Well dear Readers, having talked about our zombie defense prep, we now turn our attention to growing an effective vampire deterrent. You can never be too careful when you’re living out in the wilds of Northland, you know.
All this to say, I planted garlic last week. It was locally grown organic stuff I found when we visited the Grower’s Market with Mama and Papa. The cloves were lovely — all plump and crisp, and pink-tinged, just as good New Zealand grown garlic should be. Some we used up in dhal and soup, but I held back a couple of bulbs to plant out.
Garlic popping up. I added snail repellant to be on the safe side, although I don’t think snails like garlic.
You don’t need to buy special garlic for planting, supermarket garlic is fine, as long as it’s the NZ grown stuff. That far-too-cheap-and-that-alone-should-make-you-suspicious Chinese garlic apparently doesn’t grow well, and has a reputation for spreading viral disease.
Having purchased your garlic, gently break each bulb into individual cloves, and plant the fattest ones pointy end up under 2.5cm soil. My favorite gardening guru Jonathan Spade cautions not to push them into the soil as it can damage the heel of the bulb and delay root development. Plant now (traditionally on the shortest day) and harvest on the longest. Next year of course you’ll save a few of your own cloves to plant out.
Veggie garden from the back deck. Garlic bed is out of shot top left beyond the strawberry plants
We have trouble growing enough garlic to keep up with our needs. I planted 22 cloves this time, but I suspect we’ll have run out before the year is up. Then our vampire control arsenal will be down to silver bullets and crucifixes. Just as well Forbearing Husband bought the reloading press last year (and I really never thought I’d be saying that, even in jest!).
all smells a little Frenchie to me.
From the man who counts chocolate as a food group. 🙂
IT *IS* A MAJOR FOOD GROUP.
How interesting…
If the vampires come it will get even more interesting. Will keep you posted. Thanks for commenting. Reader number 8! 🙂
Maybe we can try that Lloyd. I’ll get garlic at our next shopping …
Yeah, slam those Westie vampires!
I read somewhere that the fatter the clove you plant the bigger the head of garlic you get later. I wonder if that’s true? Were your cloves of variable size? I also really like eating garlic shoots, which I’ve just discovered this minute are called scapes….
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/garlic/growing-garlic-scapes.htm
I chose the bigger ones as per Jonathan Spade’s instructions. Will be interesting to see how big the bulbs turn out. I imagine there are quite a few other variables as well. My garlic shoots are just too darling at the moment to even consider eating, although looks like scapes are actually the flower stems, the article isn’t very clear on that.
Ah yes, just checked elsewhere and scapes are the flowers and flower stems. Does one want them to flower though if you are to harvest the bulb?
Reader number 9. 🙂
Yes, I think you usually cut the flowers off. But instead of composting them you eat them!
Good. Great use of them then.
Good to see those reader numbers climbing. 🙂
Next new reader comment takes us into DOUBLE DIGITS!
Big time!
Hey Hun,do you know anyone in the South Island?
Garlic from there,I have found to be far superior and Hardy
Grows and multiplies extremely well.
As far south as Arrow Town is best.
Good tip. I will ask the Older Brother of the Forbearing Husband from the southern reaches of the Mainland about supply. 🙂
Good to know. But my N Island garlic appear to be rising to the challenge too! Lovely crisp cool sunny weather to greet them?