Planting Garlic

It is the first day of the October work party and this morning we divided into two groups, one working in the garden. We did a few things, weeding, pulling summer crops that were done producing, adding compost and amendments and turning the soil, and planting garlic into that newly turned soil.

We planted one and a half beds, the half with Boonville White, and the one with an unnamed variety, which years ago was given to Emerald Earth by members of another community who grow garlic as a cottage industry. First we separated the heads into cloves, making sure there were not two cloves very close together looking like one, since we don't want two plants together to compete for space. When planting we used a stick with lines drawn on it to help space them evenly, planting one every 8 inches or so. Flat end down, pointy end up since that is where they sprout. They are just pushed into the ground until they are all the way in then the hole is covered.


Boonville White peels really easily, and has big cloves, but not huge heads. It also has a stiff stem so can't be braided and doesn't last as long. The other variety has both mostly large heads and mostly large cloves, can be braided and lasts longer. So both, and other varieties, are planted to take advantage of their good qualities.