Growing Garlic
by Erica Renaud and Scott Vlaun

The ancient Romans Juvenal, the poet, and Pliny, the naturalist and writer, mockingly report that in Egypt, garlic and onion were esteemed as gods. In fact, the Egyptians took their oaths upon them. Clay models of garlic bulbs found in Egypt date to 3000 B.C., and actual bulbs, dating to 1500 B.C., were found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Garlic has since been revered by countless cultures for its medicinal and culinary powers. The Latin name for garlic means "cultivated onion," while the common name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon garleac, or "spear-leek."

Garlic plants are easy to grow and reach in excess of 3 feet tall when flowering. The leaves are flat, grasslike, and very pointed. Hardneck garlic forms many small white flowers in a round cluster in early summer. Miniature bulbs, called bulbils, may form in the flower head. The underground bulbs contain four to twenty cloves encompassed in a paperlike covering—one layer for each leaf on the plant.

All domesticated garlic fall into two distinct sub-species.

1. Hardneck (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon): Hardneck varieties are further classified into Purple Stripe, Porcelain, and Rocambole types. They send up a central stalk, called a scape, which, if left to mature, is topped with a flowering seed cap. They typically have large, easy-peeling cloves, and a rich, aromatic flavor that is not too spicy. They often develop more colorful bulbs and offer a wider range of flavors than softneck varieties. They are preferred for northern climates and can generally be stored for three to six months.

2. Softneck (Allium sativum var. sativum): Also called braiding garlic, softneck garlics are divided into Silverskin, Artichoke, and Turban types. They usually do not produce a flower spike, are easier to grow, more productive, and more adaptable to a wider range of climates than the hardneck type. They generally have a spicier flavor and mature faster. Typically, these garlics are grown in southern California and near the Gulf of Mexico where winters are moderate. They can be stored for up to a year or more under proper conditions, with the Silverskin types being the best keepers.

There are hundreds of garlic varieties. Seeds of Change offers fifteen of the finest from around the world.

Seeds of Change Hardneck Varieties Chesnok Red Purple Stripe A colorful strain with rich aroma and lingering, medium-hot flavor. A great baking garlic. NEW! Georgian Crystal Porcelain Enormous, pure-white, densely wrapped bulbs. Rich flavor and large, red, easy-to-peel cloves make this a great roasting garlic. German White Porcelain Paper-white bulbs with tightly wrapped skins. Moderately spicy flavor. Music Pink Rocambole Large cloves and rich flavor. Ideal for roasting. NEW! Persian Star Purple Stripe A good hardneck for warmer climates. Moderately spicy, it retains its flavor when cooked. Averages three to four bulbs per half pound with eight to ten cloves per bulb. Purple Italian Easy Peel Rocambole Extremely vigorous. A favorite of cooks. Spicy, yet pleasant, sweet flavor. NEW! Romanian Red Porcelain An heirloom strain that immigrated from Romania via British Columbia. An excellent keeper for a hardneck type. Spanish Roja Garlic Rocambole Larger and flatter than typical Spanish Roja varieties. Lots of rich garlic flavor.

Seeds of Change Softneck Varieties Chilean Silver Silverskin A luminous, pure-white garlic. Balanced but spicy. Great keeper. Inchelium Red Artichoke Vigorous strain with a mild, lingering flavor that sharpens in storage. Kettle River Giant Garlic Artichoke Productive in all climates. Rich flavor with a medium-hot aftertaste. Mother of Pearl Garlic Silverskin Distinct strain is highly potent and spicy. Exceptionally long-storing variety. NEW! Shantung Purple Turban A distinctive Chinese with a sweet, earthy flavor. Tolerates moderate heat. Early maturing. Tipatilla Garlic Silverskin Pink cloves have a high oil content and a well-balanced, medium-hot flavor. Great keeper. NEW! Transylvanian Artichoke Purchased in a vegetable market in Transylvania in 1994. Mild yet flavorful.

Propagation:

Garlic is propagated by planting cloves (sections of the bulb), or bulbils which are collected from the flowering tops of hardneck types. Each clove or bulbil will develop into a bulb. For the best production, cloves are planted directly into the ground in the fall, four to six weeks before the ground freezes. Garlic can also be sown in early spring. Bulbils are best started in nursery flats in late winter and then planted outside once leaf growth is present. Propagating from bulbils generally produces lower yields and may take two to three years to produce full-size bulbs.

How Much Seed?

The amount of seed garlic you need will depend on the average amount of cloves each pound of planting garlic will yield. The number of bulbs per half pound and cloves per bulb are included in the variety descriptions on our website.

	For the Market Grower... Planting recommendations are for 1,375 pounds, or 10,400 bulbs per acre, planted four inches apart, with eighteen inches between rows. This formula is based on the assumption that each bulb weighs two ounces and the six to eight largest cloves of each bulb are used. This result is of course variable depending on the type and size of the bulbs.

Soils:

Garlic should be grown in well-drained, fertile soil with abundant organic matter. Loam or sandy loam is best, but most soils will produce well with adequate additions of organic matter. The ideal soil pH for garlic is between 6 and 7, although it will tolerate soil pH of between 5.5 and 7.5 with reduced yields. To best avoid disease build-up, plant your garlic in soil where alliums (plants in the onion family) have not been grown in the past five years.

Vernalization:

For the plant to vernalize (be subject to sufficient cold in order to induce bulbing), garlic requires temperatures below 40° for six to eight weeks. e. Once vernalized, the plant initiates bulbing when the day length reaches approximately thirteen hours and soil temperatures are above 60°. Temperatures above 80° speed up bulb formation under favorable day length.

For the Market Grower... In California, application rates of 100 to 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre are applied at planting. In the East, adequate yields are achieved with the application of thirty-five to sixty pounds per acre in the fall, and another twenty pounds per acre applied once or twice in the spring. Rotation of land with legumes may help to reduce these inputs of nitrogen. As adequate sulfur is essential for allicin formation, soils low in sulfur will benefit from 2.2 pounds sulfur per acre, while soils low in phosphorus will benefit from the application of up to 235 pounds per acre, based on soil test results. Most garlic growers remove the scapes (flower stalks) of hardneck garlic as soon as they emerge or when they make their characteristic "loop." This focuses the plant's energy on the bulb. Chopped up, the young scapes make a tasty addition to vegetable stir-fries, soups, and sauces, and they even make a great pizza topping.

Harvesting:

The bulbs are harvested in early summer in areas where the garlic is fall planted, and in mid to late summer in areas where it is spring planted. Harvest is usually done as the plants start to die back and 1/2 to 2/3 of the leaf material is yellow or brown, turning from a succulent, fleshy texture to a dry, papery sheath. The bulbs can be dug with a digging fork or a spade to prevent breaking off the stems.

Processing and Drying:

Once the bulbs are lifted, dry them on racks or by tying the bulbs into small bunches of ten to fifteen bulbs and hanging in a shady place with good air circulation. Allow two to four weeks for drying, then clean the bulbs by peeling off a minimal amount of the outer layers to expose a clean bulb. Trim the stems to an inch or two, trim off roots close to the bulb and brush away any leftover dirt. Additional curing at 80° to 100° for four to six weeks, or until the papery skin changes from pure white to off-white and becomes crisp, will aid in storage.

Storage:

Store your garlic in a cool, dry place in mesh onion bags or paper bags to allow air circulation. You can store a week or two's supply in the kitchen at room temperature as needed.

For the Market Grower... Optimum storage conditions for garlic are eight to ten days at 68°F to 86°F, followed by temperature reduction to 32°F and maintenance at 32+-0.9°F 32(+/-9)°F and relative humidity of 65 to 70 percent, with permanent air circulation. Under these conditions, storage life is 130 to 220 days for hardneck types and over a year for some softnecks, depending on cultivar type and cultivation practices.

Dehydrating Your Garlic:

Garlic may be dehydrated at temperatures up to 140°F, while retaining maximum flavor, but for maximum retention of beneficial enzymes, it is suggested that temperatures not exceed 115°F. To learn how to make your own fresh garlic powder, see Herrick Kimball's Making Great Garlic Powder. www.whizbangbooks.com

Yield:

In general, one pound of planted garlic yields five to seven pounds of harvested bulbs. Yields reflect the variety used, soil quality, moisture, nutrition, weed competition, and planting density. Good commercial garlic-yields in California are ten tons per acre for dehydrator garlic and seven tons per acre for fresh-market garlic. Individual garlic bulbs can weigh up to 5 ounces depending on cultivar and conditions.

Disease:

For the home gardener, garlic is generally a pretty disease-free crop. Rotating locations and careful watering should suffice to control most problems. If gophers are a problem, placing chicken wire under and around you beds may foil them. Be careful not to tear it when digging the bulbs.

For the Market Grower... Reductions in yields may indicate the presence of viruses, particularly onion yellow dwarf virus. Virus-free stock should be sought. The most damaging pest in commercially grown garlic in America is the stem and bulb nemator (Ditylenchus dipsaci), followed by onion thrips (Hylemya antiqua), which are minor pests. Garlic is also subject to attacks of downy mildew (Peronospora destructor), basal or bottom rot (Fusarium oxysporum), clove rot (Penicillium corymbiferum), white rot (Slerotium ceprvorum), onion smut (Urocystis magica), neck rot (Botrytis allii), and pink root (Pyrenochaeta terrestris). Stored bulbs may be attacked by the eriophyid mite (Aceria tulipae). Ron England's Growing Great Garlic has good information on identifying and controlling pests. Also see the ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) website to locate further information.

Medicinal Use:

Throughout history garlic has been known as a powerful medicinal. It is predominantly used to treat cardiac disease, specifically high blood pressure. Allicin, the primary active ingredient in garlic, is known to be a potent blood thinner: it dissolves blood clots and elevates the blood's high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, while lowering the low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides.

Garlic is also known to be effective against bacteria, stopping their action or killing them, depending upon the organism. Garlic is also effective against fungus (especially yeast). internal parasites (such as worms and protozoa), insects, and, to some degree, nematodes. Garlic also retards lipoprotein oxidation, lowers blood sugar, inhibits tumor development, and relieves asthmatic symptoms, flatulence, and abdominal distention. The diallyl sulfide in garlic is a thought to be a potent inhibitor of colon cancer.

Grow Your Own:

Growing and using your own garlic can be a life-changing experience. Organically grown garlic from your garden bears little resemblance to the ubiquitous over-stored bulbs generally available at grocery stores, much of which is shipped from as far away as China and may be over a year old by the time it reaches your kitchen. By offering our fifteen varieties in half pound portions, we hope to encourage you to plant a few different types, to see which ones are best adapted to your growing conditions and which ones appeal to your palate. Grow your own! You'll be rewarded with unequalled taste, nutrition, and beauty.