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v3.1

CONTENTS

Cover

TitlePage

Copyright

Introduction

MeettheExpert

Chapter1:ABriefHistoryofGarlic

Chapter2:TypesandStructures

Chapter3:GrowingandCompanionPlanting

Chapter4:HarvestingandCuringtheBulb

Chapter5:StorageandPreservation

Chapter6:DiseasesandPests

Chapter7:CulinaryUses

Chapter8:HealingUses

FinalNotes

Recipes

Resources

G

INTRODUCTION

arlic is perhaps one of the most well-known, well-loved, andfrequentlyusedspicesintheworld.Butforallitspopularityasaspice,itisconsideredtobearootvegetable,relatedtotheonion

family,allofwhicharepartofthelilyfamily.Alsocalledthe“stinkingrose,”anamethatdatesbacktotheGreeks

andRomans,thoughthereasonisnotclear,garliccanbefoundintheculinaryrootsofmanycultures,includingItalian,Asian,Greek,French,Spanish,SouthAmerican,andofcourseNorthAmericancuisine. Ithasplayedapartinformingtraditions,legends,andlore,frombeingusedinthe mummification process to its use as a vampire repellent, as anelement to ward off evil, and as being eaten by Roman soldiers forcourage before a battle. It was even considered good luck in someculturesifoneshoulddreamaboutgarlicinthehome.Today, garlic remains a favorite, not only for its strong flavor and

versatility as a foodstuff, but for its health benefits as well. Toasted,roasted,braised,andsliced,weusegarlicinaseeminglyendlessstreamofrecipes,handeddownthroughthegenerations,evenaswecontinuetocreatenewmenuoptionsfromscratch.Itisavailableforpurchasefreshfromthefarmorpreparedinthegrocerystoreaspeeled,dicedinoilorwater, and powdered. We have even taken to growing it in our ownvegetable,herb,and flowergardens,asgarlic takes itsplaceaspartoftherecentresurgenceofhome-grownfoods.Garlichas thereforeremainedastaple inmanyhouseholds.Just like

saltandpepper,therearethosewhotakegarlicforgrantedintheirdailymenuplans, anddonot evenconsider leavinggarlicoutof their spicerack.Overthecourseofthechaptersthatfollow,you’llhavethechance

to learn a little bit about this oh-so popular spice, including variousgrowing techniques and new and exciting ways to use garlic in yourdailylife.

MEETTHEEXPERT

KimPezza grewup among orchards and dairy and beef farms havinglivedmostofherlifeintheFingerLakesregionofNewYorkstate.Shehas raised pigs, poultry and game birds, rabbits and goats, and isexperiencedingrowingherbsandvegetables.Inhersparetime,Kimalsoteachesworkshopsinavarietyofareas,fromartandsimplecomputersfor seniors, tomakingherbbutter,oils,andvinegars.Shecontinues tolearn new techniques and skills and is currently looking to turn hergrandparents’1800sfarmintoasmall,workinghomestead.

E

CHAPTER1

ABRIEFHISTORYOFGARLICverythinghasitsstory,andgarlicisnodifferent.ThewordgarlicoriginatesfromtheOldEnglishwordgarleac,whichmeans“spearleek.”Bycontrast,thebotanicalnameofgarlic,Alliumsativum,is

thought to have come from the Celtic word all, meaning “pungent.”Originally native to central Asia, garlic is perhapsmost recognized asbeing a staple in variousMediterraneandishes. This special vegetable,consideredbotharootvegetableandaspice,hasactuallybeeninuseforover 7,000 years in a variety of places and cultures. Used for bothculinary and medicinal needs, garlic is also one of the earliest-documentedplantstobeusedforbothgeneralhealthneedsaswellasatreatmentfordisease.Inotherwords,besidesbeingusedtotreatspecificillnesses, itwas generally agreedupon that eating garlicwas good foryou, whether youwere ill or healthy. Discussions about its uses haveevenbeenfoundinancientmedicalbooks.But there ismore to thisodd little rootvegetableandspicepackage

thanmeetstheeye.Let’stakeabrieflookatsomeofthehistorybehindgarlic,alongwithabitofthefolklorethatgoeswithit.

Garlic’sRoleinAncientTimesIn ancient times, garlic’s potent odor ledmany to believe that it was

powerful insomeway.Thequestionwas inwhatway. Insomeplaces,garlicwas thought to be an aphrodisiac. But in central Europe it wassaidtowardoffwerewolvesandvampires;itwasthoughtthat,byeitherwearingitonyourpersonorhangingitonyourdoor,youwouldkeepaway evil. In India as well, hanging garlic (along with red chili andlemon)was,andstillis,believedtowardoffevilwhenhungatthedoor.Evenas farasthePhilippinesgarlicwasthoughttodriveawaynearbymonsters. But, in complete contrast, theMongolEmpireused garlic ascurrency.Youcanfindinstancesofpeopleusinggarlicasfarbackintimeasthepyramids themselves—and indeed, the root vegetable is still grown inEgypttoday.Infact,garlicwasworshipedbytheancientEgyptiansandincluded in many of their most sacred of ceremonies, with preservedgarlicevenbeingfoundinthetombofthepharaohTutankhamen.Garlicwas also believed to both increase and maintain the strength of thekingdom’s laborers, so much so that it became a daily staple of thelaborerandworkingclassdiet.In ancient Greece, soldierswould eat garlicwith the belief that thespicewouldprovide themwith thecourage theywouldneed inbattle.And they aren’t the only ones; soldiers in other ancient culturesparticipated in this practice as well. During the first Olympics, theathletesconsumedgarlicwiththeunderstandingthat itwouldenhancetheirperformanceduringthecompetitions.GarlichasalsobeenfoundinGreek temples as well. As far as its health uses, Hippocrates and hisfellows discussed the merits of garlic for treating respiratory andparasitic problems, and noted its use in aiding digestion difficulties.DuringthetimeoftheRomanEmpire,theseexperimentsintotheusesofgarlic continued, as Nero’s army used garlic for cardiovascular“cleansing,”believingthatgarliccouldcleanthebloodvessels.Andyet,foralltheusesithad(orwasthoughttohave)bythoseintheancientworld,garlicwasconsumedprimarilyby theworkingclass,notably inGreece,Egypt,andtheBiblicalMiddleEast.Ataround2000BC,garlicbegantobeusedinChina,whichsawvalueinitsconsumptionwithrawmeat.GarlicwasalsousedinChinesemedicine.In bothChina and Japan, garlicwas also used topreserve food, aswell as used to treat and prevent intestinal worms. It later became astaplepartof theirdiet. Inancient India, inmedievalBritain(where it

was used for everything from toothaches to the plague), during theItalian Renaissance, and as far back as the Hanging Gardens of theBabylonianEmpire,garlichad itsplace in the foodand folkloreof theregion. But despitemany countries (and continents) having their ownusesforthespice,therearesurprisingcommonalitiesbetweenthem.Asmentionedearlier,intermsofwardingoffevilandillwill,garlic’suseasapotentcharmwasseenacrosscontinentsandoceansalike.

Giventhehundredsofvarietiesofgarlicthatexistintheworldtoday,garlicfestivalslikethisoneprovideavaluableopportunitytosampleawiderangeofgarlic.PhotobyKimonBerlin

undertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Even in the NewWorld, garlic found itself in use, with the NativeAmericansusingthespicetomakeateagoodforflusymptoms.Andyetdespitethishistory,garlicinAmericawasseenasanethnicfood,havingbeen brought over primarily by the Italians, Poles, and Germans. Itwasn’tuntilthe1940sthattherestofthecountrybegantoembracethelittle“stinkingrose.”Today,wecanfindgarlicstillbeingconsideredanimportantculinaryand medicinal food. It can be seen in households and eatingestablishmentsthroughouttheworld,aswellasmaintainingitsplacein

superstitionandfolklore,asitwashundredsoreventhousandsofyearsago.Medicinally, it is shown to be able to boost the immune system,nourish the heart, and help prevent some cancers, even while itcontinues to remain a popular ingredient in the cuisines of manycultures, with many garlic festivals now being held throughout theUnited States,where farmers, chefs, and consumers celebrate the bulbanditsmanyuses.

A

CHAPTER2

TYPESANDSTRUCTURESllium sativum (the Latin term for what we all know as garlic)belongs to the onion genus, Allium. Garlic has two distinctsubspecies. The first isOphiscorodon, also known asOphius, a

hard-neck garlic, andwhich can be thought of as being the “original”garlic.A.sativum,bycontrast,belongstothesoft-neckvariety,andwasdeveloped from thehard-neck variety through a selective process overthecourseofhundredsofyears.Garliccontainsover200chemicalcompounds, includingvolatileoils

and sulfurous compounds like allicin (which gives garlic itscharacteristic odor), alliin (which contributes to garlic’s antioxidantproperties),andajoene(anantioxidantwithanticlottingpropertiesandpossible virucidal properties), as well as the enzymes allinase (whichcombineswiththealliintocreateallicin),peroxidase,andmyrosinase.Italso contains citral, geraniol, linalool, A-phellandrene, and B-phellandrene,aswellasallyl,whichisfoundinanumberofmembersoftheonionfamily.GarlicisalsoanexcellentsourceofvitaminB6,C,andB1,selenium,andcalcium,tonameafew.Garlicitselfisabulbous(bulb)plant.Thebulbcanfurtherbebroken

upintosectionsorcloves.Notonlyarethebulbsedible,buttheblossomandgreen stems canbeused aswell. The garlic plant cangrowup tofour feet in height, and its flower heads (the primary means of

reproduction fornewplants)areactuallyhermaphroditic.Thismeansthat the blossoms are technically both male and female, unlike, forexample, squash plants, which have both male blossoms and femaleblossoms,separately.

GettingtoKnowGarlicThegarlicplanthasfourparts:theleaves,thescape,theneck,andthebulb,thoughtheentireplantisedible.Theleavesarethegreenshootsthatappearinthespring,andthat,astheygrow,willalternateastheycomefromthestem.Asharvesttimenears,theleaveswillturnbrown.Boththehardandsoft-necksubspecies(whichincludesmostvarietiesofgarlic)haveleaves;itistheseleavesthatallowthesoft-neckgarlictobebraided.The scape is basically a flower stalk, located at the end,where theflowerheadisfound.Thescapeiscurvy,andcanhavewhatlooksliketinygarlicbulbsorbulbilsformingatthebase,andthatcanvaryinsizedependingonthetypeofgarlic.Foundonhard-neckgarlic,thescapeisediblewithamildflavor,andcanbeanonionsubstitute.The neck is the area directly above the bulb, and the part that iseither“hard”or“soft,”givingthevarietiestheirdesignation.Thebulb is that part of the garlic that grows underground, and iswhatwepicturewhenwethinkofgarlic.Thisroot,whichisattachedtothestem,formstheclusterthatconstitutesthegarliccloves.Thefamiliarpaper-like covering acts asprotection for thebulbwhile it is growing.Themostused(anduseful)partofthegarlic,itisthebulbthatcontainsalltheproteinandminerals.Although garlic is now usually grown and harvested on farms andhome gardens, there are a number of species that growwild as well.Althoughtheseareusuallyconsideredweeds,someofthenamestheygobymaybefamiliar,suchaswildonionandmeadowgarlic.Others,suchascrowgarlic,maybelessrecognizable.

Wildgarlic,flowering.PhotobyMichaelClarkeundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

TypesofGarlicGarliccomes indifferent sizes, colors, shapes, flavors,andclove types.Along with the two subspecies of garlic, there are about ten majorvarietygroups,aswellasover600cultivars(allofwhicharebelievedtohaveoriginatedwiththeoriginalmajorten).Let’stakealookatthedifference between the hard and soft-neck garlics, as well as the keypointsofthemajortenandsomeofthevarioustypeswithinthem.Keepinmindthat,althoughthereareavastnumberofvarietiesofgarlic,itisall used in the sameway,with the only difference being howmild orspicyabulbyouarewantingtouse.

Hard-NeckGarlic

Thehard-neckgarlic,justasitsounds,isnotableduetotheneckareaofthegarlicbeingstiffandthick,givingitahardfeeling.Thehardnecksaremoreliketheirwildcounterparts,anddonotstorequiteaswellasthe soft-neck varieties, typically topping out at a shelf life of 3 to 10months,dependingonspecifictype.However,itiseasiertoremovethepaperskinsofthehard-neckvarietiesthansoft.The hard necks have eight of the ten major variety groups. These

include Porcelain, Purple Stripe,Marbled Purple Stripe, Glazed PurpleStripe,Rocambole,Creole,Asiatic,andTurban.ThePurpleStripe “family,”which includes theMarbledandGlazed

varieties aswell, is distinguished by having purple stripes (whichwillvarywitheachvariety),andwillusuallyappearquitevivid,appearingon thick, paper skins. They have a good flavor, ranging frommild tostrong, and storewell, although thenumber of cloves in the bulbwillvarywitheachtype.ThePorcelainisquitewhiteincolor,andhasathickpaperskinand

largecloves.Theyhaveastrongtasteandstorewell(upto10months).TheRocambolealsohassomefaintpurplestriping.Ithasaverygood

flavor,andisgreatforthosewhoarelookingforahottergarlicflavor.However,Rocamboledoesnotstorewell,andshouldbeusedquickly.The last of the major hard-neck varieties (the Creole,Asiatic, and

Turban varieties),while consideredhardnecks, are actuallyknownasWeakly Bolting. This is because the neck is not nearly as hard as theother,“true”hardnecks,andarerathermore“hardish.”TheCreoleisaverygoodgarlictoeatraw,andgrowswellintheSouth.TheAsiaticisthefirsttosproutintheseason,andisthereforetheearliesttoharvest.Storageisaverage,atapproximately5months.TheTurbanissimilartotheAsiatic,exceptithasmuchmorebulbcolor.

Soft-NeckGarlicThe soft necks are the type that you’ll seemost often in the grocerystore,andincludethelasttwomajorgarlicvarieties:theArtichokeandtheSilverskin.Theyhaveamildflavorandarethetypethattheclassicgarlicbraidcanbemadefrom.TheArtichokeisoneofthemostprevalenttypesfoundinstoresand

is usually the California Early or California Late type. The Artichoke

tends to be large, stores well, and has a range of flavors, just as thePurpleStripesdo.Duetotheeaseofgrowingitanditslargesize,itisafavoriteofcommercialgarlicfarmers.The Silverskin can be a strong, hot garlic. It is smaller than theArtichoketype,buthasmorecloves.Ithasthelongeststoragelifeofanygarlicvariety,andisthetypethatismostcommonlybraided.

VarietiesofGarlicNow,let’stakealookatalistofafewnamesofthevarietiesyoumightseeinrelationtothesetenmajorvarieties:

SoftNecks:PolishWhiteCreoleRedCheloteSicilianGoldWesternRoseKettleRiverGiant

HardNecks:SiberianChoparskyGermanRedMelodySpicyKoreanRed

WeaklyBoltingHardNecks:KeeperBurgundySweetHavenRosedeLautrec

ElephantGarlicThere is another well-known variety of garlic sold in stores thatdoesn’t fit into either the hard or soft-neck categories. The ever-popular Elephant Garlic (Allium gigantum) is technically a leek.And,althoughitisnotreallyagarlic,itisoftenusedassuch.Approximatelytwicethesizeof“regular”garlic,ElephantGarlicis a mild but tasty bulb, and stores better (and longer) than thecommonvariety.Itishardy,whichgivesitmoreofaresistancetosomeofthediseases, insects,andotherpeststhatplaguegarlic. Inaddition,andtogreatbenefitforthegardener,ElephantGarliccanreseeditself.

Theseareonlyafewoftheliterallyhundredsofvarietiesofgarlicthatexist in the world. It would present a considerable (albeit rewarding)challengetotrythemall.Asmanyareavailableonlythroughspecialtyfood shops, seed catalogs, farmers’ markets, or similar niche produceoutlets,thebestwaytolearnaboutthesevarietiesistotryasmanyasyou can get your hands on, and decidewhich types and flavorsworkbestforyourculinarypalate.

G

CHAPTER3

GROWINGANDCOMPANIONPLANTINGarlic is fun to tend and, after learning the basics, is not thatdifficult to grow. If you’re considering gardening, but aren’treadytocommittoalarger-scalevegetablegarden,garliccould

betheperfectstartingpointforyou.Garlicservesasagoodstarterforsomeonecontemplatingavegetablegarden,butwhoonlywantstoplantoneortwothings.Garlicisarelativelylow-maintenanceplant,asthereisnotmuchtodoafterplanting.However,asaresult,garlictendsnottogive a new gardener the true, “regular” gardening experience. This isdue primarily to garlic having an easier planting and harvestingschedule,which doesn’t coincidewithmost other planting (dependingon where you live). For this reason, garlic serves best as an add-on,perhapswithtomatoesandbasil,asopposedtobeingplantedsolo.But,when it comes time to expand into a larger garden setup, don’t leavegarlic behind! Like so many other plants, garlic can also act as acompanion plant in the garden, aiding and enhancing the growth ofcertain nearby plants. As companion planting needs to be taken intoconsiderationas thegarden is beingplanned—andbefore its planted—let’stakealookatcompanionplantingfirst.

WhyUseCompanionPlanting?

Thebigquestionyoumightbeaskingis:whatexactlyarethebenefitsofcompanion planting? Companion planting can protect some plantsfrompestsanddisease,orhelpotherplantsgrowwhilealsoencouragingbeneficial insects, all through theuseof otherplants. It is a chemical-freewaytomaintainthegardenwhilestillgainingmuchofthebenefitof modern pesticides and fertilizers. Garlic not only makes a goodcompanionplant,butcanitselfbenefitfromhavingsomeplantstoassistit,aswell.What makes garlic such a good “companion?” Simply put, garlicaccumulatessulfur,anaturalfungicide,whichprovidesprotectionfromdisease.And,evenastheplantingofgarlicwillhelpdeterpestsandevendisease,itwillencouragebeneficialinsectsaswell.Let’snowtakealookatwhataresomegoodcompanionstogarlic:

TomatoesPotatoesSweetpeppersEggplantSpinachBroccoliCauliflowerKaleCarrotsMostfruittreesandstrawberries

When used with vegetables, garlic can repel aphids, cabbage worms,cabbage loopers, cabbage maggots, and slugs. Garlic repels the redspidermiteontomatoes,andissaidtoconfusecarrotflieswhenplantedwithcarrots,aswellashelpingtoprotectfromrootmaggots.Itisalsoofnotethatrabbitswillstayawayfromgardenswheregarlicisplanted.

GarlicinHerbandFlowerGardensGarliccanalsobeagoodcompanionforherbs.Forexample:•Yarrow

•Dill•Rue•Chamomile

Garlic helps to repel spidermites,which can affect dill.However,this is also a case in which the garlic is itself helped by thecompanions.Ruewillhelprepelmaggotsthatcanaffectthegarlic,while theyarrowcanhelpwith thegarlic’shealth ingeneral, andchamomilecanimprovethegarlic’sflavor.When working in tandem with flowers, especially some that

already act as “good companions” to the garden, there can beopportunity for a “double punch.” For example, when garlic isplantedwithmarigoldsornasturtiums,pestswill be repelledbothaboveand below ground. And, when garlic is planted with roses,you can help prevent your roses from being eaten by aphids,Japanesebeetles,andsnails.

TipsforCompanionPlantingwithGarlicBut despite themany “companions” that garlicworkswellwith, therearealsosomeplantsthatitdoesn’tbehavequiteaswellwith,andshouldnotbeplantedanywherenear.Forexample,whenplantednearbeansorpeas,garliccanaffectbothgrowthandtaste.Asaresult,thesetwoitemsshouldneverbeplantednexttothegarlic.Whenlayingoutgarlicforuseincompanionplanting,itisbesttodosobyscatteringthegarlicthroughout,ratherthankeepingitinitsownpatch. The benefits of companion planting depend on the companionplants being in close proximity to each other. If it is not planted nearotherplants,thenitcanneithersownorreapthebenefitsofcompanionplanting.Rather, thegarlic shouldbe scattered throughout thegarden,uptoandincludingplantingbetweenotherplants.Inadditiontolettinggarlicdoits job, italsohelpsbyreducinggarlic’sriskofonion-maggotinfestations.

AlternateMethodsofCompanionPlantingAlthough companion planting isn’t foolproof, it can make a realdifference in the garden, especially if you are going for a completelypesticide-free garden. We have already discussed garlic itself, as aplant, andwhat it repels. There are actually otherways to implementgarlic as a “companion” to other plants.Garlic oil, for example, willdeter suchpests asonion flies, aphids, anderminemoths,whilegarlictea(orspray)canhelpagainstpotatoblight,aswellastomatoblight.

PlantingGarlicNowthatthecompanionsareset,andyou’vehadachancetoplanoutyourgarden’slayout,let’stakealookatplantingandgrowingthegarlicitself.Whendecidingonwhichgarlicvarietiestoplant, it isworthwhileto

keepinmindafewofthedifferencesbetweenhardandsoft-neckgarlic(besidesthehardandsoftnecks,obviously).Thehard-neckvarietieswillusuallyhavemorecolorandbelarger,buttendtohavefewerclovesmaking up the bulb. Considerwhere you will be doing your planting;whenplantinginsouthernclimates,somevarietiesdon’tdowell,whileothervarietiesdowell,dependingonwhereyouareinthesouth.Softnecks,ontheotherhand,willhavemorecloves,andtendtodo

much better inwarmer southern climates. For the best results, tryusingavarietyofgarlictypesinthegarden.Makenoteofwhatdoesanddoesn’twork foryouandyourgarden,andweedout thevarieties thataren’twellsuitedtoyourarea.Ifyoudon’tfeellikeexperimenting,youcanalwaysresearchthespecifictypesthatareknowntodowellinyourarea,andprioritizetheirplanting.Garlicshouldbeplantedinthefall,inloose,well-drainedsoilof6.0to

7.0 pH. pH, remember, is not a measurement of soil’s fertility, but israther a measurement of the soil’s acidity or alkalinity. If themeasurementisoff,inonedirectionoranother,itcanbeadjustedtofitthe particular plant’s needs. Home test kits and pH meters can bepurchased from gardening and home supply shops, while soil samplescan be sent to labs for testing. In looking for sufficiently loose soil,

rememberthatgarlicprefersasandyloam,butwillstilldoprettywellinmostanysoil.Theprimaryneedisgooddrainage,arequirementwhichcannotbestressedenough;ifdrainageispoor,thegarlicwillbetoowetandwillrotasaresult.Toprepareaplotforplanting,turnortillthesoil,removingrocksandotherobstructionswhilemakingthesoilaslooseaspossible.Rememberthatthe looser the soil, the larger thebulbswill beable to grow.Then,addcompostwithananimalmanure/plantmattercomposition.

Garlicawaitinggermination.PhotobyCrispinSemmensundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Afieldofgarlic,growing.Garlicperformswellinlooser,wellaeratedsoil,asseenhere.PhotobyTimSacktonundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Asgarlicisplantedinthefall,thetimingofplantingiskey,particularlyin colderareas.Make sure toplant after the first,heavier frost, but atleast 6weeks (if possible) before the first hard or “killing” frost. Thiswill allow the garlic time to establish strong roots before the groundbeginsitswinterritualforheavingthroughthefreezesandthaws,whichwillenablethegarlicto“hangon”throughthemovements.Bethatasitmay,garlicdoesn’treallylikealltheheavingthatcomesfromthefreezeand thaw cycles, nor does it do particularly well in extreme heat.Therefore,garlicplantedinwarmerclimateswillbenefitfrommulching,whichwillbecoveredlaterinthischapter.

PlantingwithClovesWhenplantinggarlic,typicallyonestartswithgarlicclovesratherthangarlic seeds (although seed can be used). And, although the garlic isbasicallycloningitselfwhenplantedfromcloves,thismethodallowsforfastergrowththanwithseed.When selecting thegarlicbulbs thatwillprovide the cloves forplanting, look for anice shape to thebulb, andclovesthatarefat.Althoughselectingbulbswithbothqualitiesisideal,

ifyoucanchooseonlyone,selectforclovesizeoverbulbshape,asthiswillusuallygiveyouanideaofthesizeoftheresultingbulb.Thatis,iftheclovesaresmall,youwillendupwithsmallbulbs.Butdon’tthrowthosesmallclovesaway;usethemforcookinginstead!

Garlic,justbeginningtosprout.Ideally,garlicshouldbeplantedbeforeitbeginstosprout.PhotobyAntanasKaziliunasundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Toremovetheclovesfromthebulb,removethepaperorwrappingonthe bulb (but not on the cloves), and break apart or “crack” (as it iscalled)thebulbdownintocloves.Thebreaksshouldbeclean,andtheclovesshouldbeintact.Ifclovesarebrokenduring“cracking,”keepforculinaryuses;theyarenolongersuitableforplanting.Donotallowtheclovestodryouteither;ifyouarenotplanningtoplantthatsameday,theclovesshouldbeplantedwithinafewdays(atmost)ofcrackingthebulb.Ifyounoticethatsomeofthegarlichasbeguntosproutbeforeyoucrackit,itisstillfineforplanting.Butifthebulbsfeellightanddriedout,throwthemaway.Asaside

note, if you are using cloves from garlic that you had originallypurchased to cook with, make sure that you liked the flavor—theresultingnewbulbswilltastelikethegarlicthatyouplanted.

Whenpeelinggarlic,avoidmovingtooquickly.Whilebrokenclovesstillhavetheiruses,you’llwanttomakecertainyourearlyharvestshaveasmuchvarietyaspossible.PhotobyLizWest

undertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Whenplantingaclove,plantwiththeroot(flat)enddown,insingleordouble rows. If planting in beds, or if you’re planning on utilizingcompanion plants, make sure to scatter the garlic throughout (beingcareful as to who the “neighbors” are). Ideally, the rows themselvesshouldbe18inchesapart,withtheclovesplanted4to6inchesapart.Ifneedbe,youmayplantabittighter,buttheendresultwillbesmallerbulbs. Cloves should be planted 2 to 4 inches down, with the deepernumber being used for northern climates with colder topsoiltemperatures.Inareasthatgetkillingfrosts,somechoosetoplantevendeeper,butnotmuchbeyond7½inches.

MulchingOncetheclovesareplanted,itisagoodideatospreadmulchoverthe

plantingsite;notethatthisisprettymuchanecessityincolderclimates.Thebestmulchtouseisstraw;however, leaveswillalsowork.Wood-chipmulchshouldnotbeused,andwhilehaycanbeused inapinch,youwillhavea lotofweeding todowhen thehayseeds shakeoffandbegintogrowwiththegarlic.Whenmulching,simplylaythestrawor leavesovertheentiregarlicplot, up to 8 inches deep. Remember: the colder the climate, thedeeperthemulch.Thismulchlayerwillremainoverthenewlyplantedgarlicfortheentirewinter.Onedrawbacktomulch,however,isthatitcan encourage rodents to nest; this is especially the case with straw,whichprovidesawarmbedding.Butagain,especiallyincoldclimates,thebenefitsofmulchoutweightherisks;althoughyouasthegardenerhavethefinaldecision,mulchingisahighlyrecommendedstep,bestnotto be ignored. If the garlic is scattered, do the best that you can; justcoverthespotswhereyouplanted.Finally, and this goes for all gardening, don’t forget to label yourpatch,bed,orwhereverthegarlicwasplanted.Ifyouplanteddifferentvarieties,listthevarietyonthemarkeraswell.Thegarlicshouldremainunderthemulchfortheentirewinter,withnowatering. In thespring,after the threatof frost isover, removethemulch. At this time, you can also give the garlic some compostedmanure or fertilizer, and then water well. After this initial watering,wateragainonlywhendry,asover-wateringwillcausebulbswithpoorstorage capabilities, poor wrappers, and broken skins, and mayencouragemold to grow. Caution is a must when watering the garlicpatch.Oncethemulchisoffandthegarlicisbeginningtogrow,weedingisessential. Garlic does not like to compete with weeds, and tiny garlicshoots can easily be choked out by theweeds. Therefore, to ensure ahealthygarlictake,makecertaintokeeptheweedsincheck.Then,2to3weeksbeforeharvesttime,letthesoildryout.Thiswillhelppreventmold.If youhaveplantedhard-neckvarieties, it is recommended that youremove the scape (with the notable exception of the Turban varieties;they seem to do better with their scapes left on). The removal willpreventtheflowerfromgoingtoseed,whichinturnreducesthesizeofthe finishedbulbs.Don’t throw the scapes away, though; theymaybe

cookedandeaten!

GrowingGarlicIndoorsAlthoughgarlicmaybegrownoutdoors in containersquiteeasily,indoorgrowingcanbequiteadifferent story.Although it isnotatotalimpossibility,plantingacloveandhavingitdevelopintoafullbulb is quite difficult to accomplish indoors. You will need toreplicatethestagesthatthegarlicwouldgothroughnaturallyasitgrowsoutdoors,includingitscold,dormantperiod.Itcanbefuntotry,andyoumightevenbesuccessful,butyouhaveabetterchanceoffailurethanyouwouldsuccess.However, when planting garlic indoors, success will yield someverynicegreens,anditisforthesegreensthatgardenerschoosetoraisegarlic in indoorcontainersduring thewinter.Thegreensareeasy to harvest (snip them just as youwould chives) andmay beused like chives, only with a wonderful garlic flavor that will beappreciated during the winter months, after the last of thehomegrowngarlicisgone.Garlicgreensareeasytogrow;simplyplantgarlicclovesinyourchosen pot, with the number of cloves selected depending on thesize of your pot. Keep in mind that you are growing strictly forgreens,andnotbulbs,sotheclovesmaybeplantedclosertogetherthanyounormallywouldinagarden.Usealightweightsoilinthepots,asthiswillallowfordrainagethatwillpreventtheclovesfromrotting,andmake it easier tohandle thepot itself.Set ina sunnyarea and water as needed. It’’s relatively low maintenance, andmakesagreatwinterprojectforthekids.

PlantingGarlicfromSeedThe easiest (and most popular way) to plant garlic is through the

plantingofcloves,aswehavejustdiscussed.However,garlicmayalsobeplantedfromseedortopsets.Startinggarlicfromseedcanbealongerprocess,andisnotalwaysa

good way for beginners to start; however, it is far from impossible.Usually,themostdifficultpointinseedplantingisthefirstgenerationofseed,asinjuststartingout.Plantingfromseedwillgeteasierwitheachgenerationthatfollows.Growing garlic from cloves or bulbils is actually an example of

“asexual”reproduction,as it technicallycreatesacloneoftheparentplant.Whilegrowingusingthismethodiseasierandfaster,thismethodmay eventually pass along disease and cause problems with geneticdiversity if done for too long (planting clones fromclones fromclonescancauseageneraldegradationofthecrop).Usingseedswhenplantinggarlicallowsforgreatervariationinyour

possible harvest, as growing from seeds allows garlic to go through“sexual” reproduction.Althoughplanting seeds is typicallymorework,especially if you are planning on harvesting the seeds yourself, itwillproduceahealthierplantandgreatlyreducetheriskofdiseasesthatcanbepassedonthrough“asexual”reproduction.

GrowingSeedGarlicWhengrowinggarlictoproduceseed,selectahard-neckvarietyinsteadofasoft-neck.Softneckscannotproduceflowers,andthereforecannotproduceseeds.Thegarlicseeditselfisalittlelargerthananonionseed,whichisitselfquitesmall.Unlessyouarepurchasinggarlicseed,therearetwonecessarystepsto

consider when growing garlic plants from seed: producing the seed(which is the step eliminated by purchasing seed from elsewhere) andgrowingtheseedintotheplantitself,whichyouwilllaterharvest(andgainmoreseedfrom).As the garlic plant matures, the scape emerges and the umbel

develops. Theumbel is a group of tightly packed flowers and bulbils,which are found in the spathe or the leafy covering. To expose theflowersandbulbils,youcaneithergentlyslitopen thespathe, orelseallow it todrynaturally.At thispoint, the scapemaybecut from thegarlic and kept inwater (like a flower) or else left on the garlic. You

should,ofcourse,usewhicheverwayworksthebestforyou,butthereareafewthingstoconsiderwhenleavingthescapeonthegarlic.Asthescape isheat sensitive, toomuchheat canwilt the flowersand reducetheviablepollencount.And,beingcoldsensitive,temperaturesthataretoocoldcanprevent theseedfromsetting.Bothof these issuescanbedealtwith through the use of shade cloths or portable hoops over thegarlic.However,thereisalsoweatherdamageandpeststoconsider,andthosewith smaller garlic cropsmaywant to seriously consider storingtheminwater,inside.Eitherway,thesurvivalofthescapeisessentialtosuccessfulseedharvesting.

Whengarlicbeginstoflower,asshown,removethescape.Byremovingthescape,youensurethatallavailableenergyandnutrientsgotowardgrowingcloves.PhotobyRebeccaSiegelunder

theCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Ifyouareplanningtogrowgarlicfromseed,splittingopenthespatheandremovingthegrowingbulbilsisanimportantstep,asitwillresultinlarger,healthierflowers.PhotobyBecksunderthe

CreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Shouldyouchoosetoremovethescapes(asmanywilldo)andkeeptheminwater,itisagoodideatoaddsomeliquidfertilizeraswell.Youmayalsofindthatthebaseofthestalkturnsdry,orbecomesslimyandturnsbrown.As it isessential that thehealthystembe incontactwiththewater,simplytrimtheundesiredendoffandreturntherest to thewater.Once it is developed, the bulbiswill need to be removed, as itwill

begin to compete with the flowers (which are necessary to produceseed). This will be further discussed in the following section of thischapter. The garlic flowers themselves areprotandrous,meaning thatthe flowers cannot fertilize themselves.The jobofpollinationneeds tobe done by insect pollinators, such as bees (or any other availablepollinator).Theovariesofthegarlicflowerarelocatedatthebaseofeachlittle

flower. Each ovary has three chambers and each chamber has twoovules, resulting in each flower being able to produce asmany as sixviableseeds.Astheseedsdevelop,theovarieswillswell(usually40to60daysafterpollination).The seedswillbe ready toharvestwhen theumbelsandovariesare

completelydry.Theeasiestwaytoharvestgarlicseedsistoremovethedried flower heads from their stems, place them in a bag, and gentlyshake it to release the seeds. If thecollected seedsare thoroughlydry,theymaybestoredinanenvelopeorseedenvelope.Notethatgarlicseedsshouldnotbeplantedimmediately,astheyneed

aperiodofdormanttimebetweenharvestandplanting.Spendingabitof time in the refrigerator will mimic the natural cold exposurenecessary.Tohelpprotecttheseedsfromcontamination,soakthemfor20minutes in a mixture of 1 teaspoon of bleach to 2 cups of water.Rinsewell,placeonamoistpapertowel,andthenplaceinaplasticbag.Refrigerateforapproximately4weeks.

Whengrowinggarlicfromseed,itisimportanttoremovethebulbils,astheywillcompetewiththeflowersfornutrients.PhotobyOliBacundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

PlantingtheSeedsWhentheseedsarereadytobeplanted,itmaybebesttostartindoorsfirst,either inagreenhouseor inthehouseitself(best in-houseresultsareusuallyseenwithagrowlight).Startindeepseedtrays,makingsurethatthereisplentyofroomfortherootstoform.Germinationcantakeuptoafewweeks.Whenitcomestimefortheseedlingstogooutandbeplantedinthe

garden, they need to be hardened off first before transplanting. Thisprocess gets them used to being out in the cooler air. Hardeningseedlingsoffcanbedoneinoneoftwoways:puttingtheseedlingsinacoldframe(asmallboxlikeagreenhouse)orelsetheseedlingsmaybebrought outdoors during the day and back indoors at night until theyhaveacclimatizedanditbecomessafeforthemtobeplanted(usuallya

week or so, depending on weather and temperatures). The seedlingsshould be ready for harvesting in late summer or early fall. Thisconstitutesthefirstgenerationofthiscrop.The first generation’s growth may be good, or it may be a bitdisappointing.Yieldsmaybelow,andsomeofyourgarlicmayactuallylook like green onions. This is normal, but this doesn’tmean itwas afailure;thingswillimprovewitheachgeneration.Thenext step is to take this first-generationgarlic, let ithang foratleastamonthtocure,andlongerifharvestwasinthesummer;youareaimingforafallplantingnow,justasyouwouldwhenplantingcloves.Manymay,thistimearound,producegarlicbulbslargeenoughtouse.Ifnot,digthebulbsupinthespringandreplantagaininthefall.Anyseedtaken from this crop of garlic will produce the second generation ofgarlic.Andthecyclebeginsagain.

PlantingBulbilsThebulbilsisthethirdoptionavailablewhengrowinggarlic.It,liketheclove,producesacloneoftheparent.Thereareprosandconstostartingoffwiththispartofthegarlic.Someoftheadvantagesincludethefactthat there aremore bulbils than cloves, so you have a larger startingcrop, and can eventually have a larger harvest. Using bulbils can alsohelp to avoid soil-born diseases in the resulting garlic, as they do nottouchthesoiluntilplanted.Themaindisadvantageisthat,likeseeds,itcantakeafewyearstogetfull-sizebulbsfrombulbils.Youwillneedtoharvestandreplantuntilthefullbulbisobtained.Thefinaldecisionisup to thegardener, however, as all threemethods are viable solutionsforgarlicproduction.Bulbilscanbefoundlocatedwiththeflowers,andlookabitlikelittlecloves.Asstatedearlier, ifyouare trying toproduceseeds, thebulbilsneeds to be removed as soon as it is ready, as they competewith theflowersfornutrients,andcancausetheflowerstodiebeforetheyhaveachance to produce seeds. Again, you may cut the scapes off or leavethemon the garlic. If you cut themoff, follow the same procedure ofkeeping in water. Removing the bulbils allows the flowers to fullydevelop,therebyallowingtheflowerstoproduceseeds.

Thethirdoptionforgrowinggarlic,bulbilsallowforalargerstartingcrop,whichmakesfutureharvestseasierwhenusingtheothermethods.PhotobyJenundertheCreativeCommons

AttributionLicense2.0.

Removalofbulbilsisdonewithtweezers,andcanbetimeconsuming,butitisnotadifficulttask.Bulbilscanbetiny,tightlypacked,andhardto detach from the flower area. Other varieties of garlic have largerbulbils,whicharefewerinnumberandlooselypacked.Regardless,theycan be carefully plucked out (using tweezers as the removal tool ofchoice). However, note that all of the bulbils may not be ready todislodgeatthesametime.Ifthishappens,justlettheflowerheadsitforafewdaysandtryagain.Checkbackdailyforafewweeks,asallbulbilsmay not form at the same time. Remove as necessary. If you are notgoingtosavetheseeds,thereisaneasierway,especiallyifthescapehasbeen cut off: simply hang it up to dry long enough so removing thebulbilswillbeeasier.Keep inmind thatbulbilshaveanaturallyhighmoisture content. Ifthey are not dried properly, then nomatter how theywere harvested,

they can still mold. Once dry, the bulbils should be stored at roomtemperature,notintherefrigerator.Bulbilsshouldbeplantedinthefall,whenyouwouldnormallyplantgarliccloves(althoughsomedoplantasearlyaspossibleinthespring).Prepsoillikeanyotherplanting.

Plantingspaceforsmallbulbilsisasfollows:½to1inchesapart1¼to1½inchesdeep4to6inchesbetweenrows

Plantingspaceforlargebulbilsisasfollows:3inchesapart1½to2inchesdeep6to12inchesbetweenrows

If slight adjustments need to be made for your space, go ahead andexperiment.Forareaswithhard frosts,plantbulbilsdeeperso freezingdoesn’tkillthem.Thefirstyear’sharvestcanbedonerightalongwithanyothergarlicthatyouareharvesting.Thisfirstyear’sgrowthiscalleda“round,”andlookslikeagreenonion.Cureandreplantinthefall.By the secondyear, thebulb shouldbedeveloping.However, itwillmostlikelybesmallerthanabulbfromaclove.Harvestandreplantinthefall.Bythethirdyear,thegarlicbulbshouldbethecorrectsizeandwelladapted.Withmultiplechoicesavailabletogardenerstoproducegarlic inthegarden,whichevermethod you choosewill produce good, homegrowngarlic.

TipsforaHappyHarvestAswewillbediscussingtheharvestinChapter4,let’stakethetimetolookatsometipstokeepinmindwhenplantinggarlic:•Remember that garlic ispollinatedbybees.Themorebeesyou

canattract, thebetter;not just for thegarlic,but for theentiregarden.

Proximitytopollinatinginsectscanbevaluablewhenplantinggarlic,particularly

ifyoudecidetoletgarlicgotoseed,asopposedtoremovingthescape.

•Donotreplantyourgarlicinthesamespot(s)yearafteryear,orwhereanymemberof theonionfamilyhasbeenplanted in thelast 3 years; thiswill help reduce the risk of disease. Take thetimetopracticecroprotation.•Aspartofyourrotationschedule,usegreenmanureoracovercrop during thewinter in the area that thegarlicwasplanted.Covercropswillimprovethestructureandfertilityofthesoil,aswellashelppreventweedsandaid inpestanddiseasecontrol.Thereareavarietyofplantsthatcanbeusedasgreenmanure,so you should be able to find one thatwillwork best for yourareaorclimate. It is important to remember,however, that thecover crop will need to be killed at flowering time. This caneasilybeachievedthroughcuttingtheplantoffatitsbaseorbymowingitover.Oncetheplantsarecut,letthemlieinplaceandallowthemtodry,beforeturningthemintothesoil.Inabout2to3weeks(moreor less,againdependingonarea)youwillbeabletoplant.Covercropsmaybeutilizedthroughoutthegarden,notjustforgarlic.•Gopherslikegarlic,somakesuretotakeappropriatemeasurestoprotectyourgarlicifyou’vehadproblemswiththelittlecritters.Checkwithlocalregulationstoseewhatyouareabletodo,andalwaystrytousenon-lethalmethodsfirst.

M

CHAPTER4

HARVESTINGANDCURINGTHEBULBosttypesofgarlicwillbereadyforharvestbylateJulyorearlyAugust, approximately 90 days after sprouting (althoughweather and garlic type will have an effect on the harvest

time).Differenttypesofgarlicwillnaturallymatureatdifferentrates.Asageneralrule,theAsiaticandTurbantypeswillbetheearliestreadytoharvest,while theSilverskinswillnormallybe the latest.Therecanbeupto8weeksbetweenthefirstandlastharvestforyourcrop,especiallywhenplantingdifferentvarietiesofgarlic.

RemovingScapesWhenthescapesappear,manygardenerswill removethemso thegarlicbulbsgrowbigger.Removingthescapecanincreasebulbsizeupto30percent,astheenergyandnutrientsonceusedtoproduceflowersarenowdirectedtothebulbs.Theharvestedscapesmaybeused immediately, ormaybe refrigerated forup to3months in aplastic bag. Remember: if you are planning to produce seeds, youwillwant the flowers, soyouwould leave thescapeon for longer.Forourpurposesnow,weareremovingscapesthatcanbeusedforculinarypurposes,aswellasincreasingbulbsize.Itisinterestingto

note that the scapes contain lots of garlic oil and have the samehealthbenefitsasthebulbitself.

Garlicharvestinghaschangedverylittleovertheyears,aswecontinuetousethetriedandtruemethodsforgatheringingarlic.PhotobyBrianBoucheronundertheCreativeCommons

AttributionLicense2.0.

WhentoHarvestWhenitcomes toharvesting, itcancomedowntoa judgmentcall.Asthebulbisunderground,andisnotgrowingaboveground,likeatomatoor squash would be, the gardener cannot always be certain of whenharvestingshouldbegin.Forthemostpart,however,theleavesseemtoholdthekeytoharvesttime.Eachleafthatyouseeonagarlicplantisawrapperonthegarlicbulb.Ifalloftheleavesturnbrown,thegarlicwillbeover-ripe,meaningthebulbsmaynotbeastightlypackedastheyshouldbe.Thisinturnwillresult in shorter storage. Over-ripe bulbsmay also begin to form new

littleshootsonthecloves.Shouldthishappen,thegarlicisstilledible,butwillnotstorewellandneedstobeusedasquicklyaspossible.Ontheflipside,ifthegarlicisharvestedtooearly,thebulbswillnothavereachedtheirfullsize,andagain,storagetimewillbeshorter.Thatsaid, some gardenerswill purposely harvest garlic early and use thesesmallerbulbslikescallions.Thesearealsoknownas“greengarlic,”andareusuallyavailableinlatespringorearlysummer.Whentheplantsareabout12inchesinheight,someofthegreenerymaybecutforculinaryuse.

Popularasbothlightflavoringandespeciallyforuseasgarnish,greengarlicprovidesauseforearlyharvests,whencircumstancesrequire.PhotobyWillSacktonundertheCreativeCommons

AttributionLicense2.0.

Thegarlicplantleaveswillbegintodryoutfromthebottomup.Theruleofthumbforharvestinggarlic(whichisbynomeansfoolproof)isthat,whenabouthalfoftheleavesonthebottombegintodry,harvesttimeisverynear.Somegrowerswillsuggestthatyoubeginpayingcloseattentionwhenathirdoftheleavesonthebottomhavedried,orwhen30percentofalltheleaveshavedried.Thedryingoftheleavesindicatesthat the nutrients and moisture being supplied to the leaves havereduced.Thisiswhenthejudgmentcallsbegincomingintoplay.Itisatthistimethatwateringshouldceaseforaboutaweek,toallowthe soil time to dry out for an easier harvest (this can also help topreventrot.)Afterthesoilhasdried,loosenthedirtaroundacoupleofbulbs,butdonotremovethem.Youshouldbeabletofeelthemandgetan idea of their sizewhile they are still in the groundbyusing just acoupleoffingers.Youmayevenbeabletoexposethetopofthebulba

bit,and judge the size fromthere. If thebulb looks largeenough, it isreadytoharvest,andmostoftheothersshouldbeaswell,iftheyareofthesamevariety. If thebulbs still lookabit toosmall, justcoveroverand wait another few days. If you have plenty of garlic planted, anddon’tmind“sacrificing”abulb,youcanharvesta“testbulb”toseeifitisready.Lookatthesizeofthebulbs,andcutthemopentoseewhatthecloveslooklike.Ifthebulbisdone,harvesttheremainder;ifnot,leaveitinlonger.The“testbulb”needsnottobethrownaway,asitcanstillbeeaten.

BringingIntheHarvestWhen you are ready to harvest, youmay be very tempted to pull thegarlicupbythestems,butrefrainfromdoingso.Instead,digitout;youwill need to loosen the soil around the bulbs using a shovel or fork.Don’tgettooclosetothebulbs,asitwouldbequiteeasytoeitherstabsomeofthemorelsetearthemapart.Oncethesoilaroundthebulbsisloose,pullupward fromthebaseof thestemat theneck. It shouldbenotedthatgarlicisverydelicateatthisstage,andcaneasilybruise.Anygarlic that is bruised, stabbed, or cut during harvest will have ashortenedstoragelifeandmaynotstoreatall.Oncethegarlicisoutoftheground,donotwashthebulbsorremove

thewrappers.Brushoffthesoil.Some,whogrowtheirgarlicinheaviersoil that resists being brushed off, have had some success in lightlyrinsing incoolwater immediatelyafter theharvest,whichwill removethesoilwithoutaffectingthecuring.

Washinggarliccanbeparticularlyusefulduringharvestsfromwet,clingysoil,butexercisecareindoingso,asnottoaffectthecuringprocess.PhotobyDwightSiplerundertheCreative

CommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Thenextstepistogettheharvestedgarlicoutofthesunimmediately,as the bulbs can burn and/or blanch in the sun fairly easily. Afterthey’vebeenplacedoutsideofdirectsunlight,itistimetopreparethemforcuring.

CuringGarlicTheprocessofcuringgarlicissimplylettingitdry.Preparinggarlicforcure is also quite simple: tie the garlic, with the stems attached, inbunchesof 4 to12 (thisnumberwill dependon the sizeof bulbs: thelarger the bulb, the less in the bunch). For better drying, it may beadvisable to sort and bunch the bulbs by size. Then, find a dry placewith good air circulation andnomoisture or direct sun, andhang thebunchesofgarlicbulbsouttodry.

Hanginggarlicisthepreferredmethodfordryinggarlic,butanymethodusedisgoingtorelyonareliablydryspacewithgoodaircirculation.PhotobyZoeMorrisonundertheCreative

CommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Oncethestemshavelosttheirmoistureandthegarlichastakenonitstraditionaldry,paperytexture,theharvestiscomplete,andreadytocure.PhotobyWillMeredithundertheCreative

CommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Acceptableplacestohangwouldbeabarn,aporchthatgetsnodirectsunorsunlight,orevenacool,darkroominthehouse.Ifyourunintosomehotandhumiddaysduringthecuringperiod,itmaybenecessary

to hook up a fan to keep the air circulating and the moisture down.Somemaychoose to lay theirgarlicout flat,placingacoupleof largedowels,brooms,ormophandlesbetweentwochairs,andthenlayingthegarlicacrossthedowels.Aslongasthereisgoodaircirculationaroundthe garlic, this will work. However, it can also take up lots of space,especiallyifdryingalotofgarlic.Thisisagood“lastresort”methodifyouhavenootherwaytodrythegarlic.Thecuringprocesstakes3to8weeks,dependingonweatherandbulbsize.Thegarliccanbeusedatanypointduringthecuringprocess,andcan even be used directly after harvesting.However, the flavor of thebulbwillcontinuetoincreaseandimproveasthebulbsdry.Thegarlichas finished curing when the stems have lost all moisture and arecompletelydry.Oncethebulbsarecured,cutthestalksoffatabout2inchesabovethebulb.Then,cut therootson thebottomof thebulb toabouta¼inch(thisdoesnotneedtobeaperfectmeasurement).Iftheouterwrappingsare quite dirty, the outer paper may be carefully removed to furthercleantheclove.However,donotexposetheclovesasyoudoso.Withboththeharvestandcuringcompleted,thegarlicbulbsarenowready to store, use, and sell. If you are planning to growmore garlicfromclovesforthefollowingyear,remembertosaveyourlargestbulbsfor fall planting, keeping inmind thatonecloveplantedequalsonebulbharvested.

T

CHAPTER5

STORAGEANDPRESERVATIONhegarlicisharvested,cured,andnowreadytostoreorpreserve.Although there are specific ways to go about preserving garlic,including its flavor, there isnoexactway to store it.Andwhen

youdo store it, therearevariables thatcome intoplay thatdeterminewhethergarlic storage is successful. If thegarlicwasn’tproperlycuredbeforestorage,itcanmold.Ifitisstoredinhumiditythatistoolow,thegarliccandehydrate.Likewise,ifthehumidityistoohigh,thebulbcanmold or a fungus can appear. If it is too cold, the garlicwill begin tosproutwhen brought up to room temperature; if toowarm, the garliccandehydrate.Allofthesescenarioscanresultinthelossofyourgarlic.

IdealStorageConditionsforGarlicThe ideal storage conditions for garlic are temperatures of 55 to60°F,with60percenthumidityandgoodaircirculation.However,asmostofusdon’thavetheluxuryofthisidealgarlicstoragesetup,thebestalternative is tostore thegarlic inacool,dryplaceawayfrom direct sun, such as in a cupboard or closet, at roomtemperature.Asetupsuchasthis,whichis lessthanidealbutstillperfectlypracticable,canworkwellinthehome.Justasimportant,

if not more so, is ensuring proper air circulation, as has beenstressed in the previous chapter in regard to curing. The onlydifferenceis,intermsofstorage,properaircirculationwillhelpinextendingthegarlic’sshelflife.

OptionsforStorageThereareavarietyof techniques thatcanbeutilized in storinggarlic.Somemaylikethelookofthehangingbunchofgarlic,andkeepitthatwayuntil it is ready to use, preserve, or sell. Some like to braid theirgarlictobothcureandstore.Garlicbraidsareattractivetolookat,andprovideasortofusable,ediblehousedecor.Thebraidingcanbedoneduring the curingprocess, butonlywhile the stemsare still pliable. Ifthe stems are too crisp, they may break during the braiding process.Once the braiding is done, allow the garlic to complete its curingprocess.Evenaftercuring,thebraidneedstobestoredawayfromdirectsun,inconditionsnottoohotandnottoocold.Whenyouwanttouseabulb, simply cut it off from the braid. There are a number ofways tobraid your garlic, and plenty of directions and walkthroughs may befoundviaonlinesources.

Braidinggarlicisanunnecessary,butattractiveandenjoyablepartofthecuringprocess,andprovidesadistinctivelooktoanyhomeharvest.PhotobyDavidGoehringundertheCreative

CommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Ifyoudon’twanttostorethegarlicasabraidorasahangingbunch,prepare(cure)itasdiscussedinChapter4.Then,youcanstoreinsomeofthefollowingways:

Baskets:Workswellforstoringgarlic,asitallowsgoodaircirculation.Peoplewhousealotofgarlicintheircookingwilloftenhaveabasketofgarlic sittingon thecounter,outof thesunand inacool spot.Wickerbaskets,orelsebasketsmadefromothernaturalmaterials,willworkthebest,andarethemostattractivewhenleftoutonyourcounteroropenshelf.

Brown Paper Bags: Perhaps one of the easiest ways to store garlic,simplyputthepreparedbulbsintopaperlunchbags,andthenrolldownthe topand store aswehavediscussed.Donotpack thegarlic tightlyinto thebags, as you stillwant to allow the air to circulate inside thebag.

Mesh Bags: If you are raising garlic, save the mesh bags that youronions and citrus come packaged in (from grocery stores or foodmarkets).Fillthemwithgarlicandhangasdiscussedearlier.Thesebagsmake great storage vessels for your garlic, and is also a great way torecycleandrepurpose.

Stockings:Stockingsorpantyhose(neworold;justwashthemfirst)areexamples of other good (and old)ways to store garlic. Youmay evenrememberyourgrandparentsstoringtheirfreshgarlicthisway.Ifusingold-fashionedstockings,cuteachinhalf,tieaknotinthetoe,andthentie a knot in one end of the cut piece, and drop a cured bulb in thestocking. Tie a knot above it, and then drop in a second clove, knotabove it, and so on, until the stockings are full. As youneed to use abulb, start from the bottomand cut the first bulb off, right below theknotaboveit.Donotcuttheknot,asthenextbulbwillalsofallout.Ifyouareusingpantyhose,justcutthelegsoff,andthenfollowthesameprocess.This is agreatway to storegarlic, as it provides excellent aircirculation, and keep the bulbs clean. And once again, recycle andrepurpose.

Garlic Keepers: These are little containers with holes around it forcirculation, and are available glazed or plain, ceramic or terra cotta.Whiletheydolooknice,frompersonalexperiencewithmanytypesandstyles of these keepers, they seem to work no better than the abovemethods, which have the advantage of using things that you alreadyhaveathome.However,shouldyouwishtogiveoneatry,theyareeasyto find online, in culinary shops, and from similar providers (and canusuallybefoundquiteeasilyatthriftstores).

StorageMethodstoAvoidNowthatwehavediscussedsomewaystostorecuredgarlic,let’slookatacoupleofwaysnottostoreit:

PlasticBags: Storing garlic in plastic bags can cause the bulbs to rot.Remember:ifanymoistureformsinthebag,thatmoisturewillalsogetontoyourgarlic.

Refrigeration:Allthroughoutourdiscussion,wehavebeenmentioninghow detrimental refrigeration is to garlic. Storing cured garlic is noexception. As stated many times, refrigerated garlic will sprout whenbroughtuptoroomtemperature,asthebulbwillthinkithasgonefromdormancy togrowing time.Thiswill cause thegarlic tonaturally startsprouting, andwhile the sprouted garlic is still usable, the sprouts arequite bitter when eaten. This can be taken care of (if the shoots aresmall)byslicingthecloveinhalfandremovingtheentiresprout.Ifthesprouts are too large, use of the sprouted cloves will depend on yourtaste buds; many will usually discard those cloves with large sprouts.Refrigeration can also make your garlic bitter, or else cause them tomold.

Canning:Thisisadefiniteno-no!Garlicwillloseallofitsflavorduringtheheatingprocesswhencanned.

PreservingGarlicButwhat about preserving garlic, and not just storing it? There are anumber ofways to preserve garlic. Somemethods are short term, butmanywillkeepyourgarlicforquitesometime.Let’stakealookatsomeofthemostpopularmethodstopreservethecuredgarlic.

RawGarlicinOilWearebeginningwiththismethod,asitisaverypopularpreservationmethod to try; thatbeing said, it canalsobe themostdangerous.Youmay store garlic in oil, but only if youdo so carefully. Itmust alsoberefrigerated,without exception.Rawgarlic in oil,when stored at roomtemperature, can cause botulism. As garlic grows underground, itdevelops the clostridium bacterium that causes botulism. When thegarlicisexposedtotheopenair,thesesporescan’tgrow,whichiswhycured garlic does not carry any sort of botulism warning. However,whentherawgarlicisputintooilforstorage,theoildoesnotallowforthatneededoxygenexposure,therebycreatingaperfectatmosphereforthesporestogrow.Thisdoesn’tmeanthatrawgarlicinoilwillalwaysmake you sick, but the risks can run quite high when kept at room

temperature,orwhenkepttoolonginthefridge.As a result, if you are putting raw garlic in oil, it should be used

immediately; any leftovers need to be refrigerated immediately afteropening,whereitwilllastbetween1to3weeks(with1weekbeingthesafest rule of thumb).Keep inmind that, if your rawgarlic in oil hasgone bad, you will not necessarily know it. Raw garlic in oil won’talwayssmellrancidorevenlooklikeithasanythingwrongwithit. Infact,itmaystilllookandsmellfineevenwhenithasgonebad.Sowhilethisisamethodthatcanbeused(withcaution),therearebetter,safertechniquesavailablethatrequirelesseffortandlastlonger.Ifusingthismethod,refrigerateandconsumequickly.Rawgarlic inoilcanalsobeputinthefreezer,whichmakestheprocesssaferandwillallowittolastlonger.

PreservingClovesButwhat if youwant topreservewhole cloves?Therearea fewwaysthatyoucandoso,withouthavingtoworryaboutbotulism:

RedorWhiteWine:Peeledclovesmaybestoredinredorwhitewine.Refrigerateandusetheclovesasneeded.Thismethodshouldkeepthegarlic for up to 4months; however, if mold or yeast should begin toform,discardthegarlicandliquid.

Vinegar:Storingpeeledclovesinvinegar,usuallywhite(butthereisnoreasonothertypesofvinegarscannotbetried)cangiveyoutwobenefitsofpreservation.Youhavethegarlic,whichyoucanuseindishesofyourchoice(remember:itwillbeabitvinegary)aswellasthevinegaritself,which will have preserved the flavor of the garlic within the liquid.Excellentinsaladsoranywhereelseyoumightwantalittlegarlicflavor,garlic in vinegar can safely remain at room temperature, because theacidofthevinegarwillnotallowthebacteriasporestogrow.

Garlic Butter: Finely or coarsely minced garlic can be mixed withbutter,andthenrolledintoalogshapeandfrozen.Sliceasneeded.Thismakes a great finishing butter. You can also mix in a bit of salt andpepperorherbsofyourchoicefordifferentvariations.

Roasted Garlic: Roasted garlic is a delicious treat and a valuable

culinary ingredient. Directions on how to make roasted garlic areincludedinthe“Recipes”sectionofthisbook.Thegarliccomesoutsoftandcreamy,butitdoeshaveashortstoragelife,andstoringitinoilcanhave thesamedangersas storing the rawgarlic inoil.However, therearewaystokeeproastedgarlicatleastforafewdays:•Wraptheentirebulbinfoilandusethebulbasneeded.Willkeepintherefrigeratorforafewdays.•Squeezetheclovesoutofthewrappings(whichisveryeasytodo)and into a jar. Cover in olive oil and refrigerate. However, thisshouldbeusedimmediately;asstatedabove,thiscarriesthesameriskasrawgarlicinoil.•Smashthecloves(removingthewrappingfirst)andaddapinchofsalttoformthemintoapaste.Mixintosoftenedbutterandrollintologs (aswith garlic butter) and freeze. Use as needed. For flavorvariations,addtheherbsofyourchoice,totaste.

Freezinggarlicisaquick,convenientwaytostoregarlicforlongperiodsoftime,butsomewhatreducestheflavor’spotency.

Puree:Pureegarlicclovesinablenderorfoodprocessor.Addoilattwopartsoil toonepartgarlicandmix.Freeze in ice-cube trays,andoncefrozen, remove from the trays and put into freezer bags. Return thesebags to the freezer immediately, using pureed cubes as needed. It isimportantnottoletthepureedcubesthawinthebag,asthiswillcausethemtosticktogether.Aquickhintforthispreservationmethod:insteadof randomly filling the ice-cube trays,measure first,making sure that

theyallmeasureouttobethesame.Oncefrozenandbagged,youcanmark the bag with the measurement so you know exactly howmuchpureeeachcubecontainsandcanjustgrabwhatyouneed.

DryingGarlicDrying or dehydrating your garlic will preserve the garlic for thelongesttimepossible.Somesayitwillpreservethegarlicindefinitely,solong asnomoisture gets into it.Althoughwhole clovesmaybedried,garlic is usually sliced first, and then dried, so it is easier to use inrecipes. This also ensures that the garlic is dried completely through.Theslicedgarliccanbedriedintheoven,ona“lowandslow”setting.Puttheslicedgarliconacookiesheet(withasiliconepadortinfoilsoitdoesn’t stick to the cookie sheet). Place in the oven at the lowesttemperature.Dryingcan takea fewhours toaday,dependingonhowmuchyouaredoing,howlowthe temperature is,andhowmanypansareintheovenatonce.Inmostcases,youshouldfigureonsettingasideat leastpartofaday fordrying.Keepa closewatchas thegarlicgetsclosertobeingfinishedsoitdoesn’tburn.Makesurebothsidesaredry.Turnifnecessarysobothsidesdrythoroughly.

DehydratingGarlicYou can also put the garlic slices into a dehydrator. Any can beused,butyouwilltendtoseebestresultsusingonewithafanandtemperaturecontrol.Youcanprocessmoregarlicatonceand,ifitisahotday,youwon’tneedtokeeptheovengoing.Whencompletelydried,storethegarlicinanairtightglassjar.Asilicagelpackwillhelp keep moisture out of the jar, but this isn’t necessary. Whenyou’re ready to cook with the dried slices, as long as there areliquids in the recipe, the sliceswill reconstitutewhenadded in. Iftherehappentobenoliquids intherecipe,rehydratetheslices insomewaterorstock,andthendrainbeforeusing.Itshouldbenotedthatthisisanexcellentwaytopreservegarlic

thathasbeendamaged,i.e.,slicedorspearedduringharvesting.Donotusebruisedcloves.

GarlicPowder:Usingyourdriedslices,grindinspiceorcoffeegrinderintopowderform.

DriedGarlicinOil:Contrarytorawgarlicinoil,thisisquitesafeandcanbe storedat room temperature.As thegarlic isdried, thebacteriasporesarenolongerabletogrow.

Pickling:Yes,garliccanbepickled.Thereareanumberofvariationsinthismethod,afewofwhichcanbefoundinthe“Recipes”sectionofthisbook.Pickledgarlicmaybeusedasaculinaryingredient,condiment,orsnack.

Freezing: Although this is not the best method to use, particularlywithout thepeeledclovesbeing inoil first,and then frozen(which,aswehavesaid,issafe),thiscanbeusedasalastresort,especiallyifyouhave an overabundance of garlic. Freezing the peeled cloves bythemselves can change the texture and flavor, and the cloves will bemushywhenthawed.However,ifaddingtoasteworarecipewhereafirmcloveorsliceisnotneeded,thismethodcouldworkinapinch.

Pickledgarlicwithfetacheese,oneexampleofusingpickledgarlictocreatesavorytreatsforlateruse.

A

CHAPTER6

DISEASESANDPESTSlthoughgarlic is quite resistant topests, it still has its shareofproblems towatch for in regard to both pests and disease. Forsomeof theseproblems, thegardenerwillhave someability to

control or else address the situation.But in other cases, itmaybe thegardenersthemselveswhoareatleastpartiallyresponsibleforspreadingthe disease or pest. In this chapter, we take a look at some of theproblemsthatcanplagueagarlicpatch.Keepinmindthatmanyofthethings that affect garlicwill alsoaffectonionsand the restof the rootvegetablefamily.

Pests

BulbMitesBulbmitesareacreamywhite,bulbouspestabout1/25ofaninchlong.Theycanusuallybe foundclusteredunder the rootsof thegarlic.Thedamageresultingfromthebulbmite’sinterferenceisstuntedgrowthoftheplantandbulbseither rottingorwithering in theground(oreven,possibly, during storage). The damage the bulb mite causes can alsoallowotherpathogenstoinvadetheplant.

Thebulbmitecansurvivefromseasontoseason,sothebestdefenseagainstthispestistheuseofcroprotation,meaningplantingsomethingother thangarlic,onions,or leeks in the infestedarea for thenext fewyears.Let thebulbmitedieoutormoveonbeforeyouplantgarlicorsimilarcropsinthatfield.

PeaLeafminerThepealeafminerappearsfirstaseggsthathavebeenlaidwithinthegarlic’s leaves. Once the eggs have hatched, the white larvae tunnelinsideoftheleaves.Whenthelarvaeturnintoadults,whicharesmall,black andyellow flies, theywill ignore the leaves entirely, causingnofurther damage. The life cycle of the pea leafminer completesapproximatelyevery30to60days,producingfivetosixgenerationsperyear.Althoughthedamagethepealeafminercausestogarliccanbemostlycosmetic,itcancauseseriousdamagetotheplantsthataresurroundingthegarlic.Unfortunately,thepealeafminerhasproventobedifficulttocontrol, although some gardeners have had success with certaininsecticides.

LeekMothOriginatinginEurope,theleekmothpreferstheAlliumgenusofplants,whichincludesgarlic.Theadultmothisbrownandnocturnal,makingitdifficulttofind.Itwilllayitseggsontheselectedhostplant,andoncethe yellow larvaemake their appearance, the feeding begins. The firstgeneration will begin eating at the leaves. Then, as subsequentgenerationsappearduringthesummer,theywillbegintoeattheinsideoftheplant,makingtheirwaydowntothebulb.Thiswillcausethebulbtoeitherrotwhilestillinthegroundorduringthecuringprocess.Thebestwaytocombattheleekmothistodestroyalldamagedfoliageearly on. Then, at the end of the season, remove all debris from thegarden,whichwillhelp limit thenumberofadults thatwillbeabletoover-winter in the garden. The following season, try to plant youralliums,includingyourgarlic,alittlelaterintheseason.Thiscanhelpyoutoavoidthefirstgenerationofleekmothsaltogether.Finally,ifyou

dohappentoseeanymothsthemselves,squashthem!

BlackAphidsCalledblackaphidsfortheirdistinctcoloration,thesesmall,blackbugswill suck the sap out of the leaves and the stem of your garlic. Anorganic,oil-basedspraywillclogtheirspiracle(thesmallopeningsthatallowthecritterstobreathe),andsuffocatethem.

MillipedesMillipedesarethecaterpillarorworm-likecreaturesthathaveallthoselegs!Forsomepeople,theyarethethingstheirnightmaresaremadeof,and they can certainly be on the creepier side of creepy-crawlies.Millipedes will eat potatoes, bulbs, and tubers. The millipede lives inareas thathavemoistmulchorcompost.Therefore, tohelpreduce thethreat, cleanoutallof theoldmulcharoundaplantand swap itwithnew mulch. Something else that seems to work with them is thefollowingmixture:6tablespoonseucalyptusoil6tablespoonsDawn®dishwashingliquid(originalscent)1quartwaterMixandsprayonthegroundatnight.

OnionMaggotTheadultonionmaggotisagrayflythatlayslong,whiteeggsaroundthebaseoftheplant.Thelarvaearetinyandwhite,andwillboreintotheplant.Thematurelarvaisabout2/5incheslong,withfeedinghooksattached. The onionmaggot only has a 2 to 4-week lifespan, but onemaggotcan layseveralhundredeggsduringthatshort life.Wintersdonotkillthem,either,asthepupaewillover-winterinthesoil.The damage that the onion maggot causes includes stunted and/orwiltedseedlings,breakageof theplantat thesoil linewhenyoutry topull it,anddeformedbulbs,whichmaybemoresusceptible tostoragerot.Totrytogettheonionmaggotundercontrol,goodsanitationiskey.

Inaddition,makesuretoremoveallbulbsfromthesoilattheendoftheseasonsothereisnofoodavailable.

WheatCurlMiteCommontothecentralplainsareaoftheUnitedStates,thewheatcurlmite is a microscopic mite that transmits wheat streak mosaic.Noticeable damage from this infection usually only appears when theinfestation is severe. Leaves are streaked or twisted and growth isstunted.Theworstdamagemaybefoundonstoredbulbs,astheclovesmaydryandcrumble.Ifaffectedbulbsareplantedthefollowingseason,theplantcanthenbeaffectedbyyllowstreakvirusandtheleaveswillbedamaged.Theriskofwheatcurlmitemaybelessenedbyahotwatertreatmentforthecloves,whichiswheretheyarequicklydippedinhotwater,belowboiling(whichcankilltheclove).

EriophydMiteTheeriophydmiteisaverycommongarlicpest.Themiteisvery,verytinyandmaynotevenbenoticeduntil thedamagehasbegunandtheleavesare twistedwithyellowor light-greenstreaks.At thispoint, theleavesarevirtuallydestroyed.Earlyon,theleavesmaynotsprout,andiftheydo,theleavesmaynotseparate.Inaddition,ifbulbsarestoredfortoolong,theymaycomeunderattackaswell,withwitheredclovesandsoftbulbsbeingtheprimaryaftereffects.Predatorymiteswillhelpkeepthese under control, which just goes to show the benefits of “good”pests.

ThripsThethripisquitecommoninwarmweather.Atonly1/25ofaninchinlength, they can hide in the angles of the leaves. The adults are paleyellowtolightbrown,whilethenymphsarelighterincolor,aswellassmaller.Thethripfeedsonthesurfaceoftheleaves,whichinturnwillcause themto lighten toawhiteorsilvercolor.Again, therearesomepredatorymitesthatwillhelpinthecontrolofthethrip.

NematodesThenematodeisalittle,worm-likecreature,whichlivesinsidethehost.Theydon’tneedwater,sotheycansurviveforyearsinthesoilandwillcontinue to survive until there are no more hosts available to them.Therearevarioustypesofnematodes,withspecificsymptomspresentingthemselves once infestation has begun. However, there are a fewcommonsymptoms, includingstuntedplants,yellowing, swelledstems,anddeformedbulbs.Onetypeofnematodeisthestem/bulbnematode.Almostinvisibletotheeye, it isavery tinyworm that invades thegarlic’s tissue, causingthebaseareaofmatureplants toswell,andcancausesponginesswithlong splits.The tissues, leaves, and stemswill rot,with the leavesandstemsalsotwisting.Theplantwillalsohavestuntedgrowth.Asnematodesaresoilborne,theyareusuallyintroducedthroughthemovementof thesoil,which is typically the resultofhumans.Tohelpmanage this problem, a hotwater bathmayhelp kill bulb infestation.However,onceanareaofthegardenisinfested,rotationalplantingforafew yearswith something other than garlic or onion is the only thingthatwillhelpingettingridofthesepests.

DiseasePlease note that treatments are not included in these diseasedescriptions.Ifyoususpectaproblem,takeasampletoaprofessionaltolookat,verifythepresenceofanyillness,andhavethemsuggestpropertreatment.

GarlicRustGarlicrustisafungaldiseasethatnotonlyaffectsgarlic,buttheotheralliumsaswell.The fungusappearsasorangeandblackspeckson theleaves.Itflourisheswhentheweatheriscool,withlowsunlightandhighhumiditybeingitsidealenvironment.Asaresult,whentheseconditionsoccur,donotwateruntillateintheday.Thesporesaretransportedbythewind,andasaresult,aninfectioninonepartofthegardenwhereyourgarlicoronionsarecouldaffecttheotherpartsofthegardenwhere

onions,garlic,andleeksareplanted.Unlesstheinfectionissevere,thegarlic will still be edible. However, severe cases can drastically affectbulbdevelopment,withthepossibilityofkillingthecrop,especiallyifitoccursearlyintheseason.Althoughnoresistancetogarlicrustisknown,thereareafewthings

thatcanhelpkeepitatbay.Plantyourgarlic,onions,orleeksinwell-drained soil, in the sunniest spot you can find, with plenty of spacebetweentherowsforgoodaircirculation.Clipaffectedleavesassoonasthefirstsignsofrustappearandthrowthe leaves in thegarbage.Thisshouldnot affect either the stalkor thegarlic.Donot compost. If youhavebeenaroundgarlicrust,washyourhandsandclothes,anddisinfectyour shoes. Finally, once again, use crop rotation and do not plantanythingfromtheAlliumgenusinthatareaforatleast3years.

DownyMildewDownymildew isafurry,whitishgrowthwithyellowdiscolorationinthe leaves. The pathogens can survive for many years as oospores.Downymildewneedsmoist conditions to spread, andone stageof thesporecanevenswim,allowingittospreadandinfectthroughtheuseoffreewater,aswellaswindandrain,whichinturnmakeitairborneaswell.Downymildewwill kill young plants and stunt the growth of older

ones.Ifdiseasedbulbsarestored,theneckswillturnblackandshrivel,theouterscaleswillbecomewet,andsproutingmayoccur.

GarlicMosaicVirusTransmitted by aphids, symptoms of garlic mosaic virus includechloroticmottlingandstripesonthefirstleavestoappear,withmatureleaves having light-yellow, broken stripes. Themature leaveswill alsohavewhatlookslikeamosaicpatterntothem,fromwhichthevirusgetsitsname.Symptomsareusuallymildonyoung leaves,butgrowthwillbestuntedandbulbswillbesmallwithfewcloves.Becausethevirus’seffectsaresomild,however,theremaybenosymptomsatallshowing.

CercosporaLeafBlightCercospora leaf blight appears as ash-colored, irregular spots on theleaves,eventuallyresultinginfoliageblight.

StemphyliumBlightStemphyliumblight appears as small, yellow/orange specks or streakson the leaves,which in turn develop into spindle-shaped or elongatedspots,whichcanstretchtothetipsoftheleaf,afterwhichitturnsfromgraytobrownordarkolive.

BotrytisRotBotrytisrot is a fungus that attacksplants after therehasbeenwarm,wet weather. Also called neckrot, symptoms include wet stems and agray, fuzzy fungus. It can also develop on stored bulbs. Steps forpreventionincludedryingthegarlicasquicklyaspossibleafterharvestandprovidinggoodaircirculation.Storeinacoolplace.Whenplanting,usehealthybulbsandallowplentyofroombetweenrows.

PenicilliumDecayPenicilliumdecayisaformofdegradingthataffectstheclovesthatarebeingused for seed, causing the resultingplants tobe stunted,wilted,andyellow.Itappearsasablue/greenmass.

PurpleBlotchPurple blotch consists of small, white, water-soaked lesions that aresunken into the leaves. The centers enlargequickly, turning to brown,thentoredorpurplesurroundedbyayellowmargin.The lesionsmayeventually cause tissue death between the lesions and the tips of theleaves,many times resulting in the death of the foliage. Purple blotchfavorswetfoliagewithhighhumidity,particularlyatnight.

Rot

Twoofthemostfrequentlyfoundrotsingarlicarebasalrotandwhiterot:

BasalRot:Thesignsofbasalrotappearslowly,usuallybeginningwiththe leaves yellowing and eventually dying. There can also be a whitefungusatthebaseofthebulb,whichwillthenleadtoroteitherbeforeoraftertheharvest,affectingsomeorallofthecloves.Basalrotprefershigh temperatures and will attack already diseased or pest-damagedplants.Not all infected bulbswill show symptoms, somake certain tocheckeachplantcarefully.Basal rot is spread through infected cloves, contaminated soilmovement, or contaminated tools or equipment use. Tips formanagement include removal of infected plants immediately afterdetection and avoiding planting infected cloves. Do notmove infectedsoil anddisinfect tools and equipment that have come in contactwiththerot.Thisincludesshoes!Aquickhotwatertreatmentforclovesmayreducetheriskofbasalrotbyabouthalfaswell,helpingtokeepyourstoredgarlicsafer.

WhiteRot:Whiterotlookslikebasalrot,andaffectstherootsandthebaseoftheleaves.Butonceplantsareinfected,thediseaseandrotworkmuchmorequickly.Earlysymptomsincludewhite,fluffyfungusonthestem and around the base of the bulb. White rot is one of the mostdamagingdiseases for alliumcrops, andworse, can liedormant in thesoil for 20 to 30 years. The rot likes to attack in cooler weather,preferring temperatures below75°F, and so ismost commonly seen inthespringinnorthernareas.Like basal rot, white rot is usually spread by movement ofcontaminatedgarlic,tools,soil,andevenonions.Alongwithdisinfectingcontaminated tools and not moving contaminated soil, othermanagement tips include not planting infected cloves, practicing croprotation,andavoidingthereplantingofalliumcropsininfectedsoilforup3years.Usingahotwater treatmentonclovesbeforeplantingwillhelptofurtherreducetheriskofrot.Cleaningupwellafterharvestwillalsohelpinpreventingthespreadofwhiterot.

G

CHAPTER7

CULINARYUSESarlichasbeenusedasaningredientandasafoodstuffforjustaslong as it has been used medicinally, and is an importantculinarystapleinmanycultures’cuisine.Garlicisusedinalmost

everytypeofcuisineintheworld,primarilyasaflavoringingredient.Itcanbeusedindishesthataresautéed,baked,roasted,andstir-fried,aswellasinsoups,sauces,andspreads.

Garlicprovidesalight,yetflavorfuloptionforappetizersandsidedishes,whilehelpingtosettlethestomachforthemaincourse.PhotobyTimSacktonundertheCreativeCommonsAttribution

License2.0.

Ithasevenbeenmadeintoicecream!Garliccanfindaplaceforitselfinmostany typeof cooking.Preparedvarieties, suchas roastedgarlicorpickledgarlic,areonlyslightlylessversatile,andtendtofindthemselvesusedprimarilyasspreadsontheirownorasacondiment.

Blackgarlic,justoneofthemanyhundredsofgarlicvarietiesavailable,bringsadistinctivesweetnesstothetraditionalgarlicflavor,makingitoneofthemoreversatilegarlicoptions.

MoreThanJusttheBulbAlthoughthebulb is themostcommonpartof thegarlicplantused incooking, the leaves, flowers, and bulbils are also quite edible (as hasbeendiscussedinearlierchapters)andareusedincookingaswell.Thegarlic leaves are used in Asian cooking, and scapes can bemade intopesto, sliced into salads, used as a replacement for asparagus, or evengrilled,while the immature stalk of the hard-neck garlic and elephantgarliccanbeusedinstir-fries.Garliccanalsobeusedduringthegreen-garlicstage,atwhichitisusedlikeascallionandasaroundwherethebulb is formed (buthasno cloves).And, although thepaperwrappingthatcoversthematurebulbisdiscardedbeforethegarlicisused,whenimmature garlic is used, some cultures will use the entire head,includingthewrappings,which,duringthatstageofgrowth,aretenderenoughtouse.

Garlic,likeitscousinthescallion,seesplentyofuseinwokandstir-frydishes.PhotobyRustyClarkeundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Often pairedwith ginger, tomato, or onion for flavoring, the flavorintensity of garlic can varywith the variety, and its scent in cookingwilldependonhowthegarlicisbeingprepared.Rememberthat,asthegarlicbulbsage,theclovescanbegintosprout,atwhichpointtheyareconsideredtobepasttheirprime.Theystillcanbeused;however,thesproutsthemselvescanbebitter,and so to remedy this, the sprout is sliced inhalf and removedbeforecooking.

Experimentonyourowntofindnewandexcitingingredientcombinationswithgarlic.Culinarycuriositycanpayoffinabigway!PhotobyCharlesSmithundertheCreativeCommons

AttributionLicense2.0.

PeelingtheGarlicWhenitcomestimetoremovethewrapperonthegarlicbypeelingit,thereareafewwaysthatthiscanbeaccomplished.The firstway is topeel itbyhand. Slice each endof the cloveoff,

and then peel the wrapping off of the clove. The secondway to peelgarlic is to smash the garlic clovewith a knife. The cloveneeds tobelaidonaflatsurface.Laythesideoftheknifeflatontheclove,pushingdown on the side of the knife. This will crush the clove while thewrappingfallsoff,allinonemotion.

Laytheclovesoutonaflatsurface(left),makingsuretouseaknifelargeenoughtoeffectivelycrushthecloves.Laythesideoftheknifeflatdownontheclove(right),crushinginagentle

rockingmotion.

Finally,perhapstheeasiestwaytopeelacloveofgarliciswitharubberpeelingtube.Simplyputoneortwoclovesinsidetherubbertube,pressdownwithyourhand,androllbackand fortha few times.Emptyoutthetube(whichissimple,asbothendsofthetubeareopen)andwatchthewrapperandclovedropout separately.Although thismethodmaycrushthegarlicifyoupushtoohard,onceyougettheknackofit,youwillgetanicelypeeledwholecloveeverytime.

Arubberpeelingtube(upperleft)providesasimple,effectivemeansofpeelinggarlicconsistentlyandeasily.Simplyplacethecloveinoneofthepeeler’sopenends(upperright),makingsuretoinsertfully,beforerollingitafewtimes.Becarefulnottocrushthegarlic;it

peelseasierthanyouthink(lowerright).

Oncepeeled,thegarlicclovecanbeusedwhole,sliced,minced,pressed,orasapaste.Butithasbeenfoundthatthemosthealthbenefitscomefromgarlicthathasbeensliced,chopped,pressed,orminced,and thenallowed to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before use. During this time, thevarious compounds in the garlic mix and meld and the allicin isproduced.As you begin to prepare your dishes, keep inmind that as good as

garlicis,toomuchcanhidetheotherflavorsinthefoodandoverwhelmthedish.Garlicislikesalt;itneedstobeaddedcarefully,andjustlikesalt,oncethegarlicisin,youcan’ttakeitbackout.Whereasifyoudon’taddenough,youcanalwaysaddmore.

IssuesWhenCookingwithGarlicOnceyoubegincookingwithgarlic,keepinmindthatgarlicdoesbetterwhencookedquickly, overmediumheat; cook too long, andmost ofthenutrientsaregone.Asaruleofthumb,ifthegarlichasbeencookedfor15 to40minutes, therewillbeamoderate lossofnutrients. If thegarliciscookedlongerthan40minutes,therewillbeasubstantiallossof nutrients. Garlic can also burn, and burn quickly.Burned garlic isbitterandcanruinanentiredish.Yet,sometimesyoumightwantgarlicslices that are lightly browned. But be well aware that you literallycannottakeyoureyesoffofthegarlicwhileitiscooking;itwillgofromlightbrowntoburntinseconds.Burning can also happenduring sautéing.However, especiallywhen

workingonquickcookingdishes,youmaywanttoconsiderusingslicedgarlic,garlicpaste,or smashedcloves.As theseare less likely toburn,between the allicin factor and burn risk, smashed,minced, or pressedgarlicispreferableforuseinrecipeswheneverpossible.Likewise,duetotheburning factor, if youhavedishes thatneed to cook slowly, garlicshouldnotbeaddedtooearly,as,again,dependingontherecipe,youriskburning.Sometimes, youmaywant to include the flavor of garlic, but don’t

reallywantpiecesofgarlicinthedish.Thisisagreattimeeithertousegarlicpasteor,ifsautéing,sautéafewgarlicclovesinthepaninoilfirst(orbutter).Sautéuntiltheclovesbegintoturnbrown,andthenremove.Youwillhavethegarlicflavor,retainedintheoilorbutter,withoutthegarlicpieces.

RoastingGarlicPerhapsoneofthemostpopular(anddelicious)waystopreparegarlicisbyroastingit.Theroastingprocessbothmellowstheflavorofthegarlicwhileatthesametimereleasingthesugarstocaramelizethegarlic.Thegarlicmayberoastedintheovenoronthegrill,anditisquiteeasytodo.Takeawholegarlicbulbandcarefullypeeltheouterwrappingawaywithoutlooseningthebulb,keepingtheentirebulbintact.Then,slicethetopofthebulboff(upto½inch).Theindividualclovesshouldnowbe

exposed.Place thegarliconapieceofaluminumfoilandputona tinpiepan,glasspiepan,or lippedcookiesheet.Youcanalsouseaterracottagarlic roaster ifyouhaveone,but it isnotnecessary.Next,pouroliveoilover thebulb.Begenerous,butdon’tdrownthegarlic.Afewteaspoons should do, but this can also be a judgment call. Use yourfingerstomakesurethebulbiswellcoated.Youmayalsoaddsaltandpepperifyousochoose.Wrapthegarlicupinthefoil,stillkeepingthegarlicinthepan,andbakeat400°Ffor30to35minutes,oruntilclovesaresoft.Ifyouarecookingonthegrill,youcanomitthepanandplacethe foil-wrapped garlic directly on the grill, away from the flames.Removefromovenandallowittocool.Oncetheroastedgarlichascooled,theclovesareeasytoremovefromthewrapping.Pulloffaclove(careful,astheyareverysoft)andsqueezeinto a bowl or jar. Use as a condiment, on garlic bread, crustini, orbruschetta,orasarecipeingredient—anywaythatsoundsgoodtoyou.Have some funwith it.Roastedgarlic is best if used immediately, butcanberefrigeratedinoilforafewdays.Roastedgarlicinoilislikerawgarlicinoil,inthatitcannotbekeptatroomtemperature.

AdditionalGarlicOptionsOfcourse,thereareotherthingstodowithgarlicinthekitchen.Somecultureswillpickletheentireyoungbulbinspices,sugar,andsalt,whileothersmakeblackgarlic,whichisgarlicthathasbeenlefttofermentatahigh temperature.With itsversatility, it isnowonder thatgarlichasremainedastapleinsomanyculturesforthousandsofyears.One interesting note about garlic that has beenmissed:when doingyourprepwork,ifthegarliccomesintocontactwithanacid,thegarlicwillbegintobreakdownandchangeitscomposition.Thereactionwiththe amino acids causes a discoloration, and, if garlic and onions arecookedtogether,thegarliccanturnblue!Toalleviatethisproblem,cooktheonion first, and thenadd thegarlicandcookquicklyathighheat;otherwise,cookseparately,andthenaddthetwoingredientstogether.When you’re done working with the garlic and need to get thatpungentodoroffofyourhandsand/orcuttingboard,usuallyhalfofalemonrubbedonyourhandsandthecuttingsurfacethatwasusedwill

eliminatethegarlicsmell.

GarlicasaFoodPreservativeAsafoodingredient,garlicisprobablyoneofthemostrecognizedandmostconsumedfoodsintheworld.Foundinrecipesinmostanycultureand country, garlic has also been used to fight disease and illness forthousandsofyears.So,whynotusethecombinationagainstthebacteriathatcanaffectfoods?Studies (and history) have found that fresh garlic can serve as aneffective natural food preservative, preventing food poisoning whenused as a food additive,with additional evidence that fresh garlic cankillsuchbacteriaasE.coli,Staphylococcusaureus(anantibiotic-resistantform of staph infection), and salmonella. Garlic has even beendocumentedasbeingusedasa foodpreservative inancientChinaandJapan.Butwhatmakesgarlicsuchaneffectivepreservative?Garlic’sabilityto act as a food preservative is due, once again, to its antibacterialproperties. Although it is not certain as to how it all works, recentstudies are showing a link between the diallyl sulfide (which wasdiscussed in Chapter 2) and garlic’s ability to penetrate the bacterialmembranes. This in turn combineswith sulfur-containing proteins andenzymes, the most important antimicrobial part of the organo-sulfurcompounds.And,alongwithfreshgarlic,garlicextractshaveproventobenotonlyafoodpreservative,butanantibrowningagentaswell.But how can garlic be used for home preservation? Fresh garlic hasbeenshowntohaveantibioticpropertiesattemperaturesofupto120°F,andhasbeenusedasapreservativeforfriedanddeep-friedfoods.Garlicpasteandextractshaveantibacterialactivityat40to60°F,whichmakesitworkwellforfish.Thereiseventhepossibilitythatgarlicpaste,whenused to coat the inside of a plastic container,will help preserve foodslongerthanwhenstoredinthecontainer.

DrawbackstoPreservingwithGarlic

However,thereareafewdrawbacks,atleastatthistime,tousinggarlicas a food preservative. The two main complications are that thepreservationtimemaybeshort,asonlyfreshgarliccanbeusedasthepreservation ingredient. Also, the food to be preservedwith the garlicneeds to be compatible with garlic; although garlic is used as aningredientinmanyfoods,andthismaynotbeasbigaproblemasyouthink,therearefoodsthatdonotsitwellwithgarlic.Butasmoreandmoreconsumersdemandlessandlesschemicaladditivesintheirfoods,morework isbeingdonetosee justwhatmakesgarlicworkasa foodadditiveforpreserving.

I

CHAPTER8

HEALINGUSESnaddition to itsculinaryvalue,garlichasbeenused formedicinalpurposes for thousands of years. Considered to be one of thehealthiestfoodsthereis,tothepointofbeingcalleda“superfood,”

garlicisalsoconsideredasoneoftheclosestthingstoanaturalpanacea(a remedy for all diseases and illnesses) that has been found to date.Garlichasexcellentantibacterial,antiviral,antifungal,antioxidant,andanti-inflammatoryproperties.Eatingitdailymayhelpkeepyouhealthy,and is safe formost people. Later in this chapter,we’ll cover the bestways to utilize garlic in your diet to take full advantage of its healthbenefits.Garliccontainsapproximately80sulphurcompounds,manyofwhich

are directly responsible for that tell-tale pungent odor that we allassociate with garlic, especially when using fresh garlic. Of thesecompounds,allicinisthemostimportant.Theallicin,ajoene,alliin,andthe other sulfurous compounds have a positive effect on digestive,circulatory,andimmunologicalsystems.Garlic isalsoagoodsourceofvitaminCandB6,manganese,selenium,calcium,andphosphorus.Asmentioned above, the benefits that garlic provides to the human

body include antibacterial and antiviral properties, which in practicehelptocontrolworm,viral,bacterial,fungal,andyeastinfections.However,garlicalsohasbeen shown tohelp inmanyotherwaysas

well,treatingawidearrayofailmentsindifferentpartsofthebody.Forexample:•Garlichasbeenshowntoreduceboththesymptomsandpaincausedbyrheumatoidarthritis•Dailyuseofgarlichasbeen foundto lower therisk factorsofmanytypesofcancer(duetotheallylsulphides)•A crushed clove of garlic on a toothhelps a toothache, due to theantibacterial and analgesic properties that the garlic has (note thatthiscancausegumirritation)• Garlic reduces blood pressure due to the allicin blockingangiotensinall,whichhelpstoreducebloodpressure• Garlic helps the heart by protecting against heart attacks andatherosclerosis•Garlicisgoodfortreatingskininfections,astheajoeneisbelievedtohelptreat fungalskin infectionssuchasringwormandathlete’s foot(the ajoene in garlic can also cause blood thinning through theanticlotting properties, helping to prevent the formation of bloodclots)•Theanti-inflammatoryproperties thatgarlicpossessescanhelp fightallergies,whiletherawjuiceofthegarliccanbeusedtostopitchingcausedbyrashesandinsectbites•Garliccanreduceplaqueformationthroughitsabilitytolowerbloodtriglyceridesandcholesterol•Apopularhomeremedytotreatacoldistoeatseveralclovesofgarlicatthefirstsignofsymptoms•Eatinggarlic inhighdosescanhelp to reduce thepossibilityof tickbites

GarlicasanAntibioticPerhaps garlic’smost importantmedicinal quality is its potency as anantibiotic,duetothecompounddiallylsulfide.Garlichasbeenfoundtobe the only antibiotic that can actually kill the infecting bacterium

Campylobacter, a commoncauseof intestinal infection,and is farmoreeffective as a preventative measure than the other two most-popularantibiotics. Thosewith sensitive stomachs usually comment that usinggarlicasanantibioticupsetstheirstomachlessthantheirprescriptionsdo.However, garlic can also cause the loss of good bacteria in thedigestivesystemwhenitisusedasanantibiotic.Eatingyogurtandotherprobiotics will counteract this side effect. Note that garlic loses itsantibioticpropertieswhenitiscookedordried.Asaresult,garlicisbestwhenconsumedrawandfresh.But,ifitmustbeheatedforanyreason,itshouldbedoneaslittleaspossible(onlyabout5to10minutes).Whenusinggarlicforhealth“upkeep,”onefreshcloveperdayistheusual recommended amount. Preparations thatmimic fresh garlicmayalsobeused;thenumbertolookforisanallicincontentofatleast6,000micrograms.Notethatprepeeledorpremincedgarlicthatcomesinjars(usuallypackedinwater)willnotwork,asitisnotpotentenough.

UsewithCautionAs good as garlic is, it can have a few problems as well. Forexample:• Due to garlic’s anticlotting properties, doctors will usuallyrequest that patients cease garlic consumption before anysurgery,asitcanincreasebleeding• Joking aside, garlic really can cause bad breath; if you areeatingfreshgarlic,chewingonfreshparsleycanhelpwiththeodor•Usingagarlicpoulticeontheskincancausesomethingsimilartoaburn• Garlic may irritate the gastrointestinal tract, particularly ifcompounded by pre-existing conditions, which can causeincludegas,bloating,andnausea•Whenworkingwith freshgarlic,be sure tokeepyour fingers

awayfromyoureyes,asgarlicjuicecanbeanirritant

As you can see, the beneficial health properties of garlic are quiteamazing.Mostofthesehealthfindingsarehundreds,ifnotthousandsofyearsold,andyetarestillswornbytoday.However,ifyouarealreadyon medications, garlic can have some reactions or interactions withmedicines or pre-existing health conditions. As always, make sure toconsultwithyourphysicianbeforemakinganydrasticchangestoyourdiet.

I

FINALNOTES

ntheend,asoneoftheoldestcultivatedcropsintheworldandanimportant ingredient in the lives of people and their history forthousandsofyears,garliccontinuestoplayamajorroletoday,both

inculinaryandmedicinaluse.WhetherbeingpartneredwithparmesanandChardonnay,shrimp,lamb,andevenchickenwings,garliccontinuestoplease thepalateofnewgenerationsofpeople.And,asmoreof themedicinalqualitiesarebroughttotheforefront,wearediscoveringwhatothershaveknownforthousandsofyears: thatonelittlebulbofgarlicmay be one of the single most important foods/ingredients that isavailable to us today, no matter where we live. There are enoughvarieties of garlic to keep even a garlic connoisseur busy tasting andcooking for their entire life (if they can even begin to find all that isavailable). In fact, garlic seems to be one of the constants in cooking,and evenmedicine, throughout the world. Available almost anywhereyougo,andafamiliaringredienteveninsomeofthemostexoticdishes,allthatisleftistostartgrowingitourselvesathome.

Garliccanmakeolddishesbecomenewagain,andopenupawholenewculinaryworldtoenjoy,allwithjustalittleeffortandknow-how.PhotobyJeffreyW.undertheCreative

CommonsAttributionLicense2.0.

Enjoy!

RECIPES

GarlicParmesanPasta

½cupbutter2teaspoonsdriedbasil,crushed2teaspoonslemonjuice1¼teaspoonsgarlicpowder¾teaspoonseasonedsalt8 ounces fettuccine or angel hair pasta (cooked anddrained) 1½cupsbroccoli flowerets (cooked tender-crisp) 3 tablespoons walnuts(chopped)

Fresh,gratedparmesancheese

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the basil, lemon juice, garlicpowder,andseasonedsalt,andblendwell.Addthefettuccine,broccoli,andwalnuts. Blendwell and toss to coat the fettuccine. After tossing,addfreshgratedparmesancheesetotopoffthedish.Asanalternative,chickenorshrimpmaybeaddedtothepasta.

Garlic-LemonDressing

1smallclovegarlic1sprigrosemary1striplemonpeel(1inchx½inch)¾cupoliveoil¼cuplemonjuice

Placethegarlicandrosemaryonacuttingboard,andlightlycrushwiththeflatsideofaheavyknife.Puttherosemary,garlic,andlemonpeelinacleanbottlewitha tight-fittingcap.Pour in theoiland lemon juice.Capthebottleandshakewell.Refrigerateandusewithin1week.Shakebeforeserving.Drizzleonsteamedvegetables,orseafood,pasta,potato,orothersalads.

HoneyGarlicChicken

2chickenbreasts,choppedintosmallpiecesOliveoilHoney(enoughtocoatchickenpieces)¼to½clovegarlic

Chop two boneless chicken breasts into small pieces. Coat frying panwith a thin layer of olive oil. Toss chicken pieces into frying pan andcover with honey. Chop up about ¼ to ½ clove of garlic (quantitydependsonyourtaste).Tossgarlicinfryingpan.Heat frying pan on stove atmedium heat. Be patient! It sometimes

takesmore than30minutes for thehoney/oilmixture to thicken.Youwillnoticethatthechickenwillcookandtheliquidwillgetdarkerandthicker.However,don’tletitgoontoolongorthesaucecanburn.

ItalianGarlicandHerbMarinade

½cupredwine2tablespoonsmincedgarlic3sprigsrosemary,finelychopped2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 tablespoon salt 1tablespoonblackpepper

2 tablespoons oregano, finely chopped 2 tablespoons basil, finelychopped¼cupextravirginoliveoil

Combine all ingredients in the same dish you plan to use whenmarinatingyourfood.Refrigerateforupto2weeks.

RosemaryGarlicPorkRoast

1bonelessporkloinroastCidervinegar,asneeded¼cupchoprub1sprigrosemaryNonstickcookingspray5clovesgarlic

Generouslybrushporkwithcidervinegar.Applyrub,pressingslightlytoaidadhesion.Spraywithnonstickcooking spray.Refrigerateat least1hour.Placerosemaryinthebottomofaroastingpanandplacegarlicina circle around it. Place pork on top. Insert an oven-safe probethermometer into the center and bake at 375°F until internaltemperaturereaches140°F.Removeandletrestfor10minutes.Serve.

GrilledEggplantwithGarlicButter

Makingtheeggplant“sweat”helpsremovethebitterflavorsfromtheeggplant.

1tablespoonmincedgarlic½cupbutter2mediumeggplants,sliced½-inchthickOliveoilSalt,totasteFreshlygroundblackpepper,totaste

Foldgarlicintobutter.Shapeintoanarrowlogusingparchmentorwaxpaper.Refrigerateuntilneeded.Sprinkleallsidesofeggplantwithsalt.Let sit 15 minutes or until it “sweats.” Rinse eggplant. Pat dry withpaper towelsandbrushwitholiveoil.Seasonboth sides liberallywithsaltandfreshlygroundblackpepper.Preheat grill to medium-high. Add eggplant and cook until marked

andslightlycharredonbothsides.Placeapatofbuttermixtureontopof each piece andwait until butter ismelted before serving. Save theextrabutter.Useitinsteadofregularbutterforthingslikechicken,fish,andsteak.

TomatoBasilSoupwithGarlicToast

1cuptomatopaste18ouncestomatojuice¾cupheavycream½cupchickenbroth1tablespoonkoshersalt,divided1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 2 Roma tomatoes, diced(Roma tomatoes allow for a thicker soup) 4 (½-inch thick) slicesFrenchorItalianbreadExtravirginoliveoil

½teaspoongarlicpowder2largebunchesfreshbasil

Combinepaste,juice,cream,broth,2teaspoonssalt,2teaspoonspepper,anddiced tomatoes in a large saucepan.Bring to aboil overmedium-high heat. Reduce heat tomedium-low and cook, stirring occasionallyuntil liquidhas been reducedby a third.Using an immersionblender,pureesoupuntilsmooth.Keepwarmoverlowheat.Toast bread slices in the toaster oven. The second they come out,

brush sliceswith olive oil and sprinklewith garlic and remaining saltandpepper.Setaside.Addbasilleavestotomatopureeandletsteepfor5minutesoverlowheat.Removeleaves.Garnishindividualbowlswithsprigsofbasilandservewarmwithgarlictoast.

RosemaryGarlicBakedPotatoes

Adelicioussidedishofbakedpotatoesinfusedwithrosemaryandgarlic.Servesfour.

4bakingpotatoes4tablespoonsoliveoil2to4clovesgarlic,chopped1teaspoondried,crushedrosemary(or1tablespoonfresh)¼teaspoonseasalt

⅛teaspoonfreshgroundpepper

Heat oven to 400°F.Wash potatoes and pierce all overwith fork. Layeachpotato on an individual 9-inch squarepiece of aluminum foil (orsizedtofitpotato).Pour1tablespoonofoliveoiloneachpotato.Makesure the entirepotato skin is coated inoil. Sprinkle¼of the choppedgarlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper over the entire skin of each potato.Wrapeachpotatoinaluminumfoilandplacefoil-wrappedpotatoesoncookieorbakingsheet(tocatchanyleakingoliveoil).Bakefor1hour.

CaliforniaFusionPeachSalsa

AdeliciouscombinationofhotchilisauceandsweetpeacheswithAsianspicesforatasty,spicysalsa.

2(15-ounce)canspeaches,drainedandchopped2greenonionsorgreengarlic,slicedthin(includingtops)2teaspoonschoppedfreshcilantro

2teaspoonsgarlicchilisauce2tablespoonslimejuice½teaspoonfivespicepowder¼teaspoonwhitepepper

In a bowl, mix the drained, chopped peaches, sliced green onions,chopped cilantro, garlic chili sauce, lime juice, five spice powder, andwhitepepper.Mixwell.Chillbeforeserving.Serveasasalsawithtortillachipsorasagarnishformeatdishes.

GarlicPickles

Looselypackajar(yourchoiceofsize)withpeeledgarliccloves.Coverwithredwinevinegarandadd1tablespoonseasaltpercupofvinegarused. Add seasonings of choice, to taste. Cover and shake to mix.Refrigerate for a few weeks to allow flavor to penetrate, shakingoccasionally,andmakingsure that thegarliccloves remainsubmergedintheliquid.Serveasacondimentorsnack,oruseasaningredientforarecipe.

GarlicSalt

Grinddriedgarlicingrinder(acoffeegrinderkeptspecificallyforherbsandspiceswillworkwell)tillitisinpowderform.Usingaratioof4:1,salttogarlicpowder(or3:1,dependingonhowstrongofagarlictasteyouare lookingfor),mix,andreturntogrinder.Quicklyprocessagain(makingsuretoprocessforonlyaminuteortwo;ifprocessedtoolong,themixturewillcake.)Storeinanairtightcontainer.Tomakegarlicpowder,simplydon’taddsalt.

EggRice

2cupsrice1onion(approximatelygolfballsize)2medium-sizegreenchilipeppers1teaspoongingerpaste1teaspoongarlicpaste¼ teaspoon spices (½ stick cinnamon, 3 cardamoms, and 6 cloves,groundincoffeegrinder)1teaspoonsalt

2eggs,beaten

Cookriceasperdirectionsonpackageandsetaside.Sweatonionsandgreen chilies together over medium-low heat. Add ginger and garlicpaste. Add rice and mix well. Add salt and spices powder. Add thebeateneggsandcookuntileverythingismixedwell.

TahiniYogurtSauce

1largelemon3clovesgarlic3tablespoonssesamebuttertahini8ouncesplainyogurt2tablespoonsoliveoil

Squeezejuicefromlemonintobowlorsmallfoodprocessor.Chopgarlic,combineallingredientstogether,andmixwell.Makesapproximately1¼cupsofsauce.

PicodeGallo

2cupschoppedfreshtomato½cupchoppedwhiteoryellowonion2tablespoonschoppedcilantro½teaspoonsalt1teaspoongroundblackpepper1½ tablespoons stemmed, seeded, and minced jalapeño 2 teaspoonsfreshlysqueezedlimejuice1smallclovegarlic,minced

Hotsauceofyourchoice,totaste

Washthetomato,onion,andcilantro.Dicethewashedingredientsandcombinethem,mixingwell.Addsalt,pepper, jalapeño, limejuice,andgarlic.Addhotsauceifdesired.Letstandatleast30minutestoallowingredientstomesh.

Pesto

¼cuppinenutsApproximately8ouncesextravirginoliveoil4clovesgarlic4ouncesfreshbasil(mustbefresh)⅓ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, orRomanocheeseFreshlygroundsaltandpepper,totaste

Preheattheovento425°F.Toastthepinenutsinanovenproofpanfor10 to 15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes to prevent excessivebrowningorburning. Inasmallskillet,heat2tablespoonsof theoliveoilonmediumheat.Crushthegarlicandsautéintheoiluntilsoft,about2to3minutes.Combinethebasil,garlic,cheese,pinenuts,andoilinafoodprocessororblenderandchopfinely,slowlyaddingtheoiltoreachapaste-likeconsistency.Thesaucecanbeusedimmediatelyorwhencoveredwithathinlayer

ofoliveoilandrefrigeratedinanairtightcontainerfor1week.Frozen,thepestomaylastseveralmonths.

ArrozconPollo

3to4poundschicken(cutintoservingpieces)Oliveoil4clovesfresh,mincedgarlic1mediumonion,chopped8ouncesdicedredbellpepper1(15-ounce)candicedtomatoes½tablespoonsweetpaprika½ouncechoppedcilantro6cupschickenbouillonHandfuloffreshcilantro,chopped8 saffron threads (or 1 teaspoon food coloring for yellow rice) 2 cupsmediumorlong-grainrice

8ouncescannedpeas(thoroughlydrained)Saltandpepper,totaste

Seasonthechickenwithtwopinchesofsaltandapinchofpepper.Pourenougholiveoilintoalargeskillettojustbarelycoverthebottom.Sautéchickeninoiluntilbrown.Eitherremovethechickenfromtheskilletorkeepitthere.Sautégarlicuntilbrown;becareful:garlicburnseasily.Addtheonion,

bell pepper, tomatoes, and paprika. Sauté until the vegetables aretender.Transfertheingredientstoalargestewingpot.Addthecilantro,bouillon,andsaffron(orfoodcoloring).Bringtoarollingboil.Addthericeandmixwell.Simmerovermediumheatuntilthericeis

cookedandtheliquidisabsorbed.Addmorebrothorwateriftheliquidevaporatesbeforethericeiscooked.Addthechickentothepot(ifyouremoved it previously) and cover itwith rice.Wait 2 to 3minutes toallowthechickentowarm.Sprinklepeasontopoftherice.

Bruschetta

Youcanadaptthisrecipetomakeasmanyservingsasyouneed.Asaguideline,youcanserveoneortwobruschettaperperson.

1loafItalianorFrenchbread,sliced½-inchthick½headgarlicExtravirginoliveoil,asneededKosher saltand freshlygroundblackpepper, to tasteToppingsofyourchoice(seeexamplesbelow)

Toast the bread slices in a toaster oven, under a broiler, or on a grilluntil they turngolden. Immediately rub thebreadwith thecut sideofthe garlic. Sprinklewith salt and black pepper and drizzle generouslywithextravirginoliveoil.Serve warm, topped with whatever combinations of seasonal

ingredients you choose. Examples include chopped tomatoes witharugulaorbasil,cookedwhitebeans(topped, ifyou like,withsautéedkale),sautéedmushrooms(preferablywildvarieties),mincedanchoviesflavored with wine vinegar and herbs, thinly sliced pancetta crispedunder the broiler, or a Pugliese-style chopped mixture of summervegetables (red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, oregano, flat-leaf parsley,basil,andredpepperflakes).

LeTourin

LeTourinisatypeofgarlicsoup.ThisrecipeisfromthevillageofLeFleixinDordogne.Serves2.

10to12clovesofgarlic,chopped1tablespoonoliveoil1tablespoonflour4cupswater1egg,separated1teaspoonvinegarSalt,totastePepper,totaste

In a frying pan, brown the chopped garlic (or, optionally, an equalmixtureofchoppedonionsandgarlic)intheoliveoil.Becarefulnottoburn thegarlic.Add the flour.Mixwell, and thencook foramoment.Addsomeboilingsaltedwater,andcookfor10minutes.In a separate dish, mix together the egg yolk, pepper, and vinegar.

Addtheeggwhitetothesoup,firsttemperinginaseparatebowlwithawhisksonolargepiecesofeggwhiteform.Cookforanother5minutesbefore removing from heat and adding the egg yolk mixture, againtemperingtoavoidcoagulation.Placethinslicesofbreadineachsoupbowl,andpourthesoupontop.Servehot.

RosemaryGarlicFish

FishfilletsPlainflour,seasonedwithsaltandpepper1tablespoonoliveoil2clovesfreshgarlic,chopped1sprigfreshrosemaryleaves,chopped½cupbrownvinegar(canuseciderormalt)

Toss fillets in seasoned flour. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic androsemary leaves.Cookslightly,andthenaddthe fish.Whenthe fish iscooked, remove from pan and drain off excess oil. There should beenoughflourinthepan(fallenfromthefish)tomakethesauce.Ifthereisn’t, add a tablespoon of flour to the pan juices, and brown. Addvinegar.Addalittlewaterandstirtomakegravy.Spoonoverfish.

Hummus

3cupsrawchickpeas,dried18cupswater(dividedinhalfforequaluse)1tablespooncookingoilApproximately¾ cup chickpea cooking liquid¾ cup freshly squeezedlemonjuice

¾cuptahini(groundsesameseeds)½cupextravirginoliveoil12clovesgarlic(peeledandroughlychopped)1tablespoonsalt½teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper

Soak the chickpeas inwater overnight, and thendrain.Gently simmerthe chickpeas with the next lot of water (generously salted) and thetablespoonofcookingoiluntilverysoft,butstillwhole(about3hours,withapproximately10minutescoolingtimeifusingapressurecooker).Drain thechickpeas, reservinga fewcupsof thecooking liquid(you

willneeditlater).Rinsethechickpeaswithplentyofcoldwater.Whiledoingso,gentlyrubthembetweenyourhandstoreleasetheskins;theyshouldfloatawaywiththerinsingwater.Afterseveralchangesofwater,andremovingamajorityoftheskins,drainthechickpeasagain.Usingafoodprocessor(orothermeans),mixthelemonjuicewiththe

tahini.Puree(ormash)thechickpeasinbatches,usingthelemonjuiceandtahinimixture, theoliveoil,and thecooking liquidas required tomaintain thedesired consistency.Add the garlic to the batchwith theoliveoil,andprocessuntilsmooth).Inalargebowl,usingaspoon,mixthe salt andpepper into the other blended ingredients (add additionalcookingliquid,ifstilltoothick).

CornandShrimpChowder

1teaspoonoliveoil1onion,chopped1carrot,chopped1clovegarlic,chopped3½cupscannedchickenbroth1teaspoondillseeds3cupsfrozencornkernels1½poundsmediumshrimp,shelled¼cuplightcreamormilk1tablespoonfreshparsley,choppedSaltandpepper,totaste

Inalargesaucepan,heatoliveoiloverlowheat.Addonion,carrot,andgarlic.Cook,stirringoccasionally,untiltheonionistransparent,about5minutes.Addbrothanddillseeds,andbringtoaboil.Reduceheatandsimmer,covered,for20minutes.Addcorntobrothandsimmer,covered,untilthecornisjusttender,

about5minutes.Inablenderorfoodprocessor,pureethenewlymadechowder and pour it back into the saucepan. Add shelled shrimp.Simmerandcookuntilshrimparealmostdone,about1minute.Stirinmilk, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring mixture back to simmer. Serveimmediately.

TomatoBasilSoupwithGarlicToast

1cuptomatopaste1(18-ounce)cantomatojuice¾cupheavycream½cupchickenbroth1tablespoonkoshersalt,divided1tablespoonfreshlygroundblackpepper2Romatomatoes,diced4slicesFrenchorItalianbread(½-inchthick,onthebias)Extravirginoliveoil

½teaspoongarlicpowder2largebunchesfreshbasil

Combinepaste,juice,cream,broth,2teaspoonssalt,2teaspoonspepper,anddiced tomatoes in a large saucepan.Bring to aboil overmedium-highheat.Reduceheat tomedium-lowandcook, stirringoccasionally,untilliquidhasreducedbyathird.Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Keep warm

over lowheat.Toastbread slices in theoven (toasterovenwillwork).Immediately after removing fromoven, brush sliceswith olive oil andsprinklewithgarlicandremainingsaltandpepper.Setaside.Addbasilleavestotomatopureeandletsteepfor5minutesoverlow

heat.Remove leaves.Garnish individualbowlswithsprigsofbasilandservewarmwithgarlictoast.

QuickGarlicCroutons

1 cup ½-inch bread cubes from good-quality French or Italian loaf 2tablespoonsoliveoil

Pinchofsalt⅛teaspoongarlicpowder

Warman8-inchskilletover lowheatwhilepreparingbread.Aminutebeforeyouarereadytocook,turnheatuptomedium.Tossbreadinabowlwith oil, salt, and garlic powder. Cook, stirring often, until crispandgoldenbrown,about7minutes.

RESOURCES

WebsitesandOnlineArticles“Find a Vitamin or Supplement: Garlic.” WebMD.www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/

“GarlicHealthBenefits.”GarlicCentral.www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html

“Garlic and Cancer Prevention.” National Cancer Institute.www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Prevention/garlic-and-cancer-prevention

“Garlic for Dogs” Natural Dog Health Remedies. www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/garlic-for-dogs.html

NewCenturyHomesteaderwww.newcenturyhomesteader.blogspot.com Workshops, programs,writings.Feelfreetocontactwithquestionsonbackyardfarming,small-spacefarming,andmicroagriculture.

UrbanFarmOnlinewww.urbanfarmonline.comUrbanfarmingandlivestockinformation.

ArticlesAnusasananan, Linda Lau. “Glorious Garlic: How toMake theMost ofThisExplosiveHerb.”Sunset.June22,1997.

Broihier, Kitty. “Garlic’s Allure: This Bulb’s for You… Benefits, Too.”EnvironmentalNutrition.Sept.1,2008.

Cunningham,Elaine.“Garlic.”RenaissanceMagazine.Nov.1,2012.

Edwards, Gail. “Garlic: The Culinary Uses of the “Stinking Rose” AreRivaledOnlyby ItsHealthBenefits.Here’sHowtoGrowandUseThisPowerfulPlant.”NaturalLife.Sept.1,2007.

Foreman, Judy (Globe Staff). “Taking Garlic Seriously.” The BostonGlobe.May4,1987.

“Garlic: Bad for Breath, Better for Cholesterol.”Men’s Health Advisor.May1,2007.

“Garlic for the Treatment of Topical Infections: Does It Help?”AlternativeMedicineAlert.Mar.1,1999.

Simmons,Marie.“GloriousGarlic:ForVersatilityandFlavor,It’satHeadoftheClass.”ChicagoSun-Times.Aug.23,1992.

Biffa,Dr.John.“IsGarlica‘Cure-all’?”DailyMail.Oct.10,2000.

Martin, Orin. “Everything You Need to Know About: Growing GreatGarlic.”Countryside&SmallStockJournal.Sept.1,2000.

Stolzenburg,William.“GarlicMedicine:CuresinCloves?”ScienceNews.Sept.8,1990.

Brown, Ellen. “Under Garlic’s Spell: The ‘Stinking Rose’ Blooms in aVarietyofDishes.”WashingtonPost.July25,1990.

Welland, Diane. “Garlic Is the Go-to Herb for Health, Whether Raw,Cooked,orSupplements.”EnvironmentalNutrition.July1,2006.

Periodicals

Farming:TheJournalofNortheastAgriculturewww.farmingmagazine.comExcellent magazine focusing on multiple aspects of farming in theAmericanNortheast,includingbeefanddairycattleandvalueadded.

CattleSouthMagazineCattlepublicationfortheAmericanSoutheast.

AcresU.S.A.www.acresusa.comExcellentmagazineforsustainableandorganicfarming.

Countryside&SmallStockJournalwww.countrysidemag.comOneofthefirstpublicationscoveringself-sufficiency.

Gritwww.grit.comExcellentpublicationforthesmallfarm,homestead,urbanfarm,etc.

HobbyFarmswww.hobbyfarms.com

Magazinesinallareasofurbanfarming,backyardfarming,andmore.

MotherEarthNewswww.motherearthnews.comOne of the first publications developed for those interested inhomesteading,smallfarms,andself-sufficiency.

BooksAndersen, Craig Randall. Garlic. 6-11 rev. ed. Fayetteville, Ark.:Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas, U.S. Dept. ofAgricultureandCountyGovernmentsCooperating,2011.

Andrews, Glenn.Growing and Using Garlic. Pownal, Vt.: Storey Books,1998.

Broderick,Orla.Garlic.MenloPark,Calif.:SunsetPub.Corp.,1994.

Edwards,Natasha.Garlic:TheMightyBulb:Cooking,Growing,andHealingwithGarlic.RichmondHill,Ont.:FireflyBooks,2012.

Engeland,Ron L.GrowingGreat Garlic: TheDefinitive Guide forOrganicGardeners and Small Farmers. Okanogan, Wash.: Filaree Productions,1991.

Primeau,Liz.InPursuitofGarlic:AnIntimateLookattheDivinelyOdorousBulb.Vancouver,B.C.:GreystoneBooks,2012.

Steiner,RichardP.FolkMedicine: TheArt and the Science.Washington,D.C.:AmericanChemicalSociety,1986.

Tolleson, Peggy. Wild Garlic: Culinary Memoirs. United Kingdom: P.Tolleson,2007.

Wilen,Joan,andLydiaWilen.Garlic:Nature’sSuperHealer.EnglewoodCliffs,N.J.:PrenticeHall,1997.

NOTES