Top crop: Garlic
the shortest day occurring this month serves as a timely reminder to get garlic in the ground. winter chills and short days are exactly what garlic needs to activate its growing process.
Garlic is grown by planting individual cloves in the ground. For those of you who have saved your own seed garlic, well done – remember only to plant the biggest and best cloves and use the rest in the kitchen. discard anything with blemishes on the clove.
Seed-grade garlic is in garden centres now and available online through various seed and bulb companies.
how to plant garlic
Garlic requires full sun; it is not a crop that will flourish in shade. It needs a warm soil to help fatten the cloves from late spring into the summer growing season. avoid planting garlic in the same position in the garden where possible, especially if rust was a problem last season.
aim for the soil to be loose and fertile. dig the ground over with a fork before planting and blend in compost, chicken manure or other organic matter prior to planting. nourish the ground with blood and bone or a seaweed plant food before planting.
only plant the fattest cloves. Plant them 5cm deep, with the pointy end of the clove facing up. the point should be 5cm below the soil surface. Plant cloves 10–15cm apart to ensure each plant is not competing with its neighbour for food and water and has room to develop the biggest crop.
a layer of mulch around garlic helps keep the weeds away, and it insulates the ground at the same time.
harvesting
Garlic is a long-term crop, which takes six to eight months to mature from planting of the clove. this can vary based on climatic conditions and the variety grown.
Lift the bulbs once the leaves die off. When the leaves wilt, that indicates the bulbs have stopped growing.
allow heads to dry in the sun before hanging in a dry spot. Garlic heads will easily keep for six months in the right spot away from moisture.