Garlic is part of the Allium family and are easy to grow with little maintenance required.
As a key ingredient of many popular dishes, growing garlic is easy for even amateur gardeners. Garlic is a hardy plant that needs very little space and care and in return provides an abundant harvest.
Garlic not only adds flavour to popular Italian and Mediterranean dishes but also has many health benefits. It is high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties and aids in controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. Garlic can help control acne-causing bacteria and also improves immunity.
It is very easy to grow garlic in the UK, all you need is the right soil preparation and sunlight to produce a year-long supply of garlic cloves.
Generally, they are sown during October-November time but can be sown through until February. They like the cold to start with but require well-drained soil to prevent rot. They then require full sun, so ensure they have an open space that is kept weed-free.
Sow directly into the soil, splitting up the bulb into individual cloves and placing them approximately 1 inch into the ground with the pointed end facing upwards and the flat end going into the soil first. Plant each clove about 6 inches apart. You can start them off in pots and plant out if you wish, especially if you have very wet soil. They only need to be moistened slightly if they're kept under cover.
The soil will require some good compost or manure mixed in before you sow. Dig in some lime if you have acidic soil.
Garlic only requires a little watering during dry periods until they are well established or you will risk them going rotten. Do not water from over-head.
To prevent the birds from pinching them, you will be as well to protect them until they become established.
Although you can plant shop bought garlic cloves it is wise to ensure you choose those that you know are from the UK as imported produce may not grow well due to other climate requirements and may also carry disease.
Types of Garlic
The two main types of garlic are Hardneck and Softneck.
When growing garlic of this variety you get more cloves per bulb making them extremely popular. This garlic variant doesn’t have flower spikes and is hence called softneck, because its “neck” remains flexible. Softneck garlic has a milder flavour and can be stored for a longer duration. However, this garlic variant cannot tolerate harsh winter temperatures and therefore is more suited to grow in southern parts of the UK, where the temperatures are milder.
This garlic variant has a few cloves about 10-12 per bulb and has a very strong flavour profile. When growing hardneck garlic, you will notice a flower stalk emerging from the middle and bearing a flowerhead upon maturation. This garlic variant can handle extreme temperatures and can be grown across the UK. However, one downside is that it has a shelf life of only three months.
When planning to grow garlic in the UK choose a location that receives regular sun, and has fertile and free-draining soil, which will not get too wet during the colder months.
Get your garlic bulb from a local nursery or gardening store and not off the supermarket shelves. Break off the cloves and place them in the soil about 2.5 inches from the top with the pointed end facing upwards and the flat end going into the soil first. Plant each clove about 6 inches apart.
Generally, garlic bulbs are sown during October-November but can be sown through until February. They like the cold to start with but require well-drained soil to prevent rot. They then require full sun, so ensure they are in an open space that is kept weed-free.
You can start them off in pots and plant them out once they mature a bit, especially if you have very wet soil. They only need to be moistened slightly if they're kept under cover.
The soil will require some good compost or manure mixed in before you sow. Dig in some lime if you have acidic soil.
Garlic only requires a little watering during dry periods or you will risk them going rotten. Do not water garlic plants from the top, rather place the watering pipe at the ground level. To prevent the birds from destroying young garlic plants, you will need to have a net cover over them until they mature.
It is best to avoid growing garlic that is non-domicile to the UK, as these foreign variants may not be able to adapt to the weather conditions in the UK. Imported garlic often has dormant diseases, which can spread upon germination leading to an outbreak among other allotment crops.
If you are wondering when to pick garlic, the best time is from the end of May to the end of July, especially for the hardneck variant. For the softneck garlic, the best time for harvesting is mid-May to mid-August.
The best way to know when to pick garlic is when the foliage starts to bend and go yellow, like onions, they should be ready for harvesting and can be lifted from the ground. Healthy green leaves can be eaten too. They will generally be ready early summer through to autumn depending on when they were sown.
Harvest garlic bulbs gently by removing the soil around it with a garden fork. Be careful that the bulbs do not disintegrate.
If you do not have a kitchen garden or an allotment space, then you can consider growing garlic in a container. To grow garlic indoors you need a pot that is at least 15 cm deep. Fill the pot with soil and compost mix. Plant the garlic pods 5 cm apart.
In a pot that is 15 cm wide, you can plant 3 cloves, for a 25 cm wide pot, you can plant about 6-8 cloves.
You can add a nitrogen fertiliser to your soil mix. Make sure the soil remains moist and you place the container near the window where it can get uninterrupted sunlight.
To store garlic, you need to dry them. When harvested, the garlic bulb is slightly damp. It needs to be dried in the sun for two to three weeks. After three weeks, you will find the outer skin dry and papery. Before storing, check if any of the bulbs are damaged and remove them.
Garlic should always be stored in a string bag that is well-ventilated. Store it in a dark and cool place to extend its shelf life.
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