Farms it initially seems expensive. Up to $15/lb. But garlic's return on investment is so high that the initial purchase price seems irrelevent.
I once analyzed the return for somebody. If you assume 100% growth (not unusual with garlic) and replanting 100% of the bulbs you produce, then by the third year the cost per bulb runs something like .009 cents.
Anyway, the down side is that most people place their orders in the spring, for fall delivery. If you first order now it's possible that the varieties you want may not be available.
FWIW, I'm giving a presentation on garlic growing at the Laurel Cty. Library next week. If you can make it, it will start at 5:30 on the 11th.
jglass
New member
Jon's Dad has started eating more garlic and wants to grow it in his garden.
Its not a matter of cost it is a matter of finding it at all and getting some that is fresh.
Last two times I bought it here in town it was so old my knife literally bounced off of it when I tried to peel it. Our Thai friend gave me some elephant garlic. I think Ill give that to him to use along with what ever he wants to grow.
Thanks for the help Brook. We appreciate it.
Its not a matter of cost it is a matter of finding it at all and getting some that is fresh.
Last two times I bought it here in town it was so old my knife literally bounced off of it when I tried to peel it. Our Thai friend gave me some elephant garlic. I think Ill give that to him to use along with what ever he wants to grow.
Thanks for the help Brook. We appreciate it.
K
KYHeirloomer
Guest
You know that Elephant Garlic is not really garlic?
It's a bulbing leek, and has a very mild garlic flavor. You grow it the same way as garlic, or any other fall-planted allium.
I hope you didn't interpret what I wrote as that you shouldn't grow garlic. Far from it. I was suggesting you get varieties other than the California White.
Probably the number one general purpose garlic (and one that makes the very best roast garlic) is Shvelisi. Most of the time you'll find it marketed as Chesnook Red. It's got a lot of garlic flavor, but relatively little heat, and none of the bitterness you often find in California White. Most suppliers carry it.
At the Bluegrass Farmers Market there's a vendor from down Casey Cty. way who was selling "Blue Garlic." I'd never heard that name before. What he had was one of the best-tasting purple striped types I've ever tried, and I'm trying to talk him out of a few cured heads to use as seed stock.
Do you need culturing instructions?
It's a bulbing leek, and has a very mild garlic flavor. You grow it the same way as garlic, or any other fall-planted allium.
I hope you didn't interpret what I wrote as that you shouldn't grow garlic. Far from it. I was suggesting you get varieties other than the California White.
Probably the number one general purpose garlic (and one that makes the very best roast garlic) is Shvelisi. Most of the time you'll find it marketed as Chesnook Red. It's got a lot of garlic flavor, but relatively little heat, and none of the bitterness you often find in California White. Most suppliers carry it.
At the Bluegrass Farmers Market there's a vendor from down Casey Cty. way who was selling "Blue Garlic." I'd never heard that name before. What he had was one of the best-tasting purple striped types I've ever tried, and I'm trying to talk him out of a few cured heads to use as seed stock.
Do you need culturing instructions?
K
KYHeirloomer
Guest
It's really easy, Janie.
You can plant anytime you can work the soil. I usually shoot for Thanksgiving weekend, but have actually planted as late as Christmas week.
Prep the soil. Work in lots of compost (garlic prefers a light, airy soil, but will grow in almost anything). Then amend the soil with bone meal, dried blood, and wood ashes at the rate of 1 cup each for every ten row feet.
With your hoe or other tool, dig a furrow about two inches deep. Pop the garlic cloves (i.e., separate them from the bulb), and plant them 4-6 inches apart by pushing the root end down into the bottom of the trench so the tip is barely showing. Back-fill the trench, and mound it with two inches of additional soil. That way you won't have to mulch it. But you can, if you want. Straw works best.
If the garlic should sprout before going winter-dormant, don't worry about it. Worst that will happen is that the leaf tips will get frost bitten. But the garlic will start regrowing in about February.
Alternatively, if you want to plant it in a block instead of a row, amend the soil as noted. Then lay down a panel of lattice. Plant one clove centered in each opening. You now have both perfect spacing, and a weed guard.
Once the garlic starts growing in the spring keep in scrupulously weeded. It doesn't tolerate competition.
Long about may, side-dress with the same amendments, at the same rate.
Most garlic ripens in Kentucky in July. About three weeks before (say, about the tenth of June) stop watering. The garlic will tell you when it's ready, because the leaves will start to turn yellow, then brown. When 2/3 of the leaves have turned, you can lift the bulbs. Be sure and dig them. Trying to pull the plants up by the leaves just doesn't work.
You can use garlic fresh. But you'll want to cure most of it, both for table use and as seed stock. Reserve your largest bulbs for seed.
Bundle the garlic in groups of about ten plants. Hang them in a warm, airy place, but not in direct sunlight. When the leaves, right up to the neck, are brown and dry, the garlic is ready, and you can store it away.
BTW, hardneck garlic, about a month before its ripe, sends up scapes---rond stems with a bulbous mass on the tip. You want to break those off for two reasons. First, they're a culinary treat of their own. And second, if you leave them on they divert some of the plant's energy away from the bulb.
You can plant anytime you can work the soil. I usually shoot for Thanksgiving weekend, but have actually planted as late as Christmas week.
Prep the soil. Work in lots of compost (garlic prefers a light, airy soil, but will grow in almost anything). Then amend the soil with bone meal, dried blood, and wood ashes at the rate of 1 cup each for every ten row feet.
With your hoe or other tool, dig a furrow about two inches deep. Pop the garlic cloves (i.e., separate them from the bulb), and plant them 4-6 inches apart by pushing the root end down into the bottom of the trench so the tip is barely showing. Back-fill the trench, and mound it with two inches of additional soil. That way you won't have to mulch it. But you can, if you want. Straw works best.
If the garlic should sprout before going winter-dormant, don't worry about it. Worst that will happen is that the leaf tips will get frost bitten. But the garlic will start regrowing in about February.
Alternatively, if you want to plant it in a block instead of a row, amend the soil as noted. Then lay down a panel of lattice. Plant one clove centered in each opening. You now have both perfect spacing, and a weed guard.
Once the garlic starts growing in the spring keep in scrupulously weeded. It doesn't tolerate competition.
Long about may, side-dress with the same amendments, at the same rate.
Most garlic ripens in Kentucky in July. About three weeks before (say, about the tenth of June) stop watering. The garlic will tell you when it's ready, because the leaves will start to turn yellow, then brown. When 2/3 of the leaves have turned, you can lift the bulbs. Be sure and dig them. Trying to pull the plants up by the leaves just doesn't work.
You can use garlic fresh. But you'll want to cure most of it, both for table use and as seed stock. Reserve your largest bulbs for seed.
Bundle the garlic in groups of about ten plants. Hang them in a warm, airy place, but not in direct sunlight. When the leaves, right up to the neck, are brown and dry, the garlic is ready, and you can store it away.
BTW, hardneck garlic, about a month before its ripe, sends up scapes---rond stems with a bulbous mass on the tip. You want to break those off for two reasons. First, they're a culinary treat of their own. And second, if you leave them on they divert some of the plant's energy away from the bulb.
M
mrsjimmyp
Guest
Garlic is easy to grow...I have grown it before and it always grows very well.