Fly Buys Communities

Has anyone actually grown garlic?

by Frankie — 29 Jul 10 — 5

I’m having another go at growing it.  I tried a few years ago – prepared the ground by digging in my own organic compost; bought the right type of garlic bulbs from a garden centre; waited patiently until the shortest day to plant out; followed all the instructions carefully.  Then, I waited and waited.  Nothing.  I guess they rotted away (adding culinary flavour to the compost itself).

Well, it’s taken me a few years to recover from the rejection and I’m feeling extremely confident this time.  I even decided to break a few rules.  I couldn’t wait for the shortest day and planted them a week earlier.  I planted some separate cloves and then chucked in whole clumps of the garlic as well.  I put grass clippings over the lot. Then I had some luck – it rained, and rained (it is the wet Waikato, of course).  I  worried a little that the bulbs would rot again but quietly hoped the white cloves would be swelling underground, soaking up all that natural water.

And, YES, I have spied some tiny green shoots.

I wouldn’t be without garlic in my kitchen.  I know it helps prevent winter colds and it’s one of the few flavours I have always snuck into spaghetti bolognaise without my boys noticing – believe it! (I love it roasted too).

So, if you need to break some rules, plant some garlic now.  It might be past the shortest day, but you might only need some grass clippings and fortuitous rain.

What can possibly go wrong now?

Has anyone actually grown garlic?5.051