GARLIC

Selecting the site

Garlic needs a good six hours of sunshine per day so choose an open site. If possible, avoid using a site where onions, leeks or garlic have been planted within the last three years.  

The soil

Garlic loves a rich soil and loathes competing with weeds. Prepare the soil so it is friable, free draining and as weed free as possible. Add plenty of compost.  

Garlic ‘bulbs’

Garlic will be available in garden centres from March. Avoid planting garlic from supermarkets as often it has been treated to prevent sprouting, especially if it’s imported. When you purchase garlic, it comes as a bulb with the cloves attached to a root plate. Separate each bulb into individual cloves, selecting the largest cloves for planting.  

Planting

Planting in autumn gives the bulbs time to develop and mature before Garlic Rust establishes in the moist warmer weather in spring.

Space your garlic cloves 10 to 20 cm apart. Planting them too close results in small and weak plants, while planting them too far apart will encourage weeds. Make holes in the soil 2cm-5cm deep, then push in the cloves, pointy end up, so the tip is just below the level of the soil. Water them in to settle the soil around the cloves. Shoots will begin to emerge about one month after planting. 

Watering

Garlic requires minimal watering due to its dislike for wet conditions. Water sparingly and only as necessary. During winter, watering may not be required at all.  

Feeding

After planting, apply fertiliser (we recommend ican Organic Vege Food) along the rows at approximately ½ cup per metre. Feed again in autumn, nothing through winter, and again early spring to support plant growth.  

Weeding

Garlic does not compete well with weeds so keep ahead of them by scratching the weeds out while still small, leaving them to compost on the soil.  

Pests and diseases

Rust is a fungal disease that infects the mature leaves and becomes worse with warm, moist weather. Water only at the base of the plants to keep the leaves dry. Spray with Grosafe FreeFlo Copper as a means of protection and control.

Black aphids are a common pest of the onion family and can be seen crowded on new leaves. Spray with Grosafe Enspray 99.  

Harvesting

Harvest garlic roughly 8 months after planting, on a dry day. Garlic is ready for harvest when the top becomes soft at the base where it joins the bulb, and the lower leaves start to turn yellow and brown. Use a small garden fork to gently lift the bulbs out of the ground. Remove the soil carefully while keeping the skin intact and allow the bulbs to dry briefly in the sun.

After harvesting, leave the tops on and keep them in a warm, airy place for about three weeks until dry. Once dry, trim the roots and tops, but leave the papery skins on to protect the cloves. Store in a dry place out of direct sunlight. 

Garlic varieties

The two main kinds of garlic are hard neck and soft neck. Hard neck varieties are better suited to cool winter areas and require a period of cold to develop robust bulbs. Soft neck varieties grow best in warm climates and are the best to plait for storage. 

- 'Printanor' is the primary garlic variety grown in New Zealand. It is a soft neck variety that is robust, flavoursome, and ideal for winter planting.

- Soft neck ‘Fire’ is new to the home gardener. It has an intense heat and is a large size with 8-12 cloves per bulb.

- The hard neck Creole garlic, also known as 'Ajo Rojo', is a beautiful and distinctive garlic with red/burgundy clove wrappers and very good storage. It is more    flavourful and fiery with an intense 'garlicky' taste.

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