Garlic really is one of the most simple vegetables to grow – what can I tell you apart from it needs full sun to be successful.

I’ve grown garlic for many years now (and apart from last year when it was wet at a critical time) I have had fabulous results.  I grow various types of garlic.  Last week I planted Giant or Elephant Garlic, Soft Neck Garlic and Red Garlic.  I like to plant enough to keep our extended family in garlic for the whole year.  Sometimes I have to think “outside the square (or vege patch)” to find enough room!

With an extended planting of Parsnip and Leeks this year my Garlic area was full so I moved down to the bottom garden where our huge Asparagus bed is in the beautiful alluvial soil close to the creek.  The soil is light and free draining here which makes it excellent for both asparagus and garlic and dog digging!  Hence the asparagus patch is fenced off for obvious reasons.  It is now also in a full sun position due to several trees being taken out in the autumn and perfect for garlic which I have planted just outside and just inside the perimeter fence (the outer hopefully being so close to the fence that it is unable to be dug up by Kasey’s furious digging).

I dug a trench right around the patch (inside and outside the fence) and dusted on some Tui Vege Food.  Then on my knees and using my preferred tool – the Niwashi – I dug individual holes around 20-25cm apart for the Giant Garlic and 15cm apart for the Red and Soft Neck Garlic – I chose a triangular planting to get more in.  Into each hole I incorporated half a handful of sheep pellets – garlic loves sheep pellets.

Planting Depth:  I planted the Giant Garlic really deep – at least twice the depth of the height of the bulb – the tip of the garlic bulb being around 8cm deep.  The other two varieties I planted at 5cm.  Garlic is very vigorous and produces a lot of roots.  I think the further apart you can plant the bulbs the better.  Garlic also doesn’t have to be planted in the vege patch.  When pushed for room in previous years I have planted my garlic in the shrubbery, around the roses.  Roses are supposed to love garlic – the garlic helps keep the bugs away from them.  If you’re short of room in your vege patch this winter – make use of your shrubbery and plant groups of garlic, just like you would daffodils.

Growing:  All winter planted garlic should be ready for harvesting by Christmas.  However if you’ve planted a lot like me you can start digging and using your garlic much earlier than that.  Freshly dug garlic is wonderful and the leaves are very garlicky also.   Garlic does a lot of its growing in the last month so make sure you keep them growing strongly through November and December.  Feed them every six weeks or so with a general purpose fertiliser i.e. Tui’s General Fertiliser and keep them well watered.  For the fattest garlic possible give the a liquid feed fortnightly with something like Seasol.

Storing garlic – plaiting  Soft neck garlic is the variety you should plant if you want to keep your garlic for months and months.  It has very good keeping qualities and also has the right foliage for plaiting.  When you dig your garlic either plait it or tie it together in bunches of half a dozen or so and hang it up in a dry, shaded and preferrably airy spot so that it dries quickly.