| Garlic is a cash crop that you can even grow in | | | | can forget about planting in rows. Plant in equilateral |
| containers. In fields you separate plantings to rows | | | | triangles of 4 inch sides. To put it another way, plant |
| one foot apart to allow you to walk between them. | | | | them in concentric circles that are a little less than 4 |
| But in containers you just walk round the outside of | | | | inches apart, with each clove about 4 inches from |
| the planting, so cloves can have only four inches | | | | the closest neighbors in adjacent rows. This results in |
| between them in every direction. | | | | a very even spacing. To plant them, push the flat bit |
| If you try to buy garlic you will see what I mean | | | | at the bottom into the soil, with the pointy bit at the |
| about high prices. Considering that each clove should | | | | top just poking above the soil. |
| produce between ten and fifteen cloves it should be | | | | 5. Looking after your plantation. Don't let it dry out. |
| quite profitable on a small scale for clients who want | | | | Don't let weeds shade out your crops. |
| organic produce. | | | | 6. Harvest them before the greens wither |
| How to grow garlic | | | | completely, on a hot dry day. Loosen the soil, don't |
| 1. Where do you grow them? Push cloves into the | | | | pull them out by the greens. Hang them up to dry |
| ground all over your garden, and let them survive as | | | | (don't wash them) keeping an eye on them to make |
| they will. This will help your other plants. To grow | | | | sure they don't become mouldy. Remove any moldy |
| them as crops you should use raised beds. For | | | | ones immediately. Cut off bulbs as you want to use |
| instance a plastic garbage bin makes a good raised | | | | them. |
| bed if you punch holes in the bottom, and trim it | | | | 7. Garlic can |
| down to about 9 inches high. If you are careful you | | | | * Lower your blood pressure |
| could get three or four rings out of each bin, each 9 | | | | * Regulate your blood sugar |
| inches high, to make the retaining walls for your | | | | * Remove heavy metals from your body |
| raised beds. | | | | * Kills bacteria and molds |
| Each ring could grow about 25 bulbs, with many | | | | * Even fights viruses - which antibiotics can't do |
| cloves in each bulb. | | | | * Fights yeast infections |
| Fill the rings with compost mixed with some soil. It | | | | * Fights cancer |
| must be will drained and fertile. | | | | Of course garlic is a mixture of hundreds of nutrients, |
| 2. After a few years you'll have your own stock. To | | | | but the one that is supposed to have most health |
| start with you can buy bulbs from an organic grower, | | | | benefits only develops when you expose it to air. So |
| or members of an organic club might share bulbs | | | | put your garlic through a press, exposing the pulp to |
| around. Garlic from the shops is usually sprayed to | | | | air for a few minutes before you use it. For instance, |
| prevent you growing them. Also get your stock | | | | I put a pound of garlic through the press to make a |
| locally, because if it is imported it will have different | | | | stew, leaving it spread over a large plate while I |
| growing seasons. | | | | prepare the rest of the stew. I make about two |
| 3. Plant the cloves in autumn (fall). The roots and | | | | gallons of stew at a time, and freeze portions. |
| greens grow in the winter, then in the warmer | | | | There is even a large mild garlic that we call Russian |
| weather the bulbs thicken out. When the greens | | | | garlic. You can cook an apple-sized bulb and eat it as |
| wither, harvest them and plait the shrivelled greens | | | | a vegetable dish. However you use it, don't miss |
| to store them hanging over a beam in the garage. | | | | garlic from your plans for vegetable organic |
| 4. Planting is easy. Separate all the cloves in each bulb. | | | | gardening. |
| If you have a raised bed about 2 ft diameter you | | | | |