Planting Garlic

 

Last Fall was the first time I had ever planted garlic.  I purchased organic garlic at the grocery store and planted the cloves in a section of one of my raised garden beds.  I added bunny litter on top and hoped for the best.  It came up in the spring and I harvested it in late June.  Let me tell you something.  There is nothing better than your own homegrown garlic.

 

This year's yield - not bad for my first try!

I used the majority of what I harvested in several of my canning projects this year including some very delicious black bean corn salsa.  In fact, it was the only garlic I used in the canning projects I did that required garlic.  Fresh garlic tastes so much better, minces so much better and I couldn’t have been happier about my first attempt at garlic farming.  The only complaint I had was that I would’ve liked a bit more.  It was that good.

 

Two large garlic bulbs set me back over $10
I hope they grow!

This year I picked up garlic cloves at the feed store and they were expensive.  But I wanted to go legit and try it out to see how it compares to what I did last year.  I’m sure I’ll bet a better yield and some bigger bulbs, at least that is what I’ve been led to believe.  We shall see.

 

Last year's garlic on the left
This year it is planted on the right of that bed

Because garlic is a heavy feeder I wanted to give it the best chance I could so this year I planted in a section of the garden I didn’t use this year.  It was where I had attempted to grow cucumbers, but the grasshoppers made sure that didn’t happen.  Instead I dumped bunny litter in that area and tilled it in.  Then I laid down some fertilizer pellets and planted the cloves.  After a layer of mulch they were ready for their winter nap and hopefully in the spring they will pop up and get to growing.  Once that happens they will get some more fertilizer and a fresh layer of bunny love.

 

If you have never planted your own garlic I strongly recommend that you try it.  You can grow it in a flower pot if you don’t have a garden.  There is simply nothing like crushing open a freshly harvested clove of garlic to cook with.