As many of you know, this past year was my first year in a very long time to once again have a garden. And as many of you also know, even though I live on a generous 5 acres, I actually do not have the option of having a garden directly in the ground. So, all of my gardening is done in containers. My husband actually built me two large, rugged and sturdy garden beds that measure 3′ X 6′ and are quite deep. You can read about them here: https://shesinherelement.com/2022/04/14/diy-raised-garden-beds-part-1/
Well, I learned that I need 1-2 more garden beds so I can grow more. I have a much better sense of what I’m doing and what I want, and garlic has ALWAYS been part of that plan. I just had to wait for this glorious time of year to get my first ever cloves in the ground. I don’t have any bulbs to break into cloves for planting but not to worry. Through my research I discovered that you could go to your local farm or mercantile and purchase bulbs of organic garlic to separate and plant which is exactly what I did.
I started by tilling my area by hand. The mixture that was put in the raised beds initially was a very rich and nutritious blend. Garlic thrives in nutrient rich; well-drained soil and this spot checks off both of those boxes. It also prefers full sun year-round. I have that covered too. I did add just a little bit more of compost from last year’s pile and turned that into the dirt before digging my trenches. Garlic should be at least 3″ down in the ground. I believe I went about 5″ deep. The cloves should be planted 6″ apart and each row should also be 6″ away from each other. I was able to get 2 rows with 8 cloves in each row. Now that isn’t enough to preserve and last me a year. I just don’t have the space to achieve that unless I solely wanted to grow garlic, but I am hoping for a solid little harvest that I can enjoy a few great dishes with. I’d also like to save a couple bulbs and separate the cloves for planting in the fall of 2023 to keep this going, only this time I would be able to use garlic these Christian hands grew. Once each row was planted and before the next one was dug, I covered the planted row with the soil.
As a protector I also covered the entire bed with a nice thick layer of straw. This helps to keep the soil and its contents insulated through the New England winter. If you do not have straw available you can also use newspaper, leaves, pine needles or even grass clippings. Those are all great choices because they will decompose into the soil nicely creating even more nutrients for the plants its housing. Once the bed was covered, I also gave it a nice drink of water thoroughly wetting the straw. This helps to keep the straw from blowing away by giving it a little weight through the water, and the water is obviously beneficial to the bulbs we just planted. The day I planted them was a beautiful sunny day and fairly warm so my outside spicket was still on and able to provide water easily. I will give it water a couple more times I’m sure on those unseasonable warm days we seem to have, and I will continue to do so until the ground freezes. Then you just let the garlic do its thing undisturbed through the winter months and in the spring, you should see some action happening when you clean out the beds from their winter slumbers and start providing them once again with a daily watering. From seed (clove) to harvest is approximately 9 months. Nine short months until this Portuguese girl can enjoy some homegrown garlic in her culinary masterpieces.
I’m very excited to see how this turns out next year. I use a lot of garlic in my cooking. My family loves the flavor. It’ll be a proud mama moment next year if I can cook up a delicious meal for my family using garlic grown right here in my backyard.
Garlic is an easy root vegetable to grow. It is part of the onion family and has been around for several thousand years. It not only has a multitude of culinary uses, but it also has medicinal purposes and is beneficial vegetable to add to your diet. The strong pungent smell is the only drawback. It does come through loud and clear on your breath after you’ve eaten some. It was a vegetable that Queen Elizabeth herself banned from the royal kitchens for that very reason. She found it quite offensive. I find it quite delicious, but I am cautious about ordering dishes that contain garlic if we are out to dinner with friends or at a function. I’d rather not be reeking of garlic as I conversed and socialized. But I do enjoy it when I cook. It’s simple to grow and can be grown anywhere so no excuses… go grow some garlic!
If you ‘d like to watch me plant and prepare the space for the garlic, you can do so by clicking here.
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