   Growing Garlic - September 12, 2012 Jeff Schalau, Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County Garlic is one of my favorite food flavors. This hardy perennial is a member of the onion family and has been used as a culinary and medicinal herb since the time of the Egyptian pharaohs. Garlic is thought to be a native of Central Asia but has long been naturalized in Southern Europe. Garlic has flat leaves rather than the round hollow leaves of the onion and produces many small bulbs (cloves) rather than one large bulb. Garlic is an excellent crop to plant at this time of year. Most varieties of garlic can be divided into two general categories: those that send up a seed stalk (hardneck varieties) and those that don't (softneck varieties). Softneck varieties will sometimes send up a seedstalk if stressed for water. Hardneck types include varieties best suited to cooler climates and are larger and easier to peel. Softneck types have been cultivated over a longer time period, are suited to a variety of climates, and hold up better in storage due to their tighter skins. The best varieties for you depend on personal taste and gardening experience. Try a couple of different varieties each year until you find those which best suit your taste and gardening style. For hardneck varieties try Rocambole, Continental, Spanish Roja, Carpathian, or German Red. These all produce large, easy to peel cloves and tend to be on the hot and spicy side. Some good softneck varieties are Inchelium Red, California Early, Artichoke, Chet's Italian, Mild French, and Silverskin. These are milder, produce smaller cloves, and are most desirable for braiding. Garlic grows best in a rich, deep, sandy loam to clay loam soil with a pH between 6.0 and 8.0. As with most vegetable crops, adequate levels of nitrogen and phosphorus are critical for good production. Add 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound of actual nitrogen (about three pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer) per 100 square feet. If using compost, you will need to estimate the amount of compost that will provide this amount of nitrogen (3-4 inches of well-rotted compost incorporated into the planting area). Additional applications of nitrogen can also be made in spring. This can be done with a light application of N-containing fertilizer, rich compost, or manure. Adequate phosphorus fertilizer placed in the root zone assures availability. I always “band” phosphorus during soil preparation. I do this by amending the soil with compost, then digging away a layer of amended soil and placing the desired quantity of phosphorus fertilizer about 4-6 inches below the seedbed or transplant. Add 1/5 to 1/4 lb of actual phosphate (P2O5) per 100 square ft of garden space. A liberal application of bone meal could be banded to ensure adequate supplies. I band 1/2 to 3/4 pound of triple super phosphate (0-45-0) per 40 feet of row. As stated above, garlic should be planted in September or October. Select clean, dry bulbs, break them into individual cloves and plant the same day as divided. Plant 2 to 3 inches deep and 6 inches apart. Rows should be 12 to 18 inches apart. Irrigate immediately after planting. Garlic cloves require 4 to 6 weeks of cool weather (less than 40 degrees F) after planting to vernalize the plant to induce bulb production. During fall and winter, the bulb will produce roots and some top growth. After the weather warms up in spring, long, strap-like leaves will emerge and lengthen. Keep plants well watered through spring and early summer. Top-setting garlic will produce seed stalks in late spring. These should be broken over (or removed) to encourage larger bulb formation. In June to early July, leaves will turn brown and top will begin to fall. Irrigation should be stopped at this time to prevent rotting. To harvest, wait until top growth has dried. Loosen soil with a fork so that bulbs can be removed from soil. Home gardeners usually dry garlic in a shed of other dry location out of direct sun. It can be cleaned, then braided or simply trimmed and stored for later use. Follow the Backyard Gardener on Twitter – use the link on the BYG website. If you have other gardening questions, call the Master Gardener help line in the Camp Verde office at 928-554-8999 Ext. 3 or e-mail us at cottonwoodmg@yahoo.com and be sure to include your name, address and phone number. Find past Backyard Gardener columns or provide feedback at the Backyard Gardener web site: http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/.  |