Good thing I ran into my friend at the library the other day to answer my garlic questions. I had bought a few pounds of garlic from her last fall and planted about 50 cloves. After seeing the chickens digging around the area I had planted and wondering if the soil was any good, I really didn't have very high hopes.
But grow they did! They added beautiful greenery to the garden in spring when it is still looking pretty brown and then in June we enjoyed the delicious garlic scapes we cut from each plant.
Lately I have noticing the bottom leaves dyeing off and started to wonder when it is time to pull.
I asked my friend how to tell when it is time and she said when there are about 5 good green leaves left on the stem (the bottom ones start to die off - which mine were).
Today after I pulled the first one, I nearly cried - tears of joy, of course!
A beautiful, good sized head of garlic!
So now they are drying on our porch and we will wash and peel the outer layer in a couple of days so that they will keep well.
We have about 50 heads and will use the largest cloves to plant in October.
We will be buying more garlic from my friend again this fall and plan on planting 200 cloves all together.
In addition to supplying our family's year-long needs, I think braided garlic would make great Christmas gifts.
WOW!!! How fantastic! I have never grown garlic before! Yours looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYay! The garlic is beautiful! I tried to start some this spring but it didn't entirely work out so I am looking forward to planting this fall for a harvest next year.
ReplyDeleteI love garlic and feel it is a necessity in our household as we always keep some in our house. Your garlic looks beautiful, congratulations on your first garlic bounty. We are unable to utilize the land we live on, since we rent at the moment, but we look forward to growing much of our food needs in the future. Hopefully we will be as successful as you.
ReplyDeleteTonya...your garlic looks wonderful! We have been growing it for several years, and by far, it is the easiest crop of all. We plant 300 cloves and keep about a quarter for planting in October. The rest I pull as I braid, simply wiping off the dirt as I go. I never wash, though, worrying it may give a little moisture when I'm trying to dry it out ~ I'll be curious to hear how that goes for you. Enjoy your bounty...we eat it like a vegetable every day!
ReplyDeletexo Jules
Jules,
DeleteThe way you do it sounds perfect! I think I will try that.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Love, Tonya
thank you for sharing this, i have never had good luck with garlic and now i know why. i will try again this year. I love your blog btw.
ReplyDeleteWow! The Garlic looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been here in too long, Tonya! I linked through from Renee's (Heirloom Season) where I also hadn't been in ages. Garlic is good...love the gift idea.
ReplyDeleteWarmly, Nicola
Isn't it wonderful!
ReplyDelete