Garlic Awaits Its Day in the Soil
Thursday, October 26, 2006
A paper bag is no place for garlic bulbs. Not when they should be in the ground by now, that is. But here they are -- still in the bags, still in the box -- waiting patiently for their date with the soil. This weekend, I hope to deliver this precious cargo to its next destination: our plot.
This year, we decided to go exclusively with the German Extra Hardy garlic. We planted this kind in each of the past two years and we've been very happy with it. We've also tried two Russian varieties, but each year, the German garlic has been our favorite because it grows the largest bulbs. A few of them have grown as large as tennis balls!
Of the three different types of garlic we've grown, I've never really distinguished a difference in flavor. I'm sure there must be a difference; I just could never tell. In all cases, though, the home-grown garlic has been much stronger and more pungent than any of the garlic I've bought from any grocery store. It is fresher. More fragrant. Strong. I love it!
I purchased six bulbs this year from Seed Savers Exchange. I've been really happy with the garlic they sent us in the past, so why stop now? They even included a handy Garlic Planting Guide with my order. It has lots of helpful tips on growing and harvesting this wonderful herb. Nice folks those Seed Savers people, nice folks.
2 Comments:
I love garlic, but I haven't tried growing it yet. Maybe I'll try planting some next fall. There seems to be a lot out there. Thanks for offering some suggestions!
If you grow the same kind of garlic from year to year, why not just set aside a few bulbs for planting?
You will actually get better garlic this way, because by replanting the largest cloves from the best bulbs it will acclimatize itself to your garden.
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