While saving
money might not be the driving force behind your home-grown veggie project, you
certainly don’t want to lose money, either. As it happens, garlic is one
of the most cost-effective plants you can grow. What’s even better is that
these little pods are extremely easy to care for, bud beautifully, and are
exceptionally versatile in the kitchen.
1)
Plant the cloves with the root end pointed down, about
2 inches beneath the soil. If you wish, you can cover the planted cloves with a
layer of mulch.
TIP: “Cracking” is when you break the bulbs apart into cloves
for planting. It’s best to separate garlic cloves as close to the planting time
as possible.
2)
During spring growth, garlic needs about an inch of
water each week. However, be sure not to overwater your bulbs once they are
nearing maturity.
TIP: Mulch is a great way to ensure that your garlic is getting
just the right amount of moisture.
3)
As soon as leaf growth begins, start to foliar-feed
your garlic every two weeks. (This is a technique of feeding plants by applying
liquid fertilizer directly to their leaves.)
4)
When roughly half of the leaves turn yellow, it’s time
to harvest!
TIP: During harvesting, if you pull too hard you may break the
stalk from the bulb, which can cause it to rot. Instead, carefully dig up each
bulb from below.
5)
Tie the garlic together in bundles and hang them to
cure for about 5 weeks in a shady, dry area.
TIP: When your garlic is dry, recycled mesh bags are great for
storage!
By Sarah G. Mason
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