Growing fruit and veg is the very definition of hit and miss. From experience, potatoes have been a complete disaster, whereas our rhubarb and runner beans are superb. Feels like the best approach is to try everything and see what works. So when I wandered past a street market last year, and saw a stall selling garlic bulbs for planting, I bought a couple and this is their story.
I was wandering past a stall at our local monthly market and noticed a guy selling garlic bulbs for growing. I naively had expected garlic to grow in hot climes rather than the cold, wet north of England but an interesting chat with the very knowledgeable stallholder informed me that the colder the better. So I bought two of his bulbs, an Early Purple and a Blanc de Lomagne.
Planted in late-Autumn/early-Winter with no fertiliser until March, its one of the easiest things to grow. Just split the bulbs and plant one clove every 6 inches or so. It starts growing satisfying quickly at a time when everything else is withering, and is great fun.
The following summer, when the leaves yellow, they are ready for harvesting. Leave them out to dry, ideally in the sun but a dry garage or shed will suffice, and then just hang up until you need to use. They’ve lasted for months quite happily.
I preferred the Early Purple, simply because it produces far bigger bulbs and size matters. It’s been delicious to cook and eat, and it provides that magical gardening experience of a single bulb producing an entire row of new crop. Next year’s is already planted and growing well I’m pleased to report.
