Growing Your Own Garlic:

Garlic is the member of the onion family t also include shallots and leeks. It has been throughout history been know to be used both in culinary and medicinal purposes. flavor of garlic is a pungent spicy flavor t when cooked sweetens. re is nothing more rewarding n the fresh flavor of home gn garlic.

main part t is used from garlic is the b. It is easily broken apart into ces. ces can be used as seed to replant or for consumption. stems and flowers are also edible and are best when young and tender.

Garlic is easily gn in the home garden. It likes well drained soil h a lot of organics. It is classified under two categories, soft neck and hard neck.

Soft neck garlic is the most common type and is what is most common in supermarkets. It can be mechanically plan hout much damage and stores longer after harvesg.

Hard neck garlic takes a little more care. When plang the ce has to be set h the cn end up. It doesn't store as well after harvesg.

re are many varieties of garlic. Check and make s the variety you choose is sui for your area. If possible buy from local sources.

Soil conditions for garlic is a loamy well drained soil h organic matter and h a ph level of 6.0 - 7.5. A soil t can retain a steady moist content is very important in the gth of garlic throughout the ging season to produce a large healthy productive crop. Stay away from soils t dry out easily or add soil amendments to the soil to improve the soil struct to retain moist. Organic matter in the soil is a key to having a good healthy soil struct. Well rot compost or man as a soil amendment can be added before plang. compost or man should be well rot to a dark, rich, fluffy humus.; This type of soil l fulf the appetite for the rich soil and supply the drainage the soil needs to make garlic thrive and produce a large healthy crop.

Garlic is very easy to plant and is plan from the individual ces of a garlic b. ces are separa by breaking the b apart h your hands, this process is also know as cracking. You can buy garlic bs at some garden centers or you can use the same garlic bs t you would purchase at a supermarket. You l get anywhere from six to twelve usable ces for plang from one b depending on the size. Only plant the larger ces , small ce usually don't produce very large bs.

Pick a location to plant t gets plenty of sunlight for most of the day. Stay away from areas t trees or even other taller garden plants l shade them. Garlic likes full sunlight.

Garlic can be plan in individual or double s. Plant the ces h the poin tip upward. ces should be space apart from six two eight inches in all directions.. Once the ces have been plan place a two inch covering of soil over the top of them. n water h a generous amount of water.

Garlic likes a good steady amount of moist during it's early stages of gth. Having a good soil struct h organic matter t drains well and retains moist along h a four inch loose layer of mulch applied after plang garlic l benefit it's gth.

Watering garlic at it's early stages of it's gth is very important in the development of larger healthy bs. It isn't as important in the last couple of months before harvesg. Mulching l help to retain the moist content in the soil t is needed.

When garlic doesn't receive enough water it l not develop a full size b and when it is over watered the garlic l be of poor quality, the outer skin or wrapping l be pour, there could be bursg of the outer skin and mold can be a problem. Poor quality garlic l not store well after harvesg.

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