Of all the plants we grow in the garden, garlic, a bulbous hardy perennial, must be the most pungent. Related to onions and a member of the lily family, garlic is one of the oldest known cultivated plants. It is native to central Asia and has long has been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as Africa, Asia, and Europe. Egyptians worshipped garlic, placing it in tombs to help sustain the dead, and at one time it was so esteemed that it was even used as currency. Folklore credits garlic with everything from protecting against demons and the Black Death to having aphrodisiacal qualities. Despite the legends, garlic has powerful herbal medicinal properties and is completely safe. Well over a thousand published research papers extol its virtues, including lowering blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol; protecting against blood clots and strokes; and fighting infections.

In the U.S., garlic was snubbed and generally found only in ethnic dishes until well into the twentieth century. Americans finally succumbed to its allure in the 1940’s, appreciating its value as a main ingredient in recipes, not just a minor seasoning. Today we consume more than 250 million pounds of garlic a year.

There’s something satisfying about digging up a flawless head of garlic in summer, roughly nine months after planting cloves in a sunny spot. Garlic is well suited to our climate and keeps beautifully as the dry summer air cures the skins to perfection.

Garlic is divided into two groups: soft neck (Allium sativum) and hard neck (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon). Soft neck types, such as Silverskin, are very productive because they don’t produce a seed stalk, have a shelf life of up to eight months, and are easy to braid. Hard neck varieties, such as Rocambole, cannot be braided due to a stiff stalk and don’t keep as long, but they grow better in colder climates and are known for their stronger flavor. Microclimates can have an effect on stalk formation as well as taste, so try a few different varieties and then choose the ones that perform the best at your site. Uncommon varieties may be purchased at nurseries or farmers’ markets.

Planting
October is the time to plant. For best bulb formation, the soil should be well-drained and high in organic content, so amend the soil, especially clay soil, with plenty of compost before planting. Planting the largest cloves will produce the largest cloves, which tend to be easier and faster to peel.

Break a head of garlic into cloves and plant each clove separately, root side down, three to four inches apart and one to two inches deep. If the garden soil is rich, there will be no need for fertilizer at planting, according to Steve Solomon’s Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades. For poor soil, Solomon advises banding complete organic fertilizer close to the cloves, about one half cup per five-foot row. Then, in February, side-dress with three or four tablespoons of a high nitrogen product, like seed meal, worm castings, or guano. For the largest bulbs, side-dress again around the first of April with complete organic fertilizer mixed in shallowly next to the plants. Weeds will take nutrients from the soil, so keep the area weeded and apply mulch in April while the soil is still moist.

Winter rains will provide for the plants’ water needs, although watering may be necessary if springtime is warm and dry. Don’t irrigate after late June or a few weeks before harvest, which is usually done in July.

Harvest
The type of garlic you grow will determine how you decide when to harvest. Soft neck varieties will simply brown off like onions and can be dug when the lower third of the leaves has died back. Hard neck varieties generally mature a bit later and send up a seed stalk. When the seed is mature, so is the bulb, although it may be best to remove the cluster so that energy will instead be directed to the bulb. Try to dig the bulbs before the outer skins dry out so that the dirty outer layers may be carefully peeled off (rather than washed off). If the bulb remains in the ground too long, the cloves will separate and soil will enter between them. When in doubt, dig up one bulb to test its maturation (if bulbs don’t come up easily with a gentle tug, gently spade around the plant to loosen it up).

Bulbs should be cured indoors in a dry, dark place with good air circulation, braided or tied and hung. Storing garlic in a cool dry place will provide savory enjoyment well into winter.

Eileen Stark is owner of Second Nature Garden Design, which offers sustainable landscape design in the Portland area. She can be reached at 503-467-8545 or sngd@comcast.net. All photos copyright Eileen Stark