While primarily used today in cooking, the garlic plant (Allium sativum) has a long history of medicinal use. In fact, records indicate that garlic was in use when the Giza pyramids were built, about 5,000 years ago.
And no wonder. According to a study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, diallyl sulfide, a compound found in garlic is 100 times more effective than two popular pharmaceutical antibiotics in fighting Campylobacter bacterium, one of the most common causes of intestinal infections.
There’s also significant empirical evidence to suggest garlic may reduce high cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
Some of the most intriguing medicinal health benefits of garlic have to do with promising studies linking garlic with the potential for battling certain cancers. For example, according to a study conducted at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China, people who ate raw garlic at least twice a week during the seven-year study period had a 44% lower risk of developing lung cancer.
The study’s results suggested that garlic may potentially serve as a chemo-preventive agent for lung cancer.
Organo-sulfur compounds found in garlic have also been identified as effective in destroying the cells in glioblastomas, a type of deadly brain tumor.
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Homegrown garlic takes up little space and requires hardly any effort to get a good crop. It’s also a good plant to grow with children, as garlic is easy to grow, and the cloves are the perfect size to be planted by small hands.
There are two primary types of garlic grown in home gardens: softneck and hardneck.
The softneck type is the kind most people are familiar with since it is generally found in the grocery store produce section.
The other is hardneck garlic, so called because it forms a hard central stem that stays with the bulb after harvest. This is the type many gardeners prefer because the cloves grow in a single row around the central stem. There are usually no small cloves like you find with softneck garlic.
Also, as the hardneck garlic plant grows, it forms a long, curled flower stalk. That stalk is called a “garlic scape.” The tasty scapes are considered a special delicacy that are harvested from the plant before the cloves fully mature.
When to Plant Garlic
Plant cloves in the fall or spring.
For a fall planting, shoot for mid-autumn in a sunny location with rich, well-drained soil. Set cloves root side down 4-6 inches apart in rows 1-1/2 to 2 feet apart, and cover with 1-2 inches of fine soil. In the more northern climates, put down 6 inches of mulch for winter protection.
For a spring planting, plant cloves as early in spring as soil can be worked, about the same time as onion sets. Spring-planted garlic should be put in the ground in the same manner as in the fall.
Water and Fertilizer
Keep the area weed free and water when dry.
When the leaves begin to grow, it is important to feed the garlic plants to encourage good growth. A teaspoon or two of a high-nitrogen fertilizer that decomposes slowly, such as blood meal or Osmocote should be gently worked into the soil near each plant.
If the mulch has decomposed, add a layer to help retain moisture and keep weeds under control. In late spring some garlic varieties produce flower stalks that have small bulbils. Cut these stalks off. This will insure that all of the food the plant produces will go into the garlic bulb itself and not the clusters of bulbils.
Normally, in the month of June garlic plants stop producing new leaves and begin to form bulbs. At this time remove any remaining mulch and stop watering. The garlic will store better if you allow the soil around the bulbs to dry out.
How to Grow in Containers
You don’t need a massive garden to grow garlic. These healthful plants do just fine in containers on a patio or balcony. However, keep in mind that garlic grown indoors does not usually produce the best quality bulbs.
It’s best to choose a container at least 8 inches (20cm) in diameter and depth to allow for good root growth. Fill your container with multi-purpose compost and incorporate some specialist onion fertilizer. Plant each clove at a depth of 1 inch (2.5cm) and space them about 4 to 6 inches (10-15cm) apart. Allow space for the bulbs to swell, so don’t plant them too close to the container edge. Keep the compost moist, especially during dry spells.
You can also grow garlic indoors on a windowsill for its leaves, which have a mild and aromatic flavor and can be added to soups, curries and stir-fries. Harvest the leaves as required until the bulb has been exhausted.
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Harvesting and Storage
Autumn-planted garlic will be ready to harvest in June and July and spring-planted garlic will be ready slightly later. All you need to do is wait until the leaves have started to wither and turn yellow, and then loosen the bulbs from the soil with a trowel.
Be careful not to cut the garlic bulbs with your trowel as this will reduce their storage potential. Also don’t leave the bulbs in the ground too long after the leaves have withered as the bulbs are likely to re-sprout and may rot when stored.
Before storing them, lay the garlic bulbs out somewhere warm and dry. Any dry soil left on the bulbs can be gently brushed off.
In good condition, garlic bulbs can be stored for up to three months.
Keep in mind that softneck garlic varieties store better than hardneck garlic, so eat the hardneck varieties first.
How to Use Garden Garlic
Crush, slice or finely chop, or roast cloves whole, to add flavor to many dishes. Hardneck varieties tend to have more flavor than softnecks, so they work well when roasted whole.
There’s also a bonus to growing garlic in your garden: Garlic repels insect pests!
