Kitchen Garden

GARLIC

When, during the Second World War, French sailors based on the Isle of Wight complained of the lack of garlic in the food they were given, a local publican contacted a friend in Special Operations Executive who was flying agents into France. After one night ‘drop', so the story goes, the pilot returned with two sacks of garlic bulbs that were taken to the Isle of Wight. The palates of the French sailors were satisfied, the publican planted garlic cloves on his farm and, 75 years later, the island is the largest garlic producer in Britain.

Apparently we now eat more garlic than the French. The growing of garlic in this country is fairly simple, given a light soil and a reasonable amount of sun. Individual cloves should be planted now or during the winter months (pointed end upwards), about three inches

deep and nine inches apart. Harvesting should take place in July or August, as soon as the foliage turns yellow and begins to droop.

At this stage timing is important, and the bulbs should be dried in the sun, if there is any, before they are hung in a shed or garage. Last year mine began to go soft and mushy after no more than a few weeks, perhaps because I left the plants in the ground for too long, or should have dried them more thoroughly.

You are advised not to plant cloves of garlic bought in a supermarket, as they may contain a virus. Probably the best source is The Garlic Farm, at Newchurch on the Isle of Wight, which stocks about 15 different varieties, including elephant garlic and one or two with a stronger flavour from Eastern Europe.

I have grown Solent Wight successfully, but this year, to commemorate the centenary of the ending of the First World War, it might be appropriate to plant Picardy Wight. This was originally grown in that part of northern France where the battles of the Western Front were fought, and in the British army wounds were treated with garlic juice as an antiseptic.