Garlic is a plant that is small in size, white in color and round in shape that is made of around 8-15 cloves. Garlic has a very strong smell and taste. There are three main types of garlic namely, softneck, hardneck and elephant garlic. Softneck garlic is sub divided into two types. That is, Silverskin and Artichoke . Artichoke which is name due to their resemblance to artichoke vegetables. Some varieties of artichoke garlic include; applegate, polish red, red toch, Italian purple, polish white. Unlike the softneck garlic, the hardneck garlic has an intense flavor.
The most common type of hardneck garlic is Rocambole. The last type of garlic is the elephant garlic which has a very large bulbs and few cloves between 3-5 cloves.
This elephant garlic has mellow onion/garlic flavor . Garlic is used for cooking and it's also a medicinal plant used to boost immunity, treating of Diabetes, high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol or other fat in the blood.
How To Plant Garlic
How To Grow Garlic.
Garlic is mostly grown in cold temperatures, a well drained friable soil rich in organic matter like chicken manure, which promotes healthy and robust bulbs growth. Growing garlic starts with looking of a fertile ground suitable for the garlic and selecting the right garlic varieties .
When choosing garlic varieties for large bulbs production consider your climate and soil conditions. After the consideration and preparing the soil properly, separate the cloves and select the most healthy and well shaped cloves.
Then keep the smaller ones for cooking. Plant the healthy ones in the soil, put the garlic to face upwards, plant them between 2-3cm . Plant them on rows and spaced them 20cm apart. Garlic takes between six-nine months to mature. Water your garlic throughout the growing process but stop watering during the last weeks.
During the growing period, the garlic leaves can be harvested and used to cook. These garlic leaves are as tasty as the cloves. When the garlic is mature and ready for harvest, the leaves become brown.
To make your garlic to grow faster and healthier, there are some step you need to follow like;
1. Watering the garlic. This will make the roots to go deeper into soil to look for nutrients
2. Removing of unnecessary weed in your garden would help the garlic to grow faster and healthier. This is because weeds growing in the garden compete with the garlic over the nutrients found in the soil.
3. The use of organic manure in your garden will help the garlic to grow faster. This organic manure help to increase the diversity and activity of organisms and greatly improves the structure.
4. Monitoring and protecting the garlic from pests and diseases. Crop rotation helps to destroy pests and diseases, thereby reducing the risk of infestation and infections .
5. Introducing beneficial insects like ladybugs or lacewings can control aphids and other pests that are dangerous to the garlic.
6. Regular inspection of garlic for any signs of diseases such as yellowing leaves or fungal spots allows for early intervention with organic fungicides taken from natural sources.
Cloves forming on the stem – this is usually due to adverse weather, such as fluctuating temperatures in spring. Called top sets, the cloves can be used in the normal way
Flowering (bolting) – hardneck garlic readily produces flower stems, which should be removed as soon as they appear and can be used in stir-fries. Softneck garlic occasionally produces flower stems due to poor growing conditions, such as high temperatures or drought
Split bulbs – the crop was harvested late
Green cloves – usually due to shallow planting or late harvesting. They can be used as normal, but are unlikely to store well.
How To Cure Garlic.
After harvesting garlic i's very important to cure the bulbs by allowing them to dry well and preserving their flavor. To ensure that these garlics remain in good conditions,the following guidelines are required.
1. Harvest the garlic when the leaves are brownish
2. Lay the garlic on a single layer in a ventilated area with air circulating in the area.
3. Brush off any remaining soil and trim the roots and the tops 2 inches above the bulbs.
4. Store the garlic in a cool and dry place with good ventilation.
5. Cure for 3-4 weeks
To conclude, growing of sizable bulbs of garlic involves procedures that need to be followed to ensure a successful harvest.
Conclusion
These procedures start with the identification of a land that is favorable for the growing of garlic, choosing the right type of garlic that would give a flavorful garlic bulbs , planting and maintaining the garlic throughout the growing season and curing the garlic after harvest to preserve their flavor.
Growing of garlic in our country is very important because it's used in cooking and it's also helpful to treat sickness such as Diabetes, high blood pressure, high level of cholesterol or other fat in the blood . Cultivation of garlic is also important because, individuals who are involved in the cultivation of garlic sell them and make a living out of it.