Considering Planting Garlic? A Guide to Cultivating This Versatile Crop.
Whyd'ya Wanna Grow Garlic? A Realistic Breakdown for Novice Gardeners
Let's talk garlic, the unsung hero of gardens, shall we? But before you dig in, here's the lowdown on whether you should be growing this aromatic bulbous treasure.
First things first, growing garlic is like riding a bike - it's easiest for beginners. Yet, it ain't all rosy. Depending on your gardening objectives, the suitability of garlic in your garden might not meet your expectations.
Check out this episode of the Beginner's Garden Podcast for a deep dive into 3 reasons why garlic deserves a place in your garden and 1 reason you may want to pass it up. Meantime, let's keep it simple and streetwise here.
Planting garlic: As Easy as Pie?
Garlic? Piece of cake! Just stick the cloves in the ground in the fall, cover 'em with mulch, and watch 'em multiply like bank account balances over Christmas. By the time the days get longer and the weather warms, little green shoots will pop out from the soil. In my neck of the woods, they'll grow strong and tall until they're harvest-ready in early June.
The Garlic-Cum-Pepper Connection
Here's a nifty trick: because I pull garlic in June, I've learned to sow peppers in the same plot. After nurturing pepper seeds indoors, I transplant 'em to the garlic bed in May, letting the garlic provide shelter as it towers high. Once I dig up the garlic, the peppers can flourish in the heat, giving you two crops from a single garden space.
Wanna see how it's done? Take a gander at this video:
(Couldn't load vid? Catch it here)
I live down South, so I grow speedy softneck garlic. That's why I can yank garlic in June. But if you're situated further north, your garlic might not be ripe for picking until July or even August. However, no worries - you can still pull off the succession planting trick by sowing your fall crops in the ground after your garlic is harvested.
Scrap garlic from your shopping list?
Call me eccentric, but crossing off items I grow myself from my grocery list is a massive thrill. And since garlic shelf-lives indefinitely (hey, I live in the Southeastern U.S.), I never have to scribble 'garlic' anymore. Even those of you growing hardneck garlic can conserve your cloves via various methods like fermenting, pickling, or drying them into powder.
But is growing garlic cost-effective? Hell, nah! (Initially)
Can't go shopping for garlic from the supermarket (they ain't certified disease-free, homie) and when you buy seed garlic, it ain't cheap. One year I dropped a cool $14.50 for a half-pound pack, which gave me 4 heads housing 10 cloves apiece.
I planted 40 cloves, and voila, I ended up with 40 heads of garlic. That means my per-pound cost was about $5.90, which is a far cry from the grocery store's $0.39/pound price-tag.
BUT after a couple of years, I grew oodles of garlic, which I used and saved for planting. Now I harvest and re-plant garlic for zilch additional cost. After a few seasons, you'll save enough cash to cover your initial investment.
So, what's the verdict, homie? If your goal is to start saving dough pronto, garlic ain't the most penny-wise crop. But if you're in it for the long-haul, revel in the fun of growing an effortless crop, and want to repurpose a garden space, garlic is the perfect addition to your garden.
Ready to grow garlic? Let me make your life easier with my FREE Garlic Planting Guide! Drop your email below, and I 'll fire it over to you:
Get my FREE Garlic Planting Cheat Sheet!
- WHEN to plant
- WHAT KIND to plant
- WHERE to buy
- WHERE NOT to buy
- Easy-peasy ways to plant, whether you've got a raised bed, a plot, or a pot
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- Gardening novices might find growing garlic easier than they think, similar to riding a bike. However, the suitability of garlic in your garden may not always align with your gardening objectives. (gardening, succession planting)
- If you're intrigued by garlic and looking for more resources, check out the Beginner's Garden Podcast for a detailed discussion on why garlic is worth growing and one reason it might not be suitable for your garden. (garden podcast, gardening, lifestyle)
- For those who enjoy the process of growing their own produce and want to repurpose a garden space, garlic could be an excellent addition to your home-and-garden. (garden resources, lifestyle, home-and-garden)
- You can conserve your garlic cloves by various methods like fermenting, pickling, or drying them into powder, making them last longer and cross them off your grocery list. (garden printables, gardening)
