I just love garlic, and I love the fact that not only does it taste great, but is is so good for you too! Of all the herbs you can learn to grow, this one should definitely have a place in your garden.

Garlic is, of course, a member of the onion family, and thrives in a rich well-drained soil. It actually originated in Central Asia (and not the Mediterranean, surprisingly!) although it will grow very well in the North of Europe. Garlic loves the summer sun.

Garlic is an antiseptic, and will also boost your immune system. If you feel a bit of a cold or flu coming on, it is a great idea to increase your intake of fresh garlic.

As a source for your crop, the easiest is to use last year’s crop, or better still, you may have some unused garlic cloves that are starting to go to seed – excellent. Once you have prepared you soil (more on this later), take the cloves and insert them, pointy end up, into the soil as far as your finger allows. Space them about 9 inches apart.  And the bigger the clove you use, the bigger will be the plant it produces. Keep the area weed free and watered.

Once the roots take hold and the tops appear above ground, garlic likes a bit of lower temperature (say 40-60 degrees F). Planting just before winter is best for this very reason, say towards the end of Fall. The colder temperature helps to divide the plant into separate cloves..

Freshly picked garlic has that extra flavor and is a joy to behold. Once you harvest your first produce you will be hooked!
To learn about my favorite herbs see my website.

Colin West

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