Garlic Sultop 3's9084029

Garlic is most definitely one of the ancient crops, with evidence of its uses going back thousands of years. Today it was one of the most widely used spices in cuisine across the world. It also has numerous medicinal properties. It is an extremely popular crop for growers both beginners and experienced growers will have this growing in their garden.

When growing garlic, select a spot with maximum sun exposure to allow the bulbs to grow quickly to reach good sizes. The soil should be well draining with little chance of waterlogging. If the soil is too moist the bulbs will begin to rot before they have a chance to fully develop. Garlic does especially well in raised vegetable beds. Incorporating a mix of dried compost matter and sand to your soil will both enrich the soil quality while also ensuring optimal drainage. Despite the fact garlic requires plenty of sun exposure; it also needs cooler conditions with temperatures of no higher than 10 degrees Celsius. It is for this reason planting is recommended between Autumn and early spring. If temperatures become too warm, cloves will fail to form on the bulb. When planting your garlic with a spacing of approximately 25cm between cloves, with at least the same distance between the rows. Plant the cloves with the pointed end of the clove facing upwards. Cover the cloves with about 2cm of soil.

Similar to onions, garlic will be ready to harvest once the leaves have yellowed, however it is vital to harvest the bulbs before the leave have dropped over. Use a trowel to gentle pull up the bulbs, taking care not to bruise or damage the skin of the bulbs. The bulbs should be dried for 3 - 4 weeks either outside in the sun or if conditions are too damp, in a drying shed in net bags.