Gaga for garlic
EAT YOUR VEGETABLES: Maryann James posts on vegetable gardening every Tuesday.
Susan recently wrote about planning for fall crops, and ever since I've been dreaming of having my own fall garden. My current crop is looking worse for the wear right now, mainly because of water management issues (Lesson learned: if using terracotta pots, mulch will go a long way.).
But I can start anew in the fall with lettuces! And peas! And broccoli! And I can plan ahead for my dream veggie, garlic.
When I first started planning my garden, I was super psyched about growing my own garlic ... until I realized it was something you plant the fall before. Whoops.
At any rate, I'm on vacation this week (tomorrow, Aug. 5, is my birthday!), I figured I'd share a bit of what I'm likely dreaming about while sitting on the lake shores of Maine. Lobster with garlic butter, anyone?
+ Fine Gardening has a step-by-step guide to growing garlic, along with a breakdown of the different types of garlic. (Softneck tends to be a sturdier option.)
+ Veggie Gardening Tips offers directions on curing garlic (for a long-lasting garlic supply) and, if you're so inclined, drying them.
And when you're done harvesting, you can reference this video on roasting the tasty suckers.
Garlic photo above: Baltimore Sun file photo 2007
Comments
Wow! Garlic farming is more work than it initially seems. When I followed the Fine Gardening links to more links and then more links, it all became a bit overwhelming.
Last fall, someone on my other gardening blog answered (in response to my "What do I have to know to grow garlic?") that all I had to do was stick a couple cloves from my grocery store garlic into the ground. If it is possible to "hear" a cyber tone of voice, his was in the "Duh!" range.
(I've found a problem on several blogs - present company excluded, of course! - on several topics: the know-it-alls who don't know nuthin' are the first to jump in and give (dis)information.)
When I got to Farmer Joe's video this morning, the first thing he said was, "You can't use grocery store garlic." Could explain why I never saw hide nor hair of last fall's garlic. I couldn't even blame the squirrels for this one!
Posted by: Eve | August 4, 2009 9:28 AM
Eve....there is a reason why Garden Variety lacks that know-it-all tone. We don't know very much!!!! But we love our gardens and we like learning more about them. Seems like credential enough!
Posted by: Susan | August 4, 2009 10:30 AM