KEEPING IT TIGHT

After being inspired to plant garlic last winter, I’ve been surprised by how easy it is to grow a decent harvest. The most frustrating and difficult part hasn’t been the weeding or the harvesting, it’s been preparing the bulbs for storage. My first few attempts at plaiting them into neat braids more closely resembled someone’s hair after a particularly hard night.

After finally figuring out it was because the braids weren’t tight enough, I hit upon a great solution. Tie the first three bulbs to your clothesline with some string, then braid downwards, placing the new bulbs in the middle. Doing this lets you keep a nice firm tension on the strands and ensures a tight, neat braid that holds together well. Zara Parsons, AUCKLAND