Garlic Love! How we love to grow it and eat it!

You’ve been waiting all year for garlic and now is finally the time! Beginning in September when the weather changes and begins to cool off is when you can plant garlic.

Read on to learn all about garlic love. How we love to plant it, grow it, and best of all eat it!

What Garlic Should I Plant?

With so many varieties of garlic available for planting we have put together this handy garlic guide on the popular garlics we carry. How they taste, how much they yield and how long you can store them for.

• Yields 8-10 cloves per bulb.
• Stores 6-7 months
• Flavour-very spicy when eaten raw but mellows when cooked.

• Yields 4-6 large cloves per bulb.
• Stores for 8-9 months
• Flavour- Spicy first bite which fades into a sweet taste.

• Yields 4-6 cloves per bulb.
• Stores 7-9 months
• Flavour-Hot and Spicy!

• Yields 4-6 clovers per bulb.
• Stores 6-8 months
• Flavour-Robust with a spicy initial bite that mellows quickly.

• Yields 6-9 clovers per bulb.
• Stores 2-3 months

Flavour-Milder garlicky flavour without the spiciness

• Yields 8-10 cloves per bulb.
• Stores 6-7 months
• Flavour-very spicy when eaten raw but mellows when cooked.

An honorable mention of a very popular garlic which we carry here and is DV, a garlic which was developed on Lasqueti Island and is now grown locally here in Powell River. Not much at the time of this writing is know on how it tastes, but we can say it yields a min of 6 cloves per bulb and stores very well, over 6 months! We believe it must taste absolutely amazing because it is one of the most popular garlic choices we carry!

The Braid Facts

Garlic braiding was a long time tradition which was used by anyone who grew garlic. It was the best way to dry and store garlic for long term use. As garlic became more readily available in grocery stores, the art of garlic braiding was used less frequently. Today garlic braiding has been making a huge comeback as more of us are loving to grow our own garlic.

However, knowing when to braid though can be tricky. Typically, you can braid 2 weeks after harvesting when it has been quite dry out, or 4 weeks when it is wet and humid. It is important that your garlic is not too wet, or it may mold, but also not too dry as it may break!

Planting for Success

A good garlic harvest begins with a great planting plan.

Here are our tips on planting garlic.

• Break apart your bulbs and always plant tips up!
• Plant 4 – 8” apart and 2” deep.
• Next use bone meal and an all-purpose fertilizer (4-4-4) when planting.
• In addition you can use soil amenders such as azomite, worm castings, seasoil, and compost with your potting mix.
• Finally, cover with mulch. Remove mulch in spring when the last frost has passed.
• In early spring top dress again with your amended soil, worm castings, seasoil and compost. Add bone meal and your 4-4-4 fertilizer to your top dress.
• Keep all weeds away! Your garlic needs every bit of nutrition it can gather.
• Water every 3 – 4 days or more if very dry.

The Health Facts

Oh yes! Eating garlic in not only delicious but is good for you. Furthermore, garlic has been used as a natural remedy for many years. So, are some the best uses for garlic to assist you in having a healthy lifestyle.

Body Pain

Use garlic oil to help relive body pains, apply directly to your skin where your body aches.

Ear & Eyesight

The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of garlic will help speed up the healing process if ear infections.

Garlic fights the microbes which cause eyesight keratitis, it also reduces intraocular pressure.

Stabilize Blood Sugars

Consuming garlic will help your body to naturally stabilize your blood sugar levels.

Fights Cancer

Garlic boost the enzymes which destroy carcinogens which can cause cancer.

Heart Healthy

Help reduce cardiovascular disease by enhancing nitric oxide, which is essential to maintaining blood flow.