Growing garlic

Now is the time of year to grow garlic. It really is pretty simple. Here are a few tips.

Traditionally garlic is planted on the shortest day of the year and harvested on the longest day of the year - November is a good time to plant, when the soil is still warm, but is going towards cooler temperatures. Conventional wisdom says that garlic needs a period of cold temperatures before it will form a bulb properly in the following year. Some people do find that garlic can be sown in the spring and will still form a bulb, so don't despair if you have forgotten.... but autumn planting is still best.

Garlic doesn't need a very rich soil, but does prefer a free draining soil - as most of the soil on the allotments is heavy, dig in plenty of organic matter like compost before planting. You will notice that the Italians on our site, who always growing excellent garlic, actually leave the bulb sitting on the soil surface when they plant it. There is a lesson there - don't plant it too deep!

Plant with the flat end down the way - the new green shoot will emerge from the pointy end (a horticultural term) and by spring you'll have a good few inches of growth. General advice says if you are troubled by crows or pigeons you may wish to net your newly planted cloves, as the birds may lift them just for fun. However, if you think about the Italians again, and how they plant them exposed on the soil surface, it doesn't actually seem to be a big problem. Perhaps we have a more discerning type of crow in St Ives.

Your garlic needs little maintenance in the spring and will generally be ready to lift in early July.

Once harvested, dry off for long term storage. Now here is a final tip which I only realised quite recently. When garlic is kept warm, it thinks it is still summer and so won't grow. Conversely when it is cool, it thinks it is autumn and starts to shoot. Therefore unlike most vegetables where we are advised to store them cool, you actually find this works against you with garlic. In fact if you want to keep your garlic well into the new year, and possibly all year round, bring it inside before the weather gets really cold, and keep it at a lowish room temperature (e.g. in a north facing room). That way you will find it doesn't sprout and you dont have to throw half of it away.