Five Tips on Growing Great Garlic

Last year we planted our garlic late. In fact we had our first frost the night we finished planting. We know very well you need to plant early to mid fall, well before the first frost … but we didn’t have time to do it till mid November. Following that icy night, winter set in very quickly. It didn’t snow too much, but what with continuous frosts and thaws along with continuous rain, we weren’t sure our poor little cloves were going to make it to spring.

The good thing is, we have some great tricks we use to ensure the best survival rate possible. Garlic should have started sprouting before winter sets in, so the plant gets established. Although we didn’t see any sprouts till about a month ago, they’re growing like mad now that it’s warming up. We were getting a little worried, but I think we’re safe. Whew! Here’s what we think saved us, despite the fact our timing was bad:

Raised Beds

Raised beds are a must on the west coast of British Columbia, due to the huge amount of rainfall we have here. This type of bed allows for good drainage, so the garlic bulbs don’t rot. Beds are typically built up around 5-6 inches high.

Timing

Garlic should be planted in mid fall, before the first hard frost. It is then overwintered and harvested the following summer.

Plant the Biggest Cloves

Using the biggest cloves from your garlic seed bulbs will ensure you have good sized bulbs. The smaller the clove, the smaller the bulb produced from it.

Straw Mulch

Covering the newly planted cloves with a thick layer of straw mulch will ensure garlic plants are safe from frost and snow throughout the winter. In early spring, after last frost, the mulch gets removed so it doesn’t trap water from the heavy spring rains.

Remove the Scape

The scape is the garlic bulb’s flower stalk. If this is not removed, the plant will put energy into growing the flower and not the bulb. Removing the scape before it forms a bud is crucial to good bulb size. And then you can eat the scapes. Yum!

Garlic 101

Garlic has its origins in Central Asia. From there it has been distributed over the centuries to other parts of the world. Due to the vast distribution areas, garlic had to adapt to a wide range of climates. Though it generally requires a cold winter and a warm summer in order for reasonable bulb formation to occur, there is some variation. Today’s hardneck varieties still prefer a cold winter and warm summer, but softnecks are often grown and thrive in warmer climates.

Unknown to most North Americans, there are hundreds of garlic cultivars. The reason most of us don’t know this is because commercial producers (the majority of which come from China and California) all grow the same type. The kind we’ve been buying from our grocery stores is of the Artichoke variety. These are commonly called softneck garlic as they don’t produce a flower stalk.

Artichoke garlic is easiest to deal with from a commercial production point of view, because there is no flower stalk and the bulbs are easier to clean and process. However, the garlic that does produce a flower stalk (commonly known as hardneck) is closest to garlic’s genetic roots, and is some of the best tasting garlic there is.

Garlic Varieties

Garlic is part of the Allium family, of which onions, leeks and chives are also members. The two main garlic species of this genus are divided into softnecks (var. sativum) and hardnecks (var. ophioscorodon).

1. Hardneck Garlic

Hardneck garlic gets its name from the stiff flower stalks of the plants. The flower stalks are also known as scapes and are removed in early spring to promote bulb growth. The scapes are delicious and can be pickled, used as a vegetable, or made into pesto. Hardneck garlic tends to have fewer cloves than softneck varieties, with the cloves circled around a central stalk and are rather uniform in size.

Hardneck garlic includes three distinct varieties:

Porcelain Garlic: Porcelain garlic is usually a plump bulb with only a few very large cloves. They are covered in a very thick outer skin, which promotes a longer storage life. Porcelains tend to be intense in flavour, but are not particularly complex in character.

Rocambole: Rocamboles have thinner skins than softneck varieties. These thin skinned bulbs don't store very long, but peel easily. The flavour tends to be rich and complex, and they are considered to be some of the best tasting garlic there is. However, they have thin skins, which contributes to a rather short storage life.

Purple Stripe Garlic: Purple Stripe garlic is generally striped with purple! They are strongly bolting, requiring the removal of the scape, if a reasonably large bulb is desired. They tend to be rich in flavour, and delicious when sautéed. Also, they have a fairly long storage life.

Sub-varieties: Marbled Purple Stripe and Glazed Purple Stripe. Marbled and Glazed have bigger and fewer cloves than those of the Purple Stripe variety. Glazed Purple Stripes are rich in flavour and have a medium storage life. Marbled Purple Stripes also store reasonably well, but are not as rich and complex in flavour as the Glazed Purple Stripe.

FYI – some believe these two sub-varieties to actually be true varieties, and separate from the Purple Stripe group.

2. Softneck Garlic

Softneck garlic is well adapted to warmer climates. As mentioned before, it is softneck garlic that you are likely to find in the grocery store, because it stores and travels better than hardneck types.

The two main softneck varieties are:

Artichoke: Artichokes are the most commonly-grown commercial garlic. They have a couple of concentric rows of cloves and tend to be very difficult to peel. But they produce and store well, and you will almost always find them at the grocery store. This variety is generally mild in flavour.

Silverskin: Silverskins have silvery, white skins and many small cloves. They have a strong neck that is easily braided. The flavour is usually spicier than Artichokes, and they are one of the longest storing garlics.

3. Creole Garlic: Creoles are well suited to hot climates and even enjoy a bit of drought. They are generally grown in the southern United States. They are weakly bolting, which means some produce a scape and some don’t. For those that do, it is necessary to remove the scape in order to produce a good sized bulb. Creoles have a sweet flavour, and tend to be long storers.

4. Asiatic Garlic: Asiatic garlic is a bolting variety, although the scapes do not need to be removed in order for the bulb to produce large bulbs. They have great flavour, and tend to store well.

5. Turban Garlic: Turban garlic is weakly bolting and have the shortest storage life. They produce large bulbs and are very hot raw, but lose most of their heat when cooked.


6. Elephant Garlic: Elephant Garlic gets its name from its large size. It is actually not garlic at all, but a type of bulb-forming leek. It is of the Allium Ampeloprasum species and has a very mild, earthy flavour.

Cultivars that we have available

Persian Star - (also known as Samarkand) is a Purple Stripe. It is complex and rich in flavour and is full of character. So far, the Persian Star cultivar is the tastiest garlic we’ve ever tried. It’s very good raw. Add a crushed clove to a salad dressing or stir it into a bowl of pasta or soup just before you eat it.

Salsa - a Silverskin. This garlic came to us as a generic variety, with no cultivar name. But we do recognize it as a Silverskin, and have decided to give it our own name. This cultivar is hot and spicy. In other words it packs a punch! It can be overpowering to some when raw, but is delicious sautéed or roasted. This is the one to choose if you really want that garlic flavour to express itself in your cooking. Also, as noted above, it has a very long storage life.

Cultivars in our Test Garden

Chesnok Red - a Purple Stripe

German Red, Russian Red, Spicy Korean Red - Rocamboles

Majestic, Music, and Yugoslovian - Porcelains

Garlic Chemistry

There are three main elements of garlic that play a part in its flavour and therapeutic effects:

• The sulfur compound Alliin – necessary in the creation of Allicin, it does not have flavour, odor or any therapeutic benefits.

• The enzyme Alliinase – interacts with Aliin to produce Allicin and other sulfur compounds, creating odor and flavour. Freezing, heating or adding acid neutralizes it.

• The sulfur compound Allicin – responsible for garlic’s unique flavour and aroma, as well as its therapeutic benefits. Heat destroys it.

Aliinase and Aliin are in separate cells of garlic cloves, and are only brought together when the cell walls are destroyed by crushing, chopping or slicing a clove.

When Aliinase and Aliin interact, they create the sulfur compound Allicin. A whole clove of garlic has no smell because it doesn’t contain Allicin. Crush it or chop it though and you have the familiar pungent odor filling the room.
Cooking

Bringing Aliinase and Aliin together produces not just Allicin, but results in the creation of many more sulfur compounds that contribute to flavor and therapeutic benefits.
Acid and heat deactivate the enzyme Aliinase and destroy Allicin. But crushing or chopping prior to cooking creates other sulfur compounds which add to flavour, and apparently have therapeutic benefits.

Tips:

• If you want to keep the Allicin, but add an acid (such as in a salad dressing), crush the garlic separately before incorporating your acid.
• You can incorporate crushed garlic in an already prepared dish (such as pasta or soup) and you will keep the Allicin active as long as the dish is warm and not still cooking. Allicin is only destroyed by heat if it is cooked.
• Adding raw crushed garlic to a finished dish just before serving adds a tremendous amount of flavor.
• Roasted garlic, although loved by many, never produces Allicin as the cloves are not crushed or chopped prior to roasting.

Therapeutic Benefits

Garlic is said to have the following therapeutic benefits:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers bad cholesterol levels
• Is a natural antibiotic, antifungal, antibacterial agent
• Is a powerful antioxidant if aged - antioxidants can help to protect the body against damaging free radicals

For scientific evidence of these statements, searching the Internet will produce many reliable resources. An excellent book on this subject is “Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and the Science” by Eric Block.

To find out more about the healing qualities of garlic, an excellent book to read on the subject is “The Healing Power of Garlic” by Paul Bergner.

Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From?

Do you ever wonder where the food you buy comes from? I never used to, when I lived in the city.  And I still don’t always check. It’s easy for me to forget about, because I only recently became enlightened. The majority of people don’t think about it. They just buy what they need, whenever they want. Food comes from the grocery store, butchers, bakeries, specialty shops … right?

Several years ago I read “The Hundred Mile Diet” at the coaxing of a friend. Before reading it, I have to admit I scoffed a little at the idea of buying food that was produced locally. Now I cringe every time I think about my negative reaction to such a concept. 

In our society, we aren’t taught to question things. Nobody tells us where food comes from. Nobody points out how ridiculous it is that our lettuce and garlic now come from China, our peppers and grapes from Mexico or Chile, apples from New Zealand, etc. And the produce that’s grown right here in British Columbia, where does it go? Why aren’t British Columbians able to buy it from their grocery stores? Our Canadian farmers are increasingly unable to carry on their chosen way of life. Is it not insane that we apparently prefer to buy food produced halfway around the world, when we can have the very best, the safest and the most nutritious food right at our doorsteps?

North Americans, Europeans and a growing number of third world countries have been very spoiled.  We are a culture of instant gratification. When we want something, we want it now.  Instead of eating with the seasons and buying locally to support our farmers, we want all vegetables and fruits, all of the time!  Not to mention other types of food and meat. And we’ve been given everything we want, to the detriment of the environment.

Did you know that most of the garlic you buy in your neighborhood grocery is from China? Garlic is one of the easiest things to grow, and it does really well in most parts of BC. But we buy it from China. Why?  It’s super cheap. Our grocery stores would rather buy cheap, old tasteless garlic from overseas than fresh and delicious, but more expensive garlic from local growers. And there are many garlic farmers in BC, as well as across Canada.

Today I found a new brand of eggs in my grocery store. The label said that not only were they organic, but cage-free and grass-fed. Excited, I grabbed a carton and was about to put it in my shopping cart when a little voice in my head reminded me to check the source. So I looked at the label again. The eggs came from Ontario. Are there no chickens laying eggs in the Fraser Valley?  There must be. So where are they going? And what kind of packaging must be required to ship those fragile eggs across our vast country? I did a little research. I’m not going to write further on the subject now, but this is what I found:  http://www.chilliwacktoday.ca/?p=10902 . 

Here’s a question we should be asking ourselves. When you buy food that actually was shipped here from Mexico, or China, or New Zealand, do you consider the impact on our atmosphere and our oceans of transporting the goods? The pollution sent out from this massive addiction to “cheap” goods is not factored into the price at the checkout, ever. We and our grandchildren will be paying for this addiction down the road. It won’t be so cheap to them.

People are starting to learn about their carbon footprint because it’s talked about in the media. More and more businesses are getting on board to help save the planet. Some of us have discovered where our food comes from, how much it costs to get from there to here, and how much fuel is used to do so. And we know that in the usage of that fuel, carbon dioxide is created which contributes to global warming. But most people still don’t even think about it. If you haven’t paid much attention yet, I really encourage you to start. Do some research. The time to act is now, not in a while.

Ask yourself if it’s logical that farmers in British Columbia ship their vegetables and fruit to the United States and beyond. Does it make sense that we then turn around and have vegetables and fruits shipped from all over the world to British Columbian grocery stores? Are local farmers forced to do this, due to market forces that prevent them from supplying local vendors and resellers? When you buy in bulk, you get lower prices. At no cost?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not arguing for the 100-mile diet and nothing else here. We have to be realistic. I recognize that it’s impossible to get absolutely everything we need or want locally. In fact, if we decided to only eat food that was grown or raised in our local area, we would probably be quite hungry through the winter months (and somewhat bored?). It’s also important to note that some shipping methods have a greater environmental impact than others. So perhaps our focus should be on buying as much locally as we can, but when it’s not feasible or possible, looking for food that has been delivered most efficiently and with low environmental impact. It’s all about balance. I do enjoy a nice Shiraz with dinner on occasion, so we should buy abroad, but only quality items, or things which add value. We should offset those purchases with efforts to reduce our personal impact on the earth’s resources. Why not put Canadians back to work, giving us the best food on earth?

Please support your local farmers and buy local as much as you can! To find the farmer’s market nearest you in the lower mainland, check out this site:  http://www.bcfarmersmarket.org/findamarket.asp . 

Also, try growing some of your own food! It’s fun and very rewarding. The closest garden to you is the one in your own back yard (or balcony).

© Garlic in the Soul 2011

Garden State

Right now the garden is mostly asleep. Garlic is really the only thing growing right now. Although we do have brussel sprouts that overwintered, and still have a few very sweet sprouts on them. 

 

Brussel Sprouts



Here ‘s what the garlic beds looked like just after planting in early November:

Here they are today:

They will be harvested approximately mid July, cured for two weeks, then off to market or set aside in a cool dark place for planting time in November.

Seedlings

Two weeks ago, we started all our vegetable seedlings indoors that can’t be direct seeded in late spring/early summer.

Right now we have five varieties of tomatoes, purple and green broccoli, rainbow cauliflower, red and green cabbage, leeks, two kinds of peppers, flat leaf parsley, cilantro, rosemary, lavender, butterfly bush and lobelia in flats. The majority of them have sprouted. Seeds must be first planted in a sterile starter mix to prevent disease.  We start ours on a seedling warmer pad. This Seedling Warmer from West Coast Seeds is awesome. They also have one that fits window sills. The warmth from this pad encourages quick germination for planted seeds. Plastic lids are put on seedling trays to keep the environment moist.  The soil must be kept constantly moist until seeds have germinated. Then you have to be very careful to keep them watered, but not too wet as something called damping off disease can occur. Damping off is a disease that attacks small seedlings which are too wet.  Your best bet is, as soon as all seeds have sprouted in a flat, remove the lid and put it in a bright place.

On April 1^st we’ll be starting basil indoors, and on June 1^st, brussel sprouts and more broccoli for fall and winter harvest.

For now, though, we just need to nurture these little guys along.  Soon it will be time to transfer each plant to its own small pot after the first set of true leaves appear (the first two leaves you see on a plant are not true leaves, but are called seed leaves or cotyledons.  After these appear, the first set of true leaves develops above these seed leaves) and before you know it we’ll be transplanting them to the great outdoors.



First Pepper Seed Leaves



First Broccoli Seed Leaves



First Tomato Seed Leaves

I will post more as we move along through each step of transplanting, hardening off and finally moving them out to the garden.

Next steps are a garden plan and tilling the soil. We're hoping that the last frost is very soon so we can finally plant our peas.  This morning, March 20^th, we woke up to quite a significant frost. Very unusual for this time of year, and I really hope it’s the last.

 



The Great Pumpkin

We had about ten sugar pumpkin plants in our vegetable garden this past summer, and together they produced about sixty pumpkins. Sugar pumpkins are fairly uniform in size and weigh about five pounds each. They’re also super sweet and tasty. We still have about eight of them left, but by this point they’re slowly starting to mold. About once a week for the past month, I’ve had to throw one out. But they were harvested in September and it’s March, so they’ve stored really well in our cool basement.

So far I’ve made pumpkin soup, loaf, muffins and pie. I’ve put chunks of it into stews, pasta, risotto, roasted it and even mashed it! Last night it was freezing cold here, and craving comfort food as well as needing to use up the pumpkins we have left, I decided to try something new.

Last year, I was in a restaurant and they had pumpkin gnocchi on the menu. I didn’t order it, but have been thinking about it ever since. I decided to make it. I used the ingredients of a typical potato gnocchi, but substituted potato with pumpkin and added a few things. I made a garlic herb butter sauce, because winter squash, sage and thyme are beautiful together.  Harry was a little alarmed by the pumpkin dumplings on his plate, but by the time he’d finished them he said, “Different … but pretty darn good!” 

I believe in being creative when it comes to cooking. I never follow a recipe completely (unless it’s baking), and when remaking a dish I’ve created, I often change the ingredients based on whatever I have on hand.  Also, not everyone likes the same flavours. So I encourage you to use whatever types of flour, cheese, squash and herbs you like. Play with it, and let me know what you come up with!

This recipe will serve 4 people as a side.

Pumpkin Gnocchi

1.5 cups pumpkin puree (I roast my own – see note – or you can use a 14 oz can.  Make sure you don’t get pumpkin pie filling, just pure pumpkin)

1 egg

1.5 cups cups flour

1/8  tsp cinnamon

½  tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

First make the dough:

Mix the pumpkin puree and egg together. Add the flour, salt, cinnamon and pepper. The dough will be fairly sticky. Refrigerate for about an hour before using.  You can use saran wrap or a lightly greased bowl.

When ready to cook your gnocchi, bring a large pot of water to boil. Also, preheat your oven to the lowest temperature so you can keep the cooked gnocchi warm. 

There are two ways to form the gnocchi.  You can either remove the dough from the fridge and put on a floured surface and knead for a few minutes.  Roll out the dough to about ½ inch thickness, and then cut into 2” by 1” pieces.  Or don’t roll it out, and using a tablespoon scoop up about the same size of dough. Drop the pieces into the boiling water. You can fill the pot fairly full, but use your judgment. You want the gnocchi to have room to move around.  When the dumplings float to the top, they’re done. Remove and place in a dish in your warmed oven until you’re finished.

While your gnocchi are waiting in the oven, make the herb butter sauce:

Herb Butter Sauce

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

5 fresh sage leaves chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme chopped fine

2 medium sized garlic cloves (use one clove if you don’t like strong garlic flavor)

Salt and pepper

Parmigiano Reggiano

Heat the butter and oil together on medium low heat. Add the sage and thyme, along with the salt and pepper. Sauté the herbs for a couple of minutes. Then add the garlic. Cook a few minutes longer and remove from heat.

Now remove your gnocchi from the oven and add to the pan with your sauce. Toss until all the gnocchi are coated. Plate your dumplings, and grate some fresh parmigiano cheese over top.  Yum!

Beer / Wine Pairings:  We had a Red Racer IPA from Central City Brewing with this dish. A Belgian witbier would be good, as would pumpkin ale if you can find one.  Central City Brewing does a great seasonal pumpkin ale in the fall.

If you’re more into wine, Riesling is a wonderful wine with pumpkin and roast chicken. Local wineries producing Rieslings:  Mt. Lehmann Winery and Lotusland Vineyards, both from Abbotsford. There are also many lovely Rieslings being produced in the Okanagan.

Whatever you end up drinking, try to find a local craft brewer or vineyard and support drinking locally!

Creative Suggestions:

·         For a more classic combination, instead of using sage and thyme, use just 10 sage leaves. Or just use 1.5 tsp fresh thyme

·         Try finely chopped fresh rosemary instead of sage and thyme, or do a combination of the three

·         Instead of Parmigiano Reggiano, use Pecorino Romano or another sharp cheese

·         After boiling them, pan fry the gnocchi before adding to the sage butter sauce

·         Add a splash of the beer or wine to your sauce

·         Instead of all-purpose flour, you could use a combination of one cup all-purpose and half a cup semolina or; use rice flour if you don’t eat gluten or; try spelt flour for a nuttier taste

·         Add a bit of lemon zest to the sauce

·         Use a different winter squash such as butternut, buttercup or acorn

Roasting pumpkin:

Roast your pumpkin at 375^oF for about an hour. Before baking, put a few slices in the top of the pumpkin with a sharp knife to allow for run-off.

Have a cookie sheet on the rack below to catch drips. At about the 45 minute mark, test with a knife. If the knife goes through easily, your pumpkin is ready to remove from the oven. If not, give 10 – 15 more minutes and check again.

Let the pumpkin cool. Then remove the skin (it should practically fall off). Cut in half and remove all seeds and stringy bits.

Put into a food processor and blend until the consistency of baby food. Pureed pumpkin freezes really well.

From the City to the Farm

I have always been a city person.  For eleven years I lived in downtown Vancouver and loved it.  I never imagined myself living in the suburbs, let alone the country.  But after ten years of being with my partner, we both suddenly found ourselves wanting a quieter lifestyle.  We also wanted to do something good for the environment, and to start living much more sustainably than we could in the city.  Suddenly, a house with a yard seemed appealing.  We had also just bought a big dog, and we wanted to give him a piece of outdoors that was his.  So we started looking at the various suburban areas surrounding Vancouver.  None of them appealed.  I planned on keeping my city job, and wanted to take public transit to work.  So it would have to either be near a sky train station (subway) or a train station.  We finally decided on the upper area of the Fraser Valley.  We found a 5.5 acre property that we both fell in love with immediately.  The house was run down, but the property had great potential.  Not really knowing what that potential was yet, we decided to buy it.

The first summer we decided to put in a vegetable garden, as we’d both dabbled in gardening before.  We loved the idea of growing our own food.  We also decided we were going to do everything organically.  We didn’t know much about it though.  Because of this lack of knowledge, we didn’t test the soil in the designated garden area.  We did have a truck of topsoil delivered, but unfortunately it was full of wood chunks and nothing we planted grew.  We didn’t understand why.

So we decided to start educating ourselves.  We bought stacks of books and started reading.  We found out that the wood chunks, while breaking down, were locking all available nitrogen and not allowing any into the soil.   We learned that we needed to test our soil to find out which nutrients were lacking.  We started composting. 

The second summer we brought in mushroom manure, proper top soil and necessary  organic nutrients.  We added our compost, created raised beds and planted some vegetables.  That year we did pretty well, but found that the raised beds were causing water to drain away too quickly.  Although we had put in a self-watering system, the veggies were always too thirsty. 

The third summer, which was this past year, we added sand to the soil mixture and did not use raised beds.  We created sand paths between all the beds, and bought cloches for our tomato plants.  We laid down fabric so we wouldn’t have to weed very much.  Fabric also helps as an insulator to keep the soil warm.  We interplanted flowers to detract pests, and herbs and more flowers to attract beneficial insects.  And we had a very successful garden. 

We’ve learned a lot.  But there is always so much more to know.  So we keep reading and experimenting, and each year I’m sure we will get better and better.

One of the things we found we could grow very well was garlic.  The first year, our only success was garlic and herbs, which were grown in a separate area from the vegetable garden.  I only planted 30 garlic plants the first time.  It was shockingly easy.  That July when I pulled them from the earth, I was so excited by the size of them and the fact that I had done this.  I brushed off the dirt, and crisscrossed them over a screen on our back deck to cure.  Two weeks later we were eating the best garlic I’ve ever tasted. 

The next summer we grew 300 bulbs.  You can never have too much garlic!  We gave some away to friends, and ate the rest over the next four months.  Our friends too, were astonished at the spicy, sexy flavor of fresh garlic.  We’d found our niche! 

After doing some research, we found that organically grown garlic is fairly hard to find.  Also, there aren’t many local growers in our area, and those that are doing it will retire soon.  So there is a need for organically grown garlic.  We found out that there are hundreds of varietals also.  Each one with its own unique flavor and personality.  So this fall we decided to try something new.  We planted 2,000 garlic plants.  We have four varieties for now.  And we’re going to sell them!  We’ve discovered our potential, and are slowly moving toward a small working farm. 

The plan is to eventually start selling our herbs and vegetables as well.  We’ll specialize in unique, heirloom and organic garlic and vegetables.  As we learn and grow, we will share our journey with others, and along the way will be posting photos and recipes, and sharing our gardening knowledge.  We encourage you to start thinking more seriously about buying local, eating seasonally and organic and taking better care of our earth. 

Janet

Planting Garlic