Up Comes the Garlic

 


A few years ago a friend from church gave me a few of her garlic bulbs to plant. They were the smaller variety. They have spread in the area next to the house where they grow and I usually harvest them every year. However I have always wanted to get a larger variety. 

Last fall a different friend from church asked me and another lady if we were interested in going in with her on a garlic bulb order. So we did. She ordered two different types. 

I planted mine a bit later, because I kept forgetting to get out and fix a spot to put them out in the fenced in garden area.  Then after planting I didn’t mulch for a month or so. After a few weeks none of the bulbs had sprouted, so I was a bit worried. Then one day I went out and a few of them HAD finally sprouted. So I thought I’d better mulch. 

All winter I only saw one sprout left, so I figured I’d killed them all off somehow. But just a week or two ago I went out and saw that all of the bulbs have sprouted!  Such excitement!  

Hooray!!

I am not sure how thoroughly I am supposed to harvest them. Do I leave a few plants there to divide and spread?  Or do I harvest it all and replant a few of the bulbs for next year?  

The second option alarms me a bit. I’m afraid I’d forget to replant and thus lose it all. 

We shall see. 

At any rate I don’t use fresh garlic all that much. When I harvest it, I break the cloves all apart, peel and freeze.  Then I can take what I need out of the freezer as I need it. 

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